Pallet with pallet RFID reader/writer for conducting on-demand pallet inventory
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A container manifest tracking system comprising:
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, said contents reader having an effective range sufficient to reach all said tagged items, and being configured to periodically collect identification information from all of said tagged items,a manifest database affixed to said container, accessible by said contents reader and storing said periodically collected information,a timer affixed to said container and accessible by said contents reader to said periodic collection, andan active RFID tag emulator affixed to said container configured to respond to an external reader activation code by receiving said periodically collected information stored in said manifest database and transmitting said identification information to said external reader.
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Abstract
A material handling apparatus has a communications device associated therewith. The device includes a reader/writer for communicating with RF tags located on products supported upon the apparatus and with RF tags located within distribution networks. A further aspect of the present invention provides a RF tag attached to the apparatus and the device. In still another aspect of the present invention, a wireless local area network communications device is incorporated with the read/writer.
60 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A container manifest tracking system comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, said contents reader having an effective range sufficient to reach all said tagged items, and being configured to periodically collect identification information from all of said tagged items, a manifest database affixed to said container, accessible by said contents reader and storing said periodically collected information, a timer affixed to said container and accessible by said contents reader to said periodic collection, and an active RFID tag emulator affixed to said container configured to respond to an external reader activation code by receiving said periodically collected information stored in said manifest database and transmitting said identification information to said external reader.
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2. An automated method comprising:
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affixing a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, said contents reader having an effective range sufficient to reach all said tagged items, periodically collecting identification information by said contents reader from all of said tagged items, storing said periodically collected information by said contents reader in a manifest database also affixed to said container; and emulating an active RFID tag emulator affixed to said container responsive to an external reader activation code by receiving said periodically collected information stored in said manifest database and transmitting said identification information to said external reader.
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3. A container manifest tracking system comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, said contents reader configured to collect and store identification information from all of the said tagged items, and an active RFID tag emulator affixed to said container configured to respond to an external reader activation code by receiving said collected information from said affixed RFID contents reader, and by transmitting said identification information to said external reader. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An automatic method comprising:
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affixing a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, affixing an RFID emulator to said container, collecting by said RFID contents reader identification information from said tagged items disposed in said container, receiving said collected identification information by said RFID tag emulator from said RFID contents reader, and responsive to an external reader activation code, emulating an RFID tag by said RFID tag emulator by transmitting said collected identification information to said external reader. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, an RFID emulator affixed to said container, a computer readable medium suitable for encoding software, and disposed to be accessed by said RFID contents reader and by said RFID emulator, and one or more software programs encoded in said medium configured to performing the steps of; collecting by said RFID contents reader identification information from said tagged items disposed in said container, receiving said collected identification information by said RFID tag emulator from said RFID contents reader, and responsive to an external reader activation code, emulating an RFID tag by said RFID tag emulator by transmitting said collected identification information to said external reader. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method to improve polling accuracy in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, the method comprising:
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creating a current set of inventory information for a shipping container, wherein the current set is based on data of RFID tags attached to a plurality of items in the shipping container;
wherein further the current set is generated via an interrogation by a first tag reader of the plurality subsequent to the plurality being placed in the shipping container, wherein further the first tag reader is either inside or attached to the shipping container,storing, by the first tag reader, the current set in a container tag, wherein the container tag comprises an RFID tag inside or attached to the shipping container, and receiving, by a second tag reader, data of at least some of the current set from the container tag, wherein the second tag reader is located external to the shipping container.
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21. A radio frequency identification (RFID) polling apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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A first tag reader configured to be placed in a shipping container, wherein the shipping container is arranged to contain a first plurality of items, wherein further the first tag reader is configured to interrogate the shipping container and generate data of a current inventory based on transmissions of an interrogation of RFID tags attached to the first plurality of items subsequent to the first plurality of items being placed in the shipping container, wherein further the first tag reader is configured to update the data of the current inventory based on periodic interrogations; and a container tag configured to be placed in or on the shipping container, wherein the container tag is configured to store the data of the current inventory and transmit at least a portion of the data of the current inventory to a second tag reader located outside the shipping container.
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Specification