SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCATING INVENTORY ITEMS

• US 20140035724A1
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Application Number:
  US13/566,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20140035724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating inventory items are provided. A system according to one implementation comprises a plurality of inventory items and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to each of the plurality of inventory items. The system also includes a plurality of RFID readers positioned at predetermined, stationary locations throughout a search area. Also, the system includes a computer configured to determine a location of a selected inventory item based at least on search results of the RFID readers.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of inventory items;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to each of the plurality of inventory items;

a plurality of RFID readers positioned at predetermined, stationary locations throughout a search area;

a computer configured to determine a location of a selected inventory item based at least on search results of the RFID readers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the RFID readers comprises an emitter and a sniffer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the emitter and sniffer are integrated in a single housing.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of location indicating devices configured to indicate the determined location of the selected inventory item.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each location indicating device comprises a light.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein one or more of the lights of the locating indicating devices is positioned in the middle of a region between two or three RFID readers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a communication device for wirelessly communicating with the RFID readers.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein each location indicating device comprises an audible indication device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a visual mapping indicator to indicate the determined location of the selected inventory item.

10. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program configured to enable a processing device to:

receive a user selection from an input device, the user selection related to an inventory item selected from among a plurality of inventory items;

retrieve radio frequency identification (RFID) information associated with the selected inventory item from a database;

sequentially communicate the RFID information to a plurality of RFID readers positioned in predetermined, stationary locations throughout a search area;

receive search results from the plurality of RFID readers; and

determine a location of the selected inventory item within the search area based at least on the search results.

11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the computer program further enables the processing device to provide an indication of the determined location to the user.

12. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the computer program further enables the processing device to display the determined location via an output device configured to provide the determined location on a map of the search area.

13. A method comprising:

enabling a user to select an inventory item using a user interface device;

retrieving radio frequency identification (RFID) information associated with the selected inventory item from a database;

sequentially communicating the RFID information to a plurality of RFID readers placed in predetermined, stationary locations throughout a search area;

receiving search results from the plurality of RFID readers; and

determining a location of the inventory item within the search area based at least on the search results.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the search area is an interior space of a building.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the RFID readers are placed in an array pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein odd columns of the array pattern are offset from even columns.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the RFID readers are supported by shelves within the search area.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing an indication of the determined location to the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the indication comprises the step of displaying the determined location on a map of the search area, wherein the map is shown on an electronic display.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the indication comprises the step of displaying the determined location on a map of the search area, wherein the map is shown on mobile device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the indication comprises the step of providing at least one visual output in or near the determined location.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of providing the indication further comprises the step of providing at least one audio output in or near the determined location.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the search results are obtained by discriminating the RFID information associated with the selected inventory item from the RFID information associated with other inventory items.

24. A method comprising:

enabling a user to select an inventory item using a user interface device;

retrieving radio frequency identification (RFID) information associated with the selected inventory item from a database;

sequentially communicating the RFID information to a plurality of RFID readers placed in predetermined, stationary locations throughout a search area, each of the RFID readers having a predetermined search range, wherein the plurality of RFID readers are arranged so that the search ranges of adjacent RFID readers overlap;

receiving search results from the plurality of RFID readers; and

determining a location of the inventory item within the search area based the search results from at least two RFID readers.