Patent Publication Number: US-2020290820-A1

Title: Optimized assignment of multiple conveyor belts

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the field of cognitive computing, data processing, and more particularly to optimizing the assignment of conveyor belts to convey a plurality of items. 
     Travelers oftentimes need to check in baggage prior to getting into their seat, especially on airplane rides. After reaching a destination, checked-in baggage is removed from the underbelly of an airplane and driven to the baggage claim area of the airport where all of the removed baggage is typically placed on a conveyor belt that transports the baggage in a continuous loop on one of several baggage carousels. 
     Depending on the size of the airport, the size of the baggage carousel, and the number of checked-in baggage on the flight, more than one carousel may be required. Travelers, more often than not, need to alternate back and forth between various baggage carousels in the hopes of sighting their baggage and making a speedy exit out of the busy airport. 
     Some travelers may just hope that the airline did not lose their luggage and, quite often, exhale a sigh of relief when their baggage is spotted on the baggage carousel. This uncertainty and stress in locating one&#39;s baggage after a long journey can leave travelers dissatisfied and wary of the idea of traveling, and checking in baggage, in the first place. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method, a computer program product, and a system. 
     A method, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, in a data processing system including a processor and a memory, for implementing a program that assigns one or more conveyor belts to convey a plurality of items. The method includes determining an availability of one or more conveyor belts, determining a quantity of a plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts, and assigning the one or more conveyor belts to convey the plurality of items, based on the determined quantity of the plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts. 
     According to another embodiment, a computer program product for directing a computer processor to implement a program that assigns one or more conveyor belts to convey a plurality of items, is provided. The storage device embodies program code that is executable by a processor of a computer to perform a method. The method includes determining an availability of one or more conveyor belts, determining a quantity of a plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts, and assigning the one or more conveyor belts to convey the plurality of items, based on the determined quantity of the plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts. 
     According to another embodiment, a system for implementing a program that manages a device, includes one or more computer devices each having one or more processors and one or more tangible storage devices is provided. The one or more storage devices embody a program. The program has a set of program instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The program instructions include instructions for directing a computer processor to implement a program that assigns one or more conveyor belts to convey a plurality of items. The program instructions include instructions for determining an availability of one or more conveyor belts, determining a quantity of a plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts, and assigning the one or more conveyor belts to convey the plurality of items, based on the determined quantity of the plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a baggage carousel management computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the baggage carousel management program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative example of a message that a user receives on a mobile device depicting a location, in real-time, of a user&#39;s baggage on a baggage carousel, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram graphically illustrating the hardware components of a baggage carousel management computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a cloud computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  depicts abstraction model layers of the illustrative cloud computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure provides a solution for quickly and efficiently locating a user&#39;s baggage on a baggage carousel using computer vision, and notifying the user of the location of the baggage via text message and/or other methods as explained herein. 
     Currently, there are still problems and inconveniences associated with baggage retrieval at airports, and other public transportation venues. Firstly, the baggage carousel sizes are typically not commensurate with the amount of baggage that is being placed on them. For example, a large aircraft may only be afforded one small baggage carousel at the baggage claim area. In this scenario, multiple layers of baggage may be on a continuous loop, while being dangerous for a traveler to remove their bag for fear of another piece of baggage landing on their foot. 
     In other instances, two baggage carousels may be used to accommodate a large flight with a lot of checked-in baggage. However, travelers do not know which baggage carousel will be carrying their baggage, thus leaving the travelers eyeing both baggage carousels, back and forth, in the hopes of sighting their baggage. 
     The complexities and hassle of current baggage retrieval results in more travelers carrying larger bags with them onto the airplane, thus slowing down boarding and deplaning procedures. 
     Furthermore, long waiting times, crowded baggage claim areas, and missing or wrong baggage claim information can be very unsatisfying for travelers and airlines alike, not to mention give the airport an overall bad reputation. 
