Communications in an item tracking system

• US 20030158857A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Weng, Jie, Lin, Tao
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

System and methods for communicating tracking information about tagged items. A tagged item is a tangible item that carries a self-identifying tag. The tracking information can be stored in the tag or in a document that is accessible through an item tracking system. The tracking information can be accessible by multiple consumers having different levels of access. The methods include methods for masking redundancies in the tracking information, filtering the tracking information, and controlling access to the tracking information.

Claims

1. A method for communicating tracking information, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of identification codes, each identification code uniquely identifying an associated physical object;

sorting the plurality of identification codes into one or more sets of identification codes;

recognizing a redundant portion of code that is common to each identification code within a set of identification codes;

creating a document containing the one or more sets of identification codes; and

organizing the document in a hierarchical structure such that for each set of identification codes, the redundant portion is listed once and each identification code is listed with the redundant portion omitted.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the document is a shipment document.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the document is a production order.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the document is an XML document.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for a set of identification codes,

recognizing that the identification codes are sequential; and

instead of listing each identification code, listing only the first identification code and the number of identification codes in the set.

6. A method for filtering tracking information, the method comprising:

retrieving a plurality of identification codes associated with a plurality of physical objects, the physical objects including items and containers of items, each identification code being a string of characters that uniquely identify the associated physical object;

locating a character within each identification code that indicates whether the associated object is an item or a container; and

based on the located character, determining whether each identification code corresponds to an item or a container.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of identification codes are retrieved from one or more tag readers.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of identification codes are retrieved from a shipment document.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of identification codes are retrieved from an item tracking system.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending only a subset of the retrieved identification codes to a recipient.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the subset of retrieved identification codes sent to a recipient consist only of identification codes associated with containers.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the recipient is an item tracking system.