MULTIFUNCTION CONTACTLESS ELECTRONIC TAG FOR GOODS

• US 20090309736A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MPE Technology
• Original Assignee: MPE Technology
• Inventors: Heurtier, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/485,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309736A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• 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 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• 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: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00

Abstract

A system for managing the inventory of articles in a sales outlet, warehouse or production center. The system includes a computer and radioelectric network including a plurality of tags, each attached to an article and comprising a transceiver, an RFID chip and three antennae. The network also includes a computerized machine, a cash desk connected to the computerized machine, transmitter-receivers connected to the computerized machine, an anti-theft terminal comprising an alternating magnetic field transmitter, and an RFID transmitter capable of transmitting a signal received by the RFID chips of the tags. Each tag is also remote-controllable and provides an anti-theft function for the article to which it is attached. The tag is also able to display the price of the article and other information relating to the article.

Claims

1. A multifunction electronic module for tracking, theft protection, and price display of an article in a sales outlet, the module comprising:

an attachment device configured to attach the module to an article;

a switch actuated by the attachment device;

a plurality of radioelectric antennae;

a power source;

a display screen;

a radiofrequency transceiver;

a microcontroller configured to control the display screen and the radiofrequency transceiver;

an RFID chip connected to the microcontroller; and

a plurality of quartz oscillators.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein:

a first antenna is associated with an anti-theft function;

a second antenna is associated with the RFID chip; and

a third antenna is associated with the radiofrequency transceiver.

3. The module of claim 2, wherein the first antenna operates at a frequency between 5 and 10 Mhz.

4. The module of claim 2, wherein the first antenna operates at a frequency between 50 and 60 KHz.

5. The module of claim 2, wherein the second antenna operates at a frequency between 12.5 and 15.5 MHz.

6. The module of claim 2, wherein the second antenna operates at a frequency between 800 MHz and 1 GHz.

7. The module of claim 2, wherein the third antenna operates at a frequency between 10 KHz and 6 GHz.

8. The module of claim 2, wherein the third antenna operates at a frequency between 2.3 and 2.7 GHz.

9. The module of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third antenna are selected from the group consisting of loop antennae and folded dipole antennae.

10. The module of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third antenna are located in the same plane.

11. The module of claim 1, wherein the attachment device is used to attach the module to an article by means of an engagement mechanism, and wherein the switch is actuated by removing the attachment device.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein the function of the radiofrequency transceiver, the RFID chip, and the microcontroller are ensured by an application specific integrated circuit.

13. The module of claim 1, further comprising a device for detecting mechanical damage.

14. The module of claim 1, wherein the module is a flexible module.

17. The module of claim 1, wherein the module is configured for use in protecting the article against theft.

15. A method of using a multifunction electronic module in a sales outlet, the method comprising:

providing at least one transmitter-receiver capable of receiving signals from a radiofrequency transceiver;

providing a multifunction electronic module that includes an attachment device, a display screen, a radiofrequency transceiver, a microcontroller configured to control the display screen and the radiofrequency transceiver, and an RFID chip connected to the microcontroller;

attaching the module to an article using the attachment device;

activating the module;

sending a request for information relating to the article from the module via the RFID chip controlled by the microcontroller;

receiving a first item of information in the RFID chip and recording the first item of information to the microcontroller of the module;

sending a second item of information from the microcontroller to the display screen, wherein the second item of information is the same as, or a subset of, the first item of information;

displaying the second item of information on the display screen;

sending a request from the microcontroller to the transmitter-receiver via the radiofrequency transceiver;

receiving a signal from the transmitter-receiver confirming that a reference to the article exists in an inventory database;

connecting the module via the transceiver to the transmitter-receiver at a predetermined interval to send a presence signal and to request information;

receiving a third item of information from the transmitter-receiver consisting of either a confirmation of the first item of information previously transmitted, or a fourth item of information, which is then processed by the microcontroller and displayed on the display screen.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending the first item of information from the RFID chip to a receiver associated with a cash desk of the sales outlet for removal of the module from the article, wherein the cash desk is linked with the inventory database;

performing at least one of the steps of deleting the reference to the article in the inventory database and noting in the inventory database that the article has been sold; and

detaching the module from the article.

18. A computer and radioelectric network for managing an inventory of articles in a sales outlet, warehouse or production center, the network comprising:

a plurality of modules, each module being attached to an article and having been activated, wherein each module comprises a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving a radiofrequency signal, an RFID chip capable of receiving a radiofrequency signal, and three radioelectric antennae, wherein a first antenna is associated with an anti-theft function, a second antenna is associated with the RFID chip, and a third antenna is associated with the radiofrequency transceiver;

a computerized machine including an inventory database containing information on each articles to which one of the activated modules is attached;

a cash desk station connected to the computerized machine;

a plurality of transmitter-receivers connected to the computerized machine and being capable of exchanging signals with the radiofrequency transceiver of the module;

an anti-theft terminal comprising a transmitter of an alternating magnetic field, wherein the frequency coincides with the resonance frequency of the first antenna of each of the modules; and

an RFID transmitter-receiver capable of transmitting or receiving a signal received by or transmitted to the RFID chip of the modules.

19. The network according to claim 18, wherein the first antenna of the modules and the anti-theft terminal operate at a frequency between 5 and 10 MHz, the second antenna of the modules and the RFID transmitter operate at a frequency between 12.5 and 15.5 MHz, and the third antenna of the modules and the transmitters-receivers operate at a frequency between 10 kHz and 6 GHz.

20. The network according to claim 19, wherein the third antenna of the modules as well as the transmitter-receivers, operate at a frequency between 2.3 and 2.7 GHz.