Radio frequency identification parts verification system and method for using same

• US 20050035852A1
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GBP Software LLC
• Original Assignee: GBP Software LLC
• Inventors: Paulsen, Gaige Bradley
• Granted Patent: US 7,042,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A system and method for collecting data relating to the parts of a vehicle and using such data to determine if the vehicle can be operated. The system entails the deployment of a plurality of radio frequency identification tags on or within various parts of the vehicle that are capable of issuing radio frequency signals containing data related to each corresponding part. A radio frequency transceiver capable of interfacing with and receiving data stored within each tag operates in conjunction with a central processor unit capable of analyzing the data from each tag and determining whether the vehicle needs parts to be replaced or can be operated with its existing set of parts.

Claims

1. A verification system for parts of a structure, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification tags affixed to one or more parts of said structure, each of said tags being operative to store unique data regarding an associated part and to issue said unique data in response to a radio frequency signal;

a transceiver operative to generate said radio frequency signal and to receive said unique data issued from one or more detected tags;

an antenna operative to communicate said radio frequency signals to said tags and said unique data to said transceiver; and

a central processor operative to receive said unique data from said transceiver and to utilize said unique data to verify that said associated part is present on said structure, said central processor including a controller, a data storage in communication with said controller, and an input/output for communicating between said controller, said data storage and said transceiver.

2. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said data storage includes a list of active tags affixed to said parts of said structure and a list of required parts for said structure, each of said active tags being among said detected tags, and wherein said controller is operative to match said list of active tags against said list of required parts to verify that each of said parts is present on said structure.

3. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said data storage includes a list of active tags affixed to said parts of said structure, said list of active tags including a serial number unique to each of said tags, a manufacturer identification unique to the manufacture of said associated part, and a part identification unique to a type of part that includes the associated part, wherein said list of active tags includes said serial number, said manufacture identification and said part identification for some of said detected tags, and wherein controller is operative to match said serial number, said manufacture identification and said part identification from each of said detected tags against said list of active tags to determine if any of said active tags are missing from said structure.

4. The verification system of claim 3, wherein said data storage further includes a list of new parts that correspond to said detected tags not listed on said list of active tags, wherein said controller is operative to include one of said detected tags on said list of new parts if said serial number, said manufacture identification and said part identification included within said unique data for each of said detected tags does not match each of said serial number, said manufacture identification and said part identification included within said list of active tags, wherein said data storage further includes a list of acceptable parts, and wherein said controller is further operative to move said detected tags from said list of new parts to said list of active tags if said unique data for said detected tags on said list of new parts matches data on said list of acceptable parts.

5. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said unique data of some of said tags associated with replaceable parts includes one or more change indicators that identifies when one or more of said replaceable parts is missing, has been replaced or should be replaced, wherein said data storage includes one or more change indicator warning fields, and wherein said controller is operative to issue a warning signal when one of said change indicators matches one of said change indicator warning fields.

6. The verification system of claim 5, wherein said controller is operative to disable said structure in response to said warning signal.

7. The verification system of claim 5, wherein said controller is operative to indicate to an operator of said structure that one of said replaceable parts needs to be replaced.

8. The verification system of claim 5, wherein said controller is operative to indicate to an operator of said structure that one of said replaceable parts is missing.

9. The verification system of claim 5, wherein said unique data of some of said tags associated with replaceable parts includes a change code that is operative to override one or more said change indicators.

10. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said unique data of some of said tags associated with some of said parts includes a use-by date and wherein said controller is operative to issue a warning signal when a use-by date has been exceeded.

11. The verification system of claim 1, further comprising a structure identification radio frequency identification tag affixed to said structure near said transceiver, said structure identification tag being operative to store unique structure data and to issue said unique structure data in response to a radio frequency signal, wherein said controller is operative to use said unique structure data to distinguish said unique data from said parts of said structure from data received by said controller from other nearby structures.

12. The verification system of claim 2, wherein said controller is operative to issue one or more missing part signals when said list of active tags does not match said list of required parts.

13. The verification system of claim 12, wherein said controller is operative to disable said structure in response to said missing part signal.

14. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said unique data of some of said tags associated with replaceable parts includes one or more change indicators that identifies when one or more of said replaceable parts should be replaced, wherein said data storage includes one or more worn part indicators, and wherein said controller is operative to issue a warning signal when one of said change indicators matches one of said worn part indicators.

15. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said unique data of some of said tags associated with replaceable parts includes one or more change indicators that identifies when one or more of said replaceable parts has been replaced with a new part, wherein said data storage includes one or more new part indicators, and wherein said controller is operative to verify the acceptability of new parts in response to said new part indicators.

16. The verification system of claim 1, further comprising a structure identification radio frequency identification tag affixed to said structure near said transceiver, said structure identification tag being operative to store unique structure data and to issue said unique structure data in response to a radio frequency signal, wherein said controller is operative to use said unique structure data to determine is said transceiver is operating properly.

