Efficient monitoring of inventory items

• US 10,037,509 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huebner, Ronald Eugene, Niranjayan, Somasundaram, Kumar, Dilip
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/495,847
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 235435, 235439, 235451, 235487, 235492, 340 10, 340572
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10415 the interrogation device being fixed in its position, such as an access control device for reading wireless access cards, or a wireless ATM banking machines in general G07F19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10465 the interrogation device being capable of self-diagnosis, e.g. in addition to or as part of the actual interrogation process testing of electrical circuits in general G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material

Abstract

Described is a system and method for efficiently tracking inventory using RFID tags (e.g., RFID tags). For example, an RFID tag reader may perform an inventory mode to receive RFID tag identifiers from RFID tags located within a range of an antenna element of the RFID tag reader. Those RFID tag identifiers may be included on an inventory table associated with the antenna element. In a second mode, the RFID tag reader may perform a targeted read. During a targeted read mode, the RFID tag reader, utilizing the antenna element, may issue a request for a selected RFID tag identified in the inventory table to reply to the request.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring items at an inventory location, comprising:

selecting an antenna element at the inventory location;

enabling the antenna element to receive a plurality of RFID tag identifiers, each of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers representative of an RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags, each of the plurality of RFID tags associated with an item located at the inventory location and wherein the item is at least partially within a field of the antenna element;

receiving the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

sending, using the antenna element, a signal that includes a first RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

receiving, at the antenna element, a response from a first RFID tag associated with the first RFID tag identifier; and

determining from the response and the first RFID tag identifier that a first item associated with the first RFID tag remains located at the inventory location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating each of the received plurality of RFID tag identifiers with the selected antenna element; and

storing each of the received plurality of RFID tag identifiers in a table.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting a second RFID tag identifier from the table;

sending, using the antenna element, a second signal that includes the second RFID tag identifier;

determining that a response to the second signal has not been received; and

in response to determining that a response to the second signal has not been received, sending, using the antenna element, a third signal that includes the second RFID tag identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that a response to the third signal has not been received; and

sending a notification that a second item associated with a second RFID tag represented by the second RFID tag identifier has been picked from the inventory location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first RFID tag identifier is associated with a second antenna element; and

sending via the second antenna element, a second signal that includes the first RFID tag identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first RFID tag identifier is associated with the antenna element and the second antenna element when the first RFID tag identifier is received by the antenna element and the second antenna element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first item associated with the first RFID tag has not been picked from the inventory location if a response from the first RFID tag is received.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second RFID tag identifier included in the plurality of received RFID tag identifiers is not included in a table of RFID tag identifiers associated with the antenna element; and

adding the second RFID tag identifier to the table of RFID tag identifiers associated with the antenna element.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the second RFID tag identifier is included in a second inventory table associated with a second antenna element; and

determining that a signal strength of a signal carrying the received second RFID tag identifier exceeds a threshold.

10. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;

select an antenna element at an inventory location;

send a first instruction to enable the antenna element to receive a plurality of RFID tag identifiers, each of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers representative of an RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags, each of the plurality of RFID tags associated with an item located at the inventory location and wherein the item is at least partially within a field of the antenna element;

receive the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

send a second instruction to enable the antenna element to send a signal that includes a first RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

determine that a response to the signal that includes the first RFID tag identifier has not been received; and

determine from the first RFID tag identifier and based at least in part on the determination that a response has not been received, that a first item associated with the first RFID tag has been picked from the inventory location.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors are further configured to at least:

associate each of the received plurality of RFID tag identifiers with the antenna element; and

store each of the associations in a table.

12. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors are further configured to at least:

select from the table a second RFID tag identifier;

send a second instruction to enable the antenna element to send a second signal that includes the second RFID tag identifier;

determine that a response to the second signal has been received; and

retain the second RFID tag identifier in the table as associated with the antenna element.

13. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors are further configured to at least:

send a third instruction to enable the antenna element to send a second signal that includes a second RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

determine that a response to the second signal has not been received;

send a fourth instruction to enable a second antenna element that is adjacent to the antenna element to send a third signal that includes the second RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

determine that a response to the third signal is received;

remove a first association between the second RFID tag identifier and the antenna element; and

retain a second association between the second RFID tag identifier and the second antenna element.

14. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors are further configured to at least:

send a third instruction to enable a second antenna element that is adjacent to the antenna element to send a second signal that includes the first RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

determine that a response to the second signal has not been received; and

remove a first association between the first RFID tag identifier and the antenna element.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving from an antenna element positioned at an inventory location, a plurality of RFID tag identifiers, each of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers representative of an RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags, each of the plurality of RFID tags associated with an item located at the inventory location and wherein the item is at least partially within a field of the antenna element;

sending, using the antenna element, a signal that includes a first RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

receiving from the antenna element a response from a first RFID tag associated with the first RFID tag identifier; and

determining from the response and the first RFID tag identifier that a first item associated with the first RFID tag is located at the inventory location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending, using the antenna element, a second signal that includes a second RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

determining that a second RFID tag associated with the second RFID tag identifier has not provided a response to the second signal; and

sending a notification that a second item associated with the second RFID tag identifier has been picked from the inventory location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

prior to sending the notification, sending, using a second antenna element that is adjacent to the antenna element, a third signal that includes the second RFID tag identifier; and

determining that the second RFID tag associated with the second RFID tag identifier has not provided a response to the third signal.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

retaining a first association between the inventory location and the first item; and

removing a second association between the inventory location and the second item.

19. A method, comprising:

enabling an antenna element;

in response to enabling, receiving a plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

subsequent to receiving the plurality of RFID tag identifiers, sending, using the antenna element, a signal that includes a first RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

subsequent to sending the signal, receiving, at the antenna element, a response associated with the first RFID tag identifier; and

determining from the response that a first item associated with the first RFID tag is within a field of the antenna element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the antenna element is at an inventory location within a materials handling facility.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

sending, using the antenna element, a second signal that includes a second RFID tag identifier of the plurality of RFID tag identifiers;

determining that a response to the second signal has not been received; and

in response to determining that a response to the second signal has not been received, removing the second RFID tag identifier from a list of RFID tag identifiers.