Electronic data distribution system

• US 20090237222A1
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Original Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Inventors: Muirhead, Scott A. W.
• Application Number:
  US12/380,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237222A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.510
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/24308 comprising electronic elements or detection means, e.g. chips, RFIDs or barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/157 Coating linked inserts, e.g. chains
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/02 Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/162 of deep containers or boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/46 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/433 Casing-in, i.e. enclosing an element between two sheets by an outlined seam for bookbinding B42C11/06; for packaging B65B; by laminating B32B37/00; enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements B29C66/53261
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4722 Fixing strips to surfaces other than edge faces fixing strips to edge faces B29C63/0026
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83411 Roller, cylinder or drum types B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/96 characterised by the method for implementing the controlling of the joining process
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/9672 involving special data inputs, e.g. involving barcodes, RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2017/00 : Carriers for sound or information
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7126 : large, e.g. for bulk storage
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7172 : Fuel tanks, jerry cans
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 : Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0018 : and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 : Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00139 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00268 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 : made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 : contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00437 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00442 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 : without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00562 : chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0094 : nestable
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 : having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 : Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 : Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 : Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/901 : Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1049 : Folding only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 : by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 : Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/109 : Embedding of laminae within face of additional laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1734 : Means bringing articles into association with web

Abstract

An apparatus has a communications device associated therewith. In another aspect of the present invention, a pallet is made from thermoformed polymeric sheets with an attached communications device. A further aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification device attached to an apparatus. In still another aspect of the present invention, a communications device is incorporated into one or more sheets of a pallet or other container prior to forming. Methods of making and using a thermoformed pallet and container, having a communications device, are also provided.

Claims

1. A system that provides electronic product data to a component of an industrial control system comprising:

a component that stores electronic product data obtained from a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag in a structured format, the RFID tag is affixed to a product; and

an interface that provides the electronic product data to an industrial controller, the interface utilizes a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) interface to read and write at least one of an input, an output, a tag, a state, and a status parameter to the industrial controller.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which:

said interface utilizes industrial protocols to exchange the electronic data with an application external to the industrial controller, and

said application external to the industrial controller is associated with at least one of an Enterprise System (ERP), a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), or a Machine Control System (MC).

3. A system that manages the exchange of electronic product data with an industrial controller comprising:

a RFID interface that receives electronic product data;

a processing component that parses the electronic product data and groups related electronic product data; and

an interface component that provides the electronic product data to an industrial controller, the interface component utilizes a PLC interface to read and write at least one of an input, an output, a tag, a state, and a status parameter to the industrial controller.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 in which:

said RFID interface utilizes a wire or wireless connection to receive the electronic product data.

5. A method for conveying electronic product data to components in an industrial control system comprising:

receiving a subscription from an entity within an industrial control system for electronic product data;

obtaining the electronic product data from an RFID product tag through an RFID reader;

formatting the electronic data in a structured form; and

conveying the formatted electronic product data to the subscribing entity, the conveying utilizes a PLC interface to read and write at least one of an input, an output, a tag, a state, and a status parameter to the industrial controller.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

formatting the electronic product data in at least one of an Electronic Product Code, a logical reader identifier, a timestamp, a flag indicating an RFID tag is with a coverage area, a product type, a date of manufacture, a lot number, an associated case, an associated pallet, or an associated container level.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

utilizing an RFID interface that receives the electronic product data from one of an RFID reader, a server, or an RFID tag.

8. A method for distributing electronic product data to an industrial control system comprising:

receiving electronic product data from one of an RFID reader and a server;

filtering the electronic data to mitigate duplicate data;

processing the accepted electronic product data to a format in accordance with the industrial control system;

storing the formatted electronic product data; and

conveying the stored electronic product data to a component of the industrial control system component, the conveying utilizes a PLC interface to read and write at least one of an input, an output, a tag, a state, and a status parameter to the industrial controller.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 which includes:

conveying the stored electronic product data to a component that includes an industrial controller.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 which includes:

conveying electronic product data to an industrial control system that is at least one of an Enterprise System (ERP), a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), or a Machine Control System (MC).

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 which includes:

conveying the stored electronic product data to a component that receives a subscription or request from the industrial control system component.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 which includes:

conveying the stored electronic product data to a component that receives a subscription for electronic product data associated with RFID tags that enter a coverage area of the RFID reader.

13. A method as set forth in claim 8 which includes:

writing industrial control system component information to an RFID tag affixed to a product.

14. A method as set forth in claim 8 which includes:

employing at least one of statistics, probabilities, inferences, and classifiers to facilitate electronic product data collection, filtering, formatting, storage, or distribution to the industrial control system component.

15. A system that facilitates electronic data distribution to an industrial component comprising:

means for obtaining electronic data from one or more RFID readers or one or more RFID servers;

means for storing the electronic data in a structured format; and

means for conveying the stored one or more data to the industrial component, the conveying utilizes a PLC interface to read and write at least one of an input, an output, a tag, a state, and a status parameter to the industrial controller.