RFID TAG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR

• US 20140232519A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Ira L., Clevenger, Lawrence A., Petrarca, Kevin S., Radens, Carl J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

In a method for controlling pricing of a product, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having at least one processor is attached to a monitored product. A value indicative of a degree of exposure to an environmental condition is obtained. The obtained value is compared with a predetermined value range. A price of the monitored product is adjusted when the result of the comparison falls outside the predetermined value range.

Claims

1. A method for controlling pricing of a product, the method comprising:

attaching a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having at least one processor to a monitored product;

measuring a value indicative of a degree of exposure to an environmental condition;

the at least one processor comparing the measured value with a predetermined value range; and

the at least one processor adjusting a price of the monitored product when the result of the comparison falls outside the predetermined value range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is an active RFID tag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag comprises an environmental sensor configured for measuring exposure to the environmental condition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting a price of the monitored product comprises the at least one processor generating a price value based on the degree of exposure to the environmental condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of gamma radiation, x-ray radiation, extreme temperature, smoke plume, pressure, vacuum, vibration, shock, humidity, moisture, light, air, and a chemical to which the monitored product has been subjected.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the adjusted price to an RFID interrogator.

8. A computer program product for controlling pricing of a monitored product using a radio frequency identification (RFID) attached to the monitored product is provided, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, the program instructions executable by the RFID tag, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions to measure a value indicative of a degree of exposure to an environmental condition;

program instructions to compare the measured value with a predetermined value range; and

program instructions to adjust a price of the monitored product when the result of the comparison falls outside the predetermined value range.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the RFID tag is an active RFID tag.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the RFID tag comprises an environmental sensor configured for measuring exposure to the environmental condition.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions to adjust a price of the monitored product comprise program instructions to generate a price value based on the degree of exposure to the environmental condition.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of gamma radiation, x-ray radiation, extreme temperature, smoke plume, pressure, vacuum, vibration, shock, humidity, moisture, light, air, and a chemical to which the monitored product has been subjected.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions to transmit the adjusted price to an RFID interrogator.

15. A computer system for controlling pricing of a monitored product using a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to the monitored product is provided, the computer system comprising the RFID tag having one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, 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, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions to measure a value indicative of a degree of exposure to an environmental condition;

program instructions to compare the measured value with a predetermined value range; and

program instructions to adjust a price of the monitored product when the result of the comparison falls outside the predetermined value range.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the RFID tag is an active RFID tag.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the RFID tag comprises an environmental sensor configured for measuring exposure to the environmental condition.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program instructions to adjust a price of the monitored product comprise program instructions to generate a price value based on the degree of exposure to the environmental condition.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of gamma radiation, x-ray radiation, extreme temperature, smoke plume, pressure, vacuum, vibration, shock, humidity, moisture, light, air, and a chemical to which the monitored product has been subjected.