SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATING LOST ITEMS

摘要

An apparatus for locating an item at a node (320) includes an item-specific location device (200) disposed in association with the item (340) and that includes a circuit that uniquely identifies the item (340). A fixed mesh network communication device (330), in communication with a computer (310), is in an item storage portion of the node (320). The computer (310) is programmed to execute the following steps: if an item identification request is received (412) from a requester via a global computer network including a requested item identification, then send (414) an item identification message to the fixed mesh network communication device. If an item identified message is received (416) from the fixed mesh network communication device indicating that the item-specific location device corresponds to the requested item identification, then transmit (418) to the requester, via the global computer network, an item identified notification and a location identification that identifies the node.