NZ617084B - Wireless tracking system for trolleys and electronic boarding pass - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods of a wireless tracker system for tracking position of both passenger and trolley in an airport. The system includes a passenger unit associated with a passenger, comprising a display indicating the boarding information of the passenger. The passenger unit also has a monitoring device mounted thereto, capable of transmitting a unique ID and a passenger ID data associated therewith. The system also includes transporting units, such as trolleys, each comprising a monitoring unit associated therewith. The monitoring units are capable of transmitting unique ID data associated therewith. A plurality of wireless sensors is deployed in the airport, capable of receiving the data from the monitoring devices. A base station is equipped with monitoring software and operatively connected to the wireless sensors. The monitoring software processes the data received at the wireless sensors. The base station can transmit a lock command to lock the wheels of the trolley. a monitoring device mounted thereto, capable of transmitting a unique ID and a passenger ID data associated therewith. The system also includes transporting units, such as trolleys, each comprising a monitoring unit associated therewith. The monitoring units are capable of transmitting unique ID data associated therewith. A plurality of wireless sensors is deployed in the airport, capable of receiving the data from the monitoring devices. A base station is equipped with monitoring software and operatively connected to the wireless sensors. The monitoring software processes the data received at the wireless sensors. The base station can transmit a lock command to lock the wheels of the trolley.

Description

Wireless Tracking System for Trolleys and onic Boarding Pass Field of Invention The present ion pertains to electronic monitoring system, and more particularly to a ime monitoring systems and methods, at a commercial establishment such as airports, for monitoring boarding pass, baggage, trolleys, transporting units and likes over wireless network.

Background of the Invention Certain establishments such as airports, railway stations, shopping malls etc. need to monitor the movements of their public service equipment such. as trolleys or orting units in a shopping establishment, baggage, trolleys and boarding passes at a commercial t etc. For every kind of commercial ishment the need for real time monitoring of their services differs, which is based on the same set of services that they have to offer to their customers/clients.

Traditionally, there exist such methods, which have been attempted to address needs of real—time monitoring of articles like transporting units at an establishment like a shopping mall or vehicles owned by a private car rental company. Global Positioning System (GPS) and methods thereof have icantly assisted in attempts at real-time monitoring of such articles. Since with help of GPS geographic on can be discovered within a span of a few meters, thus allowing position information of these to be determined with great precision.

There exists attempt at installing‘ a centralized. tracking and management systems wherein sed tracking system for discovering a current location for an article provide the ng and management at establishments owning large numbers of such articles. The systems are also implemented for ring vehicles. There are a number of systems available based on GPS or satellites for tracking vehicles.

These systems include the "OmniTracs" system from Qualcomm, Inc., and the Orbcomm data messaging system from Orbcomm, Inc. Such systems generally have a GPS system and a satellite—based data messaging system. Messages containing information regarding the vehicle are communicated between the vehicle and a central ng entity through the satellite based .

Satellite based systems as described above, require considerable amount of power since there is two way ication with satellites orbiting in earth’s orbit.

Such systems have been developed by Qualcomm, such as Omnitracs system. These systems are suited for vehicles which are powered by battery or engine and therefore not suited for monitoring of articles such as baggage, trolleys or boarding pass etc. in variety of commercial establishments.

Cellular based monitoring s have been reported in the prior art too. However, these systems do not work in areas with low network coverage such a rural area or outskirts of a town. Shopping centres, supermarkets, malls, airports, railway stations and other such cial establishments, provides their customers or clients with a number of articles and services for different purposes such as transporting units at airports and shopping establishments for carrying e or shopping items respectively, ng pass for boarding a craft at an airport, baggage handling services to handle e at airports etc.

One of the many problems faced by such commercial ishments is that customers/clients use it often for various other purposes and do not leave it at a lized position. For e, some customers use the trolleys to take purchased. goods home, whilst others including youths and children will remove shopping trolleys for joyrides and other purposes. While some take it to car park and leave the trolleys there. In airports, trolleys are often found spread across the check—in counters, and before ty check and also in the car park or some other public transport establishment near—by airport.