     The present disclosure proposes a baggage carousel management system that assigns one or more baggage carousels of various sizes to each flight arrival, based on the amount of checked-in baggage. Using surveillance cameras, the system tracks the baggage and the activity on each baggage carousel, optimizes the baggage carousel allocation for each arriving flight, and directs passengers to the correct baggage carousel using a mobile application. 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments below, but may be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the drawings used herein are for purposes of illustration, and may not show actual dimensions. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates baggage carousel management computing environment  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Carousel management computing environment  100  includes computing device  110 , server  120 , and baggage carousel  140 , all connected via network  102 . The setup in  FIG. 1  represents an example embodiment configuration for the present invention, and is not limited to the depicted setup in order to derive benefit from the present invention. 
     In exemplary embodiments, computing device  110  includes user interface  112 , Global Positioning System (GPS)  114 , and baggage carousel management application  116 . In various embodiments, computing device  110  may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any programmable electronic device capable of communicating with server  120 , and baggage carousel  140 , via network  102 . Computing device  110  may include internal and external hardware components, as depicted and described in further detail below with reference to  FIG. 4 . In other embodiments, computing device  110  may be implemented in a cloud computing environment, as described in relation to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , herein. Computing device  110  may also have wireless connectivity capabilities allowing it to communicate with server  120 , and baggage carousel  140 , and other computers or servers over network  102 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, computing device  110  includes user interface  112 , which may be a computer program that allows a user to interact with computing device  110  and other connected devices via network  102 . For example, user interface  112  may be a graphical user interface (GUI). In addition to comprising a computer program, user interface  112  may be connectively coupled to hardware components, such as those depicted in  FIG. 4 , for receiving user input. In exemplary embodiments, user interface  112  may be a web browser, however in other embodiments user interface  112  may be a different program capable of receiving user interaction and communicating with other devices. 
     In exemplary embodiments, GPS  114  may be a computer program on computing device  110  that provides time and location information of a user. Modern GPS systems operate on the concept of time and location. In modern GPS systems, four or more satellites broadcast a continuous signal detailing satellite identification information, time of transmission (TOT), and the precise location of the satellite at the time of transmission. When a GPS receiver picks up the signal, it determines the difference in time between the time of transmission (TOT) and the time of arrival (TOA). Based on the amount of time it took to receive the signals and the precise locations of the satellites when the signals were sent, GPS receivers are capable of determining the location where the signals were received. In exemplary embodiments, GPS  114  may be capable of providing real-time location detection of a user. For example, GPS  114  may be capable of providing a set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of a user waiting for their baggage at a baggage carousel at the airport. 
     In exemplary embodiments, baggage carousel management application  116  may be a web browser or other computer program, on computing device  110 , that is capable of receiving real-time data (e.g., baggage location data) from baggage carousel management program  130  and baggage carousel  140 , via network  102 . In alternative embodiments, baggage carousel management application  116  can transmit location information of a user in relation to a location of one or more pieces of baggage associated with a user, within a venue (e.g., airport, bus station, etc.). 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , server  120  includes database  122  and baggage carousel management program  130 , and may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a server, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any programmable electronic device capable of communicating with computing device  110  and baggage carousel  140 , via network  102 . While server  120  is shown as a single device, in other embodiments, server  120  may be comprised of a cluster or plurality of computing devices, working together or working separately. In a preferred embodiment, server  120  may be implemented in a cloud computing environment, as described in relation to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , herein. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, database  122  may be a local storage on server  120  that contains the floorplans, or maps, for various transit venues, specifically with regards to depicting where a baggage claim area is located within the venue. For example, venue database  122  may include the floorplans, or map, for a train station, a bus station, an airport, a cruise ship loading station, and any venue where a traveler can locate a specific baggage claim area amongst many baggage carousels, within a venue. 
     In exemplary embodiments, database  122  is capable of being updated, dynamically, to provide a status, or location, of one or more items of baggage, based on information received from a user&#39;s computing device  110  (e.g., location of a user via GPS  114 ), baggage carousel  140  (e.g., location of a user&#39;s baggage), or by any other means of tracking an individual&#39;s location, and items of baggage belonging to the individual, and transmitting the location to baggage carousel management program  130 , known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In exemplary embodiments, individuals must opt-in, and may opt-out at any time, to receive tracking information of themselves and/or their possessions. 
