RF IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS FOR PALLET CONVEYANCES
First Claim
1. An apparatus for reading RF identification transponders in picked goods loaded on a pallet conveyance having a pallet support for conveying the picked goods, comprising:
- a) an RFID interrogator for triggering the transponders and receiving and decoding replies;
b) at least one vertically movable antenna mount, mounted to the pallet support for movement therewith, the mount being moveable from a base level adjacent to a pallet supported by the pallet support to a level at least even with the top of a load of picked goods on the pallet support;
c) at least one antenna mounted to the antenna mount and coupled to the interrogator;
d) at least one object sensor adjacent to at least one antenna;
e) a control unit coupled to the interrogator for initiating interrogation of transponders and accepting decoded replies, to the antenna mount for controlling the level of the antenna mounted on the mount, and to the object sensor for detecting the presence of goods adjacent to the object sensor, such that when picked goods are loaded on the pallet support, the interrogator triggers the transponders in the goods and sends decoded replies to the control unit, and if the object sensor senses the presence of the goods blocking the antenna, the control unit controls the movable antenna mount to raise the antenna mount above the goods.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for reading RFID tags of picked goods as they are loaded onto a picked pallet, and a method of picking and tracking goods using the device. The invention is mounted on a pallet support on a pallet conveyance, and has an RFID interrogator connected to at least one antenna mounted on a vertically movable antenna mount. The interrogator triggers the transponders in the goods and sends the decoded replies to the control unit. An object sensor adjacent to the antenna senses the presence of goods, and a control unit controls the movable antenna mount to raise the antenna mount above the goods. A computer having a display visible to an operator loading the pallet conveyance is used to communicate with the operator, confirming the loaded goods are the correct ones, and tracking inventory loaded on the conveyance. A barcode reader may be located on the antenna mount.
16 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus for reading RF identification transponders in picked goods loaded on a pallet conveyance having a pallet support for conveying the picked goods, comprising:
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a) an RFID interrogator for triggering the transponders and receiving and decoding replies;
b) at least one vertically movable antenna mount, mounted to the pallet support for movement therewith, the mount being moveable from a base level adjacent to a pallet supported by the pallet support to a level at least even with the top of a load of picked goods on the pallet support;
c) at least one antenna mounted to the antenna mount and coupled to the interrogator;
d) at least one object sensor adjacent to at least one antenna;
e) a control unit coupled to the interrogator for initiating interrogation of transponders and accepting decoded replies, to the antenna mount for controlling the level of the antenna mounted on the mount, and to the object sensor for detecting the presence of goods adjacent to the object sensor, such that when picked goods are loaded on the pallet support, the interrogator triggers the transponders in the goods and sends decoded replies to the control unit, and if the object sensor senses the presence of the goods blocking the antenna, the control unit controls the movable antenna mount to raise the antenna mount above the goods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of identifying picked goods having RF identification transponders while the goods are loaded on a picked pallet conveyance having a pallet support for conveying the picked goods, and a reading apparatus comprising an RFID interrogator for triggering the transponders and receiving and decoding replies;
- at least one vertically movable antenna mount, mounted to the pallet support for movement therewith, the mount being moveable from a base level adjacent to a pallet supported by the pallet support to a level at least even with the top of a load of picked goods on the pallet support;
at least one antenna mounted to the antenna mount and coupled to the interrogator;
at least one object sensor adjacent to at least one antenna;
a controller coupled to the interrogator for initiating interrogation of transponders and accepting decoded replies, to the antenna mount for controlling the level of the antenna mounted on the mount, and to the object sensor for detecting the presence of goods adjacent to the object sensor, the method comprising the steps of;
a) loading a case onto the picked pallet with the RF identification transponder facing the antenna;
b) interrogating the transponder in the case, and sending information from the transponder to the controller;
c) decoding the information from the transponder;
d) displaying on a user interface identification of items loaded;
e) using the object sensor, detecting if the case is blocking the antenna, and if the case is blocking the antenna, raising the antenna mount until the antenna is positioned to read the transponder on a next case to be loaded;
f) if there are more cases to be picked, repeating the method from step (a). - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- at least one vertically movable antenna mount, mounted to the pallet support for movement therewith, the mount being moveable from a base level adjacent to a pallet supported by the pallet support to a level at least even with the top of a load of picked goods on the pallet support;
Specification