Patent ID: 6232876
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: G06K,G07B,G08B

Abstract:
A method of tracking use of objects of a set of objects checked out from a storage means, comprising:placing the objects to be tracked in object holders mounted on a portable object carrier;removing selected ones of the objects from their object holders as needed for use of each such object;actuating a timer associated with each object of the set of objects as each object is placed in its object holder,stopping each timer upon removal of its object from the object holder, restarting each timer as its object is replaced in the object holder to generate a time record, replacing the removed objects in their object holders on the object carrier after use; andcomparing the time record for each object with a record of time the portable object carrier has been checked out from the storage means to determine whether an individual object of the set of objects was used.