GB2463792A

GB2463792A - Baggage locator with directional transmitter

Info

Publication number: GB2463792A
Application number: GB0916859A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Russell Fleet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-25
Filing date: 2009-09-25
Publication date: 2010-03-31
Also published as: GB0817537D0; GB0916859D0; EP2345014A1; WO2010035045A1; GB2463717A

Abstract

A baggage locator comprises a transmitter unit 14 and a receiver unit 13. The receiver unit is disposed on a tag 11 attached to the baggage 10, or is located within the baggage (e.g. suitcase) and receives an interrogation signal transmitted by the transmitter unit. The receiver unit is generates a locator signal in response to the interrogation signal, to enable a user to locate the baggage. The transmitted interrogation signal is directional. The user scans the transmitter unit in different directions to activate the receiver unit and thus the locator signal, providing an intuitive indication of the direction of the baggage. The locator signal may be an audio signal (e.g. beeps), generated by the receiver unit and/or the transmitter unit. The time interval between successive audio signals varies with the direction and distance of the receiver unit from the transmitter unit.

Description

BAGGAGE LOCATOR

The present invention relates to a baggage locator and particularly, but not exclusively, to a baggage locator for locating a particular suitcase from amongst a number of similar suitcases.

It is common for persons to miss their suitcase or bag as it travels around a carousel at an aircraft terminal. This is easily done given the number of bags and quite often, the similarity of a person's bag to a number of other bags upon the carousel. As such, some travellers are left waiting at the carousel until the majority of the bags have been collected so that their bag can be identified more easily from the remaining few.

I have now devised a baggage locator which alleviates the above mentioned problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a baggage locator, the baggage locator comprising a transmitter unit and a receiver unit, the receiver unit being disposed on or within the baggage and being arranged to receive an interrogation signal that is transmitted by the transmitter unit, the receiver unit being further arranged to generate a locator signal in response to the interrogation signal, wherein, the transmitter unit is arranged to transmit a directed interrogation signal.

The locator signal thus enables a person to identify their baggage, for example a suitcase, from a number of suitcases. In addition, the directional transmission of the interrogation signal from the transmitter unit requires the user to scan the transmitter unit in different directions to activate the receiver unit and thus the locator signal. This is found to provide an intuitive indication of the direction of the receiver unit relative to the user.

Preferably, the interrogation signal is transmitted through a window disposed on the transmitter unit.

Preferably, the locator signal is arranged to generate an audio signal. The audio signal is preferably emitted from a transducer associated with the receiver unit and/or the transmitter unit. Preferably, the time interval between consecutive audio signals decreases as the direction of transmission of the interrogation signal becomes more aligned with the direction of the receiver unit from the transmitter unit. Conversely, the time interval between consecutive audio signals preferably increases as the direction of transmission of the interrogation signal becomes more misaligned with the direction of the receiver unit from the transmitter unit.

Preferably, the audio signal is emitted such that the time interval between consecutive audio signals decreases as the transmitter unit approaches the receiver unit. Conversely, the time interval between consecutive audio signals preferably increases as the transmitter unit recedes from the receiver unit.

Preferably the audio signal comprises a beep.

Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the locator signal provides an indication on the transmitter unit of the location of the baggage.

The receiver unit is preferably housed within a tag that is releasably secured to the baggage. Alternatively, the receiver unit is preferably formed integrally with the baggage.

Preferably, the baggage comprises a bag or suitcase or similar.

The transmitter unit is preferably hand-held and preferably comprises attachment means for attaching to a key-ring, for example.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a bag, the bag comprising a receiver unit which arranged to receive an interrogation signal which is transmitted by a transmitter unit, the receiver unit being further arranged to generate a locator signal in response to the interrogation signal, wherein, the transmitter unit is arranged to transmit a directed interrogation signal.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of the receiver unit of the baggage locator of the present invention, secured to a suitcase; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the transmitter unit of the baggage locator of the present invention, secured to a key-ring; and Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the baggage locator in use.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a suitcase 10 comprising a tag 11 that is releasably secured to a handle 12, for example, of the suitcase 10. The tag 11 comprises a battery supply (not shown) for supplying electrical power to a receiver unit 13, itself housed within the tag 11. In an alternative embodiment, the battery supply (not shown) and receiver unit 13 may be formed integrally with the suitcase 10.

The receiver unit 13 is arranged to receive an interrogation signal from a transmitter unit 14, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The transmitter unit 14 is a hand held device and comprises a battery supply (not shown) for supplying electrical power to the transmitter unit 14. The transmitter unit 14 comprises a housing 15 and an activation button 16 for activating the transmission of the interrogation signal. The interrogation signal is transmitted from the transmitter unit 14 as a directed beam, through a window 17 disposed substantially at the front of the transmitter unit 14. The beam may diverge slightly as it propagates from the transmitter unit 14 such that the beam area scanned by the transmitter unit 14 increases as the distance from the transmitter unit 14 increases. The transmitter unit 14 further comprises attachment means, for example a ring 18, for securing the unit l4to a key-ring 19, for example.

