Method and system for outsourced RFID labeling and tracking

• US 20060282330A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seeburger AG
• Original Assignee: Seeburger AG
• Inventors: Frank, Christopher, Seeburger, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US11/148,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

Methods for outsourced radio frequency identification (RFID) labeling and tracking comprising the steps of providing a managed central server unit for handling and processing RFID label data and/or tracking data of labeled goods, whereas the central server unit can be remotely accessed by users via local clients; providing connecting means connecting the central server unit to RFID label printing devices at the users'"'"' facilities and/or connection means connecting the central server unit to RFID data reading devices located at the users'"'"' and/or their business partners'"'"' facilities at points of interest; handling and coordinating communications between the central server unit and the printing devices and/or the central server unit and the reading devices by the central server unit and controlling processes of the printing devices and/or the central server unit directly or indirectly by the central server unit, whereas the mentioned communications and process are remotely initiated by the users via the clients; handling and coordinating communications between the central server unit and the reading devices by the central server unit and controlling processes of the central server unit and/or the reading devices directly or indirectly by the central server unit, whereas the mentioned communications and processes are remotely initiated by the users via the clients; as well as systems and computer program products for realizing these methods.

Claims

1. Method for outsourced radio frequency identification (RFID) labeling comprising the steps of

Providing (70) a managed central server unit (1) for handling (82) and processing (84) RFID label data, whereas the central server unit (1) can be remotely accessed (74, 76, 78) by users (13a, 13b, 13c) via local clients (5a, 5b);

Providing (72) connecting means (3) connecting the central server unit to RFID label printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) located at the users'"'"' facilities;

handling and coordinating (82) communications between the central server unit (1) and the printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) by the central server unit (1) and controlling (84) processes of the printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) and/or the central server unit (1) directly or indirectly by the central server unit (1), whereas the mentioned communications and processes are remotely initiated (74) by the users (13a, 13b, 13c) via the clients.

3. Method for outsourced RFID labeling and tracking comprising the steps of claim 1.

4. Method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of running user interfaces, particularly graphical user interfaces, for remotely accessing (74, 76, 78) the central server unit (1) via the clients (5a, 5b) or for initiating (110) communications and/or processes on the central server unit (1).

5. Method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of running on the clients user interfaces, particularly graphical user interfaces, for remotely accessing (74, 76, 78) the central server unit (1) via the clients or for initiating (110) communications and/or processes.

6. Method according claim 1 further comprising the step of at least partly accessing (104) the central server unit using a secure or encrypted communication protocol, in particular a https protocol.

7. Method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of creating (99) within the central server unit billing information for each communication and/or process initiated (74;

110) by the user (13a, 13b) according to the content of the initiated (74;

110) communication or process.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the handling and coordinating (82) of communications, the controlling (84) of processes and the initiating (74;

110) of processes and/or communications comprise the following;

initiating (74;

110) a process or a communication by a user (13a, 13b) via a client (5a, 5c) by requesting (76) a desired service or information;

transferring (76) this request to the central server unit (1) using a certain transmission protocol, preferably the ebXML protocol;

authenticating (78) the requesting user (13a, 13b);

invoking (80) at least one process at the central server unit (1) corresponding to the made request;

transferring results (86) of this at least one process to the concerned clients (5e) and/or printing and/or reading devices (7a, 7c, 9) using a certain transmission protocol, preferably the ebXML protocol;

invoking (92) at the concerned clients (5e) and/or printing (7a, 7c) and/or reading devices (9) processes in accordance with the results of the at least one central server unit process, in particular display and/or printing and/or reading processes.

9. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of automatically configuring clients in reaction to their request to the central server unit.

2. Method for outsourced RFID tracking comprising the steps of:

providing (70) a managed central server unit (1) for handling (82) and processing (84) RFID label data and tracking data of labeled goods, whereas the central server unit (1) can be remotely accessed (74, 76, 78) by users (13a, 13b, 13c) via local clients (5a, 5b);

providing (72) connecting means (3) connecting the central server unit (1) to RFID data reading devices (9) located at the users'"'"' and/or their business partners'"'"' facilities at points of interest (11a, 11b);

handling and coordinating (82) communications between the central server unit (1) and the reading devices (9) by the central server unit (1) and controlling (84) processes of the central server unit (1) and/or the reading devices (9) directly or indirectly by the central server unit (1), whereas the mentioned communications and processes are remotely initiated (74) by the users (13a, 13b) via the clients (5a, 5b).

10. System for outsourced RFID labeling, comprising:

a managed central server unit (1) remotely accessible for users via local clients (5a, 5b, 5c);

RFID label printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) located a the users'"'"' facilities;

lines and/or a network architecture (3) via which a connection between the central server unit (1) and the printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) can be established;

a user interface engine (50;

36) for providing user interfaces allowing the users (13a, 13b, 13c) to initiate via the clients (5a, 5b, 5c) processes at the central server unit (1) and/or at at least one of the printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) and/or to initiate data transfer between the central server unit (1) and at least one of the printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d).

12. System for outsourced RFID labeling and tracking, comprising the features of claims 10.

13. System according to claim 10, wherein the central server unit (1) and/or the clients (5a, 5b, 5c) and/or the reading devices (9) and/or the printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) comprise encryption and/or decryption means (22) for sending and/or receiving data via a secure or encrypted communication protocol (22), in particular via a https protocol (22).

14. System according to claim 10, wherein the central server unit (1) comprises a gateway (24), preferably an ebXML gateway (24), for parsing and/or verifying the content of data streams reaching the central server unit (1) via the lines or a network architecture (3) and/or for client authentication.

15. System according to claim 10, wherein the central server unit (1) comprises a service handling device (26), a processing control unit and a queue, whereas the processing control unit and the queue can be accessed by the service handling device (26).

16. System according to claim 10, wherein the central server unit (1) comprises a user interface engine (36), particularly a graphical user interface (GUI) engine (36), for providing a requested user interface or dialog to the user (13d) via the client (5d).

17. System according to claim 10, wherein the central server unit (1) comprises a data control unit (30) capable of relational database management system (RDBMS) functionality.

18. System according to claim 10, wherein at least one client (5a) comprises a service handling device (52) capable of creating communication or process initiation messages, preferably with the help of a gateway (54), and/or of generating a digital signature for authentication purposes.

19. System according to claim 10, wherein a gateway (54) is provided in at least one client, preferably an ebXML gateway (54), for parsing the central server unit'"'"'s (1) response to communication or process initiation messages and/or verifying the contents of these messages and invoking corresponding processes by passing on received data to a service handling device (52).

20. System according to claim 10 wherein at least one client (5a) is provided with a printing device interface (66) and/or a reading device interface (68), to which printing (7a) and/or reading devices (9) can be connected.

11. System for outsourced RFID tracking, comprising:

a managed central server unit (1) remotely accessible to users via local clients (5a, 5b, 5c);

RFID data reading devices (9) located at the users'"'"' and/or their business partners'"'"' facilities at points of interest (11a, 11d, 11e);

lines and/or a network architecture (3), via which a connection between a central server unit (1) and the reading devices (9) can be established;

a user interface engine (50, 36) for providing user interfaces allowing the users to initiate via the clients processes at the central server unit (1) and/or at at least one reading device (9) and/or to initiate data transfer between the central server unit (1) and at least one reading device (9).

21. Computer program product embodied on a machine-readable medium for outsourced RFID labeling comprising:

instructions for managing a central server unit (1);

instructions for handling and processing RFID label data on the central server unit (1);

instructions for providing to users remote access to the central server unit (1) via local clients (5a, 5b, 5c);

instructions for transferring data between the central server unit (1) and RFID label printing devices (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) via connecting means (3);

instructions for handling and coordinating communications between the central server unit and the printing devices by the central server unit and for controlling processes of the printing devices and/or the central server unit directly of indirectly by the central server unit;

instructions for initiating the mentioned communications and processes remotely by the users via the clients.

23. Computer program product according claim 21 further comprising instructions creating within the central server unit billing information for each communication and/or process initiated by the user according to the content of the initiated communication or process.

24. Computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the instructions for handling and coordinating communications, the instructions for controlling processes and the instruction for initiating processes and/or communications comprise the following:

instructions for initiating the process or communication by a user via a client by requesting a desired service or information;

instructions for transferring this request to the central server unit using a certain transmission protocol, preferably the ebXML protocol;

instructions for authenticating the requesting user;

instructions for invoking at least one process corresponding to the made request at the central server unit;

instructions for transferring results of this at least one process to the concerned clients and/or printing and/or reading devices using a certain transmission protocol, preferably the ebXML protocol;

instructions for invoking at the concerned clients and/or printing and/or reading devices processes in accordance with the results of the at least one central server unit process, in particular display and/or printing and/or reading processes.

22. Computer program product embodied on a machine-readable medium for outsourced RFID tracking comprising:

instructions for managing a central server unit;

instructions for handling and processing RFID label data and tracking data of labeled goods;

instructions for providing to users remote access to the central server unit via local clients;

instructions for transferring data between the central server unit and RFID data reading devices via connecting means;

instructions for handling and coordinating communications between the central server unit and the reading devices by the central server unit and for controlling processes of the reading devices and/or the central server unit directly or indirectly by the central server unit;

instructions for initiating mentioned communications and processes remotely by the users via the clients.