Method for field programming radio frequency identification labels

• US 20040074959A1
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Romansky, Brian M., Foth, Thomas J., Chhatpar, Anand V., Pierce, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,869,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/067 Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07716 the record carrier comprising means for customization, e.g. being arranged for personalization in batch
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

A system and method that allows one to mark information with a pencil on a label equipped with a RFID type circuit, and have the marked information provided to the RFID circuit, or have the written information cause the RFID circuit to supply information regarding the goods that are contained in a individual container. Individual containers may be placed in a larger container. The marked entered information may be corrected by erasing the written information with a pencil eraser and writing new information on the paper with a pencil. Information may also be marked into a RFID circuit or have the marked information cause the RFID circuit to perform some function by utilizing a standard ink jet computer printer to print lines on paper equipped with a RFID type circuit, by having the printed lines perform the function of wires. The aforementioned printed information may be modified by having an individual connect different printed wires by drawing a penciled line between the wires or by punching holes in the printed lines.

Claims

1. A method for supplying information about goods that are in a container, said method includes the steps of:

A) exposing on a material data bits of a radio frequency identification circuit (RFID) having a number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the data bits will represent information about the goods, the RFID circuit having a number generation portion that is activated when the RFID circuit is read;

B) altering on the material the data bits of the number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent information about the goods; and

C) placing the (RFID) circuit in the container or on the outside of the container.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

placing one or more containers having a RFID circuit in a larger container.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the goods are dangerous goods.

4. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent physical proprieties of the goods.

5. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the unique number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent when the goods lose their potency.

6. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the unique number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent when the goods should be removed from the container.

7. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the unique number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent when the goods expire.

8. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the unique number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent how the goods shall be handled.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the altering step further includes the steps of:

marking information on the material with a pencil to alter the bits.

10. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the pencil is a graphite pencil.

11. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the marked information performs the function of wires.

12. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the step of:

erasing the marked information to modify the information.

13. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the step of:

punching holes in the marked information to modify the information.

14. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the step of:

removing one or more labels in the marked information to modify the information.

15. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recording step further includes the step of:

marking information on the material with a ink jet printer to alter the bits.

16. The method claimed in claim 15, wherein the marked information performs the function of wires.

17. The method claimed in claim 16, further including the step of:

erasing the marked information to modify the information.

18. The method claimed in claim 16, further including the step of:

punching holes in the wires to modify the information.

19. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recording step further includes the step of:

marking information on the material with a laser printer to alter the bits.

20. The method claimed in claim 16, further including the step of:

removing one or more labels in the marked information to modify the information.

21. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is paper.

22. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is plastic.

23. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the goods are dangerous goods.

24. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the goods are normal goods.

25. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

placing one or more containers having a RFID circuit in a larger container.

26. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent physical proprieties of the goods.

27. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent when the goods when manufactured.

28. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent characteristics of the goods.

29. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein step B) further includes the step of:

altering on the material the data bits of the number generation portion of the RFID circuit in a manner that the altered bits will represent when the goods expire.

30. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein the altering step further includes the steps of:

marking information on the material with a pencil to alter the bits.

31. The method claimed in claim 30, wherein the pencil is a graphite pencil.

32. The method claimed in claim 30, wherein the marked information performs the function of wires.

33. The method claimed in claim 30, further including the step of:

erasing the marked information to modify the information.

34. The method claimed in claim 30, further including the step of:

punching holes in the marked information to modify the information.

35. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein the recording step further includes the steps of:

marking information on the material with a ink jet printer to alter the bits.

36. The method claimed in claim 35, wherein the marked information performs the function of wires.

37. The method claimed in claim 35, further including the step of:

erasing the marked information to modify the information.

38. The method claimed in claim 35, further including the step of:

punching holes in the marked information to modify the information.

39. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the number generation portion of the RFID circuit contains a unique identification.

40. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the RFID number generation portion of the RFID circuit can be set to a unique identification by exposing data bits of the RFID circuit.