In many instances trolleys that are removed from airports or shopping centres and their associated car parks puts a large cost on management as trolleys may be commonly abandoned in the street, car park and therefore must be ed for, collected and returned to the storage.

Various attempts have been made to minimise the removal of trolleys commercial environments. For example, some ishments lock the trolleys together, and employ a coin release mechanism, which requires a trolley to be returned to a trolley bay in order to have the coin ed.

Generally, ers/clients are hard—pressed for times that the value of coin may be neglected and therefore the method or strategy employed does not work well, especially in busy urban areas or when someone is boarding a flight.

Further, at establishments such as airports, there may be associated benefits of tracking gers for security and on—time boarding purposes. Ability to count passengers in real-time may enable airports to reduce or increase security levels accordingly depending on the time of the day. The tracking methods may also be used for passenger authentication, boundary detection, electronic information etc. rly, baggage or luggage of the e passengers could be monitored during check-in and also during baggage reclaim. All such applications have to be low power consuming.

Further, there are electronic systems which e an electronic locking wheel fitted to each of the trolleys. A RFID high frequency transmitter with a thin wire is placed around the perimeter boundary of the premises of the establishment and the wheel locks when the trolley leaves the designated area. The ed personnel must then trolley to stock. However, these systems are very expensive to install and maintain and not practical in some larger establishments with large perimeter and le entry points.

There is a need for an ecological system and. method of reducing the use of paper.

Further there is a need for a system and method need for an electronic boarding pass which can display the related information to passenger and alert before the predetermined time within the airport and may ed upto the parking lot, or passing the ge area of wireless network. The system and methods may further extended to the reusable boarding pass that allotted to successive passenger.

Further there is need for a systems and methods for intelligent real—time wireless tracking of the onic boarding passes associated with each passenger to alert before the predetermined time within the airport or extended up to the parking lot.

Further, at establishments such as airports, there may be associated benefits of tracking passengers for security and on-time boarding purposes. Ability to count passengers in real-time may enable airports to reduce or increase security levels accordingly depending on the time of the day. The ng methods may also be used for passenger authentication, boundary detection, onic information etc.

Also, for ent establishments, ent architectures and centralized system is currently needed to ed, which leads to unnecessary costs in development.

Accordingly, there is a need to develop a universal, low power consuming, cost effective centralized tracking and monitoring system that may be deployed for wide ranging applications.

Summary of the Invention In an aspect of the invention system and s of a wireless tracking system for tracking position of both passenger and trolley in an airport, the system comprising a passenger unit associated with the ger comprises a display indicating the boarding information of the ger, a monitoring device mounted thereto, capable of transmitting a unique ID and a passenger ID data associated therewith, a plurality of transporting units comprises a monitoring unit associated therewith, capable of transmitting the unique ID data associated therewith, a plurality of wireless sensors deployed in the airport, capable of receiving the data from the monitoring devices, a base station equipped with a monitoring software ively connected to the ss sensors, processing the data received at the wireless s and hence transmitting control signals to the units.

In another aspect of the invention, an electronic boarding pass for a passenger comprising a user interface for ying the boarding ation of the passenger in an airport comprising a display indicates the boarding information of the passenger, a sensor network, wirelessly commUnicating with the boarding pass, and hence determining the status of the passenger, wherein the sensor k equipped with a monitoring re and alerting the passenger when one of the condition is ed (i) failed to turn up at boarding gate (ii) failed to be within the boarding gate ty (iii) passing the boundary line and (iv) predetermined due time to board aircraft.

The boarding pass comprises a wireless interface for transmitting position data. A memory for storing flight data and its updates, further storing user data of the passenger, airline data, passport and biometric data.

The boarding pass user interface further indicates due time, a gate number, a al number, a flight number, a flight operator code, a boarding time, and a ure time.

The boarding pass consisting of a markdown response algorithm.

