RFID INVENTORY MONITOR

• US 20090128333A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Oberle, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Moving a mobile RFID reader with an area in a systemic manner to do non-inventory tasks, while doing the non-inventory tasks, integrating RFID tags associated with inventory, and updating a database with the inventory information obtained from the RFID tags.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

moving a mobile RFID reader with an area in a systemic manner to do non-inventory tasks;

while doing the non-inventory tasks, integrating RFID tags associated with inventory; and

updating a database with the inventory information obtained from the RFID tags.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile RFID reader is attached to a mobile unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile RFID reader is carried by a person.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the area is a warehouse.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein RFID tags are associated with positional makers within the area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rules are used to determine when to update the database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rules include a rule to indicate the number of missed passes before indicating to the database that a certain inventory is no longer at a certain position.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the capacities of the reader such as range is used to determine the rules.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a teaching mode is used to determine the rules.

10. A system comprising:

a mobile RFID reader;

software to receive the information form the RFID reader and, while the mobile RFID reader is moved to do non-inventory tasks, receiving RFID tag information associated with inventory and updating a database with inventory information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile RFID reader is attached to a mobile unit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile RFID reader is carried by a person.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the area is a warehouse.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein RFID tags are associated with positional makers within the area.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein rules are used to determine when to update the database.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the rules include a rule to indicate the number of missed passes before indicating to the database that a certain inventory is no longer at a certain position.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the capacities of the reader such as range is used to determine the rules.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a teaching mode is used to determine the rules.