17. The verification system of claim 16, wherein said controller is further operative to use said unique structure data to distinguish said unique data from said parts of said structure from data received by said controller from other nearby structures, wherein said other nearby structures is a fleet of structures, each of said structures including a plurality of said tags, at least one said transceiver, at least one said antenna, and said central processor, and wherein said verification system further includes a computer controlled database remotely located from said fleet of structures and operative to communicate with said central processor of each of said structures.

18. The verification system of claim 1, further including a remote computer controller remotely located from said structure and operative to communicate with said central processor of said structure to exchange data with said data storage and to control the operation of said central processor.

19. The verification system of claim 1, wherein said structure is a vehicle, wherein one of said tags is affixed to an ignition key for said vehicle, and wherein said controller is operative to disable said vehicle if said unique data from said tag affixed to said ignition key is not received by said transceiver.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein said structure is a vehicle, wherein one of said tags is affixed to an ignition key for said vehicle, and wherein said steps further comprise the step of disabling said vehicle if said unique data from said tag affixed to said ignition key cannot be retrieved.

20. A method for verifying parts for a structure, comprising the steps of:

interrogating a plurality of radio frequency identification tags affixed to one or more parts of said structure to retrieve unique data stored within each of said tags;

creating a list of tags from which said unique data could be retrieved, wherein each of said tags corresponds to a part of said structure; and

comparing said unique data from said tags on said list of tags against data on a pre-existing list of required parts to determine if all required parts for said structure are present.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said unique data stored within some of said tags identifies one or more characteristics regarding the acceptable nature of a corresponding part, and wherein said steps further comprise the step of evaluating each present part to determine if said present part is an acceptable part according to said characteristics.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said characteristics include a manufacture identification.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said characteristics include a universal part identification.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said characteristics include a manufacturer part number.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said characteristics include a manufacturer part revision number.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein said characteristics include a standards compliance list identifying industry standards with which said corresponding part complies.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein said unique data stored with some of said tags includes a change code that is operative to override said characteristics.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein said characteristics include a use-by date.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein said unique data stored within some of said tags includes a change warning interval for a corresponding part, and wherein said step of comparing said unique data from said tags includes the steps of:

comparing a current interval level against said change warning interval to determine if said change warning interval has been exceeded; and

generating a warning indicator if said change warning interval has been exceeded.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said unique data stored within some of said tags further includes a change failure interval for a corresponding part, and wherein said step of comparing said unique data from said tags further includes the steps of:

comparing a current interval level against said change failure interval to determine if said change failure interval has been exceeded; and

generating a failure indicator if said change failure interval has been exceeded.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of comparing said unique data from said tags further includes the step of disabling said structure if said change failure interval has been exceeded.

34. A method for verifying parts for a structure, comprising the steps of:

interrogating a plurality of radio frequency identification tags affixed to one or more parts of said structure to retrieve unique data stored within each of said tags;

creating a list of tags from which said unique data could be retrieved, wherein each of said tags corresponds to a part of said structure; and

creating a list of pre-existing tags from which said unique data has previously been retrieved;

creating a list of new tags from which said unique data has not previously been retrieved, wherein said unique data stored within each of said new tags identifies one or more characteristics regarding the acceptable nature of a corresponding part;

evaluating said unique data from each new tag to determine if said corresponding part is an acceptable part according to said characteristics;

adding each new tag corresponding to an acceptable part to said list of tags;

comparing said unique data from said tags on said list of tags against data on a pre-existing list of required parts to determine if all required parts for said structure are present.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include a manufacture identification.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include a universal part identification.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include a manufacturer part number.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include a manufacturer part revision number.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include a standards compliance list identifying industry standards with which said corresponding part complies.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein said unique data stored with some of said tags includes a change code that is operative to override said characteristics.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include a use-by date.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein said unique data stored within some of said tags includes a change warning interval for a corresponding part, and wherein said step of comparing said unique data from said tags includes the steps of:

comparing a current interval level against said change warning interval to determine if said change warning interval has been exceeded; and

generating a warning indicator if said change warning interval has been exceeded.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said unique data stored within some of said tags further includes a change failure interval for a corresponding part, and wherein said step of comparing said unique data from said tags further includes the steps of:

comparing a current interval level against said change failure interval to determine if said change failure interval has been exceeded; and

generating a failure indicator if said change failure interval has been exceeded.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said step of comparing said unique data from said tags further includes the step of disabling said structure if said change failure interval has been exceeded.

45. The method of claim 34, wherein said structure is a vehicle, wherein one of said tags is affixed to an ignition key for said vehicle, and wherein said steps further comprise the step of disabling said vehicle if said unique data from said tag affixed to said ignition key cannot be retrieved.