     In exemplary embodiments, database  122  may also store venue templates as data objects according to a type of venue (e.g., bus station, train station, airport, etc.), a corresponding route (e.g., 9:00 am express bus down Flatbush Ave; 10:15 am train shuttle from Penn Station to DC; 11:00 pm redeye flight from Chicago O&#39;Hare to LAX), a transit venue name (e.g., well-known bus company, train company, or airline), a specific user as identified by a seat number (e.g., seat 34B on Flight 123), number of baggage checked-in by user (e.g., UserA, 2baggageChecked), or any other category or organization deemed most useful for the invention to be utilized. For example, a venue data object may be stored as &lt;airlineX, 9:15am, Flight123, LAX, seat34B, 2baggageChecked&gt;. 
     In various embodiments, database  122  can be stored on server  120 , computing device  110 , or baggage carousel management program  130 , as a separate database. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, baggage carousel management program  130  contains instruction sets, executable by a processor, which may be described using a set of functional modules. The functional modules of baggage carousel management program  130  may include determining module  132 , assigning module  134 , tracking module  136 , associating module  138 , and transmitting module  139 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , baggage carousel  140  includes scanners  142  and cameras  144 , and may comprise one or more conveyor belts that can convey a plurality of items from one location to another. In exemplary embodiments, the one or more conveyor belts are one or more baggage carousels in an airport and the plurality of items are baggage. 
     In exemplary embodiments, baggage carousel management program  130  communicates the carousel assignments to a baggage trolley driver (i.e., computing device  110 ) at the airport, over network  102 , and the arriving baggage is then transferred to the assigned baggage carousels. Various factors can determine which baggage carousel  140  is assigned, as discussed further herein. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the baggage loading zone on each baggage carousel  140 , as well as one or more points on the baggage carousel  140  loop, are equipped with one or more scanners  142 , cameras  144 , and/or other devices known to one of ordinary skill in the art, that use computer vision to count the pieces of baggage on the baggage carousel  140 , scan baggage tags for each piece of baggage, and check whether more pieces of baggage are still being loaded onto the baggage carousel  140 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, scanners  142  may be a computer program or device, on baggage carousel  140 , that can read and output printed barcodes, near field communication (NFC) tags, or quick response (QR) codes, such as a baggage barcode label, baggage NFC tag, and/or baggage QR code, to a computing device, such as server  120  or computing device  110 . In an exemplary embodiment, checked-in baggage by a user may include a barcode label that is scanned upon loading onto a baggage carousel  140 . Scanners  142  are not limited to the technology described herein, however, and may include other types of scanning and tracking technology known to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     In various embodiments, scanners  142  may be set up at equidistant points along a baggage carousel  140  route. At the various points where the scanner  142  is located, individual pieces of baggage (containing barcode labels, NFC tag, QR code, etc.) may be scanned, and the information is dynamically updated to reflect a location of the particular bag along the baggage carousel  140  route. This location information may then be transmitted to baggage carousel management application  116 , via network  102 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, cameras  144  may include devices capable of recording moving objects along a baggage carousel  140  route, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. In exemplary embodiments, cameras  144  installed along the baggage carousel  140  route, from airplane to baggage claim area in the airport, are capable of constructing a feature set in real-time for each piece of baggage using video analytics software, such as IBM® Intelligent Video Analytics (all IBM-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation and/or its affiliates). 
     In alternative embodiments, cameras  144  installed along a passenger route from the airplane to the baggage claim area at the airport, together with video analytics software, can be leveraged to develop feature sets that encode the identity of individual passengers to enable subsequent identification of these passengers from different perspectives (e.g., facial features, gender, age, clothing, height, etc.). In this fashion, baggage carousel management program  130  may better identify an individual waiting for their baggage at a baggage carousel  140 , thereby directing the individual to a correct baggage location. In exemplary embodiments, individuals must opt-in, and may opt-out at any time, prior to any tracking or location information of a user and/or their possessions is obtained. 
     In exemplary embodiments, cameras  144  are also installed inside a baggage claim area, overlooking baggage carousels  140 . Depending on the characteristics and capabilities of cameras  144 , together with the layout design of baggage carousels  140 , one camera  144  may be capable of spanning multiple baggage carousels  140 . As loaded baggage on baggage carousel  140 , and passengers, travel along their respective routes towards the baggage claim area, the baggage and passengers are detected by cameras  144  and corresponding feature sets are acquired in real time. The location of the individual passengers and baggage are continually updated, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, and this information is used to help the individual passengers find his/her baggage via a mobile application (i.e., baggage carousel management application  116 ) on computing device  110 . In alternative embodiments, a user location may be obtained via GPS  114  on the user&#39;s computing device  110 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, each of the one or more conveyor belts (i.e., baggage carousel  140 ) are equipped with a plurality of scanners  142  and/or cameras  144  to perform at least one of the following functions: scanning a tag on each of the plurality of items (i.e., baggage), wherein the tag on each of the plurality of items is associated with a user; and providing real-time images of each of the plurality of items. 
     In alternative embodiments, scanners  142  may communicate with one or more pieces of baggage on baggage carousel  140  via Bluetooth® (Bluetooth and all Bluetooth-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and/or its affiliates), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), and any other wireless radio communication standard known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In further embodiments, information associated with one or more pieces of scanned baggage (e.g., owner&#39;s name, flight number, origination airport, number of other checked-in baggage belonging to same user, etc.) may be transmitted to baggage carousel management program  130 , over network  102 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , baggage carousel management program  130 , in an exemplary embodiment, may be a computer application on server  120  that contains instruction sets, executable by a processor. The instruction sets may be described using a set of functional modules. In exemplary embodiments, baggage carousel management program  130  may receive input from baggage carousel  140  and computing device  110 , over network  102 . In alternative embodiments, baggage carousel management program  130  may be a computer application contained within baggage carousel  140 , or as a standalone program on a separate electronic device. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the functional modules of baggage carousel management program  130  include determining module  132 , assigning module  134 , tracking module  136 , associating module  138 , and transmitting module  139 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of baggage carousel management program  130  of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , determining module  132  includes a set of programming instructions, in baggage carousel management program  130 , to determine an availability of one or more conveyor belts (step  202 ). The set of programming instructions is executable by a processor. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the one or more conveyor belts are one or more baggage carousels at an airport. In alternative embodiments, the one or more conveyor belts may be baggage carousels at a bus station or any other public venue used to convey baggage from one location to another. In further alternative embodiments, the one or more conveyor belts may be found in warehouses (e.g., shipping centers, receiving docks, etc.) or any other venue used to convey items from one location to another. 
     In exemplary embodiments, determining module  132  further includes a set of programming instructions, in baggage carousel management program  130 , to determine a quantity of a plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts (step  204 ). The set of programming instructions is executable by a processor. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of items are baggage. In alternative embodiments, the plurality of items may be any product, or item (e.g., boxes, envelopes, etc.). 
     In exemplary embodiments, determining module  132  receives data from baggage carousel management application  116  or database  122 , which may include information for an arrival flight such as an arrival time, a number of passengers on the arrival flight, a number of checked-in baggage to be loaded onto the one or more baggage carousels upon arrival, origination airport, arrival airport, number of baggage carousels at a given airport, and any other relevant information that may be helpful for baggage carousel management program  130  to determine a quantity of a plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more baggage carousels. 
     In exemplary embodiments, determining module  132  is capable of assessing current usage of the one or more baggage carousels, and determining a number of baggage carousels  140  to be assigned to the arrival flight, based on the number of baggage to be loaded, and the assessed current usage of the one or more baggage carousels  140 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, baggage carousel management program  130  assesses current baggage carousel usage by utilizing one or more predictive models (i.e., machine learning or other analytical models) to estimate a time for a first baggage pickup for the arrival flight and a last baggage pickup for the arrival flight at a baggage carousel  140 , and a distribution of baggage pickups for the arrival flight, at the baggage carousel  140 . 
