RFID material tracking method and apparatus

• US 20060267777A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keystone Technology Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US11/491,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267777A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for tracking items use a RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag with a material tracking system capable of real-time location and identification of items. RFID tags are attached to the item to be tracked.

Claims

1. A method of attaching an identification tag to an object, the method comprising:

forming a shallow polypropylene cup;

attaching a radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup; and

attaching the polypropylene cup to the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes placing a bar code label in the polypropylene cup.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes placing an radio frequency identification tag containing a manufacturer serial number in the polypropylene cup.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes molding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes associating manufacturing lot information with the radio frequency identification tag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the polypropylene cup to the object includes attaching the polypropylene cup to a wafer box.

7. A method of attaching an identification tag to an object, the method comprising:

forming a shallow polypropylene cup;

welding a radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup; and

attaching the polypropylene cup to the object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein welding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes welding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup ultrasonically.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the method includes removing the radio frequency identification tag from the polypropylene cup at completion of a production cycle.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein welding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes placing a bar code label in the polypropylene cup.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein welding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes placing an radio frequency identification tag containing a manufacturer serial number in the polypropylene cup.

12. A method of attaching an identification tag to an object, the method comprising:

forming a shallow polypropylene cup;

attaching a radio frequency identification to the polypropylene cup; and

welding the polypropylene cup to the object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein welding the polypropylene cup to the object includes welding the polypropylene cup to the object ultrasonically.

14. The method of claim 12, the method includes removing the radio frequency identification tag from the polypropylene cup at the completion of a production cycle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes placing a bar code label in the polypropylene cup.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes placing an radio frequency identification tag containing a manufacturer serial number in the polypropylene cup.

17. A method of attaching an identification tag to an object, the method comprising:

forming a shallow polypropylene cup;

welding a radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup ultrasonically;

welding the polypropylene cup to the object ultrasonically; and

associating the radio frequency identification tag with manufacturer data regarding the object.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method includes removing the radio frequency identification tag from the polypropylene cup at the completion of a production cycle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein welding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes welding a bar code label to the polypropylene cup.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein welding the radio frequency identification tag to the polypropylene cup includes welding an radio frequency identification tag containing a manufacturer serial number to the polypropylene cup.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein associating the radio frequency identification tag with manufacturer data includes associating the radio frequency identification tag with manufacturer data provided to a database.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein associating the radio frequency identification tag with manufacturer data includes generating historical information regarding the object to which the identification is attached.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the method includes:

removing the radio frequency identification tag from the polypropylene cup at the completion of a production cycle;

recycling the radio frequency identification tag for attachment to a second object; and

associating the radio frequency identification tag with manufacturer data regarding the second object.