In use, a user20 scans the transmitter unit 14 while activating the transmission of the interrogation signal. Upon receiving the interrogation signal, the receiver unit 13 is arranged to generate a locator signal, which is arranged to initiate an audio signal, such as a repeating beep, from a transducer (not shown) housed within the tag 11 and/or which may be formed integrally with the suitcase 10, and/or which may be disposed upon the transmitter unit 14, for example. As the direction of transmission of the interrogation signal becomes more aligned with the direction of the receiver unit 13 from the transmitter unit 14, the time interval between consecutive beeps decreases. Conversely, the time interval between consecutive beeps increases as the direction of transmission of the interrogation signal becomes more misaligned with the direction of the receiver unit 13 from the transmitter unit 14.

As the user 20 approaches the receiver unit 11, namely as the separation of the transmitter unit 14 from the receiver unit 13 decreases, then while the interrogation signal is being transmitted, the transducer (not shown) is arranged to transmit the audio signal, for example the beep, more frequently, thereby indicating to the user 20 that they are approaching the suitcase 10. The slight divergent nature of the beam thus requires the user 20 to more accurately direct the transmitter unit 14 as the separation of the transmitter unit 14 from the receiver unit 13 decreases. Conversely, if the user 20 (and thus the transmitter unit 14) recedes from the receiver unit 13, then while the interrogation signal is being transmitted, the time interval between the beeps is arranged to decrease, thereby indicating to the user 20 that they are moving away from the suitcase 10.

Upon receiving the interrogation signal, the receiver unit 13 may be arranged to transmit an alternative or additional signal that is received by the transmitter unit 14.

The alternative or additional signal provides a directional indication of the position of the suitcase on a display window (not shown) disposed upon the transmitter unit 14.

Accordingly, when a user 20 is located near to a carousel 21 at an aircraft terminal for example, then upon activating the transmitter unit 14 via the button 16, the receiver unit 13 will serve to provide an indication to the user 20 of the position of the suitcase 10 as it approaches the user 20. Similarly, a user 20 who has misplaced their baggage is permitted to readily locate their baggage by activating the transmitter unit 14 to interrogate the receiver unit 13.

From the foregoing therefore, it is evident that the baggage locator enables a user to readily identify their baggage amongst a number of bags, or to locate any misplaced baggage.

Claims

Claims 1. A baggage locator, the baggage locator comprising a transmitter unit and a receiver unit, the receiver unit being disposed on or within the baggage and being arranged to receive an interrogation signal that is transmitted by the transmitter unit, the receiver unit being further arranged to generate a locator signal in response to the interrogation signal, wherein, the transmitter unit is arranged to transmit a directed interrogation signal.
2. A baggage locator according to claim 1, wherein the interrogation signal is transmitted through a window disposed on the transmitter unit.
3. A baggage locator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locator signal is arranged to generate an audio signal.
4. A baggage locator according to claim 3, wherein the audio signal is generated from a transducer associated with the receiver unit.
5. A baggage locator according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the audio signal is generated or further generated, from a transducer associated with the transmitter unit.
6. A baggage locator according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the audio signal is emitted such that the time interval between consecutive audio signals decreases as the direction of transmission of the interrogation signal becomes more aligned with the direction of the receiver unit from the transmitter unit.
7. A baggage locator according to any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the time interval between consecutive audio signals increases as the direction of transmission of the interrogation signal becomes more misaligned with the direction of the receiver unit from the transmitter unit.
8. A baggage locator according to any of claims 3 to 7, wherein the audio signal is emitted such that the time interval between consecutive audio signals decreases as the transmitter unit approaches the receiver unit.
9. A baggage locator according to any of claims 3 to 8, wherein the time interval between consecutive audio signals increases as the transmitter unit recedes from the receiver unit.
10. A baggage locator according to any of claims 3 to 9, wherein the audio signal comprises a beep.
11. A baggage locator according to any preceding claim, wherein the locator signal is arranged to provide an indication on the transmitter unit of the location of the baggage.
12. A baggage locator according to any preceding claim, wherein the receiver unit is housed within a tag that is releasably secured to the baggage.
13. A baggage locator according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the receiver unit is formed integrally with the baggage.
14. A baggage locator according to any preceding claim, wherein the baggage comprises a bag or suitcase or similar.
15. A baggage locator according to any preceding claim, wherein the transmitter unit is hand-held and comprises attachment means for attaching to a key-ring, forexample.
16. A bag, the bag comprising a receiver unit which arranged to receive an interrogation signal which is transmitted by a transmitter unit, the receiver unit being further arranged to generate a locator signal in response to the interrogation signal, wherein, the transmitter unit is arranged to transmit a directed interrogation signal.