     For example, machine learning or other analytical models are created to predict, for a given flight, the time interval between landing and the first baggage pickup; the time interval between the first and last baggage pickup; and the distribution of the baggage pickups over time (e.g., by modeling the distribution as a standard distribution and predicting the mean and standard deviation). 
     In exemplary embodiments, the one or more parameters used by the one or more predictive models may include at least one of the following: a time of day of arrival flight; a distance between arrival gate and baggage claim area; airport congestion at time of arrival flight; a number of baggage on an arrival flight; a number of passengers on an arrival flight; and an estimated crowd at passport control at time of arrival flight. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the one or more baggage carousels  140  may be of various sizes and dimensions. For example, baggage carousel “A” at an airport may only be able to hold  100  pieces of baggage, while baggage carousel “B” may be capable of holding  300  pieces of baggage. By determining the availability of various one or more baggage carousels  140  at a venue, determining module  132  makes effective use of the resources available in order to provide a more seamless and satisfactory experience for travelers. 
     With reference to an illustrative example, Joe is arriving at a busy international airport in New York City on packed Flight 123 carrying 500 passengers. The busy international airport has 15 baggage carousels located in the baggage claim area for the particular airline that Joe is on. Joe has a driver waiting to pick him up and Joe is concerned that he will be waiting a long time in order to retrieve his baggage from the baggage claim area. Joe has had multiple bad experiences with airlines losing his luggage, standing for lengthy periods of time at the incorrect baggage carousel, and not recognizing his luggage through multiple loops around the baggage carousel. In the present disclosure, baggage carousel management program  130  may alleviate Joe&#39;s concerns and rather, make the experience of luggage retrieval at the baggage carousel more expeditious and seamless. In Joe&#39;s scenario, determining module  132  determines that baggage carousels “A” and “B” are available at the time of Flight 123&#39;s arrival, and are sufficient to hold all of the checked-in baggage of the 500 passengers on Flight 123. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , assigning module  134  includes a set of programming instructions, in baggage carousel management program  130 , to assign the one or more conveyor belts to convey the plurality of items, based on the determined quantity of the plurality of items to be loaded onto the one or more conveyor belts (step  206 ). The set of programming instructions is executable by a processor. 
     In exemplary embodiments, assigning module  134  communicates with baggage carousel  140  over network  102 , and assigns the available one or more baggage carousels  140  that are capable of conveying the number of checked-in baggage on an arrival flight. 
     In alternative embodiments, assigning module  134  can generate all possible baggage carousel assignments for scheduled arrival flights, on a given day, and choose the option that optimizes certain constraints (e.g., pick up time, etc.). 
     In exemplary embodiments, assigning module  134  communicates the baggage carousel  140  assignments to a baggage trolley driver, and unloaded baggage is then transferred to the assigned baggage carousels  140 . 
     With continued reference to the illustrative example above, assigning module  134  assigns baggage carousels “A” and “B” to Flight 123, since they are currently not in use and are sufficient to hold all of the checked-in baggage of the 500 passengers on Flight 123. By assigning baggage carousels “A” and “B” to Flight 123&#39;s arrival, assigning module  134  adheres to the machine learning models for first baggage pickup and last baggage pickup at baggage carousels “A” and “B”, and therefore does not assign baggage carousels “A” and “B” to any other arrival flights until determining module  132  determines baggage carousels “A” and “B” availability once again. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , tracking module  136  includes a set of programming instructions in baggage carousel management program  130 , to track a location of each of the plurality of items on the assigned one or more conveyor belts (step  208 ). The set of programming instructions is executable by a processor. 
     In exemplary embodiments, each of the one or more conveyor belts (i.e., baggage carousel  140 ) are equipped with a plurality of scanners  142  and/or cameras  144  to perform at least one of the following functions: scanning a tag on each of the plurality of items (i.e., baggage), wherein the tag on each of the plurality of items is associated with a user; and providing real-time images of each of the plurality of items. 
     In exemplary embodiments, tracking module  136  utilizes the scanners  142  and cameras  144  associated with baggage carousel  140 , in order to track a location for each of the pieces of baggage loaded onto baggage carousel  140  for a particular arrival flight, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Tracking module  136 , in exemplary embodiments, updates, continuously, the tracked location of each of the plurality of items (i.e., baggage) associated with the user, in real-time. 
     In exemplary embodiments, every time a piece of baggage is loaded onto the baggage carousel  140 , it is scanned by scanners  142 . The information associated with the barcode on each piece of baggage is then transmitted to baggage carousel management program  130 , via network  102 . Cameras  144  installed on baggage carousel  140  track each piece of baggage at each loop around the baggage carousel  140 . Additionally, if baggage carousel management program  130  knows the shape of the baggage carousel  140 , as retrieved in database  122 , it can use the time it takes for a piece of baggage to complete a full loop in order to estimate a piece of baggage&#39;s position on the baggage carousel  140  at any given moment. 
     With continued reference to the illustrative example above, Joe exits the airplane and walks toward baggage claim to retrieve his baggage at baggage carousel  140 . Tracking module  136  tracks Joe&#39;s baggage as it gets loaded onto baggage carousel  140 . Joe&#39;s baggage is scanned by scanners  142  on baggage carousel  140 , thereby identifying the baggage as belonging to Joe. Cameras  144  along baggage carousel  140  then track the identified baggage on its route along baggage carousel  140 . 
     In alternative embodiments, priority baggage and their respective owners (e.g., first class passengers, sky rewards members, etc.) can be handled differently (i.e., separate machine learning models, separate time estimates, separate baggage carousel assignments) for more expeditious service. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , associating module  138  includes a set of programming instructions in baggage carousel management program  130 , to associate each of the plurality of items with a user (step  210 ). The set of programming instructions is executable by a processor. 
     In exemplary embodiments, associating module  138  can associate baggage feature sets with individual passengers, thus enabling baggage carousel management program  130  to identify and track individual pieces of baggage belonging to specific passengers. In exemplary embodiments, individuals may elect to opt-in and opt-out of baggage tracking, via baggage carousel management application  116 , given proper disclosure and consent. 
     In exemplary embodiments, associating module  138  can direct the user (e.g., passenger) to the one or more conveyor belts (i.e., baggage carousel) based on the tracked location of each of the plurality of items (i.e., baggage) associated with the user. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , transmitting module  139  includes a set of programming instructions in baggage carousel management program  130 , to transmit the updated tracked location of each of the plurality of items associated with the user, on the assigned one or more conveyor belts, to the user via a mobile device (step  212 ). The set of programming instructions is executable by a processor. 
     In exemplary embodiments, transmitting module  139  can transmit the updated tracked location of each of the plurality of items associated with the user, on the assigned one or more conveyor belts, to the user via a mobile device (e.g., computing device  110 ) in various ways. 
       FIG. 3  is an illustrative example of a message that a user receives on a mobile device depicting a location, in real-time, of a user&#39;s baggage on a baggage carousel, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , transmitting module  139  may send an updated text message to the computing device  110  of the user indicating a location of the baggage of the user. For example, transmitting module  139  may send an image of the baggage carousel  140  and the user&#39;s baggage location on the baggage carousel  140  in real-time, with continuous updates that refresh the image depicting the location of a user&#39;s baggage on baggage carousel  140 , in accordance with the image displayed in  FIG. 3 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , computing device  110  receives a message from baggage carousel management application  116  indicating to the user that “You have two bags: The first bag is on carousel A, track its location below” and “Second bag has not been loaded onto carousel yet.” Carousel A, therefore, includes an “X” indicating that the first bag has arrived there. 
     In alternative embodiments, transmitting module  139  can activate a vibration or sound frequency on a user&#39;s computing device  110  (e.g., mobile device) in proportion to a distance between the user and each of the plurality of items associated with the user (i.e., baggage). For example, the closer the user gets to his/her baggage on baggage carousel  140 , the higher the vibration frequency (or faster the repetitive sound becomes) on the user&#39;s computing device  110 . 
     In further embodiments, transmitting module  139  can activate a voice prompt on a user&#39;s computing device  110  to provide directions to each of the plurality of items (i.e., baggage) associated with the user. 
     In further alternative embodiments, transmitting module  139  may further include a virtual reality (VR) headset integration that a user wears. While wearing the VR headset, a user would see the baggage carousel  140  overlaid with helpful graphical cues (e.g., a big arrow that points to the user&#39;s baggage) to more easily point out and find his/her baggage. 
     With continued reference to the illustrative example above, Joe arrives at the baggage claim area and receives an image on his mobile device, via baggage carousel management application  116 , that depicts a real-time location of his two pieces of baggage on baggage carousel  140 . Joe patiently awaits for the baggage carousel  140  to loop around until he is able to expeditiously retrieve his baggage. 
     In additional embodiments, baggage carousel management program  130  may gather baggage tracking information, together with individual user tracking information, in order to facilitate real-time interventions (e.g., an airport agent is dispatched if a passenger has been in the baggage claim area for more than 30 minutes) and longer-term improvements to operation (e.g., trends can be analyzed to inform modification to baggage transporting process). In all embodiments, any collected user data is only conducted on a user opt-in process, after full disclosure and consent by the user. 
     In the example embodiment, network  102  is a communication channel capable of transferring data between connected devices and may be a telecommunications network used to facilitate telephone calls between two or more parties comprising a landline network, a wireless network, a closed network, a satellite network, or any combination thereof. In another embodiment, network  102  may be the Internet, representing a worldwide collection of networks and gateways to support communications between devices connected to the Internet. In this other embodiment, network  102  may include, for example, wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections which may be implemented as an intranet network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any combination thereof. In further embodiments, network  102  may be a Bluetooth network, a WiFi network, or a combination thereof. In general, network  102  can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between computing device  110 , server  120 , and baggage carousel  140 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram depicting components of a computing device (such as computing device  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 ), in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that  FIG. 4  provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made. 
     Computing device may include one or more processors  902 , one or more computer-readable RAMs  904 , one or more computer-readable ROMs  906 , one or more computer readable storage media  908 , device drivers  912 , read/write drive or interface  914 , network adapter or interface  916 , all interconnected over a communications fabric  918 . Communications fabric  918  may be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. 
     One or more operating systems  910 , and one or more application programs  911 , such as baggage carousel management program  130 , may be stored on one or more of the computer readable storage media  908  for execution by one or more of the processors  902  via one or more of the respective RAMs  904  (which typically include cache memory). In the illustrated embodiment, each of the computer readable storage media  908  may be a magnetic disk storage device of an internal hard drive, CD-ROM, DVD, memory stick, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, optical disk, a semiconductor storage device such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, flash memory or any other computer-readable tangible storage device that can store a computer program and digital information. 
     Computing device may also include a R/W drive or interface  914  to read from and write to one or more portable computer readable storage media  926 . Application programs  911  on computing device may be stored on one or more of the portable computer readable storage media  926 , read via the respective R/W drive or interface  914  and loaded into the respective computer readable storage media  908 . 
     Computing device may also include a network adapter or interface  916 , such as a TCP/IP adapter card or wireless communication adapter (such as a 4G wireless communication adapter using OFDMA technology). Application programs  911  on computing device may be downloaded to the computing device from an external computer or external storage device via a network (for example, the Internet, a local area network or other wide area network or wireless network) and network adapter or interface  916 . From the network adapter or interface  916 , the programs may be loaded onto computer readable storage media  908 . The network may comprise copper wires, optical fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. 
     Computing device may also include a display screen  920 , a keyboard or keypad  922 , and a computer mouse or touchpad  924 . Device drivers  912  interface to display screen  920  for imaging, to keyboard or keypad  922 , to computer mouse or touchpad  924 , and/or to display screen  920  for pressure sensing of alphanumeric character entry and user selections. The device drivers  912 , R/W drive or interface  914 , and network adapter or interface  916  may comprise hardware and software (stored on computer readable storage media  908  and/or ROM  906 ). 
     The programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. 
     It is to be understood that although this disclosure includes a detailed description on cloud computing, implementation of the teachings recited herein are not limited to a cloud computing environment. Rather, embodiments of the present invention are capable of being implemented in conjunction with any other type of computing environment now known or later developed. 
     Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or interaction with a provider of the service. This cloud model may include at least five characteristics, at least three service models, and at least four deployment models. 
     Characteristics are as follows: 
     On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with the service&#39;s provider. 
     Broad network access: capabilities are available over a network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs). 
     Resource pooling: the provider&#39;s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to demand. There is a sense of location independence in that the consumer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter). 
     Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be purchased in any quantity at any time. 
     Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service. 
     Service Models are as follows: 
     Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider&#39;s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through a thin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based e-mail). The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings. 
     Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including networks, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly application hosting environment configurations. 
     Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls). 
     Deployment Models are as follows: 
     Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for an organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises. 
     Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises. 
     Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an organization selling cloud services. 
     Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between clouds). 
     A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure that includes a network of interconnected nodes. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , illustrative cloud computing environment  50  is depicted. As shown, cloud computing environment  50  includes one or more cloud computing nodes  10  with which local computing devices used by cloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone  54 A, desktop computer  54 B, laptop computer  54 C, and/or automobile computer system  54 N may communicate. Nodes  10  may communicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physically or virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community, Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combination thereof. This allows cloud computing environment  50  to offer infrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloud consumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computing device. It is understood that the types of computing devices  54 A-N shown in  FIG. 5  are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes  10  and cloud computing environment  50  can communicate with any type of computerized device over any type of network and/or network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a set of functional abstraction layers provided by cloud computing environment  50  ( FIG. 5 ) is shown. It should be understood in advance that the components, layers, and functions shown in  FIG. 6  are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers and corresponding functions are provided: 
     Hardware and software layer  60  includes hardware and software components. Examples of hardware components include: mainframes  61 ; RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture based servers  62 ; servers  63 ; blade servers  64 ; storage devices  65 ; and networks and networking components  66 . In some embodiments, software components include network application server software  67  and database software  68 . 
     Virtualization layer  70  provides an abstraction layer from which the following examples of virtual entities may be provided: virtual servers  71 ; virtual storage  72 ; virtual networks  73 , including virtual private networks; virtual applications and operating systems  74 ; and virtual clients  75 . 
     In one example, management layer  80  may provide the functions described below. Resource provisioning  81  provides dynamic procurement of computing resources and other resources that are utilized to perform tasks within the cloud computing environment. Metering and Pricing  82  provide cost tracking as resources are utilized within the cloud computing environment, and billing or invoicing for consumption of these resources. In one example, these resources may include application software licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloud consumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other resources. User portal  83  provides access to the cloud computing environment for consumers and system administrators. Service level management  84  provides cloud computing resource allocation and management such that required service levels are met. Service Level Agreement (SLA) planning and fulfillment  85  provide pre-arrangement for, and procurement of, cloud computing resources for which a future requirement is anticipated in accordance with an SLA. 
     Workloads layer  90  provides examples of functionality for which the cloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of workloads and functions which may be provided from this layer include: mapping and navigation  91 ; software development and lifecycle management  92 ; virtual classroom education delivery  93 ; data analytics processing  94 ; transaction processing  95 ; and controlling access to data objects  96 . 
     The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product at any possible technical detail level of integration. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. 
     The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. 
     Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. 
     Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. 
     Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. 
     These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     Based on the foregoing, a computer system, method, and computer program product have been disclosed. However, numerous modifications and substitutions can be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention has been disclosed by way of example and not limitation.