Patent ID: 7240027
Filing Date: 2007-07-03
Classification: G06Q,G07F,G07G

Abstract:
1. A method of using a computer processor to monitor items being received and disbursed within a predetermined environment, said method comprising: (a) providing a computer monitoring system having a memory circuit for storage of data, a communications port, and a processing circuit; (b) providing a plurality of sensing circuits that detect at least one item as it is moved to predetermined locations within said predetermined environment; (c) receiving, by way of said communications port, identification characteristic information pertaining to said at least one item as it passes one of said plurality of sensing circuits, and receiving an arrival time, wherein said arrival time is a time when said at least one item was detected by the one of said plurality of sensing circuits; (d) determining at a later time, by way of said processing circuit, a waiting time for said at least one item, wherein said waiting time is an amount of time between said arrival time and said later time, wherein said later time is prior to a next time said at least one item is again detected by one of said plurality of sensing circuits; (e) retrieving, from said memory circuit, a probability distribution over inter-arrival times for said at least one item, wherein an inter-arrival time is an amount of time between an arrival of said at least one item and a next arrival of said at least one item, and wherein said probability distribution is retrieved, by way of said processing circuit, based on said identification characteristic information; and (f) determining, by way of said processing circuit, based on said retrieved probability distribution, that said waiting time is anomalous if a cumulative probability of all inter-arrival times that are greater than said waiting time is less than a predetermined threshold; and (g) generating at said later time, by way of said processing circuit, an inter-arrival time event announcement for said at least one item whenever said waiting time is anomalous.