Recording of location event information in RFID tags
First Claim
1. A method, comprising steps of:
- (a) wirelessly receiving at least one signal at an electronic device associated with a package as the package is transported from a source location to a destination location in a manufacturing process, supply chain, and/or distribution network, the at least one signal including location event information that is sufficient to specify a location of the package at a time the at least one signal is received; and
(b) based upon the at least one signal, storing data representative of the location event information in memory of the electronic device so that the location of the package identified by the at least one signal can be subsequently ascertained by retrieving and analyzing the data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to novel systems and methods for transmitting location event information to and/or from an electronic device, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, from and/or to one or more location ID stations. Among other things, a method is disclosed that involves wirelessly receiving at least one signal at an electronic device associated with a package as the package is transported from a source location to a destination location in a manufacturing process, supply chain, and/or distribution network, the at least one signal including location event information that is sufficient to specify a location of the package at a time the at least one signal is received. The method further involves, based upon the at least one signal, storing data representative of the location event information in memory of the electronic device so that the location of the package identified by the at least one signal can be subsequently ascertained by retrieving and analyzing the data.
128 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method, comprising steps of:
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(a) wirelessly receiving at least one signal at an electronic device associated with a package as the package is transported from a source location to a destination location in a manufacturing process, supply chain, and/or distribution network, the at least one signal including location event information that is sufficient to specify a location of the package at a time the at least one signal is received; and
(b) based upon the at least one signal, storing data representative of the location event information in memory of the electronic device so that the location of the package identified by the at least one signal can be subsequently ascertained by retrieving and analyzing the data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for use in a system comprising a plurality of location identification (ID) stations disposed at various locations between a source location and a destination location, each of the plurality of location ID stations being configured and arranged to wirelessly transmit at least one signal including location event information that is sufficient to specify a location of that location ID station, the apparatus comprising:
an electronic device comprising at least one of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a sensor adapted to monitor at least one physical or environmental condition of a package with which the sensor is associated, wherein the electronic device is configured to wirelessly receive the at least one signal from each of the plurality of location ID stations and to store received location event information in memory. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system, comprising:
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an electronic device to be associated with a package when the package is transported from a source location to a destination location in a manufacturing process, supply chain, and/or distribution network;
means for wirelessly transmitting at least one signal to the electronic device that includes location event information sufficient to specify a location of the package at the time the at least one signal is transmitted; and
means for receiving and processing the at least one signal with the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A location identification (ID) station for use in a system comprising a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags configured to receive signals from the location ID station and to take actions in response to receiving such signals, the location ID station comprising:
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a transmitter portion configured and arranged to wirelessly transmit, to each of the plurality of RFID tags, at least one first signal including location event information sufficient to specify a location of the location ID station; and
a receiver portion configured and arranged to wirelessly receive, from each of the plurality of RFID tags, at least one second signal comprising a unique identifier for one or more items with which that RFID tag is associated. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A method, comprising steps of:
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(a) wirelessly receiving at least one signal at an electronic device associated with a package as the package is transported from a source location to a destination location, the at least one signal comprising information sufficient to specify a location of the package at a time the at least one signal is received;
(b) based upon the at least one signal, storing data representative of the location in a memory of the electronic device;
(c) storing data representing a time at which the at least one signal was received in the memory of the electronic device;
(d) after performing the step (c), periodically storing markers that indicate whether the package is within a vicinity of a location identification (ID) station in the memory of the electronic device; and
(e) determining a duration during which the package was within the vicinity of the location based at least in part on the stored data representing the time at which the at least one signal was received and the subsequently stored markers. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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Specification