|Publication number||US7301470 B2|
|Application number||US 10/214,370|
|Publication date||Nov 27, 2007|
|Filing date||Aug 7, 2002|
|Priority date||Jan 27, 1995|
|Also published as||US7079044, US20020190871|
|Publication number||10214370, 214370, US 7301470 B2, US 7301470B2, US-B2-7301470, US7301470 B2, US7301470B2|
|Inventors||Joel D. Stanfield, Joseph R. Branc, Thomas G. Feldpausch, William L. Miller|
|Original Assignee||Steelcase Development Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (59), Non-Patent Citations (9), Referenced by (9), Classifications (13), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/998,302 filed on Dec. 24, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,079,044, entitled ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, COMPONENTS AND METHOD FOR TRACKING FILES, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/379,944 filed on Jan. 27, 1995, entitled ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, COMPONENTS AND METHOD FOR TRACKING FILES, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,221. The entire disclosure of each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference.
In general, the present invention relates to an electronic system, hardware, and method for tracking the location of files and their containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic file tracking system that maintains a database identifying each file and its current location by interactive communication between a computer processor and the file folders. The invention is particularly adapted for use with office furniture.
In a typical office environment, files are normally stored in various file cabinets located throughout the office. Each file cabinet or group of file cabinets stores files belonging to a particular category. These files are typically organized in an alphabetical or numerical order within the drawers of the file cabinet or group of file cabinets. Files may also be stored on or in various shelving units, trays, boxes, work surfaces, bins, compartments, tables, desk drawers, or carts. In order to make these files accessible to all office personnel, the files must be stored in an organized manner. Office personnel expend a substantial amount of time retrieving files, replacing files back into the file cabinets, and maintaining the organization of the files.
When someone wishes to obtain a particular file, he or she must determine in which office, which file cabinet, and which drawer of the file cabinet the file is supposed to be located. If the person looking for the file does not know the location of the file first hand, he or she must make inquiries to the other employees or check a manually maintained listing of the file organization to locate the file. Once this person identifies where the file is supposed to be located, the person must search through the numerous files stored in the drawer to determine if the file is actually located in the drawer. In searching through the file cabinet drawer, this person may discover that the file is not located where it was supposed to be. The person must then again inquire about the office to determine if someone else has the file and, if no one else has the file, this person must search through other file drawers to determine if the file is misfiled or lost. Active files tend to become stacked on the desktops of the employees most recently using those particular files, leading to poor accessibility for others. Clearly, tracking down a file may consume a significant portion of an employee's time and any time spent looking for or reorganizing files is an inefficient use of that employee's time.
To maintain an organized system, when someone must add a number of new files to a particular drawer of a file cabinet that is already filled to capacity, he or she must shift those files in the back of the drawer to another drawer, which may also be filled to capacity. Further, whenever a sequential ordering scheme is used to organize files, even frequently accessed files may be dispersed throughout a number of drawers rather than in the front of a single file drawer where the frequently accessed files would be more easily accessible.
The above problems are particularly prevalent in hospitals, doctors offices, law offices, government agencies, and anywhere else where large amounts of printed documents or other media are handled and maintained.
One approach that was developed to alleviate some of the above problems in tracking files is to provide a bar code label on each file folder and to maintain a database correlating the bar code I.D. of the file and its relative location. In order to accurately maintain the file locations in the database, bar code readers are placed about the office for employees to scan the bar code and enter a new location whenever the employees move a file from one location to another.
The problem with this approach is its reliance upon the employees to take the time to scan the bar code and enter user and location identification information into the database every time an employee pulls a file out of a file drawer or off a shelf. Furthermore, the database may only identify the general location of the file, which may be a location where many other files are also located. Thus, although someone looking for a file may know its general location, this person may spend considerable time trying to locate the file amongst the numerous other files, particularly if the file is misfiled. Additionally, not all possible locations and potential users of the files may be identified within the database. Thus, the database may not accurately reflect the exact location of a file.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made to overcome the above problems of the conventional filing system. The file tracking system of the present invention automatically determines when a file has been removed from its previous location, when it is returned, and determines when a new file has been added to the system. Additionally, the file tracking system of the present invention allows users to easily and accurately identify the exact location of a file by having a processor communicate with a device carried by the file folders and activate an indicator, such as a light, on the file folders and/or file cabinets in response to a signal sent by the processor. Thus, the present invention requires minimal human interaction to maintain an accurate database identifying the location of the files while permitting both random and ordered filing of the file folders. Moreover, the file tracking system of the present invention may be inexpensively and readily implemented in existing office furniture.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the file tracking system of this invention includes a database for maintaining at least file identity, file location, and unique file address for a plurality of files, a processor for interfacing with the database and issuing control signals, a bus connected to the processor, a folder retainer connected to the processor by the bus, a plurality of file folders, each file folder including an addressable device adapted to be electrically connected to the bus when the file folder is placed in the folder retainer. Each folder may include an indicator which is activated when the addressable device receives a control signal from the processor including the unique address corresponding to the file folder. The database may additionally store the following: access information, which may be used to prevent individuals from accessing certain file folders; retention information, which may be used to determine the length of time since the file folder was last accessed in order to determine whether the file may be purged; classification information, which may indicate any classification groups the file folder is associated with; access history, which may indicate who checked out the file folder and when the file folder was checked in or out; key word lists, which list certain key words that describe or may be found in the file; and location history information, which may indicate the locations and dates at which the file folder has been located over a period of time.
The above features and advantages may also be attained by using the file cabinet of the present invention in a file tracking system. The file cabinet of the present invention includes a plurality of file drawers, at least one file drawer including a first conductor for providing control signals a file folder when the file folder is placed in the file drawer; the control signals being provided by the file tracking system, and a second conductor for providing a return path from the file folder placed in the file drawer.
Additionally, the advantages of the present invention may be attained by using a file folder of the present invention in a file tracking system. The file folder of the present invention includes at least one surface, an addressable device carried by the file folder and having a unique address, a first conductor on the surface electrically coupled to the addressable device for providing control signals to the addressable device when the file folder is placed in a folder retainer, the first conductor adapted to communicatively couple to a processor of the file tracking system, the control signals being provided by the processor, and a second conductor on the surface for providing a return path from the addressable device.
These and other features, objects, and benefits of the invention will be recognized by those who practice the invention and by those skilled in the art, from the specification, the claims, and the drawing figures.
In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The exemplary embodiment of the file tracking system of the present invention is shown in
In general, file tracking system 10 includes a processor 20 and a plurality of folder retainers. For purposes of example,
A bus 30 communicatively couples processor 20 with the folder retainers. Each folder retainer includes bus conductors 80 for electrically contacting one or more file folders 70. Bus 30 preferably includes two lines. One for providing control signals to file folders 70 and another for providing a return. Although the preferred embodiment utilizes two lines, bus 30 may be implemented in any bus using any number of physical or virtual, multiplexed lines. Bus conductors 80 may be included on a surface of a file retainer such as a file drawer, or embedded within a working surface, such as a desktop, countertop, shelf, or tray, to create a file retainer location thereon.
Processor 20 includes a display 22 and an input device 25, such as a keyboard. Preferably, processor 20 is a personal computer. As will be explained in greater detail below, processor 20 maintains and interfaces with a database under the direction of an operating program that instructs processor 20 to actively communicate with the folder retainers and the file folders 70 via bus 30. In this manner, processor 20 may update the database and maintain accurate information on the location of file folders 70 placed in the system. The database used may be any commercially available ANSI SQL compatible database, such as Microsoft Access™ database.
A tray 40, which is useful in the file tracking system 10 of the present invention, may be formed of a conventional file tray modified to include a bus conductor 80 having at least two conductive strips (42, 43), an indicator light 45, such as a light emitting diode (LED), and an addressable switch 100 (
File cabinet 50 includes a plurality of drawers 54 a-54 c, each of which includes an indicator light 55 a-55 c on an outer drawer face. Each drawer 54 a-54 c further includes a bus conductor 80 having at least one ground conductor 52 and a control conductor 53, which contact the conductive strips of file folders 70, and an addressable drawer switch 100 (
Shelving unit 60 includes at least one shelf 61 a-61 b, which includes a bus conductor 80 having at least one ground conductor 62 and a control conductor 63 for contacting the conductive strips of file folders 70. Shelving unit 60 also preferably includes an addressable switch 100 having a unique address and an indicator light 65, which can be lit whenever processor 20 transmits a control signal including the unique address of the addressable switch.
Desk 85 includes at least one drawer 86 a, 86 b which includes a bus conductor 80 therein and an indicator 87 a, 87 b on an outer face thereof. In addition, desk 85 may include a bus conductor 80 embedded in a work surface thereof. Further, a mat 88 having a bus conductor 80 embedded therein may be placed on the top of desk 85 or any other working surface of an article of furniture.
Each file folder 70 preferably includes a folder indicator light 75 and an addressable folder switch 76 having a unique address associated therewith. Alternatively, each folder may include an addressable device when an indicator is not employed such that each folder has a unique ID tag that may be communicated to processor 20. Although the file folders 70 are illustrated as bi-fold file folders, as stated above, the file folders may be any type of file folder as previously defined.
Digital control device 105 receives control signals at control terminal 106. These control signals include an address and a command. When digital control device 105 senses a control signal at control terminal 106, digital control device 105 compares the address in the received control signal to the unique address stored in ROM 108. If the address contained in the control signal is not the same as the unique address stored in ROM 108, digital control device 105 awaits further control signals. If, on the other hand, the address contained in the control signal is the same as the unique address stored in ROM 108, digital control device 105 executes the command contained in the received control signal or contained in a subsequently transmitted control signal.
In the context of the present invention, addressable switch 100 may perform various tasks in response to an appropriate command received at control terminal 106. For example, digital control device 105 may change the state of load transistor 101 between conductive and nonconductive states by controlling the voltage applied to gate 102. Additionally, digital control device 105 may transmit a reply signal over control terminal 106 indicating the state of load transistor 101 or the unique address stored in ROM 108. By transmitting the state of load transistor 101, digital control device 105 may transmit the status of an attached indicator light. Preferably, digital control device 105 derives its power entirely from control line 31 by storing energy in a capacitor (not shown) when control terminal 106 is in a high logic state. An example of an addressable switch 100 that may be used in the file tracking system of the present invention is the DS2405 addressable switch available from Dallas Semiconductor, in Dallas, Tex.
Referring again to
To communicate with file folder 70 a located in a particular drawer 54 a, processor 20, transmits a control signal over control line 31 via serial port adapter 27 to control terminals 106 of all branch control addressable switches 94 a, 94 b, . . . 94 n connected to ground line 32. The transmitted control signal includes the unique address associated with branch control addressable switch 94 a associated with drawer 54 a with which communication is desired. The control signal also includes a command instructing this branch control addressable switch 94 a to change to a conductive state thereby providing a connection between ground line 32 and addressable folder switch 76 a. Subsequently, processor 20 may transmit control signals individually to addressable folder switch 76 a by including the unique address associated therewith. Thus, processor 20 may illuminate folder indicator light 75 a of any specified file folder within a specified drawer 54 a. Additionally, processor 20 may obtain information from addressable folder switches 76 a, 76 b, . . . 76 n through a later described and deterministic process to determine the unique address stored in ROM 108 of each of addressable folder switches 76 a, 76 b, . . . 76 n. Processor 20 may also illuminate branch indicator light 96 a by first transmitting a control signal including the unique address of branch control addressable switch 94 a and subsequently transmitting a control signal including the unique address of branch indicator addressable switch 97 a. By providing a branch indicator light 96 a on a folder retainer such as a file drawer 54 a, a file tray 40, or a shelving unit 60, one can quickly determine in which folder retainer a selected file folder 70 is located by looking for the folder retainer with the illuminated branch indicator light 96.
In the preferred embodiment, each file folder 70 has an addressable switch having a unique address associated therewith in any given system installation. In some applications, multiple file folders 70 could intentionally have identical addresses corresponding to files related or grouped in some fashion. Further, an inadvertent duplication of addresses could result in any installation from a finite number of addresses in a mass produced, manufacturing environment. In all such situations, unique addresses are still present as envisioned herein.
The manner in which contact can be made between the conductive strips on a file folder 70 and the conductive rails of a bus conductor 80 will now be described with reference to
Bus conductors 80 a, 80 b, 80 c preferably include at least one ground conductive rail 82 a, 82 b, 82 c, a control conductive rail 83 a, 83 b, 83 c, and a support 84 a, 84 b, 84 c for supporting the conductive rails. Support 84 a, 84 b, 84 c preferably is formed of an electrically insulating material and supports the conductive rails in parallel with one another. Bus conductor 80 a-80 c may be formed as an integral part of a folder retainer or, alternatively, may be formed as a separate element which may be added to an existing folder retainer. As shown in
Bus conductors 80 may optionally be disposed in more than one surface and in various combinations. For example, one conductive rail may be disposed on the bottom interior surface of a file drawer, while another conductive rail may be disposed on an interior side surface of the file drawer. Further, one conductive rail may be disposed on the side or bottom of a file drawer and another conductive rail may be disposed on a support rail, such as that shown in
File folders 70 a, 70 b preferably include conductive strips including at least one return conductive strip 72 a, 72 b and a control conductive strip 73 a, 73 b arranged in a pattern that allows for relative movement between file folders or between the file folder and a bus conductor, such as that shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The conductive strip patterns shown in
The conductive strip pattern shown in
Hence, the conductive strip patterns are configured to electrically connect an addressable folder switch 76 with electrical contacts of the file tracking system when the file folder is positioned in any one of several different positions that allow a proper connection to be made. Further, the conductive strip patterns are configured to electrically connect an addressable folder switch 76 with the file tracking system when the file folder 70 is positioned in (1) any one of several different orientations with respect to the electrical contacts of the electronic file tracking system; (2) any one of several different lateral positions with respect to an adjacent file folder; or (3) any one of several different rotated positions with respect to an adjacent file folder. Additionally, the conductive strip pattern is preferably configured to electrically connect the addressable folder switch 76 to the file tracking system at a plurality of locations on the file folder 70.
The conductive strips may be formed of conductive tape, fabric, coating, which may be a conductive ink or polymer, or other suitable conductive materials. The choice between such materials being a factor of the shape and composition of the particular file folder, cost and longevity goals, and other concerns.
As evident from the foregoing description of the bus conductors and the conductive strip patterns applied to the file folders, the file tracking system of the present invention offers exceptional flexibility, both in design and in use.
Having described the preferred structure of the first embodiment of the present invention, the operation of file tracking system 10 will now be described with reference to
The software utilized in file tracking system 10 generally includes a user interface module for providing windows, dialog boxes, and menus, such as window 200. Preferably, the user interface module operates in a graphic user interface such as Windows® software available from Microsoft Corporation. The software also includes several standalone event subroutines that are executed when their associated controls are activated by a user or for timed events, at the configured intervals. The event subroutines may be classified into four main functional groups: a database interface; a bus interface; option control; and Debug control.
The database interface subroutines provide the viewing, editing, and search capability for the file folder records. The viewing controls allow movement through the database records and the display of record fields. The editing controls allow the entry, deletion, and updating of database records. The search controls let the user locate records by value within the title or content\keyword field, and the viewing of the searched group.
The bus interface subroutines compile and issue control signals over bus 30 to the various branch control point switch assemblies 93 and file folders 70 on the system. An example of an interface for a single pair bus having addressable switches 100 connected thereto is TMEX™ interface available from Dallas Semiconductor, Dallas, Tex. Preferably, the bus interface includes functions to start and stop a communication session, identify attached devices, and the sense and control the functioning of the addressable switches.
The option control subroutines allow the user to adjust the indicator light blink rate, the indicator light ON duration, bus scan rate, device persistence, and form display to include debug information. A user may set the indicator light blink rate and the bus scan rate by defining the period between their events, which is the interval property of their timer control.
The user may set the device persistence in increments of bus scan rate and controls the length of time that passes before processor 20 considers a missing file folder device to be removed.
This persistence compensates for intermittent contacts during file folder movement. The debug information includes a status window used to display program messages, access to debug controls, and database fields not normally of interest to the user such as state variables and the unique address associated with the device.
The debug controls allow the status messages to be cleared, the bus to be reset, and the scan timers to be enabled/disabled.
The operations described below, utilize various combinations of the event subroutines described above. Thus, any given operation may include one or more data interface subroutine, bus interface subroutine, option control subroutine, and/or debug control subroutine.
With the exception of the ability to adjust the polling rate, processor 20 generally polls file folders 70 and maintains the database transparently to the users. The manner by which processor 20 periodically polls file folders 70 will be described with reference to the flow charts shown in
Polling (Step 300) occurs periodically at the rate established by the user in polling rate request window 215. Initially, processor 20 executes a scan of a main branch looking for new, reconnected, and removed branch control point switch assemblies 93 (Step 302). The manner by which processor 20 performs this operation is shown in the flow chart in
Processor 20 initiates a scan 302, 330 by opening communication with the desired main branch 98 (
To determine the unique address of devices, such as addressable folder switches 76 and branch controller addressable switches 94, located on a given branch, processor 20 issues a command instructing the addressable folder switches 76 and branch controller addressable switches 94 to transmit the unique address stored in ROM 108 bit by bit. When a plurality of devices are present on the activated branch, each of them simultaneously transmits the first bit of the unique address on bus 30. Processor 20 senses the state of bus 30, which represents a logical AND of all the first bits of each device located on the activated bus. Processor 20 then issues a command to each device to transmit the complement of the first bit of their respective unique address. If processor 20 detects two “0's” in response to these two inquiries, processor 20 determines that there are devices located on the branch that have a “0” in the first bit position and other devices having a “1” in the first bit position. If all devices had a “0” in the first bit position, the reading would have been a “0” followed by a “1”. If a “1” followed by a “0” were received, processor 20 determines that all the present devices have a “1” in the first bit position. Last, if processor 20 detects two “1's ”, no devices are present on the activated branch.
The above procedure for identifying unknown devices on a branch may be further optimized by first disabling all known devices on the branch and then performing the operation on those devices that are not disabled. In the illustrated embodiment, such procedure is carried out using the SearchROM command included with the TMEX Software from Dallas Semiconductor.
Processor 20 then issues a control signal including one of the “1” or “0” logic values in the first bit position in order to disable the devices that do not have this logic value in the first bit position of their unique address. Processor 20 then issues a command to the devices that remain enabled requesting these devices to transmit the second bit of their unique addresses and the complement thereof. Processor 20 then uses the same process to determine the value of the second bit of at least one of the remaining devices. Processor 20 repeats the above steps until the unique address of one of the devices is known.
Subsequently, processor 20 reactivates the other devices on the activated branch and repeats the above process using a different logic level at the highest bit position where processor 20 was able to determine that a single device remained. In this manner, processor 20 determines the unique address of each file folder 70 and branch controller 93 located on an activated branch.
After the new branch controller addressable switch 94 has been added to the database, processor 20 scans the rest of main branch 98 looking for additional branch controller addressable switches 94 (Step 306). If processor 20 detects a branch controller addressable switch 94 on the main branch 98 that is not new, processor 20 compares the branch controller state and location with that previously stored in the database and updates the database if any changes are detected (Step 312). Processor 20 continues to search for additional branch controller addressable switches 94 on main branch 98 until no further branch controller addressable switches 94 are detected in Step 306.
When processor 20 determines that no further branch controller addressable switches 94 are present on main branch 98, processor 20 closes communication with main branch 98 (Step 314). Next, processor 20 queries the database for the number of branch controller addressable switches 94 presently registered in the database as being located on main branch 98 (Step 315) and compares this number with the number of branch controller addressable switches 94 that processor 20 detected in Step 306 while scanning main branch 98 (Step 316). If the number of branch controller addressable switches 94 presently registered exceeds the number of branch controller addressable switches 94 detected, processor 20 determines that at least one branch controller addressable switch 94 has been removed from main branch 98.
To verify that a branch controller addressable switch 94 has been removed, processor 20 reopens communication with main branch 98 (Step 318) and transmits control signals to each branch controller addressable switch 94 registered in the database by including the unique address thereof in the control signal, which is stored in the database (Step 320). If a branch controller addressable switch 94 fails to respond to the control signal sent by processor 20, processor 20 changes the state of the branch controller addressable switch 94 registered in the database to “timing out” (Step 322). After processor 20 transmits a control signal to each registered branch controller addressable switch 94, processor 20 closes communication with main branch 98 (Step 324).
After processor 20 has closed communication with the reopened main branch 98 in Step 324 or after processor 20 has determined that the number of branch controller addressable switches 94 registered in the database does not exceed the number of branch controller addressable switches 94 detected in Step 316, processor 20 queries the database for the identity and unique address of all present branch controller addressable switches 94 on the main branch 98 (Step 326 in
While a branch controller addressable switch 94 is conducting, processor 20 scans the activated branch for new, replaced, or removed file folders 70 contacting the activated branch (Step 330). The manner by which processor 20 performs this operation is shown in the flow chart in
First, processor 20 opens communication with the desired secondary branch 99 (Step 304). Then processor 20 attempts to detect the presence of a device (in this case, a file folder 70) (Step 306). If a file folder 70 is found, processor 20 queries whether file folder 70 is new by accessing the database and determining whether file folder 70 was previously registered therein (Step 308). If the file folder 70 detected is new, processor 20 adds file folder 70 to the database and automatically fills in whatever fields can be filled in with the information that may be obtained (Step 310). By the process of elimination, processor 20 may determine the unique address of any newly detected addressable file folder switch 76 and store the unique address in the database. After the new file folder 70 has been added to the database, processor 20 scans the rest of the opened secondary branch 99 looking for additional file folders 70 (Step 306).
If processor 20 detects a file folder 70 on the opened secondary branch 99 that is not new, processor 20 compares the file folder state and location with that previously stored in the database and updates the database if any changes are detected (Step 312). Processor 20 continues to search for additional file folders 70 on secondary branch 99 until no further file folders 70 are detected in Step 306.
When processor 20 determines that no further file folders 70 are present on the opened secondary branch 99, processor 20 closes communication with this secondary branch 99 (Step 314). Next, processor 20 queries the database for the number of file folders 70 presently registered in the database as being located on this secondary branch 99 and compares this number with the number of file folders 70 that processor 20 detected in Step 306 while scanning the secondary branch 99 (Step 316). If the number of file folders 70 presently registered exceeds the number of file folders 70 detected, processor 20 determines that at least one file folder 70 has been removed from the opened secondary branch 99.
To verify that a file folder 70 has been removed, processor 20 reopens communication with the secondary branch 99 (Step 318) and transmits control signals to each file folder 70 registered in the database by including the unique address thereof in the control signal, which is stored in the database (Step 320). If a file folder 70 fails to respond to the control signal sent by processor 20, processor 20 changes the state of the file folder 70 registered in the database to “timing out” (Step 322). After processor 20 transmits a control signal to each registered file folder 70, processor 20 closes communication with this secondary branch 99 (Step 324).
After processor 20 has closed communication with the reopened secondary branch 99 in Step 324 or after processor 20 has determined that the number of file folders 70 registered in the database does not exceed the number of file folders 70 detected in Step 316, processor 20 activates another secondary branch 99 by transmitting a control signal including the unique address of the branch controller addressable switch 94 associated with the selected secondary branch 99 (Step 328 in
After processor 20 has scanned all the secondary branches 99, processor 20 queries the database for the identity of all devices in the “timing out” state (Step 332) and decrements the persistence values stored in association therewith (Step 334). The persistence value indicates the number of additional times that processor 20 will perform a scan of all file folders 70 before a file folder having a “timing out” status will be considered to have a “timed out” or removed status. When a file folder has “timed out” (Step 336), processor 20 updates the database to indicate this change in status (Step 338) and ends the scanning operation (Step 340). Once the scanning operation is finished, a timer is started to determine when the next scanning operation is to be performed.
Processor 20 automatically updates the database by inserting the date and time the file was detected as having been removed from the system into the appropriate database fields associated with file folder 70. Additionally, processor 20 may identify the individual who removed file folder 70 by determining who was the last individual to log onto the system and cause the indicator light of the removed file folder to blink. This is especially helpful in locations where security measures require logging onto the system before removing files. Then, if the presence of the removed file folder 70 is subsequently detected at a different location, such as on an individual's desk, processor 20 may update the database to indicate that the individual who removed the file is the individual associated with the location (i.e., desk) where file folder 70 was subsequently detected or have a separate field corresponding to the individual responsible for that particular area or location.
By actively polling each file folder 70, file tracking system 10 maintains an accurate record of file folder location and usage history without requiring action by office personnel. Moreover, office personnel need not spend their valuable time keeping the files organized. Using file tracking system 10, a person may quickly determine the present location of a file folder and cause LEDs on the file folder and file cabinet drawer to blink to allow the person to quickly identify the requested file folder. Because of the ease by which a person may locate a file folder, office personnel may place the file folders anywhere and in any convenient order. Thus, office personnel may place the most frequently used file folders at the front of a file drawer where they are more easily accessed at a later time. Furthermore, because new file folders may be placed in any file drawer or on any shelf, there is no need to rearrange the file folders to make room for new file folders.
In addition, by utilizing a database to index file folders, the file folders may be physically grouped or classified into various topical groups and subgroups. Thus, a user may access all the file folders constituting the group or subgroup. Moreover, by issuing an appropriate command, a user can cause the indicator lights on all the file folders of a selected group of file folders to blink thereby adding to the ease by which the user can locate the physical file copies for immediate use or to gather for placement into a desired storage pattern or location. Similarly, a user can locate all files mentioning a particular subject by performing a keyword search. Thus, the present invention may provide higher levels of file organization even if a user wishes to maintain the files in a specific nonrandom order.
An indicator light scanning operation is performed at timed intervals (Step 400). Processor 20 begins the operation by querying the database for all present branch controller addressable switches 94 on the main branch (Step 402). Then, for each branch controller addressable switch 94 that is present (Step 404), processor 20 queries the database for file folders 70 having an indicator light blink flag set to logic “1” and located on the branch controlled by the selected branch controller addressable switch 94 (Step 406). The indicator light blink flag for a file folder is set when a user requests processor 20 to blink the indicator light of a selected file folder. If no file folders are found that are connected to the selected branch (Step 408) and have their indicator light blink flag set to “1”, processor 20 selects the next branch (Step 404). If the processor 20 finds file folders 70, processor 20 queries the database for branch indicators on the selected branch (Step 410), then processor 20 opens communication with the selected branch (Step 412) and transmits control signals to each branch indicator 95 that is found on the selected branch (Step 414) causing the branch indicator lights 96 to toggle on and off (Step 416). Next, processor 20 transmits control signals to each file folder 70 that is found on the selected branch having its indicator light blink flag set to “1” (Step 418) causing the folder indicator lights 75 to toggle on and off (Step 420). After all of the folder indicator lights 75 on the selected branch have been toggled, processor 20 closes the selected branch (Step 422) and selects the next branch (Step 404). The process is repeated until there are no more branches to select (Step 424). This procedure may be programmed to be executed several times per second.
The control signals transmitted by processor 20 to toggle the indicator lights may include a first control signal containing the unique address of the addressable device followed by a second transmitted control signal including a command to toggle the indicator light. Alternatively, the control signals may include a single control signal transmitted by processor 20 that includes both the unique address and the command to toggle the indicator light.
Although the above procedure is presently used to blink the indicator lights, it is also possible to utilize indicator lights that blink upon receiving an instruction to do so until a subsequent instruction is received to stop blinking. Further, processor 20 may read each indicator for the status of the indicator light prior to issuing a control signal causing the indicator light to blink in order to ensure that the indicator light is not already turned on.
The second embodiment of the file tracking system 500 differs from the first embodiment only in that file tracking system 500 includes a plurality of processors 20 a-20 d interconnected by a network, such as a local area network (LAN) 91 or a local office network (LON). An example of a LON in which the present invention may be implemented is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,435, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Each processor may store a portion of the entire database of the system such that the various processors and their respective portions of the database constitute a distributed database system 501. In such a system any one of processors 20 a-d may access the database stored in any other processor using a conventional distributed database management system (DDBMS), a networked database server, or through database information stored with the file folder.
The DDBMS architecture of tracking system 500 allows any single file tracking program to operate on records that are spread across multiple databases that are running on a variety of different processors and operating systems connected through a variety of communication networks. In a networked database server, a single processor maintains a central database with the other processors having a subset copy of the records pertaining to the file folders local to each processor. A processor would use this local copy to monitor the file folder state and indicator light state, and relay only changes in state back to the central database.
By scaling the file tracking system of the present invention to permit multiple access to the system at various locations, file tracking system 500 permits multiple users in various locations to locate file folders that are in distributed locations about the organization. Thus, this system can easily be adapted for use in a large organization having numerous office buildings in which file folders may be located in any office or file repository of these office buildings.
Although the above embodiments of the present invention have been described as using physical connections between the various elements, any one or all of the above connections may be replaced with a radio link by providing a radio frequency (RF) transceiver connected to processor 20 and RF transceivers on the folder retainers and/or the file folders themselves.
Although the embodiment shown illustrates a system utilizing all RF links from processor 20, a combination of RF links and physical bus connections may also be employed. By providing the availability of radio links, mobile folder retainers, such as file carts, as well as remotely located folder retainers may be employed in the file tracking system of the present invention.
Although the processor(s) of the present invention have been described with reference to personal computers, the processor may be a processor embedded in or near the folder retainer. In such an arrangement, it may be preferable for the embedded processor to include a plurality of serial ports to which different branches of the bus may be connected, thus, eliminating the need for a number of branch controllers. Further, the processors may be computer terminals connected to a network.
Further, processor 20 may be implemented in either a single processing unit or in a distributed system whereby various tasks performed by processor 20 are allocated to various components of the distributed system. For example, one component may be responsible for scanning the bus, while another may be used to provide an interface with the users. Further, various tasks described above as being performed by processor 20 may be allocated to embedded processor 27. For example, embedded processor 27 may maintain separate databases identifying which file folders are located on their associated branch.
Additionally, other types of annunciators or, as more broadly defined herein, file locating devices, such as an audible alarm, may supplement or replace the visual indicator lights used in the file tracking system.
Although it is preferable that the present invention be practiced using addressable devices that each have unique addresses associated therewith, it is possible that in a system employing a large number of addressable devices, two or more addressable devices could have the same address. The present claims are intended to cover the situation where at least a plurality of addressable devices has unique addresses. To ensure such coverage, some claims below recite that the addressable devices have a substantially unique address.
The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.
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|U.S. Classification||340/8.1, 340/10.1, 707/E17.005, 707/E17.008, 340/572.1|
|International Classification||H04Q1/00, G06K17/00, G06F17/30|
|Cooperative Classification||G06F17/30011, G06K2017/0051, G06Q20/203|
|European Classification||G06Q20/203, G06F17/30D|
|Dec 17, 2007||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: STEELCASE INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:STEELCASE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:020254/0478
Effective date: 20071017
|May 27, 2008||CC||Certificate of correction|
|May 24, 2011||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|May 27, 2015||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8