RFID READING DEVICE AND RFID TAG GRID FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT

• US 20130135082A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Xian, Tao, Wang, Ynjiun Paul, Amundsen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/307,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135082A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A system and method for asset management that includes receiving from a client, an EIR terminal that includes an optical reading device configured to output the signal and/or results of decodable indicia and has an RFID receiver which outputs a first datum and a second datum. The invention includes locating the decodable indicia within the signal to reveal identifying information about an asset. The first datum identifies one or more of the RFIDs tag in closest proximity to the asset. These RFID tags are affixed to different known locations in a facility; every location within the facility is within the broadcast radius of at least one RFID tag. The second datum identifies at least one RFID tag in closest proximity to the asset.

Claims

1. A computer system for asset management, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive an signal of decodable indicia from a client

wherein said decodable indicia appear on an asset and

wherein said client is provided by an encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising an optical reading device configured to output said signal of decodable indicia and an RFID receiver configured to output a first datum and a second datum;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to, responsive to receiving said signal of decodable indicia from said client, locate said decodable indicia within said signal;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to, responsive to locating said decodable indicia within said signal, decode said decodable indicia into a decoded message

wherein said decoded message contains at least one of;

identifying information about said asset and a timestamp;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a first datum from said client

wherein said first datum identifies at least one RFID tag from a first plurality of RFID tags

wherein said at least one RFID tag is in closest proximity to said asset and

wherein each of said first plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different known location in a facility so that every location within said facility is within the broadcast radius of at least one of said plurality of RFID tags; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a second datum from said client

wherein said second datum identifies at least one RFID tag in closest proximity to said asset from a second plurality of RFID tags and

wherein each of said second plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different person in said facility.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein a first radius of transmission of a first tag of said first plurality of RFID tags overlaps a second radius of transmission of a second of said first plurality of RFID tags.

3. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to encrypt said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to save said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to encrypt said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum;

and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to transmit said encrypted decoded message said encrypted first datum, and encrypted said second datum to an external accounting system.

6. A method for asset management, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer receiving a signal of decodable indicia from a client

wherein said decodable indicia appear on an asset and

wherein said client is provided by an encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising an optical reading device configured to output said signal of decodable indicia and an RFID receiver configured to output a first datum and a second datum;

said computer, responsive to receiving said signal of decodable indicia from said client, locating said decodable indicia within said signal;

said computer, responsive to locating said decodable indicia within said signal, decoding said decodable indicia into a decoded message

wherein said decoded message contains at least one of;

identifying information about said asset and a timestamp;

said computer receiving a first datum from said client

wherein said first datum identifies at least one RFID tag from a first plurality of RFID tags

wherein said at least one RFID tag is in closest proximity to said asset and

wherein each of said first plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different known location in a facility so that every location within said facility is within the broadcast radius of at least one of said plurality of RFID tags; and

said computer receiving a second datum from said client

wherein said second datum identifies at least one RFID tag in closest proximity to said asset from a second plurality of RFID tags and

wherein each of said send plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different person in said facility.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a first radius of transmission of a first tag of said first plurality of RFID tags overlaps a second radius of transmission of a second of said first plurality of RFID tags.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising

said computer encrypting said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising

said computer saving said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising

said computer encrypting said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum;

and

said computer transmitting said encrypted decoded message said encrypted first datum, and encrypted said second datum to an external accounting system.

11. A computer program product for managing business assets, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an signal of decodable indicia from a client

wherein said decodable indicia appear on an asset and

wherein said client is provided by an encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising an optical reading device configured to output said signal of decodable indicia and an RFID receiver configured to output a first datum and a second datum;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, responsive to receiving said signal of decodable indicia from said client, locate said decodable indicia within said signal;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, responsive to locating said decodable indicia within said signal, decode said decodable indicia into a decoded message

wherein said decoded message contains at least one of;

identifying information about said asset and a timestamp;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive a first datum from said client

wherein said first datum identifies at least one RFID tag from a first plurality of RFID tags

wherein said at least one RFID tag is in closest proximity to said asset and

wherein each of said first plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different known location in a facility so that every location within said facility is within the broadcast radius of at least one of said plurality of RFID tags; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive a second datum from said client

wherein said second datum identifies at least one RFID tag in closest proximity to said asset from a second plurality of RFID tags and

wherein each of said send plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different person in said facility.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein a first radius of transmission of a first tag of said first plurality of RFID tags overlaps a second radius of transmission of a second of said first plurality of RFID tags.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to encrypt said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum.

14. computer program product of claim 11, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to save said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum.

15. computer program product of claim 11, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to encrypt said decoded message said first datum, and said second datum;

and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to transmit said encrypted decoded message said encrypted first datum, and encrypted said second datum to an external accounting system.

16. A computer system for asset management, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive data from a client

wherein said client comprises an RFID receiver configured to output data

wherein said data identifies at least one RFID tag from a plurality of RFID tags

wherein said at least one RFID tag is in closest proximity to an asset in a facility and

wherein each of said plurality of RFID tags is affixed to a different known location in said facility so that every location within said facility is within the broadcast radius of at least one of said plurality of RFID tags.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein a first radius of transmission of a first tag of said first plurality of RFID tags overlaps a second radius of transmission of a second of said first plurality of RFID tags.

18. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to encrypt said data.

19. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to save said data.

20. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to encrypt said data;

and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to transmit said encrypted data to an external accounting system.