RF interrogatable processing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for processing articles, comprising the steps of:
- (a) defining an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions;
(b) distributing said articles into an enclosure; and
(c) providing the enclosure with a Wireless spread spectrum interrogatable unit includingi) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure;
ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message;
iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said unit memory into an outgoing message;
iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and
v) a wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for storing articles having different descriptions in an enclosure and providing the enclosure with an wireless interrogatable unit having stored indications of the descriptions of the stored articles. The system further contemplates interrogating the enclosure'"'"'s wireless interrogatable unit to determine the enclosure content.
86 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for processing articles, comprising the steps of:
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(a) defining an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions; (b) distributing said articles into an enclosure; and (c) providing the enclosure with a Wireless spread spectrum interrogatable unit including i) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure; ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said unit memory into an outgoing message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) a wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for processing articles, comprising the steps of:
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(a) defining an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions; (b) distributing said articles into an enclosure; (c) providing the enclosure with a wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit including i) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure; ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said memory into an outgoing message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) a wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message; and (d) interrogating the enclosure wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit to determine enclosure article contents.
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4. A method for processing articles, comprising the steps of:
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(a) defining an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions; (b) distributing said articles into different enclosures; (c) providing each enclosure with an wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit including i) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure; ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said memory into an outgoing message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) a wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message; and (d) interrogating the enclosure wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable units to determine enclosure article contents in any one or more of said enclosures. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A system for processing an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions, comprising:
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(a) an enclosure containing a grouping of said articles; and (b) a wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit with said enclosure, said unit including i) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure; ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said unit memory into an outgoing message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) a wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A system for processing an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions, comprising:
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(a) an enclosure containing a grouping of said articles; (b) a wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit with said enclosure, said unit including i) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure; ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said unit memory into an outgoing message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) a wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message; (c) an enclosure wireless spread spectrum-interrogator for interrogating the enclosure wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit to determine enclosure article contents. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A system for processing an article assortment inclusive of articles having different descriptions, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of enclosures, each containing a grouping of said articles; (b) an wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable unit with each said enclosures, said unit including i) a unit memory for storing indications of the descriptions of articles contained in the enclosure; ii) a detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said unit memory into an outgoing message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said unit memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) an wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message; and (c) an enclosure wireless spread spectrum-interrogator for interrogating the enclosure wireless spread spectrum-interrogatable units to determine article contents of one or more of said enclosures. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. In combination:
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(a) a plurality of articles; (b) a plurality of enclosures each containing a portion of said plurality of said articles; (c) an wireless spread spectrum interrogatable tag with each article, said tag including i) a tag memory for storing interrogatable information indicative of the article; ii) a tag detector for detecting an incoming message; iii) a tag message assembler for assembling a set of data retrieved from said tag memory into an outgoing tag message; iv) a controller operatively connected to said detector for controlling retrieval of a designated data from said tag memory and for controlling said message assembler; and v) an wireless spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the assembled message; and (d) a tag interrogator for interrogating said tags in said enclosures and for storing the information indicative of said articles. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification