Intelligent reader system and method for identifying and tracking goods and materials transported in pallets, including but not limited to scaffolding materials

• US 20060232412A1
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jorge Tabacman & Associates P/L
• Original Assignee: Jorge Tabacman & Associates P/L
• Inventors: Tabacman, Jorge Oscar, King, Patrick F.
• Application Number:
  US11/403,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03

Abstract

An intelligent tracking system designed to accurately detect and track goods and/or materials present within a pallet. An identification reader is coupled to the pallet and used to detect identification devices, such as RFIDs, that are attached to the goods or materials contained therein. The pallet is constructed in a manner to allow and limit the identification reader to detect the identification devices that are contained only within the attached pallet. Thus, identification devices are automatically detected by the identification reader and information relating to the identification devices is stored in a database in order to track the contents of a specified pallet. In this manner, goods and/or materials can be continuously and accurately tracked for shipping or storing purposes in order to provide real-time tracking capabilities.

Claims

1. A system adapted to track items employing an electronic identification device, comprising:

a pallet adapted to hold one or more of the items; and

a reader coupled to the pallet and adapted to;

respond to an identification field within the pallet; and

detect an electronic identification device coupled to each of the one or more items when the one or more items are placed into the identification field.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is further adapted to:

store identification information corresponding to the electronic identification device in memory associated with the reader;

wherein the memory contains a record of the identification information of all the electronic identification devices contained within the pallet at a given time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pallet comprises a metallic material, and the identification field is partially formed as a result of identification signals reflecting off of the metallic material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification field is generated by a device from the group consisting of the electronic identification device and the reader.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pallet comprises mesh siding attached to a base of the pallet in order to surround the one or more items placed therein.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pallet comprises at least one corner post attached to a base, thereby creating an entry point that limits the area where the one or more items can be added and removed from the pallet.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one corner post is a post comprised from the group consisting of a square post and a tubular post.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one corner post further comprises an antenna integrally formed therein and coupled to the reader when the reader is coupled to the pallet to detect the electronic identification device.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the reader is coupled to the at least one corner post proximate the entry point to detect the electronic identification device when the one or more items are added and removed from the entry point of the pallet.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein a power line is integrally formed within the at least one corner post and is coupled to the reader to provide power to the reader when the reader is coupled to the pallet.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is further adapted to be removable from the pallet.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is coupled to a docking station that is coupled to the pallet in order to couple the reader to the pallet, wherein the reader is removable from the docking station.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is further adapted to transmit the record of the identification information to a system comprised from the group consisting of a docking station, a central computer, and a database.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification device is a device comprised from the group consisting of an active identification device, a passive identification device, and a semi-passive identification device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is further adapted to store, in memory associated with the reader, information about the identification device comprised from the group consisting of date information, time information, and pallet ID information when identification information corresponding to the electronic identification device is stored.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is further adapted to indicate a removed status corresponding to the electronic identification device when the electronic identification device coupled to each of the one or more items is removed from the pallet, thereby tracking the one or more items contained within the pallet at a given time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the reader is further adapted to include status information about the electronic identification device comprised from the group consisting of date information, time information, and pallet ID information as part of the removed status when the identification device coupled to each of the one or more items is removed from the pallet, thereby tracking the one or more items removed from the pallet at a given time.

18. A method of tracking items employing an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

responding to an identification field around a pallet adapted to hold one or more of the items when the reader is coupled to the pallet; and

detecting at the reader, an electronic identification device coupled to each of the one or more items when the one or more items are placed into the identification field.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of storing at the electronic reader, information related to the electronic identification device in memory coupled to the reader that contains a record of the information for all the electronic identification devices contained within the pallet at a given time.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of forming the identification field as a result of identification signals reflecting off metallic material of the pallet.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the pallet comprises mesh siding attached to a base of the pallet in order to surround the one or more items placed therein.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of creating an entry point by attaching at least one corner post to the pallet, wherein the one or more items are added and removed from the pallet.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising detecting the electronic identification device using a reader coupled to an antenna integrally formed in the at least one corner post.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising detecting the electronic identification device using the reader coupled to the at least one corner post.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing power to the reader by coupling the reader to a power line integrally formed within the at least one corner post.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the reader is coupled to a docking station that is coupled to the pallet in order to couple the reader to the pallet, wherein the reader is removable from the docking station.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of transmitting the record of the identification information to a system comprised from the group consisting of a docking station, a central computer, and a database.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the identification devices is a device comprised from the group consisting of an active identification device, a passive identification device, and a semi-passive identification device.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step storing, in memory associated with the reader, information about the identification device comprised from the group consisting of date information, time information, and pallet ID information, when identification information corresponding to the electronic identification device is stored.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of indicating a removed status corresponding to the electronic identification device coupled to each of the one or more items when the electronic identification device is removed from the pallet, thereby tracking the one or more items contained with the pallet at a given time.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of including status information about the electronic identification device comprised from the group consisting of date information, time information, and pallet ID information as part of the removed status when the identification device coupled to each of the one or more items is removed from the pallet, thereby tracking the one or more items removed from the pallet at a given time.