Patent ID: 9084076
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: G01S,G06K,H01Q,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining information about an object in a container of a movable vehicle and on which a radio-frequency transceiver device is mounted, the object being selectively insertable into and removable from the vehicle, comprising: generating a request at a portable telecommunications device proximate or in the container for location of the object in the container, the portable telecommunications device being usable when separate and apart from the vehicle, the portable telecommunications device being configured to use a communications network for voice and data communications between the portable telecommunications device and another remotely situated communications device; wirelessly transmitting the generated request from the telecommunications device to the vehicle, the request generated at the telecommunications device being received at at least one interrogator arranged on the vehicle and, after and in response to receipt of the request by the at least one interrogator, the at least one interrogator directing at least one antenna arranged on the vehicle to transmit radio frequency signals into the container, the transceiver device being an active transmitter device that includes a power source and wirelessly transmits a return signal if and when the transceiver device receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the at least one antenna; wirelessly receiving the return signal transmitted by the transceiver device at the at least one antenna; then wirelessly transmitting the return signal received at the at least one antenna or a derivation therefrom from the at least one interrogator to the telecommunications device; then deriving, using a processor in the telecommunications device, information about the object on which the transceiver device is mounted based on the return signal, the derived information including a location of the object in the container; and displaying on a display of the telecommunications device, a representation of an interior space of the container and the location of the object in the container, whereby the display of the location on the object along with the representation of the interior space of the container enables a person to enter the container, be directed to the location of the object in the container, retrieve the object and remove the object from the container.