System and Method for Swapping Tag Reads Based on Statistical Analysis of Known Environment

• US 20070279224A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Branigan, James Peter, Graveline, Angela Susan, Pring, Lisa M., Smith, Gregory Covert
• Granted Patent: US 7,538,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A system, method, and program product that identifies radio frequency identifier (RFID) tags destined for another RFID reader without the need for physically shielding the RFID readers from one another is provided. RFID tags affixed to pallets and goods being received are read by an RFID reader at a first portal. The tags that are read are compared with expected tag information that is included in a manifest sent from the shipper to the receiver. When cross-reads occur, RFID tags are read by other RFID readers. Based on comparing the RFID tags that are received with the manifest, the system determines whether the RFID tags are being unloaded at a different portal (e.g., at a nearby loading dock). When such items are identified, the first portal transmits the RFID tag information to the other portal(s).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for swapping tag information, said method comprising:

reading a plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to objects, the reading performed at a first portal by a first RFID reader;

retrieving manifest data corresponding to the objects, the manifest data including a plurality of expected identifiers;

comparing the expected identifiers to the plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the first RFID reader;

identifying, based on the comparison, that one or more of the read radio frequency identifiers correspond to a shipment arriving at a second portal with tags being read by a second RFID reader; and

transmitting the identified radio frequency identifiers to the second RFID reader.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a first computer software process manages the first RFID reader and a second computer software process manages the second RFID reader, and wherein the transmitting further comprises:

sending the identified radio frequency identifiers from the first computer software process to the second computer software process.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the reading is performed during unloading of the objects, the method further comprising:

prior to the start of the unloading, performing an initial read from the first RFID reader, the initial read resulting in a plurality of initial radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a plurality of objects;

comparing the initial radio frequency identifiers to the manifest data; and

identifying, based on the comparison, one or more pallet-level radio frequency identifiers corresponding to one or more pallets of objects that are not to be unloaded.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

after unloading has commenced, reading the plurality of radio frequency identifiers wherein one of the read radio frequency identifiers was not included in the initial radio frequency identifiers but does correspond to one of the identified pallet-level radio frequency identifiers; and

signaling a warning to an operator unloading the shipment that one of the pallets currently being moved should not be unloaded.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the transmitting of the identified radio frequency identifiers further comprises:

checking if the identified radio frequency identifiers correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded, wherein the transmitting is only performed for those identified radio frequency identifier that do not correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

processing a batch of radio frequency identifiers, wherein the batch of radio frequency identifiers includes the plurality of read radio frequency identifiers and one or more radio frequency identifiers transmitted to the first RFID reader by one or more RFID readers that correspond to one or more secondary portals, the processing of the batch of radio frequency identifiers including;

searching the manifest data that identifies radio frequency identifiers scheduled for the first portal (first portal manifest data) for each radio frequency identifier included in the batch of radio frequency identifiers;

in response to not finding one or more of the radio frequency identifiers in the first portal manifest data;

for each of the radio frequency identifiers not found in the first portal manifest data,

searching the manifest data that identifies radio frequency identifiers scheduled for other portals (other manifest data); and

performing the transmitting in response to finding the radio frequency identifiers in the other manifest data;

in response to not finding the radio frequency identifiers in either the first portal manifest data or the other manifest data;

checking if the radio frequency identifiers correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded; and

warning the operator in response to each radio frequency identifiers that was not read during the initial read but corresponds to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein there is no shielding between the first RFID reader and other RFID readers.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a nonvolatile storage area accessible by at least one of the processors;

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers that read radio frequency identifiers; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein one or more of the processors executes the set of instructions in order to perform actions of;

reading a plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to objects, the reading performed at a first portal by a first RFID reader selected from the plurality of RFID readers;

retrieving manifest data corresponding to the objects, the manifest data including a plurality of expected identifiers;

comparing the expected identifiers to the plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the first RFID reader;

identifying, based on the comparison, that one or more of the read radio frequency identifiers correspond to a shipment arriving at a second portal with tags being read by a second RFID reader from the plurality of RFID readers; and

transmitting the identified radio frequency identifiers to a memory corresponding to the second RFID reader.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein a first computer software process executed by the processors manages the first RFID reader and a second computer software process executed by the processors manages the second RFID reader, and wherein the transmitting further comprises a set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

sending the identified radio frequency identifiers from the first computer software process to the second computer software process.

10. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the reading is performed during unloading of the objects, the information handling system further comprising a set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

prior to the start of the unloading, performing an initial read from the first RFID reader, the initial read resulting in a plurality of initial radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a plurality of objects;

comparing the initial radio frequency identifiers to the manifest data; and

identifying, based on the comparison, one or more pallet-level radio frequency identifiers corresponding to one or more pallets of objects that are not to be unloaded.

11. The information handling system of claim 10 further comprising:

after unloading has commenced, reading the plurality of radio frequency identifiers wherein one of the read radio frequency identifiers was not included in the initial radio frequency identifiers but does correspond to one of the identified pallet-level radio frequency identifiers; and

signaling a warning to an operator unloading the shipment that one of the pallets currently being moved should not be unloaded.

12. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the transmitting of the identified radio frequency identifiers further comprises a set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

checking if the identified radio frequency identifiers correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded, wherein the transmitting is only performed for those identified radio frequency identifier that do not correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 further comprising a set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

processing a batch of radio frequency identifiers, wherein the batch of radio frequency identifiers includes the plurality of read radio frequency identifiers and one or more radio frequency identifiers transmitted to the first RFID reader by one or more RFID readers that correspond to one or more secondary portals, the processing of the batch of radio frequency identifiers including;

searching the manifest data that identifies radio frequency identifiers scheduled for the first portal (first portal manifest data) for each radio frequency identifier included in the batch of radio frequency identifiers;

in response to not finding one or more of the radio frequency identifiers in the first portal manifest data;

for each of the radio frequency identifiers not found in the first portal manifest data, searching the manifest data that identifies radio frequency identifiers scheduled for other portals (other manifest data); and

performing the transmitting in response to finding the radio frequency identifiers in the other manifest data;

in response to not finding the radio frequency identifiers in either the first portal manifest data or the other manifest data;

checking if the radio frequency identifiers correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded; and

warning the operator in response to each radio frequency identifiers that was not read during the initial read but corresponds to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded.

14. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein there is no shielding between the first RFID reader and other RFID readers.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein a first computer software process manages the first RFID reader and a second computer software process manages the second RFID reader, and wherein the transmitting further comprises functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

sending the identified radio frequency identifiers from the first computer software process to the second computer software process.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the reading is performed during unloading of the objects, the computer program product further comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

prior to the start of the unloading, performing an initial read from the first RFID reader, the initial read resulting in a plurality of initial radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a plurality of objects;

comparing the initial radio frequency identifiers to the manifest data; and

identifying, based on the comparison, one or more pallet-level radio frequency identifiers corresponding to one or more pallets of objects that are not to be unloaded.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

after unloading has commenced, reading the plurality of radio frequency identifiers wherein one of the read radio frequency identifiers was not included in the initial radio frequency identifiers but does correspond to one of the identified pallet-level radio frequency identifiers; and

signaling a warning to an operator unloading the shipment that one of the pallets currently being moved should not be unloaded.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the transmitting of the identified radio frequency identifiers further comprises functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

checking if the identified radio frequency identifiers correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded, wherein the transmitting is only performed for those identified radio frequency identifier that do not correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

processing a batch of radio frequency identifiers, wherein the batch of radio frequency identifiers includes the plurality of read radio frequency identifiers and one or more radio frequency identifiers transmitted to the first RFID reader by one or more RFID readers that correspond to one or more secondary portals, the processing of the batch of radio frequency identifiers including;

searching the manifest data that identifies radio frequency identifiers scheduled for the first portal (first portal manifest data) for each radio frequency identifier included in the batch of radio frequency identifiers;

in response to not finding one or more of the radio frequency identifiers in the first portal manifest data;

for each of the radio frequency identifiers not found in the first portal manifest data, searching the manifest data that identifies radio frequency identifiers scheduled for other portals (other manifest data); and

performing the transmitting in response to finding the radio frequency identifiers in the other manifest data;

in response to not finding the radio frequency identifiers in either the first portal manifest data or the other manifest data;

checking if the radio frequency identifiers correspond to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded; and

warning the operator in response to each radio frequency identifiers that was not read during the initial read but corresponds to one of the pallets that are not to be unloaded.

15. A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

reading a plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to objects, the reading performed at a first portal by a first RFID reader;

retrieving manifest data corresponding to the objects, the manifest data including a plurality of expected identifiers;

comparing the expected identifiers to the plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the first RFID reader;

identifying, based on the comparison, that one or more of the read radio frequency identifiers correspond to a shipment arriving at a second portal with tags being read by a second RFID reader; and

transmitting the identified radio frequency identifiers to the second RFID reader.