Object management system and method
An object management system that includes at least one object identification device to be secured to an associated object. The object identification devices provide radio frequency signals containing object identification codes. The system includes at least one user identification device providing a radio frequency signal containing a user identification code and a control unit having a reader for receiving and reading the signals provided by the user identification devices and the object identification devices. One aspect provides a remote unit that communicates directly with the control unit to receive information associated with a condition of the object management system at a location remote from the control unit. The remote unit is further configured to be carried by a user and configured to communicate information and/or an alert to the user, wherein the information and/or the alert is associated with the condition of the object management system.
1. An object management system comprising:
a control unit comprising a reader that is configured to receive and read radio frequency signals;
at least one user identification device configured to transmit signals containing a user identification code to the control unit, the user identification code being associated with a user;
at least one object identification device constructed to be secured to an associated object, the at least one object identification device configured to transmit signals to the control unit, the object identification device comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit signals containing an object identification code, at least one actuator configured to be actuated to signal the transmitter to transmit the signal,
wherein the control unit is configured to associate the at least one object identification device and the associated object with the at least one user identification device, and wherein the at least one actuator of the at least one object identification device is further configured to be actuated to signal the control unit to associate the at least one object identification device and the associated object with the at least one user identification device and the associated user.
2. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one object identification device is configured to transmit the signals automatically at a predetermined interval.
3. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein information associated with the associations among the at least one object identification device, the associated object, the at least one user identification device, and the associated user is stored in a memory.
4. The object management system of claim 3 , wherein the memory comprises a database in the control unit.
5. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to determine if a period of time that has passed since a last transmission of signal received from the at least one object identification device is greater than a predetermined threshold.
6. The object management system of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is configured to generate an alarm indication if it is determined that the period of time is greater than the predetermined threshold.
7. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further comprises a user interface.
8. The object management system of claim 7 , wherein the user interface is configured to enable a user to retrieve information associated with the associations among the at least one object identification device, the associated object, the at least one user identification device, and the associated user from the control unit.
9. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to send information associated with the associations among the at least one object identification device, the associated object, the at least one user identification device, and the associated user to a remote computing device.
10. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one object identification device, all of the at least one actuator must be actuated simultaneously to signal the control unit to associate the object identification device and the associated object with the at least one user identification device and the associated user.
11. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises an alarm, and wherein the control unit is configured to activate the alarm when at least one of the at least one object identification device and the associated object are not associated with the at least one user identification device and the associated user control unit and the control unit fails to receive the signals from at least one of the at least one object identification device for a predetermined time period.
12. The object management system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one object identification device includes a movement sensor configured to sense movement of the at least one object identification device and its associated object.
13. The object management system of claim 12 , wherein the movement sensor is an acceleration sensor.
14. The object management system of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive the signals from the at least one object identification device at a first predetermined interval when the at least one object identification device of the associated object is at rest as determined by the movement sensor; and
receive the signals from the at least one object identification device at a second predetermined interval when the at least one object identification device of the associated object is in motion as determined by the movement sensor,
wherein the first predetermined interval is different from the second predetermined interval, and
wherein the first predetermined interval and second predetermined interval are configured to preserve power and thus extend the life of a battery in the at least one object identification device.
15. The object management system of claim 14 , wherein the first predetermined interval is greater than the second predetermined interval.
16. The object management system of claim 12 , wherein, if the at least one actuator of the at least one object identification device of the associated object that is returned to a container is actuated, the control unit is configured to ignore the transmission of the signals from the at least one object identification device.
17. An object management system comprising:
an alarm configured to indicate an occurrence of a hostile event;
a control unit configured to activate the alarm to indicate the occurrence of the hostile event, the control unit comprising a reader that is configured to receive and read radio frequency signals;
at least one object identification device constructed to be secured to an associated object and configured to send the radio frequency signals containing an object identification code to the control unit; and
at least one user identification device associated with a user and configured to send the radio frequency signals containing a user identification code to the control unit,
wherein the at least one user identification device is configured to interact with the control unit to enable removal of the at least one object identification device and associated object from an area without the activation of the alarm by the control unit, the control unit being configured to associate the at least one user identification device with the at least one object identification device and the associated object removed from the area, and
wherein at least one of the at least one user identification devices is a master user identification device configured to interact with the control unit such that information associated with the at least one object identification device and information associated with at least one of the user identification devices can be entered into the control unit.
18. The object management system of claim 17 , further comprising a container, and wherein the area is within the container.
19. The object management system of claim 17 , wherein the master user identification device is further configured to interact with the control unit such that the at least one object identification device and the at least one user identification device can be activated to be operable with the control unit.
20. The object management system of claim 17 , wherein the information associated with the at least one user identification device comprises identification information of the associated user.
21. The object management system of claim 17 , wherein the information associated with the at least one object identification device comprises identification information of the associated object.
22. The object management system of claim 17 , wherein the control unit comprises a user interface, and the master user identification device is further configured interact with the control unit such that the alarm can be deactivated via the user interface.
23. The object management system of claim 17 , wherein the information associated with the at least one object identification device and the information associated with at least one of the user identification devices is stored in a memory in the control unit.