In board terms in another aspect the invention ses a method for tracking position of both passenger and trolleys in an airport using a wireless tracking system, the method comprising: transmitting a unique ID and a passenger ID data associated with a passenger unit from a monitoring device mounted thereto; itting the unique ID data associated with a transporting unit from a monitoring unit associated ith; receiving the data at wireless sensors deployed in the airport from the monitoring devices; processing the data received at the wireless sensors by a base n equipped with a monitoring software, wherein the station operatively connected to the wireless sensors, and hence transmitting control signals to the units.

The boarding pass indicating static (not moving or sitting) or dynamic (moving or g) modes of the passenger.

The boarding pass comprises AES 128 bit cryptography functionality for secure communication.

The boarding pass continuously monitoring the boarding pass by sensor network at a predetermined al of time.

Brief Description of the Drawings Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 illustrates an ecture of and electronic boarding pass, ing to an embodiment herein.

Figure 2 illustrates a wireless sensor network architecture, according to an embodiment herein.

Figure 3 illustrates an intelligent wireless r monitoring software architecture, according to an embodiment herein.

Figure 4 illustrates schematic view of orting unit made up of a vehicle and y, according to an embodiment herein.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments herein describe a systems and s for tracking and monitoring a plurality of an Electronic ng Pass (EBP) and a transporting unit that contains intelligent wireless tracker (IWT) means, as boarding pass to airline passengers which has universal ation across broad range of commercial establishments and can be customized to suit various needs of these establishments.

The tracking system is enabled by deploying an Intelligent Wireless Tracker Monitoring Software (IWTMS). This software infrastructure is deployed in commercial establishments for ng and monitoring of airline passengers and orting s in accordance with the need of a particular establishment, which will be explained by giving various examples.

Figure 1 illustrates architecture of the onic boarding pass (100), which is a card based , associated with each air line passenger and may be issued by airport ity during check—in in place of a paper ticket. The Electronic Boarding Pass (100), consisting an central control unit (101) is an on board chip module further consisting a 2.4 GHZ RF front end (112), a IEEE 802.15.4 MAC accelerator (113), a power management or power indicator (114), a video processor (115), a 32—bit RISC (Reduced Instruction. Set Computing) central processor (110), a AES 128—bit cryptography accelerator (111), a video processor (115) which often employs video filters and where the input and output signals are video files or video streams, a storage devices like 128KB RAM (109), a 128KB ROM (108) and interfacing device (107). The central control unit (101) interfaces with multiple peripherals like LCD y (102), acceleration or nmtion sensor (103), alarm (104), battery (105) and xtal (106). An interface (107) gathers the information from. the eral device like .motion sensor (g—sensor and like) to determine if EBP (100) is stationary or how it is moving, an alarm (104) to detect theft or removal when out of range or alerting the passenger if they fail to turn. up at boarding gate or failed. to be within boarding gate vicinity and alerting the passenger about aircraft on specific time, a y (105) for ing power to the on board chip module (101) with a level indicator feeding back to processor (110) about battery . The xtal (106) is a crystal oscillator is for providing the timing requirements of the processor (110) via interfaces (107).

The EBP (100) is incorporated with the LCD display (102) for displaying the boarding information, aircraft time to passenger. The central control unit (101) consisting a radio transmitter (112) for transmitting and ing' a unique ID, associated with each EBP (100) and passenger ID, is a unique identification issued by airline authority to passenger. The on board chip module (101) consisting an I/O mechanism to optionally output signal to an alarm (104) to alert the passenger when (i) passenger failed to turn up at boarding gate (ii) passenger failed to be within boarding gate vicinity (iii) the units (100, 400) passing the ry line and (iv) predetermined due time to board the aircraft.

The EBP (100) has its own unique ID and passenger ID and other d data transmitted h the radio transmitter. The communication between the EBP (100) and PWSN (200) is based on IEEE 802.15.4 link. In the present embodiment, IEEE 802.15.4 for example can be used. IEEE 802.15.4 is a standard which ies the physical layer and media access control for low—rate wireless local area networks. The mode of communication n EBP’s (100) and PWSN (202) shall not be restricted with IEEE 802.15.4 only.

Standards such as ZigBee, ISAlOO.11a, WirelessHART, and MiWi specification (each of which further extends the standard by developing the upper layers which are not defined by 802.15.4) may be used for this purpose. The communication between EBP (100) and PWSN (200) is AES 128 bit encrypted, so as to ward-off any possibility of an intruder or a hacker g access to the information. The communication uses AES 128bit encryption for both EBP (100) and PWSN (200).

Figure 4 represents the schematic diagram of a orting unit (400) made up of a powered vehicle and a towed trolley (403) in combination. The present invention will help in monitoring and managing such a transporting unit (401). The monitoring device can be mounted on any suitable position on vehicle (401) or trolley (403). In the present embodiment the monitoring device is led to the steering wheel of vehicle (201). The monitoring unit associated with the transporting unit (400) where advanced functions like wheel locking ism. and advanced monitoring isms like thermometer for monitoring temperature, accelerometer or 3O motion sensor, and speedometer.

Once the data has been obtained by monitoring units of EBP (100) and transport unit (400), it sends the data to PWSN (200) via a TCP/IP link. The functionalities of control unit (101) of EBP (100) includes unique identifier that can be used to register the passenger ID number during in process are stored in on chip storage device like RAM and ROM, on board chip (101) can be securely used to authenticate passenger at immigration, customs, or at boarding gate.

Figure 2 illustrates the passenger wireless sensor network architecture (200), is an infrastructure deployed in airport to ine the location of passenger and or trolley/baggage in real time. The sensor k (202) is in communication with wireless repeater (201) to regenerate the incoming signals to extend the range of network. The sensor k is further communicating with TCP/IP (Power over Ethernet) (203) for providing power and data communications over a single cable along the ethernet. The radio transmission and control center (207) for transmitting and receiving control signals and communicated with l processor (212). The mode of communication between EBP’s (100) and PWSN (202) shall not be along with IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. The ication between EBP (100) and PWSN (202) is AES 128 bit encryption (211), so as to ward—off any possibility of an intruder or a hacker gaining access to the information. The ication uses AES 128bit encryption (211) for both EBP (100) and PWSN (202). The IWT RSSI filtration center (209) is an intelligent wireless tracker return signal filtration center for returned signal strength filtration. The position of the EBP (100) and transporting unit (400) can be estimated based on return signal strength interface. Based on strength of the signal an alarm (104) is activated for the EBP (100) and transporting unit (400). The IWT mode checker (210) communicates with the tion center (209) for analyzing the behavior of the EBP (100) and transporting unit (400). The PWSN (202) provides the paging functions to EBP (100), g of transporting unit (400) and determining the passenger is in motion (moving / walking) or static (not moving / sitting / sleeping).

Figure 3 illustrates an intelligent wireless r monitoring software (300) architecture in data server at base station. The software (300) is designed using event driven architecture, which is important because of the state of EBP (100) and transporting unit (400) change every single . The software primarily uses a l event handler (306) to create program threads dynamically to handle changes in EBP (100) and transporting unit (400) concurrently. The software (300) consisting a igent wireless tracker database for storing a list of record to 1: keep track holders of EBP (100) associated with each passenger and transporting unit (400) and are exported to external airline systems (305). IWT MAC address list (307) is storing the MAC address of each EBP (100), an error handler (308) for handling errors like handling communication errors, system errors by resetting or restarting the software, re errors by resetting the operation. The RDBMS 1/0 (310) is a structured database tables, fields and records.

The software further comprising a markdown response algorithm (302) ms the ons of: (i) meshing all RSSI parameters associated with each EBP (100) mapped on EBP location, (ii) computing the boundary line occurrences to the nearest 1 cm, (iii) time to board alert for alerting the ger, (iv) determining algorithm to search EBP (100) using portable computing device and page EBP (100) when found within 65 degrees radius in front.

The software (300) can be used to update or change boarding information can be beamed to EBP (100) ssly, and instant location of passenger during “Annex 17” situation i.e., when passenger fails to turn up at boarding gate.

Advantages: l. The system relies on wireless k to determine with no limited boundaries because of capability of extended wireless connection: a.passengers count b.passenger authentication c.location based detection d.boundary ion e. electronic information via on board display to tell passenger boarding information f. alarm to remind passenger to board the aircraft on specific time g.paperless boarding pass and re-useable 2. Seamless boarding process 3. To speed up the final list of flight st and subsequently ready for departure.

Claims (25)

1. A wireless tracking system for tracking on of both passenger and trolley in an airport, the system sing: a passenger unit associated with the passenger comprises a display indicating the boarding information of the passenger, a monitoring device mounted thereto, capable of transmitting a unique ID and a passenger ID data associated therewith; a plurality of transporting units comprises a ring unit associated therewith, 10 capable, of transmitting the unique ID data ated therewith; a plurality of wireless sensors deployed in the airport, e of receiving the data from the monitoring devices; and a base station equipped with a monitoring re operatively connected to the wireless 15 sensors, processing the data received at the wireless sensors and hence transmitting control signals to the units, wherein each of the transporting unit has wheels, and the monitoring unit is configured to lock the wheels after receiving a lock command from the base station.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless sensors and the station are communicated along a TCP/IP connection.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ss sensors and units are 25 communicated along lEEE 802.15.4.

4. The system according to claim 1. further comprising a motion sensor collecting a portion of data regarding its respective units. 30

5. The system according to claim 1, the units further ses an alarm, and hence activated when: i) passenger failed to turn up at boarding gate, ii) passenger failed to be within boarding gate ty, iii) the units passing the boundary line, and 35 iv) ermined due time to board the aircraft.

6. The system according to claim 1. wherein the passenger unit comprises a memory for storing flight data and its updates.

7. The system ing to claim 6, wherein the memory further stores user data of the passenger, airline data, passport and biometric data.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display further indicates due time, a gate number, a terminal number, a flight number. a flight operator code, a boarding time, and 10 a departure time.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ring software r comprising a markdown response algorithm. 15

10. The system ing to claim 1, wherein the passenger unit comprises an AES 128 bit cryptography functionality for secure communication.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein uously monitoring the boarding information by sensors at a predetermined interval of time.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the units further comprises a battery for powering.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors further comprise wireless 25 repeater onality and a Power over Ethernet (PoE).

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors identifying the position of the units by monitoring return signal strength. 30

15. A method for tracking position of both passenger and ys in an airport using a wireless tracking system, the method comprising: transmitting a unique ID and a passenger ID data associated a passenger unit from a monitoring device mounted thereto; transmitting the unique ID data ated with a transporting unit from a monitoring unit associated therewith, wherein the transporting unit has wheels; receiving the data at wireless sensors deployed in the airport from the monitoring devices; processing the data received at the wireless sensors by a base station equipped with a ring software, wherein the n operatively connected to the wireless sensors, and hence transmitting control signals to the units; and 10 locking the wheels of the transporting unit, by the monitoring unit, after receiving a lock command from the base station.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the wireless sensors and the station communicate along a TCP/IP connection.

17. The method according to claim 15, n the wireless sensors and units communicate along lEEE 802.15.4.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising a motion sensor collecting a 20 portion of data regarding its respective units.

19. The method according to claim 15, the units r comprises an alarm, and hence activated, when: i) passenger failed to turn up at boarding gate, 25 ii) passenger failed to be within boarding gate vicinity, iii) the units passing the boundary line, and iv) predetermined due time to board the aircraft.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the monitoring software further 3O comprising a markdown se algorithm.

21. The method ing to claim 15, wherein the passenger unit ses an AES 128 bit cryptography functionality for secure communication.

22. The method according to claim 15, n continuously monitoring the boarding pass by sensors at a predetermined interval of time.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the units further comprises a battery for 5 powering.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the sensors further se ss repeater functionality and a Power over Ethernet (POE). 10

25. The method according to claim 15. wherein the sensors identifying the position of the units by monitoring return signal strength. EBP Central Control Unit 2.4GHz RF Frontend Accelerometer/ Motion Sensor IEEE802.15.4 MAC Accelerator Interfaces Power AES 128bit Management] Cryptography Power tor Accelerator Video Processor 111 110