Entity management method and system using wireless devices

Abstract

A method of providing information about a plurality of entities within a cash processing centre, the method comprising coupling a first entity with a first wireless device, coupling a second entity with a second wireless device, reading data associated with both the first and second wireless devices, pairing data associated with both the first and second wireless devices and retrieving information concerning the relationship between the first entity and the second entity based on the pairing. The entities are typically objects within the centre and the wireless devices are transmitters and/or receivers.

1 . A method of providing information about a plurality of entities within a cash processing centre, the method comprising:
 coupling a first entity with a first wireless device;   coupling a second entity with a second wireless device;   reading data associated with both the first and second wireless devices; pairing data associated with both the first and second wireless devices; and   retrieving information concerning the relationship between the first entity and the second entity based on the pairing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first entity comprises a container for storing articles of value; and   the second entity comprises storage means for one or more containers;   the method further comprising:   storing data comprising the properties of one or more articles of value;   associating said data with the first entity;   storing the first entity on or within the second entity; and   retrieving information comprising the cumulative properties of the articles stored on or within the second entity based on the pairing.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first entity comprises one or more articles of value; and   the second entity comprises a unit adapted to store articles of value;   the step of retrieving information comprising:   retrieving information indicating that the first entity is stored upon the second entity.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first wireless device comprises a wireless transmitter configured to transmit a first identifier;   the second wireless device comprises a wireless receiver having a second identifier; and the step of reading data comprises:   transmitting the first identifier from the wireless transmitter;   receiving the first identifier using the wireless receiver; and   reading both the received first identifier and the second identifier of the receiving device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining signal characteristics associated with the received identifier;   using the first identifier, the second identifier and the signal characteristics to determine the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving the first identifier using one or more additional wireless receivers associated with respective additional entities, said wireless receivers having respective identifiers;   pairing the first identifier, second identifier and the one or more additional identifiers; and   using the pairing to determine the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining signal characteristics associated with each received identifier; and   using the signal characteristics together with the pairing to determine the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 repeating the method steps at regular intervals; and   updating the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless receivers comprise directional receivers and the location of the first entity is determined using triangulation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first entity is one of: a cage, a scanning device, an employee, one or more articles of value, a container, a trolley, or a banknote sorter. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of retrieving information comprises:
 determining whether the first entity is authorised to be paired with the second entity;   if not generating an alert.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first entity comprises an operator within the cash processing centre; and   the step of retrieving information comprises:   authenticating the operator using the first identifier.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the second entity comprises a device for use in the cash processing centre;   and the step of retrieving information further comprises:   if the operator is authenticated, retrieving user data associated with the operator;   based on the user data, determining whether the operator is authorised to use the device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of retrieving information further comprises:
 if the operator is authorised, allowing access to the device, if not, denying access to the device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein if the operator is not authenticated and/or authorised an alert is generated. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the device comprises one of: a banknote counter or sorter, a client computing device, or a handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of determining whether the operator is authorised to use the device further comprises:
 determining whether the operator is authorised to use any further devices connected to the device; and   if so, allowing access to the authorised further devices.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless devices comprise radio frequency identification devices. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first entity belongs to a first group of entities and the second entity belongs to a second group of entities. 
     
     
         20 . A system for providing information about plurality of entities within a cash processing centre comprising:
 a first wireless device coupled to a first entity;   a second wireless device coupled to a second entity; and   a processor adapted to:   read data associated with both the first and second wireless devices;   pair data associated with both the first and second wireless devices; and   retrieve information concerning the relationship between the first entity and the second entity based on the pairing.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first entity comprises a container for storing articles of value; and   the second entity comprises storage means for one or more containers; the processor being further adapted to:   retrieve information comprising the cumulative properties of the articles stored on or within the second entity based on the pairing.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the first entity comprises one or more articles of value; and
 the second entity comprises a unit adapted to store articles of value;   the processor being further adapted to:   retrieve information indicating that the first entity is stored upon the second entity.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first wireless device comprises a wireless transmitter configured to transmit a first identifier;   the second wireless device comprises a wireless receiver having a second identifier; and   the processor being further adapted to:   read a first identifier received from the second wireless device, together with the second identifier of said device, and pair said identifiers.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 receive signal characteristics associated with the received first identifier; and   process the first identifier, the second identifier and the signal characteristics to determine the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the system further comprises:
 one or more additional wireless receivers associated with respective additional entities, said wireless receivers having respective additional identifiers; and   the processor is further adapted to:   receive one or more copies of the first identifier as received by one or more of the additional wireless receivers, together with the additional identifiers of said receivers;   pair the first identifier, second identifier and the one or more additional identifiers; and   determine the location of the first entity using the pairing.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 receive signal characteristics from each wireless receiver; and   process the signal characteristics together with the pairing to determine the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
 repeat the processing steps at regular intervals to dynamically update the location of the first entity.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the wireless receivers comprise directional receivers and the processor is adapted to determine the location of the first entity using triangulation. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first entity is one of: a cage, a scanning device, an employee, one or more articles of value, a container, a trolley, or a banknote sorter. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a database comprising authorisation data;   wherein the processor is adapted to:   access the database to determine whether the first entity is authorised to be paired with the second entity; and   if not generate an alert.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the first entity comprises an operator within the cash processing centre; the system further comprises a database comprising authentication data; and the processor is further adapted to access the database to authenticate the operator using the first identifier.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein: the second entity comprises a device for use in the cash processing centre;
 the database further comprises authorisation data;   and the processor is further adapted to:   retrieve authorisation data associated with the operator from the database if the operator is authenticated;   based on the authorisation data, determine whether the operator is authorised to use the device.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 allow access to the device if the operator is authorised, or deny access to the device if the operator is not authorised.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further adapted to generate an alert if the operator is not authenticated and/or authorised. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the device comprises one of: a banknote counter or sorter, a client computing device, or a handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system further comprises:
 one or more further devices connectable to the second entity;   and the processor is further adapted to:   based on the authorisation data, determine whether the operator is authorised to use any of said further devices; and   allow access to any connected further devices if the operator is authorised.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the wireless devices comprise radio frequency identification devices. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the first entity belongs to a first group of entities and the second entity belongs to a second group of entities. 
     
     
         39 . A storage unit for containers for use in a cash processing centre, the containers containing one or more articles of value, the storage unit comprising: a storage area for one or more containers,
 the storage unit by comprising:   one or more wireless receivers coupled to the storage unit configured to wirelessly read data from a wireless identification device and output data accordingly;   wherein, in use, each container is coupled to a wireless identification device, the wireless identification device storing data associated with properties of the articles of value within the container; and   in use, the properties of any articles of value stored upon the storage unit may be retrieved by processing data output by the one or more wireless receivers devices.   
     
     
         40 . A method of tracking articles of value within a cash processing centre comprising:
 a. coupling one or more articles of value with a first wireless identification device;   b. coupling a unit adapted to store articles of value with a second wireless identification device;   c. reading data associated with both the first and second wireless devices; and   d. recording that the one or more articles of value are stored upon the unit based on the read data.   
     
     
         41 . A system for authenticating a user within a cash processing centre comprising:
 a first wireless device coupled to a device to be operated by the user;   a second wireless device coupled to the user for identification;   a processor adapted to: read data from the first wireless device comprising identification data received from the second wireless device;   using the identification data authenticate the user with regard to the device to be operated by a user.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the processor is further adapted to determine if the user is authorise to operate the device to be operated: if so allowing the user to operate the device, if not preventing the user from operating the device.