Patent Application
20090276089
The present invention relates to dispensing luggage recognition labels and using the labels for identification and tracking purposes by passengers and passenger carriers.
Each passenger carrier in the travel industry employs a system and method for ensuring luggage is handled appropriately using labels, scanners, readers, etc. to identify, sort, trace and process passenger luggage from a point of departure to arrival at an intended destination. All passenger carriers have very similar methods of identifying the luggage for a particular passenger. Each carrier has a unique Departure Control System (DCS) number assignment associated with its own carrier system. A standard label is printed out at the time the passenger checks in for a destination with the passenger carrier, so that one passenger carrier's labels are not easily distinguished from another passenger carrier's labels. The printed label is distinguishable only by small markings, typically a bar code, that are visibly identifiable as being unique unless scanned by a bar code reader.
The printed label bar code system, utilized within the travel industry today has proven to be inaccurate and is often subject to possible reading inconsistencies resulting from damage to the bar code label from dust, dirt, water, or simply immediate wear and tear that occurs during handling of the luggage. The inconsistencies that result from reading such a damaged tag makes identifying a bag nearly impossible, and locating a lost bag is a stressful, confusing, frustrating, and sometimes a hopeless experience for a passenger.
Complimentary tags are often provided by a passenger carrier on which a passenger can write-in their personal contact information to identify their own bag at the point of destination. However, the complimentary tags, while being disposable, are typically all the same color, quite small, and easily damaged, which does nothing to ease the process of recognizing luggage at a point of destination. The tag is typically attached to a luggage handle by a thin string or elastic band. The means for attaching the tag is subject to breakage during the luggage handling process. Further, there is no link, informational or otherwise, between the information provided on the complimentary tag filled out by the passenger and the tracking label printed out by the passenger carrier. Regardless of whether a passenger carrier is an airline, a railroad, a bus, or a cruise ship, once the luggage is at its intended destination, a passenger must recognize their own luggage form a large group of luggage, that have all been tagged in the same, or similar, fashion.
The luggage industry has taken care to provide passengers with a luggage product that is durable and can withstand potentially rough handling experienced during travel. This is beneficial to consumers, but there is a drawback in that there are a limited number of styles, sizes, shapes, colors and materials used in the luggage industry. Most pieces of luggage are remarkably similar in size, shape and color. Therefore, the passenger carrier's system for luggage handling is useless to a passenger when they are trying to recognize their bag and distinguish it from a multitude of luggage at their point of destination. The similarity in luggage, large crowds, and passenger fatigue are factors that add to the confusion for a passenger attempting to identify luggage in a crowded terminal. Additionally, passengers arriving at their destination are particularly anxious to collect their belongings and be on their way. They want to recognize their luggage quickly. This combination of similar labels and tags, similar luggage, and the rush to recover the luggage often leads to misidentified luggage resulting in lost, mistakenly identified or stolen luggage
In addition to the complications involved in recognizing and collecting luggage, there is the added stress of the travel experience in general. Domestic and international travel has become increasingly serious in that there are strict guidelines and restrictions placed on passengers in order to insure safe and secure travel. The process of checking in, going through security check points, traveling and collecting luggage at the point of destination can be daunting. The process of checking luggage should be quick, simple and efficient. However, that doesn't mean that it cannot be fun and interesting at the same time, while also serving a useful purpose in helping a passenger identify their particular piece of luggage.
Another complication for today's travelers resides in restrictions imposed on carry-on items. The restrictions have forced passengers to include m any more items than would normally be included in checked luggage, such as cell phones and laptop computers. Therefore, the risk and cost associated with a lost bag is increased for the passenger and the passenger carrier. Because passengers are checking in more items and more valuable items, tracking luggage is becoming more important. A lost bag in today's travel environment can be much more expensive to a passenger carrier and much more problematic than ever before. Identification and tracking are important considerations. Also as important, is an inventory of the luggage contents. A traveler is more inclined to recover the true value of the lost luggage if they have an accurate accounting of what is in the bag.
From the passenger's standpoint, there is a need to easily, quickly and accurately identify their particular bag from a group of similar luggage. There is also a need to lighten the atmosphere, and add some fun to the overall travel experience to improves a passenger's mental state during check-in at a point of departure and again while collecting luggage at a point of destination. Further, there is a need for a passenger to maintain an accurate accounting of a bag's inventory for current travel, as well as record-keeping for future documentation, future travel and potential repeat travel itineraries.
There is also a need for detailed and accurate tracking of passenger luggage by passenger carriers as present guidelines are changing for passenger carriers in that the carrier will have a greater financial responsibility for lost baggage. In the very near future, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will be used to track passenger luggage for the duration of a passenger's travel from point of departure, to point of destination and any stops therebetween for nearly if not all passenger carriers. May trials have been implemented and tested in the area of rail carriers, airlines and airports. The standardization and implementation of RFID technology in the travel industry will provide wide-ranging benefits for both passengers and carriers. However, some drawbacks, including the fact that the RFID tags have yet to be made available at a practical cost for passenger carriers, have delayed the implementation of RFID systems on a global scale.
Accordingly, it is desirable to dispense a label at a luggage check point while providing a passenger with a pleasant distraction from the serious nature of checking luggage and for the purpose of aiding in luggage recognition at a point of destination. In addition, it is desirable to dispense a ready-made, highly identifiable, disposable, re-usable, even rentable label that aids in recognition of a particular piece of luggage from a multitude of luggage. It is also desirable to provide a tracking device, such as an RFID device, in the label or tag for the purpose of tracking and tracing by the individual passenger and/or the passenger carrier. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for dispensing a luggage recognition label having an RFID or GPS device associated therewith that allows a passenger and/or a passenger carrier to identify and track luggage during travel, store and access travel information, and purchase travel insurance. The apparatus and method comprise the combination of features of the independent claims, preferred optional features being introduced by the dependent claims.
The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.
Elements and steps in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence. For example, steps that may be performed concurrently or in different order are illustrated in the figures to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
While various aspects of the present invention are described with reference to a particular illustrative embodiment, the invention is not limited to such embodiments, and additional modifications, applications, and embodiments may be implemented without departing from the present invention. In the figures, like reference numbers will be used to illustrate the same components. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various components set forth herein may be altered without varying from the scope of the inventive subject matter. The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description.
Referring to
The label design 16 may include an alpha-numeric message, such as, but not limited to, a lighthearted comment, definition, inspirational message, or comic phrase. In the alternative, the label design 16 may be a distinctive pattern, logo, picture, or other image. It should also be noted that any combination of the designs is also a possibility. The label design 16 should be distinct enough such that a passenger can easily identify the label 10 on their particular piece of luggage without mistaking it for another label 10. In this regard, the labels will be dispensed in such an order that no two, or other such reasonable number, of labels will be dispensed after each other. The idea being a passenger will receive a label that is uniquely identifiable from another passenger's label so as to avoid confusion.
The label design 16 may be pre-printed before being dispensed to a passenger. In the alternative, the label may be printed on wholly or in part at the time a passenger checks-in for travel. For example, the label 10 may have a designated area on the front face 12 for personalization by either a printer, or by hand using a writing instrument such as a pen, pencil, marker, or the like.
The passenger may customize the label design at point-of-sale by way of interactive software displayed on a computer that communicates with a dispensing system (to be discussed later herein) prior to retrieval of the label 10. In the alternative, customization may occur by way of a website that interacts with the label dispensing system, such that the passenger may customize the label from the convenience of their own home or personal computer. In this embodiment, the passenger can use their own artwork, photos, etc. as the label design 16. As discussed above, the label 10 may be partially or entirely printed by a printer that is a part of a display apparatus to be discussed in detail hereinafter.
The label 10 may be segmented into more than one piece. Such as by die cut design, perforations 22 as shown in
The label 10 may be constructed, partially or entirely, from materials including, but not limited to, paper, plastic, metal, wood, composite, recycled products, and the like. The label 10 may also include fragrance (i.e., scratch and sniff technology), glow-in-the-dark material and/or ink, phosphorescence, flavoring, reflective material and/or ink, sparkles, metallic shavings, but should not be limited to these listed effects. Additionally, the label 10 may be printed using specialized printing technologies including, but not limited to, lenticular printing which creates a 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, flash, flip or motion graphics visual representation on the label itself.
Further, there may be multiple pieces, i.e., one or more, stickers or appliques that are dispensed separately, but in conjunction with the original purchase of label 10 as shown in
In the re-usable embodiment of the label 10 as shown in
In any embodiment, the label 10 may include an RFID transponder 28 to aid the passenger and the passenger carrier in tracking the luggage for the duration of the passenger's travels. In one embodiment, the RFID transponder 28 is a separate device embedded in the label material. In an alternative embodiment, the RFID transponder 28 is integral with the label 10 in that it may be printed using RFID ink. The technology of RFID is rapidly advancing and it should be noted that one skilled in the art is capable of substituting another type of RFID transponder 28 to the inventive subject matter discussed herein. For example, recent developments have produced RFID powder that is embedded in the material of the label, such as paper or plastic. Hereinafter, the RFID transponder 28 within the label 10 will be called a fixed transponder 28. Fixed in this sense means only that the RFID transponder is integrated into the label 10 that is attached to and remains with the luggage during the duration of travel. Fixed is by no means intended to mean permanent attachment. The fixed transponder 28 may be an ultra-high frequency (UHF) tag which is the standard being imposed in the airline industry for baggage tracking within the airport perimeter. However, the fixed transponder 28 should not be limited to this frequency.
The disposable label 10, 82 is designed to be used only once and can be thrown out after use because the RFID transponder 28 will no longer serve any purpose after the passenger has collected their luggage. However, the design of the label 10 is such that the passenger may desire to save, or collect, the luggage labels as memoirs of past travels. The label 10 is designed to be used once for functional purposes, yet they will have a collectible interest in its design. The label 10 may be tracked for keepsake and inventory by way of a website, network and/or software program as will be discussed in detail later herein.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive from the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a restriction on the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The proposed directive specifies that devices relying upon electronic current or electro-magnetic fields as a source of power must be sorted and recycled. RFID technology applied to labels does not require electrical or electronic components to fulfill their primary function, and therefore, are not subject to the proposed directive, rendering them disposable without the need for recycling. The labels 10 of the inventive subject matter pose no environmental concern as stated in the International Air Transport Association RFID Business Case Report, 2007. The United States Department of Transportation has looked to this directive thus far, however, as regulations may change in time with more information gathering, these guidelines may not hold true and other procedures may need to be reviewed and possibly implemented.
The re-usable label is assigned to a traveler and their bags at the point the bag is being checked into or dropped off at the carrier using an RFID reader in communication with the RFID tag and transponder. Upon reaching the destination, the traveler returns the label 10 at which time, the RFID transponder 28 in the label may be reset for dispensing, assignment and use by another traveler. In the alternative, a traveler may be assigned a permanent number that is associated with their travel information and therefore, the same tag may be used by the same traveler over and over again. The label is re-assigned at the point of checking the luggage in order to track the bag between departing and arriving destinations.
The label 10 is not intended to permanently attach to the luggage. Therefore, in the disposable embodiment, the strength of the adhesive 18 should adequately hold the label 10 to the luggage 21 for the duration of the travel, yet be easily removed by the passenger. The adhesive 18 should be dilute enough to easily peel the label 10 from the luggage 21 so as to maintain its full shape and configuration to be maintained as a collectible if desired once the label 10 has served its intended purpose. Further, the adhesive 18 should be dilute enough to not leave a residue on the luggage 21 or otherwise damage the luggage 21 upon removal of the label 10. The re-usable label embodiment will have an attachment mechanism that will securely fix the label 10 to the luggage, yet is capable of being removed upon reaching the traveler's final destination.
The shape of the label 10 may vary as desired, and may vary as necessary based on many factors. The label 10 may be die-cut in numerous shapes, sizes and configurations as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A-C. Furthermore, the label 10 may be attached as one piece to the luggage, or as a “tag” 11 that hangs from a handle 23, or other portion of the luggage. In this case the label 11 will be removable. The re-usable label will have a clasp or other attachment mechanism. The disposable label may have a predetermined shape that is folded over and held together by the adhesive backing as the label 11 hangs, as a loop, from a luggage handle 23 as shown in
In the alternative, the label is a plastic, or other suitable material, that is re-usable. In one embodiment, the tag is purchased by, or assigned to a passenger and may be re-used with one or more passenger carriers. In another embodiment, the tag is rented by the passenger. The tag may be dispensed at one point of the passenger's travel, and the RFID code is assigned to the particular customer for that particular travel segment. Upon completion of the passenger's travel and re-claim of their luggage, the tag is deposited at a collection point, mailed in to a central processing location, or otherwise returned to the carrier, for re-use. The reusable tag may be regenerated and reassigned to a new passenger for a new travel segment.
The label 10 may dispensed at the point of departure as a passenger checks their luggage 21 with the passenger carrier. In one embodiment, shown in
Referring again to
The label 10 may be dispensed from the dispenser 40 as an individual item, adhesive back and all. In the alternative, and as shown in
In another embodiment, an individual label 10 is dispensed by a representative of the passenger carrier either from a roll of labels, or in a prepackaged form as shown, by example, in
A label 10 that is provided directly by the passenger carrier is particularly advantageous for passenger carriers that utilize RFID for baggage handling. The RFID transponder 28 may be read and associated with a particular passenger within a secure network by the passenger carrier for their purposes and the unique identifier may also be used by the passenger for their own purposes, many of which overlap with those of the passenger carrier.
Regardless of the dispensing method, the label 10 is dispensed upon payment by the passenger or upon recognition that payment has been processed prior to the passenger's arrival at the label dispensing apparatus. Pre-payment may be performed by way of a website, via cellular phone, retail outlet, or other area where access to a network is provided. In the alternative, payment is made directly to the passenger carrier, and the label is dispensed by a representative of the passenger carrier.
In yet another embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, the controller 36 may be a programmable logic controller in communication with the passenger carrier's electronic check-in system may be located at baggage check-in points throughout the departure location. For example, kiosks 39 may be readily available throughout an airport and accessible by a passenger, for secure and limited communication with the passenger carrier by way of a secure network. This system allows the passenger to introduce their credit card, or other identification means, and check-in with the passenger carrier, make changes to a seat assignment, manage a reservation and print boarding passes and receipts. The controller interface will present a query to the traveler regarding the purchase of the luggage label 10. Should the passenger so desire, the controller will initiate dispensing of a label 10 upon verification of payment.
Referring again to
An RFID reader 60, which may be fixed, portable, hand-held, or other configuration, is capable of recognizing the transponder's unique identification code. The reader 60 is shown within the housing of dispenser 40. However, it should be noted that the reader 60, or multiple readers 60, may be located throughout the passenger carrier area and will allow continuous tracking of the RFID label so that the passenger and the passenger carrier are aware of the location of the passenger's luggage at any point in time as will described in detail later herein.
The unique identification code of the fixed transponder 28 is associated with a passenger upon purchase of the label 10 and is communicated to the secure network system. Based on the address of the reader 60 communicating with the fixed transponder 28, a location for the luggage becomes known. Once the label 10 is in contact with any RFID reader 60 and identified within the secure network, the specifics of the luggage, the passenger, as well as other pertinent information becomes available on the secured network. The fixed transponder 28 carries only the unique identification code, which may be typically a number or combination of numbers, letters, and/or symbols, and represents a link to the present travel information within the network, and is used to track a travel experience from check-in, embarking, disembarking, and baggage retrieval.
The RFID reader 60, an example of which is shown in
As discussed earlier herein, payment for the label or rental thereof, is through any known type of payment mechanism 42. The payment mechanism may be a machine read credit card reader, cash insertion, internet pre-payment or payment to the representative of the passenger carrier or via passenger carrier's electronic check in system. In another embodiment of the inventive subject matter, a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the label may be donated to a charity. The charity may be selected by the passenger, passenger carrier, the label vendor, or may even be selectable by the charity itself. The charity donation may be predetermined and applied at the time of purchase, or the passenger may have the option of selecting a charity of their choice from a selection of charities provided in the software program which is accessed using the portable transponder.
The fixed transponder 28 in label 10 becomes activated by an RFID reader on the network once confirmation is received that payment has been made. Upon confirmation, the fixed transponder 28 is exposed to the RFID reader, which may or may not be a part of the dispensing apparatus. In the embodiment shown in
In addition to the fixed transponder 28 in label 10 that is attached to the luggage 21 being tracked, a portable transponder 30 may be available to communicate via the secured network.
In either embodiment the passenger holds the portable transponder 30, which is activated with a unique identification code assigned to the particular passenger, and not necessarily the current itinerary and the luggage associated therewith. However, because the fixed transponder 28 is linked to the passenger through the luggage label 10, the portable transponder 30 may be used by the passenger to access information regarding the luggage 21 and other information as well. Referring again to
The portable transponder 30 may be operated at a low frequency, as opposed to the UHF fixed transponder 28. The portable transponder 30 allows the passenger to maintain a personal travel account history through interaction with a software program, as by USB device 32, to be described later herein. When the portable transponder 30 is brought into close proximity to the RFID reader 60, the network may allow all, or part, of the passenger's personal account information to be viewed by way of an interactive program. The interactive program may also be accessed at locations such as point-of-sale locations within or outside of the passenger carrier perimeter. For example, retail luggage stores, restaurants, gas stations, home computers and the like. Access may be through a website or a cellular system.
The portable transponder 30 may also be used with USB device 32 that includes an RFID reader 32 (see
Referring again to
Directly relating to the travel industry, the private access to a secured network via portable transponder 30 may include passenger account information such as hotel reservations, past, present and future, flight (or other carrier) reservations, excursions, theater performances, amusement park passes, locations and operating hours, dinner reservations, etc. Further organizational tools may be provided in the software program for the passenger including an inventory of items packed, a checklist for items specifically needed for domestic and/or international travel, a travel destination history, interactive budgeting for vacation planning, emergency contact information and much more. This aspect of the inventive subject matter will be described in more detail later herein.
As of the writing of this patent, the use of RFID transponders has been approved for certain uses in the airline and other travel industries. While not yet approved for use on aircraft, GPS devices may also be employed as a means to track the luggage. In this embodiment, the passenger may use their cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, or other GPS receiver device to track the bag by way of a GPS signal being sent from the tag on the luggage. The passenger may receive location information as the GPS beacon sent from the tag is identified using a GPS system in place, or soon to be launched, such as the United States GPS, Europe's Galileo GPS program and Russia's GLONASS system, with China not far behind with systems such as Beidou-2 or Compass. So the carrier not only tracks the bag, but the passenger may personally track their bag through the travel process as well.
In accordance with one aspect of the inventive subject matter, a passenger may have access to future designs for label logos when accessing their personal itinerary through the key fob/portable transponder and software configuration. Further, the logos and designs on the label 10 may be limited edition, correlated to destination cities, correlated to passenger carriers, internet travel site partners, retail partners or personalized, thereby rendering the label collectible. As discussed above, no information is stored on the label other than the unique identifier assigned to the RFID transponder 28 that identifies that label 10 within an RFID reader network. Therefore, a lost or stolen label 10 is worthless and there is no threat to private information being extracted from the label 10 itself.
The passenger's portable transponder 30 may be linked to a reader device, such as a fixed reader processor means, or a personal computer having a reader, such as the USB device 32, 70, so that sensitive information related to the unique identifier code remains private as well. Just as the only link between the passenger and the RFID transponder 28 on the label 10 is through the unique identifier assigned to the RFID transponder 28, the portable transponder 30 only stores a unique identifier associated with a passenger and access to sensitive information is by way of the secure network. The portable transponder 30 does not store any personal information thereon and is used in conjunction with the software program which prompts the passenger to enter a password, further securing the passenger's information. Therefore, in the event the portable transponder is lost or stolen, a passenger is assured of privacy and security of private information.
The portable transponder 30 allows a passenger private access to the secure network, which may include past, present, and future information such as hotel reservations, flight reservations, excursions, theater performances, amusement park passes, locations and operating hours, dinner reservations, etc. Further, organizational tools may be provided in the software program, available via the secure network or a website, for the passenger including an inventory of items packed, a checklist for items specifically needed for domestic and/or international travel, a travel destination history, interactive budgeting for vacation planning, emergency contact information, or other relevant and/or necessary information for travel and/or travel records. An interactive software link to the luggage label and passenger access may include, but is not limited to, maintenance of an accurate accounting of the bag's inventory for the current travel destination, record keeping for future documentation, present itineraries for travel, lodging, rental car, and like reservations, future travel information, and potential repeat travel information, excursions, dinner reservations, organizational tools, budgeting tools, and emergency contact information.
The transponders 28, 30 may be passive, anti-theft read only, EPC global Class Number 0; passive or active identification read/write, EPC global Class Number 1; passive or active data logging read/write, EPC global Class Number 2; or semi-passive/active-onboard sensing read/write EPC global Class Number 3. The technology is constantly evolving, and guidelines may change. Therefore, these tag numbers, reading/writing capabilities, frequencies, tag, and reader assignments are provided for example purposes only and are not intended to limit the application of the inventive subject matter presented herein.
Fixed transponder 28 and portable transponder 30 are able to communicate with the secured private network, yet each device is activated separately. As discussed above, the fixed transponder is a unique identification code assigned to a particular label affixed to a particular piece of luggage. The passenger information is on the network and each code for each piece of luggage will be linked to a particular passenger. The portable transponder is activated with a code that is linked to a particular passenger. Therefore, any use of the portable transponder will allow the passenger to see any and all codes and information linked thereto. For example, if the passenger checked three pieces of luggage, each piece will have its own unique identification code, yet all pieces will be linked to the same passenger. The network stores and maintains this information. The transponders 28 and 30 hold only a unique identification code.
A method 100 of the present invention is shown in block diagram in
The label is applied 110 to the luggage by the passenger before the luggage is released by the passenger with the passenger carrier for loading. The label “take-away” is kept by the passenger, in a location convenient to the passenger, such as on their boarding pass receipt, envelope, key fob portable transponder or other location. Upon arriving at their destination, the passenger can refer to the take-away as a reminder of the distinct design they are looking for on their particular luggage, and thereby quickly and easily identify 112 their luggage from the myriad of luggage being presented for collection by all the passengers.
In another embodiment, the readers are networked with each other so as to define a perimeter for actively reading the RFID transponder on the luggage label throughout the airport and associated gates, runways, etc. In yet another embodiment, the readers are placed at check-in kiosks and within the cargo hold of the plane such that a traveler can access information regarding the location of their bag on the airplane. The reader 60 on the plane will identify when the bag has been placed on and removed from the plane. A communication to the traveler may be made so that a traveler is assured of the location of their bag at any point in time from check-in, embarking at the point of departure, to disembarking at the point of destination.
A method is described with the flow diagram shown in
The inventive subject matter is a software program designed to interface with the portable transponder 30 and a reader 60 at a personal computer or stand-alone kiosk. As discussed earlier herein, the reader reads the unique identifier stored on the portable transponder and links the passenger to a software program that may be used for accessing and planning their personal travel information. For example, the passenger is able to store past, present and future itineraries, access passenger carrier websites, make hotel reservations, make entertainment reservations such as purchasing theater, movie, exhibit and theme park passes. In addition, a passenger may make dinner reservations. The passenger can access data that includes entering an inventory of items packed in their luggage for this present itinerary or review past inventories to assist in current and future travel plans. The passenger may also access inventories for past trips in order to save from having to re-enter items that are packed on different trips.
The passenger's site will also include flight information and, if used in conjunction with a passenger carrier that utilizes RFID, may have access to real-time information about the location of their bag, which may be sent by way of text or voice message directly to a mobile phone when prompted or programmed to send a time message. In addition, flight status information may be accessible in real-time to passengers by way of the network/website system.
The information screens are accessible from the itinerary screens. Likewise the itinerary screens are accessible from the information screens. For example, selection of an icon in any of the Current, Future and Past itinerary screens, will direct the passenger to a screen relevant to that particular itinerary's information screen. In the event a passenger has chosen a “Future” itinerary, and “hotel information” has been selected, the passenger will be directed to the hotel reservation screen. See for example
While several examples of data provided to the passenger from their personal site have been described herein, the list is anything but exhaustive. The possibilities for information and access are limited only by current technology in computer, Internet and database systems.
The portable transponder 30 will also have useful purpose in that it will identify a particular traveler. This may also be beneficial to a retail environment. For example, retailer's within an airport, train station, or cruise ship terminal may be able to easily receive payment from a portable transponder 30 associated with a particular passenger.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made, however, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims. The specification and figures are illustrative, rather than restrictive, and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the claims and their legal equivalents rather than by merely the examples described.
For example, the steps recited in any method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the specific order presented in the claims. The equations may be implemented with a filter to minimize effects of signal noises. Additionally, the components and/or elements recited in any apparatus claims may be assembled or otherwise operationally configured in a variety of permutations and are accordingly not limited to the specific configuration recited in the claims.
Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to particular embodiments; however, any benefit, advantage, solution to problem or any element that may cause any particular benefit, advantage or solution to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required or essential features or components of any or all the claims.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “having”, “including”, “includes” or any variation thereof, are intended to reference a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements recited, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in the practice of the present invention, in addition to those not specifically recited, may be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or other operating requirements without departing from the general principles of the same.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/042,879 filed Apr. 7, 2008, entitled “Apparatus for Dispensing Luggage Recognition Labels and Methods for Use” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61042879 | Apr 2008 | US |
