ARTICLE-TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING RFID TAGS
First Claim
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1. A control unit positioned approximate to a package and in electronic communication with a reader, comprising:
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;
a switch;
a clock; and
a microcontroller electronically connected to the RFID tag, the switch, and the clock;
wherein the switch outputs a first control signal to the microcontroller when the package is opened, the microcontroller reads a real-time clock (RTC) signal from the clock according to the first control signal, and transmits an open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal to the RFID tag, the RFID tag feeds back the open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal to the reader.
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Abstract
A control unit for tracking articles is positioned approximate to a package and communicates with a reader. The control unit includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a switch, a clock; and a microcontroller. The switch outputs a first control signal to the microcontroller when the package is opened. The microcontroller reads a real-time clock (RTC) signal from the clock according to the first control signal, and transmits an open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal to the RFID tag. The RFID tag feeds back the open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal to an RFID reader.
8 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A control unit positioned approximate to a package and in electronic communication with a reader, comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag; a switch; a clock; and a microcontroller electronically connected to the RFID tag, the switch, and the clock; wherein the switch outputs a first control signal to the microcontroller when the package is opened, the microcontroller reads a real-time clock (RTC) signal from the clock according to the first control signal, and transmits an open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal to the RFID tag, the RFID tag feeds back the open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal to the reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article-tracking method, comprising:
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(a) outputting a first control signal via a switch positioned approximate to a package when the package is opened; (b) reading a real-time clock (RTC) signal from a clock by a microcontroller, according to the first control signal; (c) transmitting the RTC signal to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag by the microcontroller; (d) feeding back the RTC signal to a reader via the RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification