Inventory management system using RFID

• US 20050258961A1
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Kimball, James F., Leonard, Stephen B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

An inventory management system is provided that includes an RFID interrogator and corresponding RFID tags that are placed on items to be monitored. The tags can be used to monitor the storage time of food items stored in a refrigerator or pantry, the time in use of replaceable items such as toilet bowl cleaners, or the nature of laundry items being washed. The interrogator can be coupled to a display providing various reports on the status of such items. Also disclosed are devices for dispensing such RFID tags.

Claims

1. A management system for determining the time that a selected perishable food product has been monitored, the system comprising:

a radio frequency identification tag suitable to be linked to the perishable food product or a container therefor; and

an interrogator suitable to interrogate the radio frequency identification tag, the interrogator comprising a processor that can execute a stored program to;

i. apply an initial interrogation signal to the identification tag as one begins to monitor the food product;

ii. receive an initial response signal from the identification tag in response to the initial interrogation signal, wherein the initial response signal has tag identification information;

iii. store the tag identification information along with an indication of an initial monitoring time;

iv. apply a subsequent interrogation signal to the identification tag, wherein the subsequent interrogation signal occurs after the initial interrogation signal;

v. receive a subsequent response signal from the identification tag in response to the subsequent interrogation signal, wherein the subsequent response signal includes the tag identification; and

vi. determine an elapsed time between the initial monitoring time and the time of the subsequent response signal.

2. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the system is for use with a food storage cabinet selected from the group consisting of refrigerators, pantries and other cabinets.

3. The management system as recited in claim 2, wherein the interrogator is configured to be mounted onto a surface of the cabinet.

4. The management system as recited in claim 3, wherein the surface is a door.

5. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrogator further comprises a timer.

6. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrogator further comprises a display configured to output the time that the food product has been monitored.

7. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrogator can also receive an identification of a characteristic of the food product.

8. The management system as recited in claim 7, wherein the characteristic of the food product is displayed along with the time that the food product has been monitored.

9. The management system as recited in claim 8, wherein the identification of the food product characteristic can be transmitted to the interrogator from the identification tag.

10. The management system as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the characteristic of the food product and the elapsed time can be audibly output by the interrogator.

11. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrogator further comprises inputs that assign a classification to the tag, wherein the classification can be displayed to a user upon subsequent scannings of the tag.

12. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrogator further can store expiration information for the food product.

13. The management system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an external processor coupled to the interrogator for maintaining a database of food product characteristic information and storage initiation time information.

14. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interrogator comprises an antenna mounted on a door and extending inward therefrom, and a display facing outwardly from the door.

15. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the tag is attached to a food storage container.

16. The management system as recited in claim 15, wherein the tag is attached to a storage container fastener.

17. The management system as recited in claim 16, wherein a switch is linked to the fastener that activates the tag when the switch is closed.

18. The management system as recited in claim 15, wherein the container includes an integral antenna that is connected to at least a portion of the identification tag.

19. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification tag is passive in the absence of interrogation.

20. The management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification tag is active even in the absence of interrogation.

21. A method for determining the time that a selected perishable food product has been stored in a selected cabinet, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a system comprising a radio frequency identification tag and an interrogator configured to produce an interrogation signal and receive a response signal from the tag in response to the interrogation signal;

(b) applying an initial interrogation signal to the identification tag;

(c) receiving at the interrogator an initial response signal from the identification tag in response to the initial interrogation signal, wherein the initial response signal includes a tag identification;

(d) storing the tag identification along with an indication of an initial storage time;

(e) applying a subsequent interrogation signal to the identification tag;

(f) receiving a subsequent response signal from the identification tag in response to the subsequent interrogation signal, wherein the subsequent response signal includes tag identification information; and

(g) determining an elapsed storage time of the food product based at least in part on the initial storage time.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising outputting food product identification and/or tag information for selected stored food products corresponding to a common storage timing parameter.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the common storage timing parameter is a minimum storage time threshold.

