INVENTORY ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20140214631A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/756,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214631A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A device and system for assisting with inventory ordering and management. In an embodiment, a personal device may be used by a worker to assist with identifying and retrieving items in an inventory or warehouse setting. The device includes a communications module suited to interface with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that may be attached to the items to be selected or a bin that holds the items to be selected. If the worker has maneuvered the device close enough to a correct RFID tag, then the device can provide positive feedback to the worker indicating selection of a needed item. Similarly, if the worker has come into communicative proximity with an item not needed, then negative feedback at the device may be initiated.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a wireless communication module configured to detect wireless signals that correspond to items, respectively;

a controller coupled to the wireless communication module and configured to identify an item based on a detected wireless signal and configured to generate a feedback signal in response to the identification; and

a feedback module coupled to the controller and configured to provide feedback in response to the feedback signal;

wherein said device continuously scans for detection of wireless signals that correspond to items.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the controller and configured to store data corresponding to items that correspond to wireless signals.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a wristband.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a glove.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback module further comprises a haptic feedback module configured to generate a haptic indication in response to the feedback signal.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the haptic indication comprises two vibrations with short durations to indicate a positive feedback signal and one vibration with a duration longer than the short duration to indicate a negative feedback signal.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the haptic feedback module further comprises a haptic vibration motor circuit.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback module further comprises an aural feedback module configured to generate an aural indication in response to the feedback signal.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback module further comprises a visual feedback module configured to generate a visual indication in response to the feedback signal.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a network interface module coupled to the controller and configured to communicate with a switched packet network.

11. -15. (canceled)

16. A method, comprising:

providing a device having personal device memory;

storing data in the personal device memory about one or more specific items, the one or more specific items a subset of a plurality of items;

selecting an item from the plurality of items;

determining an identification of the selected item by continuously scanning, with the device, to detect a wireless signal generated by a wireless communication tag disposed on the selected item;

generating a positive feedback signal, with the device, if the identified item is one of the one or more specific items; and

generating a negative feedback signal, with the device, if the identified item is not one of the one or more specific items.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the positive feedback and the negative feedback further comprises haptic, aural, or visual feedback.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

communicating the positive feedback signal to a remote computer system; and

updating a record stored in the remote computer system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating data to the device from the remote computer system in response to the updating.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating data to the device from a remote computer system having data about a plurality of items in response to the positive or negative feedback.