System and Method for Tracking Items Stored in a Compartment
First Claim
1. A system for tracking locations of items comprising:
- a plurality of items, each item being configured to be stored and removed from a compartment;
a plurality of tags affixed to the plurality of items in a one-to-one correspondence to uniquely identify each item in the plurality of items with an identifier stored in each tag;
a tag reading device associated with the compartment and configured to receive data from each tag in the plurality of tags in response to each removal from and each return to the compartment of each item in the plurality of items;
a sensor configured to identify a state change of the compartment;
an output device; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the tag reading device, the sensor, and the output device, the processor being configured to;
identify removal of one item in the plurality of items from the compartmentwith reference to the identifier stored in the tag begin received by the tag reading device;
identify the state change in the compartment with the sensor after identification of the removal of the one item and without identifying that the one item has been returned to the compartment; and
generate an output with the output device that includes the identifier corresponding to the one item in response to the identification of the state change in the compartment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An item tracking system includes a plurality of items for storage and removal from a compartment. The system includes tags affixed to the items and configured to store identifiers for the items. A tag reader receives data from the tags in response to the items being removed from and returned to the compartment. A sensor in the compartment identifies a state change associated with the compartment. A processor identifies removal of an item with data received by the tag reader, identifies the state change with the sensor after the item is removed and before it is returned, and generates an output with an output device including the identifier corresponding to the item in response to the state change in the compartment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for tracking locations of items comprising:
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a plurality of items, each item being configured to be stored and removed from a compartment; a plurality of tags affixed to the plurality of items in a one-to-one correspondence to uniquely identify each item in the plurality of items with an identifier stored in each tag; a tag reading device associated with the compartment and configured to receive data from each tag in the plurality of tags in response to each removal from and each return to the compartment of each item in the plurality of items; a sensor configured to identify a state change of the compartment; an output device; and a processor communicatively coupled to the tag reading device, the sensor, and the output device, the processor being configured to; identify removal of one item in the plurality of items from the compartment with reference to the identifier stored in the tag begin received by the tag reading device; identify the state change in the compartment with the sensor after identification of the removal of the one item and without identifying that the one item has been returned to the compartment; and generate an output with the output device that includes the identifier corresponding to the one item in response to the identification of the state change in the compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for tracking locations of items comprising:
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receiving, with a tag reading device associated with the compartment, data from a tag affixed to one item in response to the one item being removed from the compartment, the data from the tag including an identifier corresponding to the one item; identifying, with a processor associated with the compartment, the removal of the one item from the compartment with reference to the identifier corresponding to the one item in the data received from the tag reading device; generating, with the a sensor associated with the compartment, a signal in response to a state change in the compartment; generating, with the processor, an output message including the identifier corresponding to the one item in response to receiving the signal from the sensor without identifying a return of the one item to the compartment; and producing, with an output device, an output corresponding to the output message. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification