Bi-directional data flow in a real time tracking system

• US 20030144985A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ebert, Peter S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article. In one aspect, a method includes: receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the article; similarly receiving second attribute information for a second article; receiving sensor information derived from a sensor coupled to the second article; receiving relationship information specifying a relationship between the articles; maintaining first and second virtual articles representing the first article and the second article and sensor information, respectively, and maintaining a context object representing the relationship; recognizing an alert condition relating to the first article; generating updated attribute information; detecting the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition; and causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag.

Claims

1. A method for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:

receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;

receiving in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article;

receiving in the system sensor information derived from data read automatically from a sensor coupled to the second article;

receiving in the system relationship information specifying a relationship between the first article and the second article;

maintaining in the system a first and a second physical object representing the first and the second article, respectively, the objects maintaining information representing the first attribute information and the second attribute information and sensor information, respectively, and maintaining in the system a context object representing the relationship between the first and second articles;

recognizing an alert condition from information in the physical and context objects, the alert condition relating to the first article;

generating updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the alert condition;

detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was recognized; and

causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the alert condition is recognized in an application external to the system, the application receiving from the system information from objects maintained by the system;

the updated attribute information is generated by the application and provided to the system by the application with a request that the updated attribute information be written to the first tag; and

the system in response to the request causes the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first and second physical objects represent their corresponding articles in a virtual world maintained by the system; and

the application monitors the virtual world.

4. The method claim 1, wherein:

the alert condition is recognized by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more alert rules provided to the system;

the updated information is generated by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more update rules provided to the system;

the tag writer station is caused to write the updated information to the first tag in accordance with one or more write-data rules provided to the system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is bound to the second tag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the alert condition is generated because a temperature measured by the sensor exceeded a threshold;

and

the updated information is a reduce product expiration date for the first article.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag is a radio frequency transponder.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second identifiers are globally unique identifiers.

10. A method for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:

receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;

receiving in the system updated attribute information for the first article;

detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after receipt by the system of the updated attribute information; and

causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the updated attribute information is generated by an application external to the system and provided to the system by the application with a request that the updated attribute information be written to the first tag; and

the system in response to the request causes the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the system maintains a first physical object representing the first article, the object maintaining the first attribute information;

the method further comprising;

storing in the first physical object the updated attribute information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first physical object represents its corresponding article in a virtual world maintained by the system; and

the application monitors the virtual world.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the updated information is generated by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more update rules provided to the system; and

the tag writer station is caused to write the updated information to the first tag in accordance with one or more write-data rules provided to the system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the updated information is updated price information.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the updated information is updated expiration information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the updated information is updated regulatory information.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first tag is a radio frequency transponder and the first identifier is a globally unique identifier.

19. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;

receive in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article;

receive in the system sensor information derived from data read automatically from a sensor coupled to the second article;

receive in the system relationship information specifying a relationship between the first article and the second article;

maintain in the system a first and a second physical object representing the first and the second article, respectively, the objects maintaining information representing the first attribute information and the second attribute information and sensor information, respectively, and maintain in the system a context object representing the relationship between the first and second articles;

recognize an alert condition from information in the physical and context objects, the alert condition relating to the first article;

generate updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the alert condition;

detect in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was recognized; and

cause the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon a detection of the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.

20. The product of claim 19, further comprising instructions to:

provide from the system to an application external to the system information from objects maintained by the system;

receive from the external application updated attribute information generated by the application in response to an alert condition recognized by the application, and receive from the application a request that the updated information be written to the first tag; and

cause the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag in response to the request.

21. The product of claim 20, wherein the first and second physical objects represent their corresponding articles in a virtual world maintained by the system, the product further comprising instructions to permit the application to monitor the virtual world.

22. The product claim 19, further comprising instructions to:

recognize the alert condition in accordance with one or more alert rules provided to the system;

generate the updated information in accordance with one or more update rules provided to the system; and

cause the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag in accordance with one or more write-data rules provided to the system.

23. The product of claim 19, wherein the sensor is bound to the second tag.

24. The product of claim 19, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

25. The product of claim 24, wherein

the alert condition is generated because a temperature measured by the sensor exceeded a threshold;

and

the updated information is a reduce product expiration date for the first article.

26. The product of claim 19, wherein the first tag is a radio frequency transponder.

27. The product of claim 19, wherein the first and second identifiers are globally unique identifiers.

28. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;

receive in the system updated attribute information for the first article;

detect in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after a receipt by the system of the updated attribute information; and

cause the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon a detection of the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.

29. The product of claim 28, further comprising instructions to:

receive from an application external to the system updated attribute information and a request that the updated information be written to the first tag; and

cause the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag in response to the request.

30. The product of claim 29, wherein the system maintains a first physical object representing the first article, the object maintaining the first attribute information;

the product further comprising instructions to;

store in the first physical object the updated attribute information.

31. The product of claim 30, wherein:

the first physical object represents its corresponding article in a virtual world maintained by the system; and

the application monitors the virtual world.

32. The product of claim 28, wherein:

the updated information is generated by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more update rules provided to the system; and

the tag writer station is caused to write the updated information to the first tag in accordance with one or more write-data rules provided to the system.

33. The product of claim 28, wherein the updated information is updated price information.

34. The product of claim 28, wherein the updated information is updated expiration information.

35. The product of claim 28, wherein the updated information is updated regulatory information.

36. The product of claim 28, wherein the first tag is a radio frequency transponder and the first identifier is a globally unique identifier.

37. A system for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:

means for receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;

means for receiving in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article;

means for receiving in the system sensor information derived from data read automatically from a sensor coupled to the second article;

means for receiving in the system relationship information specifying a relationship between the first article and the second article;

means for maintaining in the system a first and a second physical object representing the first and the second article, respectively, the objects maintaining information representing the first attribute information and the second attribute information and sensor information, respectively, and maintaining in the system a context object representing the relationship between the first and second articles;

means for recognizing an alert condition from information in the physical and context objects, the alert condition relating to the first article;

means for generating updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the alert condition;

means for detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was recognized; and

means for causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein:

the alert condition is recognized in an application external to the system, the application receiving from the system information from objects maintained by the system;

the updated attribute information is generated by the application and provided to the system by the application with a request that the updated attribute information be written to the first tag; and

the system in response to the request causes the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein:

the first and second physical objects represent their corresponding articles in a virtual world maintained by the system; and

the application monitors the virtual world.

40. The system claim 37, wherein:

the alert condition is recognized by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more alert rules provided to the system;

the updated information is generated by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more update rules provided to the system;

the tag writer station is caused to write the updated information to the first tag in accordance with one or more write-data rules provided to the system.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the sensor is bound to the second tag.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein

the alert condition is generated because a temperature measured by the sensor exceeded a threshold;

and

the updated information is a reduce product expiration date for the first article.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein the first tag is a radio frequency transponder.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the first and second identifiers are globally unique identifiers.

46. A system for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:

means for receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;

means for receiving in the system updated attribute information for the first article;

means for detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after receipt by the system of the updated attribute information; and

means for causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein:

the updated attribute information is generated by an application external to the system and provided to the system by the application with a request that the updated attribute information be written to the first tag; and

the system in response to the request causes the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the system maintains a first physical object representing the first article, the object maintaining the first attribute information;

the system further comprising;

means for storing in the first physical object the updated attribute information.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein:

the first physical object represents its corresponding article in a virtual world maintained by the system; and

the application monitors the virtual world.

50. The system of claim 46, wherein:

the updated information is generated by a component of the system operating in accordance with one or more update rules provided to the system; and

the tag writer station is caused to write the updated information to the first tag in accordance with one or more write-data rules provided to the system.

51. The system of claim 46, wherein the updated information is updated price information.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein the updated information is updated expiration information.

53. The system of claim 46, wherein the updated information is updated regulatory information.

54. The system of claim 46, wherein the first tag is a radio frequency transponder and the first identifier is a globally unique identifier.