Container for storing objects

• US 20040041696A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Hull, Jonathan J., Lee, Dar-Shyang
• Granted Patent: US 7,652,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• 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: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A container that is capable of outputting information related to objects stored in the container. The container is able to output information for objects that are stored by the container and that have identification tags physically associated with them.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

one or more tag readers configured to read information from identification tags physically associated with one or more objects contained in the container;

a processing module configured to determine, for at least one object in the one or more objects, object-related information to be output for the at least one object based upon the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the at least one object; and

an output module configured to output the object-related information determined for the at least one object.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the object-related information output by the output module for the at least object comprises a portion of the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the at least one object.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein, to determine object-related information to be output for the at least one object, the processing module is configured to:

determine an identification code from the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the at least one object; and

determine the object-related information to be output for the at least one object based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the at least one object.

4. A method of outputting information related to one or more objects that have identification tag physically associated with them, the one or more objects being contained in a container, the method comprising:

receiving, at the container, a signal to output information related to the one or more objects contained in the container;

reading information from identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container;

determining, for each object in the one or more objects, object-related information to be output for the object based upon the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

outputting the object-related information determined for at least one object in the one or more objects.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein outputting the object-related information determined for the at least one object comprises:

outputting a portion of the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the at least one object.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein determining the object-related information to be output for each object in the one or more objects comprises:

for each object in the one or more objects;

determining an identification code from the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

determining the object-related information to output for the object based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

determining the object-related information to be output for the object based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object comprises;

accessing first information identifying a plurality of identification codes and object-related information associated with each identification code; and

determining, from the first information, object-related information associated with an identification code that matches the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

outputting the object-related information determined for the at least one object in the one or more objects comprises;

outputting a portion of the object-related information determined for the at least one object from the first information.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the signal to output information related to the one or more objects contained in the container is received via an input interface provided by the container.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the signal to output information related to the one or more objects contained in the container is received by the container from a remote device; and

outputting the object-related information determined for the at least one object comprises communicating the object-related information for the at least one object to the remote device.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein outputting the object-related information determined for the at least object comprises:

outputting the object-related information via an output interface provided by the container.

11. A method of searching a container, the method comprising:

receiving, at the container, a search query that includes information specifying search criteria, the container containing one or more objects that have identification tags physically associated with them;

reading information from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container;

determining, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects; and

outputting object-related information for an object from the one or more objects if it is determined that the search criteria is satisfied by the object.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein determining if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects comprises:

for each object in the one or more objects;

determining an identification code from the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

determining if the object satisfies the search criteria based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining if the object satisfies the search criteria comprises:

accessing first information identifying a plurality of identification codes and object-related information associated with each identification code;

determining, from the first information, object-related information associated with an identification code that matches the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

determining if the object satisfies the search criteria based upon the object-related information associated with the matching identification code.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the search criteria is satisfied if a first object is contained in the container; and

determining if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects comprises;

determining, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the first object is included in the one or more objects.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the search criteria is satisfied if the one or more objects includes an object that possesses a first characteristic; and

determining if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects comprises;

determining, based upon based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if an object from the one or more objects possesses the first characteristic.

16. A method of identifying addition or removal of objects from a container, the method comprising:

reading a first set of identification codes from identification tags physically associated with one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container, the first set of identification codes corresponding to a first set of objects contained in the container;

comparing the first set of identification codes with a baseline set of identification codes to determine if an identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and not included in the baseline list of identification codes and if an identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and not included in the first list of identification codes, the baseline set of identification codes corresponding to a baseline set of objects;

indicating that the container contains an object corresponding to an identification code that is not included in the baseline set of objects if it is determined that the identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and is not included in the baseline set of identification codes; and

indicating that an object corresponding to an identification code that is included in the baseline set of objects is not contained in the container if it is determined that the identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and is not included in the first set of identification codes.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein indicating that the container contains an object corresponding to an identification code that is not included in the baseline set of objects comprises:

identifying a time interval when the object corresponding to the identification code was added to the container.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein indicating that an object corresponding to the second identification code that is included in the baseline set of object is not contained in the container comprises:

identifying a time interval when the object corresponding to the identification code was removed from the container.

19. A container comprising:

a processing module;

one or more tag readers; and

an output module;

wherein the processing module configured to receive a search query that includes information specifying search criteria;

wherein the one or more tag readers are configured to read information from identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container;

wherein the processing module is configured to determine, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects; and

wherein the output module is configured to output object-related information for an object from the one or more objects if it is determined that the search criteria is satisfied by the object.

20. The container of claim 19 wherein the processing module is configured to:

for each object in the one or more objects;

determine an identification code from the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

determine if the object satisfies the search criteria based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object.

21. The container of claim 20 wherein the processing module is configured to:

access first information identifying a plurality of identification codes and object-related information associated with each identification code;

determine, from the first information, object-related information associated with an identification code that matches the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

determine if the object satisfies the search criteria based upon the object-related information associated with the matching identification code.

22. The container of claim 19 wherein:

the search criteria is satisfied if a first object is contained in the container; and

the processing module is configured to;

determine, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the first object is included in the one or more objects.

23. The container of claim 19 wherein:

the search criteria is satisfied if the one or more objects includes an object that possesses a first characteristic; and

the processing module is configured to;

determine, based upon based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if an object from the one or more objects possesses the first characteristic.

24. A container comprising:

one or more tag readers configured to read a first set of identification codes from identification tags physically associated with a first set of objects contained in the container;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of code modules for execution by the processor, the plurality of code module comprising;

a code module for comparing the first set of identification codes with a baseline set of identification codes to determine if an identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and not included in the baseline list of identification codes and if an identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and not included in the first list of identification codes, the baseline set of identification codes corresponding to a baseline set of objects;

a code module for indicating that the container contains an object corresponding to an identification code that is not included in the baseline set of objects if the identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and is not included in the baseline set of identification codes; and

a code module for indicating that an object corresponding to an identification code included in the baseline set of objects is not contained by the container if the identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and is not included in the first set of identification codes.

25. The container of claim 24 wherein the code module for indicating that that the container contains an object that is not included in the baseline set of objects comprises:

a code module for identifying a time interval when the object corresponding to the identification code was added to the container.

26. The container of claim 24 wherein the code module for indicating that an object included in the baseline set of objects is not contained by the container comprises:

a code module for identifying a time interval when the object corresponding to the identification code was removed from the container.

27. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for outputting information related to one or more objects that have identification tag physically associated with them, the one or more objects being contained in a container, the computer program product comprising:

code for reading information from identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container;

code for determining, for each object in the one or more objects, object-related information to be output for the object based upon the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

code for outputting the object-related information determined for at least one object in the one or more objects.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the code for outputting the object-related information determined for the at least one object comprises:

code for outputting a portion of the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the at least one object.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the code for determining the object-related information to be output for each object in the one or more objects comprises:

for each object in the one or more objects;

code for determining an identification code from the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

code for determining the object-related information to be output for the object based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein:

the code for determining the object-related information to be output for the object based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object comprises;

code for accessing first information identifying a plurality of identification codes and object-related information associated with each identification code; and

code for determining, from the first information, object-related information associated with an identification code that matches the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

the code for outputting the object-related information determined for the at least one object in the one or more objects comprises;

code for outputting a portion of the object-related information determined for the at least one object from the first information.

31. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the code for outputting the object-related information determined for the at least object comprises:

code for outputting the object-related information via an output interface provided by the container.

32. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for searching a container, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a search query that includes information specifying search criteria, the container containing one or more objects that have identification tags physically associated with them;

code for reading information from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container;

code for determining, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects; and

code for outputting object-related information for an object from the one or more objects if it is determined that the search criteria is satisfied by the object.

33. The computer program product of claim 32 wherein the code for determining if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects comprises:

for each object in the one or more objects;

code for determining an identification code from the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

code for determining if the object satisfies the search criteria based upon the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object.

34. The computer program product of claim 33 wherein the code for determining if the object satisfies the search criteria comprises:

code for accessing first information identifying a plurality of identification codes and object-related information associated with each identification code;

code for determining, from the first information, object-related information associated with an identification code that matches the identification code read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

code for determining if the object satisfies the search criteria based upon the object-related information associated with the matching identification code.

35. The computer program product of claim 32 wherein:

the search criteria is satisfied if a first object is contained in the container; and

the code for determining if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects comprises;

code for determining, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the first object is included in the one or more objects.

36. The computer program product of claim 32 wherein:

the search criteria is satisfied if the one or more objects includes an object that possesses a first characteristic; and

the code for determining if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects comprises;

code for determining, based upon based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if an object from the one or more objects possesses the first characteristic.

37. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for identifying addition or removal of objects from a container, the computer program product comprising:

code for reading a first set of identification codes from identification tags physically associated with one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container, the first set of identification codes corresponding to a first set of objects contained in the container;

code for comparing the first set of identification codes with a baseline set of identification codes to determine if an identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and not included in the baseline list of identification codes and if an identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and not included in the first list of identification codes, the baseline set of identification codes corresponding to a baseline set of objects;

code for indicating that the container contains an object corresponding to an identification code that is not included in the baseline set of objects if the identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and is not included in the baseline set of identification codes; and

code for indicating that an object corresponding to an identification code included in the baseline set of objects is not contained by the container if the identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and is not included in the first set of identification codes.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the code for indicating that the container contains an object that is not included in the baseline set of objects comprises:

code for identifying a time interval when the object corresponding to the identification code was added to the container.

39. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the code for indicating that an object included in the baseline set of objects is not contained by the container comprises:

code for identifying a time interval when the object corresponding to the identification code was removed from the container.

40. A container for outputting information related to one or more objects that have identification tag physically associated with them, the one or more objects being contained in a container, the container comprising:

means for receiving, at the container, a signal to output information related to the one or more objects contained in the container;

means for reading information from identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container;

means for determining, for each object in the one or more objects, object-related information to be output for the object based upon the information read from the identification tag physically associated with the object; and

means for outputting the object-related information determined for at least one object in the one or more objects.

41. A container for searching a container, the container comprising:

means for receiving, at the container, a search query that includes information specifying search criteria, the container containing one or more objects that have identification tags physically associated with them;

means for reading information from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container;

means for determining, based upon the information read from the identification tags physically associated with the one or more objects, if the search criteria is satisfied by an object from the one or more objects; and

means for outputting object-related information for an object from the one or more objects if it is determined that the search criteria is satisfied by the object.

42. A container for identifying addition or removal of objects from a container, the container comprising:

means for reading a first set of identification codes from identification tags physically associated with one or more objects contained in the container using one or more tag readers located in the container, the first set of identification codes corresponding to a first set of objects contained in the container;

means for comparing the first set of identification codes with a baseline set of identification codes to determine if an identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and not included in the baseline list of identification codes and if an identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and not included in the first list of identification codes, the baseline set of identification codes corresponding to a baseline set of objects;

means for indicating that the container contains an object corresponding to an identification code that is not included in the baseline set of objects if it is determined that the identification code is included in the first set of identification codes and is not included in the baseline set of identification codes; and

means for indicating that an object corresponding to an identification code that is included in the baseline set of objects is not contained in the container if it is determined that the identification code is included in the baseline set of identification codes and is not included in the first set of identification codes.