RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TAG BASED TASK EFFECTUATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20070252709A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Timothy, Rachwalski, Richard, Devanie, Katherine
• Granted Patent: US 7,528,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An identifier of choice is correlated (102) with a predetermined task that potentially comprises a plurality of discrete human-enabled events. At least some of these discrete human-enabled events are then associated (104) with a corresponding capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag and the identifier then used (105) to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task. By one approach this monitoring comprises, at least in part, monitoring human-based task effectuation events via the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

correlating an identifier with a predetermined task that potentially comprises a plurality of discrete human-enabled events;

associating at least some of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events with a corresponding capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag;

using the identifier to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task, at least in part, by monitoring human-based task effectuation events via the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier comprises a substantially unique identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined task comprises at least one of:

a training activity;

an assembly activity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of discrete human-enabled events are to be carried out by one of:

a single human;

a plurality of humans.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein associating at least some of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events with a corresponding capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag comprises associating each of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events with a corresponding capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a plurality of capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag reader antennas for wherein at least some of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag reader antennas are positioned proximal to selected ones of the human-based task effectuation events.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein using the identifier to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task, at least in part, by monitoring human-based task effectuation events via the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags comprises detecting when a human makes physical contact with given ones of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the human provides a path to ground upon making the physical contact with given ones of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein providing a plurality of capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag reader antennas comprises, at least in part, providing a dispenser for a task-completion component wherein the task-completion component comprises a capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag and the dispenser comprises a capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag reader antenna.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein associating at least some of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events with a corresponding capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag comprises, at least in part, at least one of:

combining a product container with one of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags;

combining a product ingredient dispenser with one of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags;

combining a product bearing surface with one of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically providing instructions to at least one human regarding at least one of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events as a function, at least in part, of the identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein using the identifier to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task, at least in part, by monitoring human-based task effectuation events via the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags comprises, at least in part, monitoring compliance by the at least one human with respect to the instructions.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein

correlating an identifier with a predetermined task comprises correlating a customer-based purchase order identifier with a customer-specified meal;

associating at least some of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events with a corresponding capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag comprises combining capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags with specific human-enabled events relate to assembly of the customer-specified meal;

using the identifier to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task, at least in part, by monitoring human-based task effectuation events via the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags comprises detecting when the assembly of the customer-specified meal proceeds other than in a predetermined manner.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured and arranged to;

correlate an identifier with a predetermined task that potentially comprises a plurality of discrete human-enabled events;

use the identifier to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task, at least in part, by monitoring human-based task effectuation events via capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags that are each associated with a corresponding discrete human-enabled event as relates to effectuation of the predetermined task.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to monitor the human-based task effectuation events by receiving information from a plurality of capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag reader antennas wherein at least some of the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tag reader antennas are positioned proximal to selected ones of the human-based task effectuation events.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to dynamically provide instructions to at least one human regarding at least one of the plurality of discrete human-enabled events as a function, at least in part, of the identifier.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to use the identifier to monitor effectuation of the predetermined task, at least in part, by monitoring human-based task effectuation events via the capacitively-coupled radio frequency identification tags by, at least in part, monitoring compliance by the at least one human with respect to the instructions.

16. The apparatus of 15 wherein the processor is further configured and arranged to use the information to identify particularly popular product configurations.