Apparatus and method for analyzing cross-enterprise radio frequency tag information

• US 20060232410A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Portiski Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Swan, Richard James
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The invention includes a computer readable medium with executable instructions to analyze radio frequency (RF) tag information. The executable instructions access cross-enterprise RF tag information, identify a product transition based upon the cross-enterprise RF tag information, define a new product path based upon the product transition, and apply logic to the new product path to facilitate cross-enterprise product flow analysis.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium including executable instructions to analyze radio frequency (RF) tag information, comprising executable instruction to:

access cross-enterprise RF tag information;

identify a product transition based upon said cross-enterprise RF tag information;

define a new product path based upon said product transition;

apply logic to said new product path to facilitate cross-enterprise product flow analysis.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to define a new product path include executable instructions to classify said new product path into a group with common product transition characteristics.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2 wherein said executable instructions to define a new product path include executable instructions to characterize a state sequence of said new product path.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to identify product flow exceptions.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply pattern matching between product paths and test templates.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply supply chain logic to said new product path.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply replenishment process failure logic to said new product path.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply trade promotion logic to said new product path.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply taxation logic to said new product path.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply regulatory compliance logic to said new product path.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply recall logic to said new product path.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply obsolescence logic to said new product path.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply cross-contamination logic to said new product path.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply unusual flow logic to said new product path.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply inventory shrinkage logic to said new product path.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply counterfeit identification logic to said new product path.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply unauthorized importation logic to said new product path.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply logic to analyze information selected from product transition events, product sources, product locations, product history, and product statistics.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions to apply logic include executable instructions to apply logic to analyze product path information selected from product transition boundary information, product absolute resident time information, and product transit information.