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 storage electronically connected to the FRID tag;
a switch; and
a microcontroller electronically connected to the storage and the switch;
wherein the switch outputs a first control signal to the microcontroller if the package is opened, the microcontroller outputs an open status signal and a corresponding real-time clock (RTC) signal to the storage according to the first control signal, the RFID tag sends the open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal from the storage to the reader.
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Abstract
A control unit for tracking articles is positioned approximate to a package and communicates with a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader. The control unit includes a RFID tag, a storage, a switch, and a microcontroller. The switch outputs a first control signal to the microcontroller if the package is opened, the microcontroller outputs an open status signal and a corresponding real-time clock (RTC) signal to the storage according to the first control signal, the RFID tag sends the open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal from the storage to the RFID reader in due course.
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Citations
17 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 storage electronically connected to the FRID tag; a switch; and a microcontroller electronically connected to the storage and the switch; wherein the switch outputs a first control signal to the microcontroller if the package is opened, the microcontroller outputs an open status signal and a corresponding real-time clock (RTC) signal to the storage according to the first control signal, the RFID tag sends the open status signal and the corresponding RTC signal from the storage to the reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article-tracking method, comprising:
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(a) outputting a first control signal via a switch positioned approximate to a package if the package is opened; (b) outputting a real-time clock (RTC) signal from a microcontroller to a storage, according to the first control signal; (c) reading the RTC signal from the storage by a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag; and (d) feeding back the RTC signal to a reader via the RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification