Abstract:
A binder management system having a cabinet with shelves for removable storage of searchable binders. Each binder has a body with front and rear covers and a spine. Inside the body is a binder mechanism for removably retaining sheet media. Each binder has externally extending upper and tower ohmic contact members which ohmically engage conductive members mounted on the shelf surfaces near the front. Each binder has a binder identification circuit coupled to an LED mounted on the binder spine in a location visible when the binder rests on a shelf. When a binder identification signal from a host computer is presented to the shelf conductive members it is transferred by the binder contact members to the binder identification circuit. If the signal matches, the LED is activated to aid the user in finding the binder. An LED and an optional audible indicator are mounted on the shelves to further aid the user in finding the sought binder.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to documents management in general, and in particular to an improved documents management technique using a set of searchable binders. 
         [0002]    In medical records, legal and business offices, and some homes, notebook binders (hereinafter “binders”) are typically used to store documents used for medical, legal, other business and personal purposes. A typical binder has a front cover, a rear cover and a spine joining the two covers. Inside the binder, a multi-ring manually operable binder mechanism having two or more two-piece arcuate rings is permanently mounted to facilitate insertion, storage and removal of documents having a number of holes formed along a mounting edge, with the number of holes corresponding to the number of rings of the binder mechanism. Each binder is typically removably supported on a shelf by placing the bottom edges of the binder covers and spine of a closed binder on the top surface of the supporting shelf. Several binders are typically installed on a given shelf, and several shelves are typically incorporated into a shelf support structure, such as a cabinet. In order to enable the documents contained in the various binders to be readily accessed, some type of documents management system is necessary. 
         [0003]    Documents management is typically performed by binder management. Each document is initially assigned to, and placed in, an identified binder dedicated to documents of a particular subject matter (e.g., “utility bills for a specific account”). Later-generated related documents are typically assigned to and placed in this same binder. When a binder is filled to capacity by documents, a new binder is provided for receiving additional documents of the same category. 
         [0004]    Binder management is typically conducted by providing each binder with a label in a location (usually somewhere on the spine of the binder) in which the label is visible when the binder is stored on a shelf. The label contains readable information describing the content of the binder. The readable information is typically a short form of identification, such as an account name, a subject name (e.g., “Bank Statements”) or the like. 
         [0005]    In order to provide ready access to the individual documents contained in the binders, some type of indexing arrangement is normally used to identify the location of each binder. A simple technique commonly employed is a manually prepared master list of all binders in the binder management system referencing each binder by the label information and noting the shelf and cabinet location of each binder. In large installations, more sophisticated indexing arrangements are used, such as a computer-based index listing all binders by a short form identifier and a corresponding enlarged and more thorough description of the binder contents. Even such computer-based arrangements still require the use of a readable label on each binder in order to identify a given binder to a user. This is highly undesirable, since it facilitates the search by any unauthorized user for a specific binder name or for a binder containing information of a particular type. Nevertheless, known binder management systems require the use of visible labels in order for the binders to be reasonably locatable. 
         [0006]    In those applications in which several individuals have access to the binders, some arrangement is usually made to monitor the disposition of the binders. For example, in a business application, it is convenient and sometimes necessary to provide a sign out and return procedure so that the whereabouts of a given binder will always be known. Usually, such monitoring attempts fail to accurately track the binders because of the failure of individuals to faithfully follow the procedure. Consequently, at any given time, the integrity of the binder management system can only be verified by actually looking through each shelf and comparing the binders and their contents with the master index. This requirement is both time-consuming and burdensome, and thus a severe disadvantage. 
         [0007]    In known binder management systems of the type described above, once a binder is provided with a contents identifier, that binder is permanently associated with the nature of its contents. To change the contents to some other category, the binder must either be thrown away and a new, unmarked binder substituted in its place, or the identification label must be changed. In addition, the master index must be up-dated, either manually or by using the computer in a computer-based indexing system. These procedures are not always followed by office personnel, and the integrity of the binder system is consequently compromised. 
         [0008]    In all examples of known binder management systems, the binders are usually provided with some type of human readable or machine readable identification indicia, such as the label affixed to the spine of each binder. In more sophisticated systems, a computer is used to assist in keeping track of the binders. When a binder is removed from the usual location, some procedure is typically available to note the fact that that binder has been removed from its normal location. This procedure normally relies on either manual entry of the change into the system computer by an operator, or the use of label reading devices (e.g., bar code readers) to enter the information into the system computer. Unfortunately, not all users follow the binder tracking procedure faithfully and the result is that many binders can be missing from their assigned shelf positions at any given time. 
