Method and system for item tracking

• US 20050038710A1
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Storm, Joal B., Zimmerman, Shannon M., Bechtel, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US10/639,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20050038710A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method of tracking an item across a multiple party relationship includes receiving a unique identifier for an item; storing the unique identifier in a record; receiving an item event related to an item'"'"'s movement through the multiple party relationship; and updating the record to reflect the item event. A method of linking items to multiple packaging levels includes receiving a unique identifier for an item; receiving information related to the unique identifier; storing the unique identifier and the information in a record; and linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier such that updating the record for a unique identifier will result in the update of a record for the second unique identifier and updating the record for the second unique identifier will result in the updating of the record for the unique identifier.

Claims

1. A method of tracking an item across a multiple party relationship, the method comprising:

receiving a unique identifier for an item;

storing the unique identifier in a record;

receiving an item event related to an item'"'"'s movement through the multiple party relationship; and

updating the record to reflect the item event;

whereby the item'"'"'s event history through the multiple party relationship can be retrieved.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving an association event.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving an association event that includes linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving an association event that includes linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier such that updating the record for the unique identifier will result in the update of a record for the second unique identifier and updating the record for the second unique identifier will result in updating the record for the unique identifier.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving a unique identifier includes receiving digital information containing a unique identifier.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing the unique identifier includes storing the unique identifier in a record in an electronic database.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving a disassociation event that includes unlinking the unique identifier from a second unique identifier.

8. A method of linking items to multiple packaging levels, the method comprising:

receiving a unique identifier for an item;

receiving information related to the unique identifier;

storing the unique identifier and the information in a record; and

linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier such that updating the record for a unique identifier will result in the update of a record for the second unique identifier and updating the record for the second unique identifier will result in the updating of the record for the unique identifier.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein receiving information includes receiving any type of information.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving an item event related to an item'"'"'s movement through a multiple party relationship.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising storing the time event in a record.

12. A method according to claim 8, further comprising unlinking the unique identifier from the second unique identifier.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein unlinking includes unlinking the unique identifier from the second unique identifier in response to receiving a disassociation event.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein receiving a unique identifier includes receiving digital information containing a unique identifier.

15. A method according to claim 8, wherein storing the unique identifier and the information in a record includes storing the unique identifier and the information in a record in an electronic database.

16. A computer program product readable by a computing system and encoding instructions for tracking an item across a multiple party relationship, the computer process comprising:

receiving a unique identifier for an item;

storing the unique identifier in a record;

receiving an item event related to an item'"'"'s movement through the multiple party relationship; and

updating the record to reflect the item event;

whereby the item'"'"'s event history through the multiple party relationship can be retrieved.

17. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving an association event.

18. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving an association event that includes linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier.

19. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving an association event that includes linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier such that updating the record for the unique identifier will result in the update of a record for the second unique identifier and updating the record for the second unique identifier will result in updating the record for the unique identifier.

20. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein receiving a unique identifier includes receiving digital information containing a unique identifier.

21. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein storing the unique identifier includes storing the unique identifier in a record in an electronic database.

22. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein receiving an item event includes receiving a disassociation event that includes unlinking the unique identifier from a second unique identifier.

23. A computer program product readable by a computing system and encoding instructions for linking items to multiple packaging levels, the computer process comprising:

receiving a unique identifier for an item;

receiving information related to the unique identifier;

storing the unique identifier and the information in a record; and

linking the unique identifier to a second unique identifier such that updating the record for a unique identifier will result in the update of a record for the second unique identifier and updating the record for the second unique identifier will result in the updating of the record for the unique identifier.

24. A computer program product according to claim 23, further comprising receiving an item event related to an item'"'"'s movement through a multiple party relationship.

25. A computer program product according to claim 24, further comprising storing the time event in a record.

26. A computer program product according to claim 23, further comprising unlinking the unique identifier from the second unique identifier.

27. A computer program product according to claim 26, wherein unlinking includes unlinking the unique identifier from the second unique identifier in response to receiving a disassociation event.

28. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein receiving a unique identifier includes receiving digital information containing a unique identifier.

29. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein storing the unique identifier and the information in a record includes storing the unique identifier and the information in a record in an electronic database.