24. A management system for determining the time that a selected item is to be replaced, refilled or otherwised maintained, the system comprising:

a radio frequency identification tag suitable to be linked to the item, or suitable to be linked to a container therefor; and

an interrogator suitable to interrogate the radio frequency identification tag, the interrogator comprising a processor that can execute a stored program to;

i. apply an initial interrogation signal to the identification tag essentially when monitoring of the item begins;

ii. receive an initial response signal from the identification tag in response to the initial interrogation signal, wherein the initial response signal has tag identification information;

iii. store the tag identification information;

iv. apply a subsequent interrogation signal to the identification tag, wherein the subsequent interrogation signal occurs after the initial interrogation signal;

v. receive a subsequent response signal from the identification tag in response to the subsequent interrogation signal, wherein the subsequent response signal includes the tag identification; and

vi. determine from the nature of the response signal whether refill, replacement or other maintenance with respect to the item is appropriate.

25. The inventory management system of claim 24, wherein the tag is linked to a sensor that monitors a condition of the item, the sensor modifying the nature of the response signal that the tag sends when the item is ready for refill, replacement or other maintenance.

26. The inventory management system of claim 24, wherein the system also outputs a signal when it has determined that a selectable item is ready to be replaced, refilled, or otherwise maintained.

27. The inventory management system of claim 24, wherein the item is selected from the group consisting of air fresheners, insecticides, toilet bowl cleaners and air filters.

28. A management system for determining the time that a selected perishable food product has been monitored, the system comprising:

an identifier suitable to be linked to the perishable food product or a container therefor; and

a reader suitable to receive information from the identifier, the reader comprising a processor that can execute a stored program to;

i. apply an initial read signal to the identifier as one begins to monitor the food product;

ii. receive an initial response signal from the identifier in response to the initial signal, wherein the initial response signal has identification information related to the identifier;

iii. store the identification information along with an indication of an initial monitoring time;

iv. apply a subsequent read signal to the identifier, wherein the subsequent read signal occurs after the initial read signal;

v. receive a subsequent response signal from the identifier in response to the subsequent read signal, wherein the subsequent response signal includes the identification information related to the identifier; and

vi. determine an elapsed time between the initial monitoring time and the time of the subsequent response signal.

29. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the indicator is an RFID tag.

30. The management system as recited in claim 29, wherein the reader is an RFID interrogator, and the read signal is an interrogation signal.

31. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the indicator is a barcode.

32. The management system as recited in claim 31, wherein the reader is a barcode reader, and the read signal comprises a beam of light.

33. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the response signals comprise light signals reflected from the barcode.

34. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the reader further comprises a display configured to output the time that the food product has been monitored.

35. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the reader can also receive an identification of a characteristic of the food product, and wherein the characteristic of the food product can be displayed along with the time that the food product has been monitored.

36. The management system as recited in claim 35, wherein the identification of the food product characteristic can be transmitted to the reader from the identifier.

37. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the reader further comprises inputs that assign a classification to the identifier, wherein the classification can be displayed to a user upon subsequent scannings of the identifier.

38. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the reader further can store expiration information for the food product.

39. The management system as recited in claim 28, further comprising an external processor coupled to the reader for maintaining a database of food product characteristic information and storage initiation time information.

40. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the identifier is attached to a food storage container.

41. The management system as recited in claim 28, wherein the identifier is attached to a storage container fastener.

42. A method for determining the time that a selected item is ready to be replaced, refilled or otherwise maintained, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a system comprising a radio frequency identification tag and an interrogator configured to produce an interrogation signal and receive a response signal from the tag in response to the interrogation signal;

(b) applying an initial interrogation signal to the identification tag;

(c) receiving at the interrogator an initial response signal from the identification tag in response to the initial interrogation signal, wherein the initial response signal includes a tag identification;

(d) storing the tag identification;

(e) applying a subsequent interrogation signal to the identification tag;

(f) receiving a subsequent response signal from the identification tag in response to the subsequent interrogation signal, wherein the subsequent response signal includes tag identification information; and

(g) determining from the nature of the response signal whether the item is ready to be replaced, refilled or otherwise maintained.

43. A management system for articles of clothing, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification tags, at least one of these tags being attached to each of the articles of clothing within the system, wherein each such tag includes tag identification data and category data;

an interrogator attached to or proximately positioned adjacent a clothes treatment machine and capable of executing a stored program to;

i. produce an interrogation signal as articles of clothing are placed into the clothes treatment machine;

ii. receive response signals from the corresponding identification tags in response to the interrogation signal; and

iii. determine from the response signals whether all of said tagged articles of clothing entering the clothes treatment machine belong to the same category.

44. The management system as recited in claim 43, wherein the interrogator further operates the stored program to provide washing instructions for the articles of clothing.