RFID process control system for use in automation and inventory tracking applications
First Claim
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1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) process control system comprising:
- an interface supporting communications with a plurality of industry standard compliant devices;
an RFID controller for communicating RFID data over the interface, said RFID controller including at least one RFID reader for reading said RFID data from an RFID tagged item;
process control software for detecting the occurrence of a specified event represented by the RFID data; and
at least one computer controlled switch operably coupled to the RFID controller;
wherein a specified RFID event can be determined from the RFID data received by the RFID controller via the interface as interpreted by the process control software and thereby cause the RFID controller to operate the computer controlled switch to control a desired process.
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Abstract
A RFID process control system combines various components in a single enclosure for use in tracking RFID tagged inventory items. The invention provides a system that combines a RFID controller and reader, process software, a computer controlled switch, and power management subsystem into a single enclosure thereby facilitating RFID process control in connection with a wide array of inventory tracking applications.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) process control system comprising:
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an interface supporting communications with a plurality of industry standard compliant devices;
an RFID controller for communicating RFID data over the interface, said RFID controller including at least one RFID reader for reading said RFID data from an RFID tagged item;
process control software for detecting the occurrence of a specified event represented by the RFID data; and
at least one computer controlled switch operably coupled to the RFID controller;
wherein a specified RFID event can be determined from the RFID data received by the RFID controller via the interface as interpreted by the process control software and thereby cause the RFID controller to operate the computer controlled switch to control a desired process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) process control system comprising:
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an interface supporting communications with a plurality of industry standard compliant devices including at least one RFID tagged item;
an RFID controller for communicating RFID data with said RFID tagged item over the interface;
process control software for detecting the occurrence of a specified event represented by the RFID data;
at least one computer controlled switched operably coupled to the RFID controller; and
an enclosure housing the interface, RFID controller, process control software and computer controlled switch;
wherein a specified RFID event can be determined from the RFID data received by the RFID controller via the interface as interpreted by the process control software and thereby cause the RFID controller to operate the computer controlled switch to control a desired process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. Using an integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) process control system, a method of processing items tagged with RFID data comprising the steps of:
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a RFID controller within the system reading RFID data from at least one RFID tagged item;
the RFID controller passing the RFID data to process control software within the system; and
determining if the RFID tagged item satisfies a specified RFID event by the process control software interpreting the RFID data received by the RFID controller via the interface and thereby control of a desired process. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification