RFID system and method for ensuring safety of hazardous or dangerous substances

• US 20040100383A1
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommWorks Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindsay, Jeffrey Dean, Chen, Fung-Jou, Reade, Walter C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,061,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A RFID method for storing products in a defined location is provided to minimize undesired combinations of stored products resulting from improper placement of the products in the storage location. RFID smart tags are associated with any products to be stored within the storage location, the smart tags containing information to identify the product they are associated with. A product profile is compiled and stored for any products to be stored within the storage location, the profile may include information on products, materials, and substances that should not be stored together or in close proximity to the profiled product. A smart tag scanner is disposed at a position relative to the storage location such that the scanner is within range of any smart tag associated with a stored product at any position within the storage location, the smart tag scanner configured to retrieve the product identification information from the smart tags. For the products identified by the scanner, the respective product profiles are use to determine if any of the identified products are improperly stored relative to any other identified product.

Claims

1. A RFID method for storing products in a defined location to minimize undesired combinations of stored products resulting from improper placement of the products in the storage location, said method comprising:

providing a storage location having storage positions therein;

associating RFID smart tags with a plurality of products to be stored within the storage location, the smart tags containing information to identify the product they are associated with;

compiling and storing a product profile for the plurality of products to be stored within the storage location, the profile including information on products, materials, and substances that should not be stored together or in close proximity to the profiled product;

disposing a smart tag scanner at a position relative to the storage location such that the scanner is within range of any smart tag associated with a stored product at any position within the storage location, the smart tag scanner configured to retrieve the product identification information from the smart tags; and

for the products identified by the scanner, using the respective product profiles to determine if any of the identified products are improperly stored relative to any other identified product.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising disposing an additional smart tag scanner at an entrance to the storage location to scan products as they are put into the location, and emitting an alert or alarm if a product scanned at the entrance should not be stored in the storage location.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising emitting an alert or alarm in the event that an improper combination of products is determined.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising identifying the improper combination of products in the storage location.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the scanner periodically interrogates the products in the storage location.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the scanner continuously interrogates the products in the storage location.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the storage location is sub-divided into a plurality of sub-locations, each sub-location having at least one scanner assigned thereto, the sub-locations being located so that their respective scanners have an effective range so as to receive product information signals from products within their associated sub-location.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein an additional scanner is disposed at an entrance to the location, the additional scanner scanning products prior to placement in any sub-location and identifying the particular sub-location the scanned product is to be stored in.

9. The method as in claim 8, comprising identifying any products already at any sub-location within the storage location that may conflict with the newly scanned product.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the smart tags are passive tags and are associated with disposable product containers.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the products are carried in reusable containers, the smart tag for a reusable container being an active tag that can be reprogrammed for different products placed in the container.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the products are chemicals.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein the products are biological samples.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein the products are volatile in the presence of another product.

15. A RFID method for minimizing inadvertent mixing or combination of products, said method comprising:

associating RFID smart tags with a plurality of products at a mixing or combining location that may potentially be mixed or combined, the smart tags containing information to identify the product it is associated with;

compiling and storing a product profile for the plurality of products that may potentially be mixed or combined, the profile including information on other products, materials, and substances that should not be mixed or combined with the respective product;

disposing a smart tag scanner at a location so as to be within range of the smart tags of any products to be mixed or combined, the smart tag scanner configured to retrieve the product identification information from the smart tags prior to any mixing or combining of the products; and

for the products identified by the scanner, using the respective product profiles to determine if the combination of products to be mixed or combined is proper.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising emitting an alert or alarm in the event that the products to be combined or mixed is improper.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the scanner continuously interrogates for products at the mixing or combining location.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein the products are chemicals.

19. The method as in claim 15, wherein the products are biological samples.

20. The method as in claim 15, wherein the products comprise radioactive materials.

21. The method as in claim 15, wherein the products are volatile in the presence of another product.

22. The method as in claim 15, wherein using the using the respective product profiles comprises analysis of the product profiles by a computer program which employs a set of rules to determine the compatibility of groupings of two or more of the plurality of the products that may potentially be mixed or combined.

23. The method as in claim 15, further comprising identifying a user of one or more of the plurality of products, and retrieving information about the user to determine if the user has been trained or authorized to use the one or more products, and issuing an alarm if the user in is not trained or authorized to use the one or more products.