EMBEDDED RFID SCANNER FOR MOBILE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
First Claim
1. A method for reading information from a signal-emitting device, comprising:
- a) providing an electronic reading device mounted to a body-worn harness adapted to be worn on a body of a user;
b) detecting a predefined physical configuration assumed by at least a portion of the body by determining that a pressure value measured via a pressure sensor connected to the body-worn harness is above a threshold pressure value; and
c) in response to detecting the predefined physical configuration, activating the electronic reading device, wherein, upon being activated, the electronic reading device is configured to receive a signal from the signal-emitting device, the signal containing data pertaining to a physical object associated with the signal-emitting device.
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Abstract
The present invention generally provides methods and systems for reading information from a signal-emitting device, such as a wireless identification tag. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an electronic reading device mounted to a body-worn harness adapted to be worn on a body of a user. The method further includes detecting a predefined physical configuration assumed by at least a portion of the body by determining that a pressure value measured via a pressure sensor connected to the body-worn harness is above a threshold pressure value. In response to detecting the predefined physical configuration, the electronic reading device is activated. Upon being activated, the electronic reading device is configured to receive a signal from the signal-emitting device, the signal containing data pertaining to a physical object associated with the signal-emitting device.
37 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for reading information from a signal-emitting device, comprising:
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a) providing an electronic reading device mounted to a body-worn harness adapted to be worn on a body of a user;
b) detecting a predefined physical configuration assumed by at least a portion of the body by determining that a pressure value measured via a pressure sensor connected to the body-worn harness is above a threshold pressure value; and
c) in response to detecting the predefined physical configuration, activating the electronic reading device, wherein, upon being activated, the electronic reading device is configured to receive a signal from the signal-emitting device, the signal containing data pertaining to a physical object associated with the signal-emitting device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for reading a wireless identification tag, comprising:
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a) measuring a pressure value via a pressure sensor connected to a hand-mounted device;
b) determining if the pressure value measured via the pressure sensor is above a threshold pressure value; and
c) if so, wirelessly reading tag data from the wireless identification tag via an antenna connected to the hand-mounted device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A tangible computer readable medium including instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method comprising:
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a) measuring a pressure value via a pressure sensor connected to a hand-mounted device;
b) determining if the pressure value measured via the pressure sensor is above a threshold pressure value; and
c) if so, wirelessly reading tag data from a wireless identification tag via an antenna connected to the hand-mounted device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A device comprising:
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a) a hand-mounted device with an antenna;
b) a pressure sensor connected to the hand-mounted device; and
c) circuitry configured to;
i) measure a pressure value via the pressure sensor;
ii) determine if the pressure value measured via the pressure sensor is above a threshold pressure value; and
iii) if so, activate the antenna and wirelessly read tag data from a wireless identification tag. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for product management, comprising:
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a) wirelessly reading tag data from an identification tag using a hand-mounted identification tag reader; and
b) transmitting the tag data from the hand-mounted identification tag reader to a first computing system, wherein the first computing system is configured to receive additional tag information corresponding to the tag data from a user. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for product management, comprising:
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a) activating a hand-mounted wireless identification tag reader in response to a pressure exerted against a pressure sensor of the hand-mounted wireless identification tag reader; and
b) wirelessly reading identification tag data from an identification tag located in a handle portion of a product using the activated hand-mounted wireless identification tag reader.
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37. A device comprising:
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a) a hand-mounted device for reading a wireless identification tag; and
b) an antenna connected to the hand-mounted device for performing communication with the wireless identification tag, wherein the antenna is positioned between a first digit of a user'"'"'s hand and a second digit of the user'"'"'s hand.
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38. A hand-mounted device comprising:
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a) a hand sensor;
b) a wireless tag reader; and
c) circuitry configured to;
i) determine, using the hand sensor, whether a user is wearing the hand-mounted device; and
ii) if the user is wearing the hand-mounted device, activating the wireless tag reader, wherein the wireless tag reader, when activated, is configured to automatically read wireless tag data from a wireless identification tag placed within a threshold distance from the wireless tag reader. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A hand-mounted device comprising:
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a) a pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is mounted on one or more of the digits of a hand of a user;
b) a wireless tag reader; and
c) circuitry configured to;
i) measure a pressure value via the pressure sensor;
ii) determine if the pressure value measured via the pressure sensor is above a threshold pressure value; and
iii) if so, read wireless tag data from a wireless identification tag.
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41. A device comprising:
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a) a hand-mounted device for reading a wireless identification tag; and
b) circuitry configured to;
i) receive tag data from a wireless identification tag via the hand-mounted device; and
ii) combine the tag data in a data entry, wherein the data entry includes an identification of a user of the hand-mounted device. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for reading information from a signal-emitting device, comprising:
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a) receiving, from a signal-emitting device, an identification value corresponding to a product, the signal-emitting device being activated in response to an electronic reading device reading a RF ID tag disposed on a gas cylinder, wherein the electronic reading device is mounted to a body-worn harness adapted to be worn on a body of a user and wherein the electronic reading device is configured to read the RF ID tag upon determining that a pressure value measured via a pressure sensor connected to the body-worn harness is above a threshold pressure value; and
b) transmitting the identification value and tracking data corresponding to the product to a computer system configured to record the tracking data. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method of tracking gas cylinders, comprising:
a) receiving, by a tracking system, data corresponding to gas cylinders;
the information having been transmitted from one or more RF ID tag readers and transmitters, the RF ID tag readers and transmitters each configured to;
i) read RF ID tags disposed on the gas cylinders;
ii) transmit the information to the tracking system; and
iii) on the basis of the received data, track respective locations of the gas cylinders.
Specification