Rapid inventory data acquistion system
First Claim
1. A method of identifying and determining the number of comingled stationary items by group distributed over an interrogation area, comprising the steps ofassigning a unique transmit/receive frequency to each group of corresponding items,from a remote location, transmitting to said interrogation area at at least one group-specific frequency,reradiating a different unique specific frequency from each item in the interrogation area belonging to the specific group,receiving the reradiated group-specific frequency at said remote location,converting the received signal strength for said specific group to measured data related to the quantity of items in the specific group in the interrogation area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computerized transceiver repeatedly sweeps through a set of transmit/receive frequencies to interrogate collectively a plurality of groups of items in a stocking area. Items in each group are tagged with a printed circuit transponder tuned to frequencies uniquely assigned to each group. Data turned is stored and combined mathematically by the computer to arrive at the total number of items in each group. The system is particularly adapted for taking inventory of a large number of retail shelf goods using a mobile transceiver.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of identifying and determining the number of comingled stationary items by group distributed over an interrogation area, comprising the steps of
assigning a unique transmit/receive frequency to each group of corresponding items, from a remote location, transmitting to said interrogation area at at least one group-specific frequency, reradiating a different unique specific frequency from each item in the interrogation area belonging to the specific group, receiving the reradiated group-specific frequency at said remote location, converting the received signal strength for said specific group to measured data related to the quantity of items in the specific group in the interrogation area.
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7. Apparatus for identifying and determining the numbers of items in comingled groups of items distributed along an interrogation area, comprising
a unit movable relative to said items having antenna means for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, transmitter means for transmitting at at least one frequency assigned to a given group of items toward said interrogation area via said antenna means, tuned receiver means for receiving at a different frequency assigned to said group of items via said antenna means, identical tag means affixed to each item of said specific group, having passive miniaturized electronic circuit means for responding to said transmit frequency and reradiating simultaneously at said receive frequency, means for sampling the signal strength received via said receiver means due to the presence of items in said specific group at a succession of locations along said interrogation area to produce an indication of the quantity of items in said specific group in the interrogation area, whereby without manipulation, the quantity of items in a given group among other groups of items can be remotely ascertained.
Specification