Apparatus and method for baggage check and promotional advertisement

Abstract

A luggage tag system includes a main portion comprising an elongated portion for forming a loop to attach the luggage tag system to a piece of luggage; a removable portion detachable from the main portion; a unique serial number provided on both the main portion and the removable portion; an area of the removable portion comprising a printed coupon or prize indicator; and an adhesive panel covering the area to prevent the area from being seen until the adhesive panel is removed. Any portion of the adhesive panel that is separated from the removable portion of the tag system loses its ability to adhere to the removable portion so that premature removal of the adhesive panel, in whole or in part, is detectable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising;
 upon presentation of a removable portion of a luggage tag, where the removable portion includes a printed coupon or prize identifier, determining whether a unique serial number on said removable portion of said luggage tag is associated with a current guest record of a facility that issues such luggage tags.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said coupon or prize identifier is void if said unique serial number is not associated with a current guest record. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising honoring a coupon on said removable portion of said luggage tag if said unique serial number is associated with a current guest record of a facility that issues such luggage tags. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising awarding a prize indicated by a prize indicator on said removable portion of said luggage tag if said unique serial number is associated with a current guest record of a facility that issues such luggage tags. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scanning a barcode on said removable portion of said luggage tag, said barcode encoding said unique serial number. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said luggage tag comprises:
 a main portion comprising an elongated portion for forming a loop to attach said luggage tag system to a piece of luggage;   said removable portion, which is detachable from said main portion;   said unique serial number provided on both said main portion and said removable portion;   an area of said removable portion comprising said printed coupon or prize indicator;   an adhesive panel covering said area to prevent said area from being seen until said adhesive panel is removed;   wherein any portion of said adhesive panel that is separated from said removable portion of said tag system loses its ability to adhere to said removable portion so that premature removal of said adhesive panel, in whole or in part, is detectable.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said adhesive panel is adhered to said removable portion of said tag, at least in part, by a static electric charge that is dissipated when said adhesive panel is separated from said removable portion of said tag. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a data entry device for entering a unique serial number from a removable portion of a luggage tag, where the removable portion includes a printed coupon or prize identifier,   a computer programmed to determine whether the unique serial number on said removable portion of said luggage tag is associated with a current guest record of a facility that issues such luggage tags.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said data entry device comprises a barcode reader for reading a barcode encoding said unique serial number, said barcode being printed on said removable portion of said luggage tag. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a connection to a server supporting a database of all current guest records of said facility, each guest record being associated with a unique serial numbers from a luggage tag issued to a corresponding guest. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising said luggage tag, said luggage tag comprising:
 a main portion comprising an elongated portion for forming a loop to attach said luggage tag system to a piece of luggage;   a removable portion detachable from said main portion;   a unique serial number provided on both said main portion and said removable portion;   an area of said removable portion comprising a printed coupon or prize indicator;   an adhesive panel covering said area to prevent said area from being seen until said adhesive panel is removed;   wherein any portion of said adhesive panel that is separated from said removable portion of said tag system loses its ability to adhere to said removable portion so that premature removal of said adhesive panel, in whole or in part, is detectable.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said adhesive panel is adhered to said removable portion of said tag, at least in part, by a static electric charge that is dissipated when said adhesive panel is separated from said removable portion of said tag. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said computer indicates that said coupon or prize identifier is void if said unique serial number is not associated with a current guest record. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said computer indicates that said coupon or prize identifier is valid it said unique serial number is associated with a current guest record.