Permanent RFID garment tracking system
First Claim
1. An item tracking system for tracking the activity history of an item, comprising:
- an identification device having storage for holding information related to an item, the identification device further having means to permanently attach itself to an item for the life of the item;
a reader capable of reading the information stored in the identification device, the reader further having an output for outputting information read from the identification device; and
a computer having an input attached to the reader such that information read from the identification device by the reader can be transferred from the reader to the computer, the computer further having storage to maintain a history record of the item which includes records of actions taken in regard to the item over the lifespan of the item;
whereby the computer can track actions taken in regard to the item attached to the identification device and maintain a history record of the item describing activities taken over the lifespan of the item.
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Abstract
A permanently attached identification device which is a button sized RFID tag having a unique number. The RFID tag is applied to the garment on the first visit and the identification number is then read. Information related to the garment (such as owner name, dates, reason for cleaning, etc.) is input to a computer along with the identification number. Each time the garment is deposited with a dry cleaner the RFID tag is automatically read by a tag reader near the garment conveyor, and information related to the current visit is input to the computer. The computer maintains a history record related to each garment that is keyed to the identification number in the RFID tag.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An item tracking system for tracking the activity history of an item, comprising:
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an identification device having storage for holding information related to an item, the identification device further having means to permanently attach itself to an item for the life of the item; a reader capable of reading the information stored in the identification device, the reader further having an output for outputting information read from the identification device; and a computer having an input attached to the reader such that information read from the identification device by the reader can be transferred from the reader to the computer, the computer further having storage to maintain a history record of the item which includes records of actions taken in regard to the item over the lifespan of the item; whereby the computer can track actions taken in regard to the item attached to the identification device and maintain a history record of the item describing activities taken over the lifespan of the item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of tracking item usage over the lifespan of an item, including the steps of:
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attaching a permanent identification device having storage for holding information related to an item; reading the information stored in the identification device with a reader, and outputting information read from the identification device; inputting identification device information from the reader into a computer; maintaining a history record of activity related to the item in a computer; and updating the history record to record new activity related to the item such that the history record contains a history of actions taken in regard to the item over the lifespan of the item; whereby a record of actions taken in regard to the item over its lifespan is maintained. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of permanently identifying and tracking garment activity history, including the steps of:
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scanning a garment with an RFID reader for the presence of an RFID tag; determining if the RFID reader has detected that an RFID tag is attached to a garment; attaching an RFID tag to a garment if an RFID tag is not present; reading identification information stored in the RFID tag with a reader and outputting the identification information into a computer having a garment records associated with RFID tag information; determining if there is a garment record stored in the computer related to the RFID tag identification information; creating a new garment record if a garment record related to the RFID tag identification information does not exist; and updating the garment record related to the RFID tag identification information with information related to activity to be performed on the garment. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification