Apparatus and method for monitoring a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of selected articles

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for monitoring a plurality of coded articles and for determining the location of a selected article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive any of a plurality of the coded articles, including articles inserted in random order;

a plurality of memory means, each associated with one of the coded articles, for storing the code of the respective, associated article, each carrier having associated memory processing means for repetitively and sequentially reading the memories associated with any coded articles stored in respective receptacles of the carrier and for storing the codes read from the respective memory means, each carrier having article polling circuitry connected between the associated memory processing means and each receptacle and connectable to the memory means of each coded article received in one of the receptacles;

circuit means, coupled to the memory processing means of the carriers, for determining whether the article code of a selected coded article has been previously stored in one of the memory processing means and, if so, for identifying the location of the selected coded article; and

means associated with the circuit means for indicating the location of the selected coded article.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for updating the memory associated with a respective coded article by storing in the memory the usage history of the coded article.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory means of the coded articles each comprise respective means for permanently storing the codes of the respective associated articles and for temporarily storing the usage histories of the respective coded articles.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory processing means of each carrier comprises means for sequentially polling the memories associated with any coded articles received in respective receptacles of the carrier, and storing information read from the memories, the circuit means comprising means for receiving a request for a selected coded article and determining whether the article code of one of the coded articles stored in one of the memory processing means of one of the carriers corresponds with the article code of the selected article.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the indicating means comprises means associated with the memory processing means for providing a visual display associated with a receptacle in which a selected, coded article is received.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit means includes a computer and means for conducting electrical signals between the computer and the memory processing means of the respective carriers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, the circuit means comprising means for transmitting an inquiry message, generated by the computer, to each memory processing means and for determining whether the code of the selected coded article is stored in one of the memory processing means.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, the circuit means comprising means for conducting messages from the carriers to the computer for providing the location of the receptacle in which a selected coded article is received.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for indicating the location of the selected article comprises a display means, associated with the computer, for displaying the location of a selected coded article.

10. An apparatus for storing a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive one of the coded articles, each coded article having an associated memory, comprising means for storing the code of the respective coded article;

a plurality of processing means, respectively associated with the carriers, for repetitively and sequentially reading the memories of coded articles stored within the carrier receptacles, each processing means having a respective carrier memory, which comprises means for storing the codes and receptacle identities of each coded article received within any of the receptacles of the respective carrier, each carrier having circuitry connected between the carrier processing means and each receptacle and connectable with the memories of each coded article received in one of the carrier receptacles;

computer means for generating an inquiry containing the code of a selected, coded article; and

circuit means for transmitting the inquiry from the computer means to each of the processing means, each processing means further comprising means for determining whether the code of the selected coded article matches one of the codes previously stored in the respective, associated carrier memory during the repetitive and sequential reading of the coded article memories and for providing a return message indicating the location of any matching coded article stored in a receptacle of the respective carrier, the circuit means further comprising means for transmitting the return message to the computer means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the coded article memories comprises a non-volatile memory.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the coded article memories comprises an EEPROM memory device, and wherein the memory processing means comprises means for conducting power to the memory devices when repetitively and sequentially reading the respective memory devices, for activating the memory devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, each coded article further having a plurality of contact pads associated with its non-volatile memory, each carrier receptacle having probe means for engaging the contact pads of an inserted coded article and for providing electrical connection, via the contact pads and the carrier circuitry, between the non-volatile memory of the coded article and the processing means of the respective carrier.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the carrier memories is a non-volatile memory means for storing the codes as well as the receptacle locations of coded articles stored within any of the carrier receptacles.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the circuit means comprises a plurality of circuit modules, each module being associated with at least one carrier in a chain of carriers associated with the module and comprising means, connected to receive inquiries derived from the computer means, for transmitting corresponding inquiries to the processing means associated with one of the carriers in the chain of carriers associated with the respective circuit module.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each circuit module includes a respective input gating means for converting signals received in differential voltage format into a plurality of digital format signals within the respective module, each circuit module having a plurality of output gating means operable for converting the digital format signals into a plurality of differential voltage output signals and for relaying the differential voltage output signals to respective carriers associated with the respective circuit module.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, each circuit module comprising means for transmitting a plurality of polling inquiries on a plurality of output cables connected between respective ones of the output gating means and respective chains of carriers associated with the respective circuit module.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, each circuit module comprising means operable for receiving a return message from one of the carrier processing means and for causing a corresponding message to be transmitted to the computer means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the means operable for receiving a return message including a unidirectional channel merging means for passing any return message to the computer means.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each unidirectional channel merging means comprises a multi-input 0R gate, each input thereof being connected to a respective cable connected to one of the carriers associated with the respective circuit module.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each cable is connected to the processing means of the first carrier of a chain of carriers associated with the respective circuit module.

22. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising display means, associated with the computer means, for identifying a carrier which has been determined by a carrier processing means to contain a selected coded article.

23. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising light emitting means associated with the carriers for visually designating the location of the receptacle in which a selected coded article is received.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the light emitting means comprise a plurality of light emitting devices each associated with a respective one of the receptacles.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the light emitting devices comprise respective means for emitting light selected from at least two colors, the apparatus further comprising means for causing a light emitting device associated with a receptacle receiving a selected coded article to emit light of a first color.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, the apparatus further comprising means for causing at least one of the light emitting devices to emit light of a second color for indicating an error condition with respect to an associated receptacle.

27. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising carrier programming means for encoding carrier position information in the carrier memories associated with the respective carriers.

28. An apparatus for storing a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive one of the coded articles, each coded article having an associated memory, comprising means for storing the code of the respective coded article;

a plurality of processing means, respectively associated with the carriers, for reading the memories of coded articles stored within the carrier receptacles, each processing means having a respective carrier memory, which comprises means for storing the codes and receptacle identities of each coded article received within any of the receptacles of the respective carrier;

computer means for generating an inquiry containing the code of a selected, coded article; and

circuit means for transmitting the inquiry from the computer means to each of the processing means, each processing means further comprising means for determining whether the code of the selected coded article matches one of the codes stored in the respective, associated carrier memory and for providing a return message indicating the location of any matching coded article stored in a receptacle of the respective carrier, the circuit means further comprising means for transmitting the return message to the computer means;

wherein the circuit means comprises a plurality of circuit modules, each module being associated with at least one carrier and comprising means, connected to receive inquiries derived from the computer means, for transmitting corresponding inquiries to the processing means associated with the at least one carrier associated with the respective circuit module, and wherein the computer means comprises means for generating inquiries in a digital format, the circuit means further comprising converter means, connected between the computer means and the plurality of circuit modules, for translating digital inquiries received from the computer means into differential voltage signals for transmission to the circuit modules, and for translating return signals, received in differential voltage format, into digital format for retransmission to the computer means.

29. An apparatus for storing a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive one of the coded articles, each coded article having an associated memory, comprising means for storing the code of the respective coded article;

a plurality of processing means, respectively associated with the carriers, for reading the memories of coded articles stored within the carrier receptacles, each processing means having a respective carrier memory, which comprises means for storing the codes, and receptacle identities of each coded article received within any of the receptacles of the respective carrier;

computer means for generating an inquiry containing the code of a selected coded article;

circuit means for transmitting the inquiry from the computer means to each of the processing means, each processing means further comprising means for determining whether the code of the selected coded article matches one of the codes stored in the respective, associated carrier memory and for providing a return message indicating the location of any matching coded article stored in a receptacle of the respective carrier, the circuit means further comprising means for transmitting the return message to the computer means;

said circuit means comprising a plurality of circuit modules, each module being associated with at least one carrier and comprising means connected to receive inquiries derived from the computer means for transmitting corresponding inquiries to the processing means associated with the at least one carrier associated with the respective circuit module; and

wherein the circuit modules are serially interconnected, and further comprising means for relaying differential voltage output signals to associated circuit modules in the series of circuit modules.

30. An apparatus for storing a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive one of the coded articles, each coded article having an associated memory, comprising means for storing the code of the respective coded article;

a plurality of processing means, respectively associated with the carriers, for repetitively and sequentially reading the memories of coded articles stored within the carrier receptacles, each processing means having a respective carrier memory, which comprises means for storing the codes and receptacle identities of each coded article received within any of the receptacles of the respective carrier;

computer means for generating an inquiry containing the code of a selected, coded article; and

circuit means for transmitting the inquiry from the computer means to each of the processing means, each processing means further comprising means for determining whether the code of the selected coded article matches one of the codes previously stored in the respective, associated carrier memory during the repetitive and sequential reading of the coded article memories and for providing a return message indicating the location of any matching coded article stored in a receptacle of the respective carrier, the circuit means further comprising means for transmitting the return message to the computer means wherein each of the coded article memories comprises a non-volatile memory,

further comprising encoding means for storing the respective code of each coded article in the memory associated with the respective coded article.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the encoding means comprises:

a receptacle for receiving a coded article and having probe means for conducting encoding signals to the non-volatile memory associated with the coded article;

encoding circuit means, connected to the probe means, for generating a sequence of encoding signals for programming the non-volatile memory of a coded article received in the encoding means receptacle; and

control means, associated with the encoding circuit means, for applying a series of signals to the encoding circuit means corresponding to the characters of the code assigned to said coded article, the encoding circuit means comprising means for applying a sequence of digital encoding signals corresponding with the signals applied by the control means.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the encoding circuit means includes a processor means for generating the sequential encoding signals for encoding the non-volatile memory of the coded article received in the encoding means receptacle, and for subsequently reading the non-volatile memory of said coded article and determining whether the assigned code has been encoded.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, the coded article being provided with a bar code label containing the code assigned to the respective coded article, further comprising a bar code reader, associated with the computing means, for reading the bar code and entering the assigned code into the computing means.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the coded articles are magnetic tapes, further comprising tape drive means for receiving one of the tapes and reading its assigned code from a portion of the magnetic tape, and entering it into the computing means.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for automatically and sequentially loading magnetic tapes into the tape drive means, and wherein the probe is adapted to contact the non-volatile memory of a magnetic tape loaded into the tape drive for transmitting encoding signals to the encoding circuit means for effective programming of said non-volatile memory while the associated magnetic tape is loaded in the tape drive means.

36. An apparatus for storing a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive one of the coded articles, each coded article having an associated memory, comprising means for storing the code of the respective coded article;

a plurality of processing means, respectively associated with the carriers, for reading the memories of coded articles stored within the carrier receptacles, each processing means having a respective carrier memory, which comprises means for storing the codes and receptacle identities of each coded article received within any of the receptacles of the respective carrier;

computer means for generating an inquiry containing the code of a selected, coded article; and

circuit means for transmitting the inquiry from the computer means to each of the processing means, each processing means further comprising means for determining whether the code of the selected coded article matches one of the codes stored in the respective, associated carrier memory and for providing a return message indicating the location of any matching coded article stored in a receptacle of the respective carrier, the circuit means further comprising means for transmitting the return message to the computer means,

wherein each of the coded article memories comprises a non-volatile memory;

further comprising encoding means for storing the respective code of each coded article in the memory associated with the respective coded article;

wherein the encoding means comprises:

a receptacle for receiving a coded article and having probe means for conducting encoding signals to the non-volatile memory associated with the coded article;

encoding circuit means, connected to the probe means, for generating a sequence of encoding signals for programming the non-volatile memory of a coded article received in the encoding means receptacle; and

control means, associated with the encoding circuit means, for applying a series of signals to the encoding circuit means corresponding to the characters of the code assigned to said coded article, the encoding circuit means comprising means for applying a sequence of digital encoding signals corresponding with the signals applied by the control means; and

wherein the control means comprises means for generating encoding signals in TTL format.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the control means comprises means for generating signals in RS232 format.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the control means comprises a computing means.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a keyboard for entering the assigned code into the computing means.

40. An apparatus for storing a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles each adapted to receive one of the coded articles, each coded article having an associated memory, comprising means for storing the code of the respective coded article;.

a plurality of processing means, respectively associated with the carriers, for reading the memories of coded articles stored within the carrier receptacles, each processing means having a respective carrier memory, which comprises means for storing the codes and receptacle identities of each coded article received within any of the receptacles of the respective carrier;

computer means for generating an inquiry containing the code of a selected, coded article; and

circuit means for transmitting the inquiry from the computer means to each of the processing means, each processing means further comprising means for determining whether the code of the selected coded article matches one of the codes stored in the respective, associated carrier memory and for providing a return message indicating the location of any matching coded article stored in a receptacle of the respective carrier, the circuit means further comprising means for transmitting the return message to the computer means, further comprising carrier programming means for encoding carrier position information in the carrier memories associated with the respective carriers,

wherein the carrier programming means comprises circuitry means for generating encoded position information and means for transmitting the encoded position information to a respective carrier.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising means associated with each carrier for receiving encoded carrier position information from the carrier programming means and for applying a sequence of corresponding encoding signals to the respective carrier memory for storing in said carrier memory the current location of the respective carrier.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the circuitry means for generating encoded carrier position information comprises a portable, battery powered unit and wherein the means for transmitting the encoded position information comprises a transceiving means for transmitting the encoded position information to an adjacent carrier, the carriers having corresponding transceivers for receiving said position information.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the transceivers are infrared transceivers.

44. A method for monitoring a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive one of the coded articles, the carriers having respective memories, and the coded articles having respective memories associated therewith;

storing in the coded article memories the article codes of the respective, associated coded articles;

inserting coded articles in at least some of the carrier receptacles;

repetitively and sequentially polling the memories of coded articles received in the carrier receptacles and repetitively storing the codes and locations of said coded articles in the respective carrier memory means;

polling the carrier memories, in response to a request for a selected coded article, for determining whether a code previously stored in one of the carrier memories during the step of repetitively and sequentially polling the memories of the coded articles matches the code of the selected coded article; and

providing an indication of the current location of a selected coded article.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of visually displaying the location of a selected, coded article.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of visually displaying the location of a selected coded article comprises displaying the location of the carrier in which the selected coded article is stored.

47. A method for monitoring a plurality of coded articles and for identifying the location of a selected coded article, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive one of the coded articles, the carriers having respective memories, and the coded articles having respective memories associated therewith;

storing in the coded article memories the article codes of the respective, associated coded articles;

inserting coded articles in at least some of the carrier receptacles;

polling the memories of coded articles received in the carrier receptacles and storing the codes and locations of said coded articles in the respective carrier memory means;

polling the carrier memories, in response to a request for a selected coded article, for determining whether a code stored in one of the carrier memories matches the code of the selected coded article; and

providing an indication of the current location of a selected coded article, wherein the carrier memories comprise respective non-volatile memory devices each associated with a respective one of the carriers, further comprising the step of:

programming the non-volatile carrier memory devices by encoding therein the current locations of the respective, associated carriers.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of programming the non-volatile carrier memory devices comprises:

providing a battery-powered, portable programming means having transceiver means for generating programming signals corresponding to the location of a respective carrier and a transceiver means associated with each carrier for receiving the programming signals received from the programming means;

locating the portable programming means adjacent said carrier; and

causing the transceiver means of the programming means to transmit a programming signal to the transceiver means of the respective carrier.