SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH READ/WRITABLE TAGS

• US 20100194545A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Wong, Simon Yiu Tsung
• Granted Patent: US 8,471,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method and system for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier. The system comprises a plurality of tag readers and a control entity configured to send to at least one of the tag readers a next identifier associated with the tag. Upon receipt of the next identifier, the at least one of the tag readers is configured to reprogram the tag with the next identifier when a presence of the tag is detected. The control entity may be further configured to identify each of the at least one of the tag readers as being a tag reader that the item has a potential to encounter.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the system comprising:

a plurality of tag readers;

a control entity configured to send to at least one of said tag readers a next identifier associated with said current identifier;

upon receipt of the next identifier, said at least one of said tag readers being configured to reprogram a tag detected to have said current identifier with the next identifier, wherein reprogramming of said tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said current identifier in said tag.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein said control entity is further configured to identify each of said at least one of said tag readers as being a tag reader that the item has a potential to encounter.

3. The system defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one of said tag readers comprises a specific tag reader that the item is expected to encounter.

4. The system defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one of said tag readers comprises a plurality of tag readers.

5. The system defined in claim 2, wherein to identify said at least one of said tag readers, the control entity is configured to consult a database that specifies a scheduled trajectory associated with the item.

6. The system defined in claim 5, wherein said trajectory associated with the item includes points along a supply chain, at least one of said points being in a vicinity of at least one of said at least one of said tag readers.

7. The system defined in claim 3, wherein to identify the specific tag reader, the control entity makes a prediction based on past movement of the item.

8. The system defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one of said tag readers is configured to receive identifiers from nearby tags and to compare each received identifier to the current identifier, wherein said at least one of said tag readers is considered to have detected the current identifier when one of the received identifiers corresponds to the current identifier.

9. The system defined in claim 8, wherein said at least one of said tag readers is configured to be attentive to receipt of a confirmation from said tag that said tag has been reprogrammed with the next identifier.

10. The system defined in claim 9, wherein said at least one of said tag readers is configured to indicate to the control entity that said confirmation has been received from said tag.

11. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a database that stores an association between the current identifier and the next identifier.

12. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the control entity is configured to erase its knowledge of the next identifier.

13. The system defined in claim 12, wherein to erase its knowledge of the next identifier the control entity is configured to delete said association in said database.

14. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the control entity is configured to access a randomization function in order to impart a degree of randomness to the next identifier relative to the current identifier.

15. The system defined in claim 10, wherein the control entity is configured to identify at least one other of said tag readers that the item is expected to encounter, and wherein the control entity is configured to send to the at least one other of said tag readers a further identifier associated with the next identifier.

16. The system defined in claim 15, wherein upon receipt of the further identifier, said at least one other of said tag readers is configured to reprogram a tag detected to have the next identifier with the further identifier, wherein reprogramming of said tag with the further identifier causes the further identifier to replace the next identifier in said tag.

17. The system defined in claim 16, wherein upon receipt by the control entity of a confirmation from said tag that said tag has been reprogrammed with the next identifier, said at least one other of said tag readers is configured to receive identifiers from nearby tags and to compare each received identifier to the next identifier, and wherein said at least one other of said tag readers is considered to have detected the next identifier when one of the received identifiers corresponds to the next identifier.

18. The system defined in claim 17, further comprising a database that stores an association between the next identifier and the further identifier.

19. The system defined in claim 18, wherein the control entity is configured to access a randomization function in order to impart a degree of randomness to the further identifier relative to the next identifier.

20. The system defined in claim 16, wherein in the absence of receipt by the control entity of a confirmation from said tag that said tag has been reprogrammed with the next identifier, said at least one other of said tag readers is configured to receive identifiers from nearby tags and to compare each received identifier to the current identifier and the next identifier, wherein said at least one other of said tag readers is considered to have detected the current identifier when one of the received identifiers corresponds to the current identifier and wherein said at least one other of said tag readers is considered to have detected the next identifier when one of the received identifiers corresponds to the next identifier.

21. The system defined in claim 20, further comprising a database that stores an association among the current identifier, the next identifier and the further identifier.

22. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the next identifier abides by a first format, and wherein the current identifier abides by a second format that is different from said first format.

23. The system defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one of said tag readers comprises a radio frequency transceiver.

24. A method for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the method comprising:

sending to at least one of a plurality of tag readers a next identifier associated with said current identifier; and

reprogramming a tag detected to have said current identifier with the next identifier, wherein said reprogramming causes the next identifier to replace said current identifier in said tag.

25. The method defined in claim 24, further comprising identifying each of said tag readers as a tag reader that the item has a potential to encounter.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein reprogramming said tag comprises loading said next identifier into a storage medium on said tag.

27. The method defined in claim 26, wherein reprogramming said tag further comprises loading said next identifier into an area of the storage medium where the current identifier had until then been stored.

28. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method of tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the computer-readable program code comprising:

first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to identify at least one tag reader that the item has a potential to encounter; and

second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to send to said at least one tag reader a next identifier for reprogramming of said tag so as to replace the current identifier in said tag with the next identifier.

29. A tag reader used in a system for tracking items associated with read/writable tags programmed with respective current identifiers, the tag reader comprising:

means attentive to receipt of a next identifier associated with a particular current identifier;

means for detecting a presence of a tag having said particular current identifier; and

means for reprogramming the tag with the next identifier in response to said detecting, wherein reprogramming the tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said particular current identifier in the tag.

30. A method implemented by a tag reader used in a system for tracking items associated with read/writable tags programmed with respective current identifiers, said method comprising:

receiving a next identifier associated with a particular current identifier;

detecting a presence of a tag having said particular current identifier; and

reprogramming the tag with the next identifier in response to said detecting, wherein reprogramming the tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said particular current identifier in the tag.