Storage Rack with Automatic Tag Reading Device and Information Processing System Comprising Such a Storage Rack

• US 20080314980A1
• Filed: 08/22/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Winstead Assets Limited
• Original Assignee: Meditrace SAS, Winstead Assets Limited
• Inventors: Gout, Eric, Raoult, Christophe, Folcke, Georges
• Application Number:
  US12/064,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20080314980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/04 Screened antennas H01Q7/02, H01Q7/06 take precedence

Abstract

The rack (100) comprises:

• • on at least one wall (105), at least one antenna (110) comprising at least two coplanar loops through at least one of which current flows in the clockwise direction and, simultaneously, through at least one other loop, the current flows in the anticlockwise direction,
  • a signal generation circuit (115) to generate signals transmitted by each said antenna, to generate an electromagnetic field, and
  • a circuit (115) for reception of signals modulating said magnetic field.

Preferably, the rack comprises products equipped with electronic tags and paper labels, said electronic tags positioned on one side of the product opposite another side of the product bearing a paper label.

Preferably, the rack comprises at least one opening, the circuit for generation of signals transmitted by the antennae being slaved to closure of said opening to read the electronic tags after at least one time interval predetermined according to the time of said closure.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. An information processing system comprising:

in at least one product user center, at least one rack for storing products from at least one supplier;

said at least one supplier having a premises;

said at least one rack comprising at least one wall, on said at least one wall at least one antenna, a signal generation circuit to generate signals transmitted by said at least one antenna, to generate an electromagnetic field, and a circuit for reception of signals modulating said electromagnetic field;

a server comprising a database containing information about the products contained in said at least one rack, said database being associated with at least one microprocessor unit and with a device for communicating with said at least one rack;

a device located in said at least one product user center comprising a microprocessor unit associated with a device for communicating with said server;

a device located on the premises of said at least one supplier comprising a microprocessor unit associated with a device for communicating with said server; and

said server comprising a module of selective access to said database, adapted to allow said at least one product user center to access stock level of products contained in said at least one racks, irrespective of the product suppliers, and to allow said at least one supplier to access a stock level of products contained in said at least one rack, irrespective of the product user centers.

16. An information processing system according to claim 15, wherein said server comprises a computer program adapted to trigger warnings when a minimum number of products of a particular reference has been reached in the stock level of said at least one product user center.

17. An information processing system according to claim 15 wherein said server comprises a computer program adapted to produce a sales report for said at least one supplier, the sales report providing a summary of references by at least one of product user center and territory.

18. A server for use in an information processing system comprising:

in at least one product user center, at least one rack for storing products from at least one supplier;

said at least one supplier having a premises;

said at least one rack comprising at least one wall, on said at least one wall at least one antenna, a signal generation circuit to generate signals transmitted by said at least one antenna, to generate an electromagnetic field, and a circuit for reception of signals modulating said electromagnetic field;

a workstation located in said at least one product user center comprising a microprocessor unit associated with a device for communicating with said server;

a workstation located on the premises of said at least one supplier comprising a microprocessor unit associated with a device for communicating with said server;

said server comprising;

a database containing information about the products contained in said at least one rack, said database being associated with at least one microprocessor unit and with a device for communicating with said at least one rack; and

a module of selective access to said database, adapted to allow said at least one product user center to access a stock level of products contained in said at least one rack, irrespective of the product suppliers, and to allow said at least one supplier to access a stock level of products contained in said at least one rack, irrespective of the product user centers.