Dual frequency nfc/rfid card for self service baggage check and method

Abstract

A card is made from rigid plastic confirming to ISO 7810 ID-Type 1 card constructed of PVC, PET, Styrene, Polypropylene, Tyvek, or other synthetic material that is 7 mil to 30 mil thick (180 to 760 microns) with both an embedded High Frequency (HF) RFID chip and a Ultra High Frequency (UHF) chip; each chip is affixed to its own unique antenna that is appropriately tuned to operate in its designated frequency range in a passive manner such that the antenna are not physically connected to a power source such as a battery; the HF chip is encoded using NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) with code that directs a NFC enabled smartphone, tablet, or similar device to a dedicated website or app where it initializes the interaction by delivering in the NFC encode string identification data unique to that card's UHF RFID chip; the NFC encode string may include such data as the UHF chip's Tag Identification Number (TID), a serial number assigned to the tag that is encoded into the UHF chip's EPC memory; the delivery of the unique identifying information from the card's UHF chip allows the website or app to associate the tag with the passenger's itinerary by associating it with a ticket number, reservation number, frequent traveler number, or other identification element that is unique to the specific passenger for whom the tag is associated; wherein once the card's NFC is used to link the tag to the reservation the bag can be tracked through the transport carrier's baggage handling system using the card's embedded UHF RFID capability.

1 - 68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A card or tag for use in tracking luggage, the card or tag comprising:
 a) Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that is encoded using NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) with permanent code including executable data with an NFC encode string that includes identification data that is unique to the card or tag, wherein the executable data is adapted to:
 i) cause a website or software application (app) of a transport carrier baggage tracking system to open on an NFC enabled device; 
 ii) deliver to the website or app the NFC encode string with the identification data; 
 iii) cause the website or app to automatically associate the identification data with an existing account of a card or tag holder; and 
 iv) cause the website or app to automatically link the card or tag to a travel reservation of the card or tag holder that is part of the account to effect check-in of a luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto; 
   b) machine readable technology that is operable to be read by and used in conjunction with the transport carrier baggage tracking system while processing and handling the luggage item; and   c) a remote check-in function enabled by the executable data that initiates and causes check-in of the luggage item having the card or tag coupled thereto with the transport carrier baggage tracking system and the travel reservation.   
     
     
         70 . The card or tag of  claim 69  wherein the executable data is adapted to enable the remote check-in function without a tag or card holder having to engage in a check-in step other than placing the NFC enabled device in proximity of the card or tag. 
     
     
         71 . The card or tag of  claim 69  wherein the executable data is adapted to enable the remote check-in function without a tag or card holder having to:
 (i) open the website or app; 
 (ii) input data on the website or app; 
 (iii) stop and/or input data at a kiosk at a departing locale; 
 (iv) speak with a counter representative; and 
 (v) write or input information or data to the card or tag. 
 
     
     
         72 . The card or tag of  claim 70  wherein the executable data is also adapted to
 i) capture live biometric data of the card or tag holder that has been captured by the NFC enabled device; 
 ii) deliver the live biometric data to the website or app and cause the website or app to compare the live biometric data captured by the executable data with stored biometric data of the account to verify identity of the card or tag holder checking in the luggage item with the card or tag coupled thereto. 
 
     
     
         73 . The card or tag of  claim 69  wherein the NFC technology is an HF chip connected to an HF antenna and the machine readable technology is a UHF chip connected to a UHF antenna. 
     
     
         74 . The card or tag of  claim 69  wherein the NFC technology is an HF chip connected to an HF antenna and the machine readable technology is a barcode. 
     
     
         75 . The card or tag of  claim 69  wherein the NFC technology and the machine readable technology are part of a single chip that operates in HF and UHF frequency ranges, wherein the single chip is connected to both a UHF antenna and an HF antenna. 
     
     
         76 . The card or tag of  claim 69  wherein the NFC technology and machine readable technology are part of a single chip that operates in HF and UHF frequency ranges, wherein the single chip is connected to a single antenna that is tuned to desired HF and UHF frequencies. 
     
     
         77 . A card or tag for use in tracking luggage, the card or tag comprising:
 a) Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that is encoded using NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) with permanent code including executable data with an NFC encode string that includes identification data that is unique to the card or tag, wherein the executable data is adapted to:
 i) cause a website or software application (app) of a transport carrier baggage tracking system to open on an NFC enabled device; 
 ii) deliver to the website or app the NFC encode string with the identification data; 
 iii) cause the website or app to automatically associate the identification data with an existing account of a card or tag holder; and 
 iv) cause the website or app to automatically link the card or tag to a travel reservation of the card or tag holder that is part of the account to effect check-in of a luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto; 
 v) capture live biometric data of the card or tag holder that has been captured by the NFC enabled device; 
 vi) deliver the live biometric data to the website or app and cause the website or app to compare the live biometric data captured by the executable data with stored biometric data in the account to verify identity of the card or tag holder checking in the luggage item; 
   b) machine readable technology that is operable to be read by and used in conjunction with the transport carrier baggage tracking system while processing and handling the luggage item; and   c) a remote check-in function enabled by the executable data that initiates and causes check-in of the luggage item having the card or tag coupled thereto with the transport carrier baggage tracking system and the travel reservation.   
     
     
         78 . The card or tag of  claim 77  wherein the live biometric data includes one or more of the following unique identification biometric markers:
 i) fingerprint; 
 ii) voice signature; 
 iii) palm print; 
 iv) hand geometry; 
 v) facial geometry (facial recognition markers); 
 vi) brain signals (electroencephalogram); 
 vii) heart signals (electrocardiogram); or 
 viii) other unique physiological characteristic. 
 
     
     
         79 . A method of transporting luggage from a departing locale to an arriving locale comprising the steps of:
 a) establishing an account for a traveler with a carrier;   b) booking a travel reservation with the carrier that is linked to the account established in step “a”;   c) coupling a card or tag that includes identification data that is linked to the account established in step “a” to a luggage item of a traveler, wherein the card or tag includes:
 i) Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that is encoded using NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) with permanent code including executable data with an NFC encode string that includes the identification data that is unique to the card or tag, wherein the executable data is adapted to: 
 cause a website or software application (app) of the carrier to open on an NFC enabled device; 
 deliver to the website or app the NFC encode string with the identification data; 
 cause the website or app to automatically associate the identification data with the account of step “a”; and 
 cause the website or app to automatically link the card or tag to the travel reservation of the card or tag holder of step “b” to effect check-in of the luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto; 
 ii) machine readable technology that is operable to be read by and used in conjunction with a transport carrier baggage tracking system of the carrier while processing and handling the luggage item; and 
   d) checking in the luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto with the carrier in a single step of the traveler placing the NFC enabled device in proximity of the card or tag so that the NFC enabled device reads the executable data of the card or tag of step “c” and delivers the executable data to the website or app where a link is automatically established between the identification data of the card or tag and the travel reservation to complete a check-in event; and   e) dropping the luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto at a designated luggage drop area of the carrier.   
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79  wherein completion of the check-in event occurs without the traveler having to:
 (i) open the website or app; 
 (ii) input data on the website or app; 
 (iii) stop and/or input data at a kiosk at the departing locale; 
 (iv) speak with a counter representative; and 
 (v) write or input information or data to the card or tag. 
 
     
     
         81 . A method of transporting luggage from a departing locale to an arriving locale using the card or tag of  claim 77 , comprising the steps of:
 a) establishing the account for the card or tag holder with a transport carrier;   b) booking the travel reservation with the transport carrier that is linked to the account established in step “a”;   c) obtaining the card or tag;   d) coupling the card or tag to the luggage item of the card or tag holder;   e) checking in the luggage item to the transport carrier baggage tracking system with the card or tag attached thereto by placing the NFC enabled device in proximity of the card or tag so that the NFC enabled device reads the executable data of the card or tag of step “c” and delivers the executable data to the website or app where a link is automatically established between the identification data of the card or tag and the travel reservation to complete a check-in event;   f) using the NFC enabled device to also capture live biometric markers of the card or tag holder that are captured by the executable data during step “e” and delivered to the website or app where the live biometric markers are compared to stored biometric markers in the account to verify identity of the traveler; and   g) dropping the luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto at a designated luggage drop of the transport carrier.   
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81  wherein completion of the check-in event occurs without the card or tag holder having to:
 (i) open the website or app; 
 (ii) input data on the website or app; 
 (iii) stop and/or input data at a kiosk at the departing locale; 
 (iv) speak with a counter representative; and 
 (v) write or input information or data to the card or tag. 
 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 81  wherein the live biometric markers and stored biometric markers each include one or more of the following unique identification features:
 i) fingerprint; 
 ii) voice signature; 
 iii) palm print; 
 iv) hand geometry; 
 v) facial geometry (facial recognition markers); 
 vi) brain signals (electroencephalogram); 
 vii) heart signals (electrocardiogram); or 
 viii) other unique physiological characteristic. 
 
     
     
         84 . A method of tracking luggage from a departing destination to an arrival destination using the card or tag of claim  68 , the method comprising the following steps:
 a) providing the account with account identifying information of the card or tag holder that is linkable to one or more travel reservations and to the transport carrier baggage tracking system;   b) providing the website or software application (app) that stores information on and manages the travel account and which manages the transport carrier baggage tracking system or is linkable to the transport carrier baggage tracking system;   c) providing the card or tag to the card or tag holder, wherein the card or tag is linked to the account of step “a”; and   d) receiving luggage item check-in information from the card or tag holder after the card or tag holder places the card or tag, which is attached to the luggage item, in proximity of the NFC enabled device so that the NFC enabled device reads the executable data which directs the NFC enabled device to open the website or app and automatically deliver the identification data that is unique to the card or tag to the website or app where the identification data, and therefore the card or tag, is automatically linked to a said one or more travel reservation in the transport carrier baggage tracking system to cause check-in of the luggage item with the transport carrier baggage tracking system;   e) receive the luggage item with the card or tag attached thereto at a luggage drop off location; and   f) handling and processing the luggage item during a trip of the card or tag holder from the departing destination, to the arrival destination, to bag claim by the card or tag holder.   
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84  wherein handling and processing of the luggage item includes delivering and updating luggage item status information during the trip to the website or app. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the luggage item status information is viewable by the account holder on the website or app. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the method does not include:
 i) rewriting or changing the permanent code including the executable data at check-in of the luggage item or at check-points of the transport carrier baggage tracking system during the trip; 
 ii) writing account holder travel reservation information to the card or tag; and 
 iii) receiving check-in or personal information from the traveler at a bag check-in kiosk or counter at a transportation carrier facility.