         [0009]    A further disadvantage with known binder management systems lies in the fact that it is unnecessarily time-consuming to visually locate a sought binder even if that binder is in its proper location. The user must visually scan the spine label of each binder on a given shelf in a given cabinet until the sought binder is visually identified by the label information. If the sought binder has been previously misplaced on the wrong shelf of the same cabinet, the user must then visually scan all binders on the other shelves of that same cabinet until the sought binder is visually identified. If, after visually scanning all binders on all shelves of the same cabinet, the sought binder has not been found the user has no other recourse than to continue the visual scanning process on binders on shelves in the other cabinets in the binder storage area until the sought binder is located or all binders on all shelves of all cabinets in the binder storage area have been visually scanned and the sought binder has still not been located. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The invention comprises a searchable binder suitable for use in a binder management system which is devoid of the above-noted disadvantages and which enables quick and efficient location of binders in a document management system. 
         [0011]    From an apparatus standpoint, the invention comprises a searchable binder for use in a binder management system, the binder comprising: 
         [0012]    a binder body having a front cover, a rear cover and a spine joining said front cover and said rear cover; 
         [0013]    a binder mechanism mounted in the interior of said binder body, preferably on an inner surface of the rear cover; 
         [0014]    a visible indicator, such as an LED, mounted on the binder body in a position visible from the outside of the binder, preferably the spine; 
         [0015]    first and second ohmic contact members carried by the binder body and having contact portions extending partially externally of the binder body for receiving a binder identification signal from a source; and 
         [0016]    a binder identification circuit mounted on the binder body and coupled to the first and second ohmic contact members and the visible indicator for activating the visible indicator when a received binder identification signal designates that binder as a sought binder. 
         [0017]    The spine has an inner surface terminating in an upper end and a lower end; and the first ohmic contact member is preferably mounted on the inner surface of the spine adjacent the upper end and the second ohmic contact member is preferably mounted on the inner surface of the spine adjacent the tower end. 
         [0018]    In a first embodiment, each of the first and second ohmic contact members comprises a body portion terminating in a curved outer end extending outwardly of the spine. In a second embodiment, each of the first and second ohmic contact members comprises a housing having an inner volume, a ball contact movably received in the inner volume, and a bias spring captured between the ball contact and the housing for biasing the ball contact in an outward direction. 
         [0019]    In a first embodiment, the binder identification signal comprises a binder address unique to the associated binder; and the binder identification circuit includes an addressable decoder. In a second embodiment, the binder identification signal comprises an r.f. signal having a frequency unique to the associated binder; and the binder identification circuit includes a crystal having a resonant frequency equal to the frequency unique to the associated binder. 
         [0020]    From a combination standpoint, the invention comprises a storage cabinet for a plurality of searchable binders, the cabinet having an upper shelf and a lower shelf, with the upper shelf having a lower surface and the lower shelf having an upper surface; 
         [0021]    a first ohmically conductive member mounted on the lower surface of the upper shelf; 
         [0022]    a second ohmically conductive member mounted on the upper surface of the lower shelf, the first and second ohmically conductive members being adapted to receive binder identification signals from a source; and 
         [0023]    a searchable binder adapted to be removably received on the lower shelf, the binder comprising a binder body having a front cover, a rear cover, and a spine joining the front cover and the rear cover; a binder mechanism mounted in the interior of the binder body, preferably on an inner surface of the rear cover; a visible indicator such as an LED mounted on the binder body in a position visible from the outside of the binder when the binder is installed on the lower shelf, preferably on the spine; first and second ohmic contact members carried by the binder body and having contact portions extending partially externally of the binder body for ohmic engagement with the first and second ohmically conductive members when the binder is installed on the lower shelf so that a binder identification signal present on at least one of the first and second ohmically conductive members is transferred to the first and second ohmic contact members; and a binder identification circuit mounted on the binder body and coupled to the first and second ohmic contact members and the visible indicator for activating the visible indicator when a received binder identification signal designates that binder as a sought binder. 
         [0024]    The spine has an inner surface terminating in an upper end and a lower end; and the first ohmic contact member is mounted on the inner surface of the spine adjacent the upper end and the second ohmic contact member is mounted on the inner surface of the spine adjacent the tower end. 
         [0025]    In a first embodiment each of the first and second ohmic contact members comprises a body portion terminating in a curved outer end extending outwardly of the spine. In a second embodiment, each of the first and second ohmic contact members comprises a housing having an inner volume, a ball contact movably received in the inner volume, and a bias spring captured between the ball contact and the housing for biasing the ball contact in an outward direction. 
         [0026]    In a first embodiment, the binder identification signal comprises a binder address unique to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes an addressable decoder. In a second embodiment, the binder identification signal comprises an r.f. signal having a frequency unique to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes a crystal having a resonant frequency equal to the frequency unique to the associated binder. 
         [0027]    The combination may further include a visible indicator mounted on at least one of the upper and lower shelves for visually indicating the presence of a sought binder on one of the shelves. 
         [0028]    Similarly, the combination may further include an audible indicator mounted on at least one of the upper and lower shelves for audibly indicating the presence of a sought binder on one of the shelves. 
         [0029]    When a binder is being sought, an operator may enter the appropriate binder information into a host computer, which can perform a table look-up for the binder identification information-i.e. address or crystal frequency, and transmit this information to all binder cabinets. When a binder identification signal is matched to a binder by the binder identification circuit, the visible indicator on the corresponding binder is activated and the user can visually identify the binder being sought. In addition, for large or brightly lit binder storage areas the shelf visible indicators and the optional shelf audible indicators assist the user in locating the sought binder. 
         [0030]    For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a binder according to the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the binder of  FIG. 1  in the opened position; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pair of multiple-shelf binder storage cabinets; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial front schematic view of a portion of a binder storage cabinet illustrating a removable contact arrangement and electrical components; 
           [0035]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial front view of a portion of a cabinet shelf illustrating another removable contact arrangement; 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view further illustrating the contact arrangement of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a first binder identification circuit using an addressable decoder; 
           [0038]      FIG. 8  is block diagram illustrating the binder location technique used in conjunction with the first binder identification circuit; 
           [0039]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a second binder identification circuit using a crystal resonant at a unique frequency; 
           [0040]      FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  illustrating the local electrical components used with the second binder identification circuit; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 11  is a block diagram illustrating the binder location technique used in conjunction with the second binder identification circuit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0042]    Turning now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a single binder according to the invention. As seen in these Figs., a binder  10  has a front cover  12 , a back cover  14  and a spine  15  joining the front and back covers  12 ,  14 . A conventional multi-ring manually operable binder mechanism  16  having a plurality ( 3  illustrated) of two-piece arcuate rings  18  is permanently mounted to the inner face of rear cover  14  to facilitate insertion, storage and removal of documents having a number of holes formed along a mounting edge, with the number of holes corresponding to the number of rings  18  of the binder mechanism  16 . Mounted on the inner surface of spine  15  are a binder identification circuit  20  (described more fully below) carried by a substrate  20   a,  a pair of ohmic conductors  21 ,  22 , an upper ohmic contact  24 , a lower ohmic contact  25 , and a visible indicator  27 , preferably an LED. Visible indicator  27  is mounted in an opening formed in spine  15  so as to be visible from the outer side of binder  10 . Upper and lower ohmic contacts  24 ,  25  are arranged on spine  15  in a position extending slightly above and below the upper and lower margins of spine  15  as shown. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each ohmic contact  24 ,  25  is a spring contact having a curved engagement portion  28  to promote sliding engagement with conductive strips described below which are carried by binder support shelves. This arrangement enables the upper and lower ohmic contacts  23 ,  25  to ohmically engage conductive strips mounted on the shelves described below on which the binder can be removably stored. 
         [0043]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pair of multiple-shelf storage cabinets designed for use with the binder  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As seen in this Fig., each storage cabinet  30   a,    30   b  has a plurality ( 2  illustrated) of storage shelves  31 ,  32  and a top shelf  33 . A plurality of binders  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 ,  10 -N are removably received on a given shelf  31 ,  32 . Each shelf  31 ,  32  has an associated visible indicator  35 , preferably an LED; and an optional audible indicator  36 , such as a type AT-1220-TT-R available from PUI Audio, Inc. of Dayton, Ohio, for a purpose to be described. Mounted on an appropriate portion of the pair of storage cabinets  30   a,    30   b  is a unit  38  containing a local microcomputer and a conventional wireless transponder (Wifi unit) capable of sending and receiving information to and from a host computer. 
         [0044]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial front schematic view of that portion of binder storage cabinet  30   b  including top shelf  33  and middle shelf  31  and illustrating a removable contact arrangement and associated electrical components. As seen in this Fig., a first laterally extending ohmically conductive strip  41  is mounted to the undersurface of top shelf  33 , and a second laterally extending ohmically conductive strip  42  is mounted to the top surface of underlying shelf  31 . The position of each conductive strip  41 ,  42  is chosen such that the upper and lower contacts  24 - i  and  25 - i  of binders  10 - i  will engage the conductive strips  41 ,  42  so as to make ohmic contact therewith whenever a binder  10 - i  is installed on underlying shelf  31 . Essentially similar ohmically conductive strips are mounted to the undersurface of shelf  31  and the top surface of shelf  32  to provide this same conductive capability. A local cabinet microcomputer (MCU)  45 , such as a type AT89C2051 device available from Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. or a type LPC 1766 available from NXP Semiconductors of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, has a data output terminal  43  coupled to upper conductive strip  41  and an input terminal  44  coupled to lower conductive strip  42 . As denoted by the lead lines and legends of  FIG. 4 , other input and output paired terminals are coupled to the conductive strips  41 ,  42  of the other shelf combinations. MCU  45  also has other paired input/output terminals labeled “Shelf 1/LED/Buzzer, Shelf 2/LED/Buzzer, . . . , Shelf N/LED/Buzzer” in  FIG. 4  which are coupled to the visible indicators  35  and optional audible indicators  36  of each shelf pair. MCU  45  is also coupled by means of the wireless transponder noted above to a host computer as denoted by the legend “To Computer”. As will now be apparent, when a binder  10 - i  having ohmic spring contacts  24 - i,    25 - i  is installed on a shelf, these ohmic spring contacts  24 - i,    25 - i  will engage the corresponding one of conductive strips  41 ,  42 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate an alternate form of ohmic contact for binders  10 - i.  For conciseness, MCU  45  is not illustrated in these Figs. As seen in these Figs., spring contacts  24 ,  25  are replaced by captured ball and spring units  50 ,  51  mounted in a binder  10  adjacent the upper and lower margins thereof. Each ball and spring unit includes an ohmically conductive ball  53  and a compression spring  54  captured in a housing  55 . The ball  53  in the upper spring unit  50  is ohmically connected to one terminal of binder identification circuit  20  via conductor  21 , while the ball  53  in the lower spring unit  50  is ohmically connected to the other terminal of binder identification circuit  20  via conductor  22 . The ohmic connections between ball  53  and conductors  21 ,  22  may be made via housing  55  or spring  54  or both. In use, when a binder  10  is installed on a cabinet shelf, the conductive strips  41 ,  42  engage the balls  53 , slightly compressing the springs  55 , and ensuring effective ohmic contact. 
         [0046]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a first binder identification circuit using an addressable decoder circuit. As seen in this. Fig., upper contact  24  is ohmically connected to an address input IN of an address decoder chip  60  which has a unique address hard wired therein by means of address input terminals A 0 -A 7 . Address decoder chip  60  is preferably a type PT2272 address decoder available from Princeton Technology Corp. of Taipei, Taiwan. Upper contact  24  is also coupled via a diode  62  to a storage capacitor  63  to provide D.C. power to chip  60  whenever there is an incoming address signal from MCU  45 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , contact  24  is also coupled to an output terminal of MCU  45 . When MCU  45  supplies a multi-bit address to contact  24 , this information is serially coupled to the IN input of address decoder chip  60  and compared with the address hard-wired into decoder chip  60 . If the incoming address matches the hard-wired address, decoder chip  60  outputs a signal on terminal VT which activates LED  27 . The activation of visible indicator  27  causes D.C. current to flow through indicator  27  and back to MCU  45  via contact  25  and the return path shown in  FIG. 4 . This current flow is sensed by MCU  45 , which then activates the shelf LED  35  and optional audible indicator  36  for the shelf on which the binder  10 - i  having the matched address decoder chip  60  is located. MCU  45  also transmits a “Found” signal to the host computer when an address match has been detected. 
         [0047]      FIG. 8  is block diagram illustrating the binder location technique used in conjunction with the first binder identification circuit of  FIG. 7 . As seen in this Fig., the process begins with an operator turning on the host computer in flow block  81 . Thereafter, in block  82  the operator enters the system identification of a binder or a document stored in a binder. Next, the host computer searches the system database for the serial number of the specified binder or the serial number of the binder containing the specified document (block  83 ). Once the binder serial number has been located, the host computer generates the corresponding address code of the binder to be found (block  84 ). This code matches the code hard-wired into the decoder chip  60  contained in the binder to be found. This address code is then broadcast to all MCUs  45  in the system (block  85 ). Each MCU  45  then outputs the received address code to the code conductor  41  for each shelf and awaits a positive response from one of the decoder chips (block  86 ). If an MCU  45  senses a positive response (current flowing through one of the visible indicators  27 ), MCU  45  then activates the corresponding shelf LED  35  and optional buzzer  36  (block  87 ) and generates a “Found” signal which is then transmitted to the host computer by the Wifi unit in unit  38  (block  88 ). The operator can then look around the binder storage area for the shelf with the activated shelf LED  35 , proceed to that shelf and look for the binder with the activated LED  27 . If the optional audible indicator  36  is provided (typically for a relatively large binder storage area or a brightly lit area), the operator may proceed in the direction of the audible sound until the illuminated shelf LED  35  is visually located. 
         [0048]    The integrity of the entire collection of binders  10 - i  can be quickly checked by operating the host computer in the sweep address mode. As the addresses are swept over the entire range of possible addresses, all binder identification circuits  20  which are operationally present in the collection of cabinets will respond by activating the corresponding binder LED  27  and this will be detected by the corresponding single board computer  45  and a “Found” signal will be transmitted back to the host computer. The address of any missing or non-functioning binder identification circuit  20  will not result in the generation of a “Found” signal, and this lack of response will be detected by the system host computer. This absence of an operational binder identification circuit  20  of a given specific address can be correlated by the system host computer to the binder identification in the system host computer by noting the addresses of the non-responsive binder identification circuits. 
         [0049]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a second binder identification circuit using a single unique frequency crystal. As seen in this Fig., upper contact  24  is ohmically connected to a first terminal of a crystal  91  having a resonant frequency. The other terminal of crystal  91  is coupled to the anode terminal of LED  27 . The cathode of LED  27  is coupled to lower contact  25 . When an r.f. signal having a frequency of the crystal is applied across the two crystal terminals, the crystal will resonate and current will flow through the LED  27  thereby illuminating same. The crystal  91  in each binder identification circuit has a resonant frequency which is unique and different from the crystal  91  in all the other binder identification circuits in the system, and the host computer contains a master list of crystal frequencies correlated by serial number to the individual binders  10 - i.    
         [0050]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged partial front schematic view of a portion of a binder storage cabinet illustrating a removable contact arrangement and the electrical components employed with the crystal circuit of  FIG. 9 . As seen in this Fig., the ohmic conductive strips  41 ,  42 , shelf visible indicator  35 , and optional shelf audible indicator  36  are essentially arranged in the same physical manner as the arrangement of  FIG. 4  described above. However, MCU  45  does not supply data to conductive strip  41  in the  FIG. 10  embodiment. Instead, an R.F. generator  93  is provided which has a pair of r.f. signal terminals  94 ,  95  coupled to upper conductive strip  41  and lower conductive strip  42  of each shelf pair in a given cabinet. R.F. generator  93  is a conventional device capable of generating single frequency r.f. signals over a predetermined range of permitted frequencies, e.g 2-20 mHz, in response to receipt of a desired frequency instruction signal from the host computer. MCU  45  does control the operation of the shelf visible indicators  35  and optional shelf audible indicators  36  in response to the receipt of a signal from R.F. generator  93  indicating that the crystal having the desired frequency is resonating in one of the binder identification circuits on a given shelf. 
         [0051]      FIG. 11  is block diagram illustrating the binder location technique used in conjunction with the second binder identification circuit of  FIG. 9 . As seen in this Fig., the process begins with an operator turning on the host computer in flow block  101 . Thereafter, in block  102  the operator enters the system identification of a binder or a document stored in a binder. Next, the host computer searches the system database for the serial number of the specified binder or the serial number of the binder containing the specified document (block  103 ). These steps are essentially the same as steps  81 - 83  in  FIG. 8 . Once the binder serial number has been located, the host computer generates the corresponding frequency code of the binder to be found (block  104 ). This frequency matches the frequency of the crystal in the binder identification circuit contained in the binder to be found. This frequency code is then broadcast to all R.F. generators  93  in the system (block  105 ). Each R.F. generator  93  then generates an r.f. signal of the desired frequency for all of the shelf pairs in the associated cabinet (block  106 ). If the binder identification circuit having the crystal of the specified frequency is located on one of the shelves in the cabinet, the crystal will resonate and the corresponding LED  27  will turn on (block  107 ). This condition is sensed by the R.F. generator  93  in the cabinet containing the binder identification circuit with the resonating crystal, and the condition is reported by the R.F. generator  93  to the MCU  45 . In response, the MCU  45  activates the visible shelf indicator  35  and optional audible shelf indicator  36  for the shelf containing the sought binder  10 - i  (block  108 ), and generates a “Found” signal which is then transmitted to the host computer by the Wifi device in unit  38  (block  109 ). The operator can then look around the binder storage area for the shelf with the activated shelf LED  35 , proceed to that shelf and look for the binder with the activated LED  27 . If the optional audible indicator  36  is provided (typically for a relatively large binder storage area or a brightly lit area), the operator may proceed in the direction of the audible sound until the illuminated shelf LED  35  is visually located. 
         [0052]    The R.F. signal generator  93  in each cabinet may comprise a sweep frequency generator capable of generating R.F. signals in a swept mode, beginning with the first crystal resonant frequency in the binder management system, and ending with the last crystal resonant frequency in the system. With such a signal generator, the integrity of the entire collection of binders can be quickly checked by instructing the R.F. signal generator  93  to operate in the sweep mode. As the signal frequencies are swept over the entire range, all binder identification circuits which are present in a given cabinet will resonate at their respective frequencies and this can be detected by the microcomputer unit  45  in each cabinet using a conventional R.F. detector circuit. Any missing binder will not respond, and this also can be detected by the microcomputer unit  45  in each cabinet using the same circuit. Any binder detected as missing can be reported by a given microcomputer unit  45  in each cabinet to the system host computer and correlated by the system host computer to the binder identification in the computer by noting the frequencies of the non-responsive binder identification circuits. 
         [0053]    The system may be initially configured for the binders in several different ways. The most fundamental way is to place a single binder  10  onto a shelf in a cabinet, cause the cabinet R.F. signal generator  93  to sweep the range of permitted frequencies, note the frequency at which the crystal in that binder resonates, enter that frequency number into a list in the microcomputer unit  45  memory, remove the binder, insert another binder  10 , and repeat this process for all binders desired on a serial basis. Once all binders have been processed, appropriate binder identification information is transmitted from microcomputer unit  45  of a given cabinet to the system host computer. This method works well for a new system with no existing binders and a relatively small number of binders required initially. A more useful technique is to insert a first binder onto a shelf, sweep the permitted R.F. frequencies, note the resonant frequency of the crystal in that binder, enter that number into a new list; insert a second binder onto the shelf without removing the first, sweep the frequencies, add the resonant frequency of crystal in the new binder to the list; insert a third binder onto the shelf, sweep the frequencies, add the resonant frequency of the crystal in the third binder to the list; etc. As each new binder is inserted onto the shelf, the microcomputer unit  45  has a running list of frequencies already identified and, since each crystal frequency is unique, there can be no duplications. 
         [0054]    The system using addressable decoder circuits described above may be initially configured in a similar manner to that discussed above in connection with the R.F. binder identification circuit using single crystals of unique frequencies. The essential difference is that, instead of employing a swept frequency technique, a swept address technique is employed. For this technique, the host computer sequentially generates the entire set of permissible addresses in the system, notes the response from each MCU  45  in the system, and correlates this with the binder identification information. 
         [0055]    The binder management system described above affords several advantages over known binder management systems. Firstly, a given binder can be quickly located in a binder storage area without the need to visually inspect all binder labels until the sought binder is located. Also, the integrity of the binder management system can be thoroughly tested remotely to find misfiled binders and to identify binders missing from the system. 
         [0056]    Although the above provides a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications, alternate constructions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, white the invention has been described with reference to specific R.F. frequencies, other frequencies may be employed, depending on the preferences of the system designer. In addition, while the conductive strips  41 ,  42  have been shown as laterally disposed along the shelves, each strip may be configured as a plurality of interconnected strip portions extending inwardly of the associated shelf surface and laterally spaced by a predetermined amount. In such a variation, contacts  24 ,  25  may have a groove formed therein to provide positive engagement with the conductive strip portions in order to afford more mechanical stability for the binders and predetermined lateral spacing for the binders. In addition, while binder mechanism  16  has been described and illustrated as being mounted on the inside surface of back cover  14 , it may be mounted on the inside surface of the front cover  12 , if desired, or on the inside surface of the spine  15 . If mounted on the inside surface of spine  15  care should be taken that the usually conductive binder mechanism is electrically isolated from elements  20 ,  20   a,    21 ,  22 ,  24 ,  25 ,  27 , and  28 . Further, the invention may be used to manage a binder management system of many cabinets positioned at different physical locations using an internal or an external computer network, if desired. Therefore, the above should not be construed as limiting the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.