Product, asset, and device tracking, identification, and pricing system

• US 20100065632A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transparent Visibility Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Transparent Visibility Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Babcock, Bruce K., Niles, Steven E., Babcock, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/28 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping

Abstract

The invention utilizes a system that links two-way communication components with inventory, fixtures, and people. Once linked, the system permits a centralized computer network to collect information about the spatial and temporal relationship between inventory, fixtures, and people using a low frequency communication protocol. When the invention is applied to a retail situation, the retailer can track inventory throughout the supply chain and can do so without substantial human involvement. Furthermore, the two-way communication components also permit the retailer to communicate directly with products on the shelves in a way that allows for re-pricing of goods or broadcasting of messages to customers, also without the need for direct human involvement.

Claims

1. A system for tracking products, assets, and devices in a supply chain, comprising:

one or more tags capable of storing information and capable of performing wireless communications;

one or more products to which one of the tags is affixed;

one or more assets to which one of the tags is affixed;

one or more devices to which one of the tags is affixed;

one or more application servers having router hardware, server hardware, database software, and tracking software;

one or more infrastructure nodes capable of routing communications between the application servers and the tags affixed to the products, assets, and devices;

one or more legacy systems capable of supplying one or more data items about the products to the application servers;

one or more associations that are created by the wireless communications between the tags affixed to products, assets, and devices, wherein the associations are uploaded to the application servers; and

one or more actions taken as the result of the associations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag further comprises:

a low frequency wireless communications unit, the low frequency wireless communications unit further comprising a low frequency antenna for receiving wireless communications, a low frequency transceiver for converting wireless communications to digital signals, a processor for processing digital signals, and memory.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag further comprises:

a casing;

a low frequency wireless communications unit, the low frequency wireless communications unit further comprising a low frequency antenna for receiving wireless communications, a low frequency transceiver for converting wireless communications to digital signals, a processor for processing digital signals, and memory;

a display, the display further comprising a control sequencer for accepting display data from the processor, a display driver, and a display medium, wherein the display driver converts the digital signals received by the control sequencer into a format displayable by the display medium; and

a backplane for facilitating digital communication between the low frequency wireless communications unit and the display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag further comprises one or more sensors for gathering data about the product associated with the tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag further comprises an onboard power source.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag further comprises an ambient power source.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the information on the tag is selected from the group consisting of zone, address, association, location, price, condition, status, boundary, permissions, rules, actions, and alarm.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the products are selected from the group consisting of shelf labels, store displays, item packaging, and hanging fobs.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the data items provided by the legacy systems are selected from the group consisting of inventories, orders, UPCs, SKUs, prices, product descriptions, categories, customer purchasing histories, and employee dossiers.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the assets are selected from the group consisting of fixtures, baskets, tools, entryways, shelves, hanging racks, pallets, security cameras, loading docks, storerooms, and fitting rooms.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the devices are selected from the group consisting of employee identification badges, customer loyalty cards, and security badges.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the infrastructure nodes are further comprised of one or more components selected from the group consisting of an antenna controller, routers, transceivers, antennas, and handheld transceivers.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the actions are selected from the group of initializing the tags, decommissioning the tags, changing prices on the tags, taking inventory of the products, restocking the products, locating the products, alerting employees to attempted theft of the products, managing power usage of the tags, advertising targeted to consumers based upon contents of baskets, advertising targeted to consumers based upon prior shopping history, and confirming the authenticity of the products.

14. A system for tracking products, assets, and devices in a supply chain, comprising:

one or more tags capable of storing information and capable of performing wireless communications, wherein the tag further comprises a low frequency wireless communications unit, the low frequency wireless communications unit further comprising a low frequency antenna for receiving wireless communications, a low frequency transceiver for converting wireless communications to digital signals, a processor for processing digital signals, and memory, and wherein the information on the tag is selected from the group consisting of zone, address, association, location, price, condition, status, boundary, permissions, rules, actions, and alarm;

one or more products to which one of the tags is affixed, wherein the products are selected from the group consisting of shelf labels, store displays, item packaging, and hanging fobs;

one or more assets to which one of the tags is affixed, wherein the assets are selected from the group consisting of fixtures, baskets, tools, entryways, shelves, hanging racks, pallets, security cameras, loading docks, storerooms, and fitting rooms;

one or more devices to which one of the tags is affixed, wherein the devices are selected from the group consisting of employee identification badges, customer loyalty cards, and security badges;

one or more application servers having router hardware, server hardware, database software, and tracking software;

one or more infrastructure nodes capable of routing communications between the application servers and the tags affixed to the products, assets, and devices, wherein the infrastructure nodes are further comprised of one or more components selected from the group consisting of an antenna controller, routers, transceivers, antennas, and handheld transceivers;

one or more legacy systems capable of supplying one or more data items about the products to the application servers, wherein the data items provided by the legacy systems are selected from the group consisting of inventories, orders, UPCs, SKUs, prices, product descriptions, categories, customer purchasing histories, and employee dossiers;

one or more associations that are created by the wireless communications between the tags affixed to products, assets, and devices, wherein the associations are uploaded to the application servers; and

one or more actions taken as the result of the associations, wherein the actions are selected from the group of initializing the tags, decommissioning the tags, changing prices on the tags, taking inventory of the products, restocking the products, locating the products, alerting employees to attempted theft of the products, managing power usage of the tags, advertising targeted to consumers based upon contents of baskets, advertising targeted to consumers based upon prior shopping history, and confirming the authenticity of the products.

The system of claim 14, wherein the tag further comprises;

a casing;

a display, the display further comprising a control sequencer for accepting display data from the processor, a display driver, and a display medium, wherein the display driver converts the digital signals received by the control sequencer into a format displayable by the display medium; and

a backplane for facilitating digital communication between the low frequency wireless communications unit and the display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the tag further comprises one or more sensors for gathering data about the product associated with the tag.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the tag further comprises an onboard power source.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the tag further comprises an ambient power source.

18. A method of tracking products, assets, and devices throughout a retail supply chain, comprising:

affixing to each product, asset, or device a tag capable of wireless communication;

initializing the tag with an address and with information about the product, asset, or device to which the tag is affixed;

generating associations of the information between two or more tags.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising reporting the associations to an application server via an infrastructure.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

reporting the associations to an application server via an infrastructure;

performing actions as a result of the associations.