Computerized system for automatically monitoring processing of objects

• US 6,614,351 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Albrecht, Mann, Jorg, Gellerson, Hans-Werner, Merz, Christian, Spriestersbach, Axel, Beigl, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/732,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.42, 340/5.8, 340/5.92, 235/439, 235/449, 235/462.01, 235/462.25, 235/462.43, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/98.R
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A worker carries a sensor that senses a tag device, preferably a passive RFID tag, in or on an article being processed. The sensor obtains wirelessly from the tag device identifying data, such as a numerical tag, which has been recorded as corresponding to a specific article. A computer connected with the receiver uses the identifying data to obtain a network address on a computer data network. Data relating to the worker contact with the article is sent over the network to the address accessed, and the server, or a management computer attached to it, causes a record to be stored reporting the access regarding the article, and other bookkeeping or process control activities are performed as claimed.

Claims

1. A system for administering processing of a number of articles, said system comprising:

a number of identifying devices each in or secured to a respective article;

a plurality of portable processing systems for use by a plurality of users, said portable processing systems each comprising;

a glove having a tag sensing device, said tag sensing device transmitting an alternating magnetic field, said alternating magnetic field having a frequency;

the identifying devices each being a passive tag device that coacts with the magnetic field when within a threshold distance from the tag sensing device so that the tag sensing device derives therefrom data including data identifying the identifying device relative to the other identifying devices;

a data processor operatively associated with the tag sensing device and receiving therefrom a data signal, said data signal containing the identifying data, said data processor having a wireless communication link to a computer data network; and

a display device connected with the data processor for displaying information to the user;

each of the identifying devices having a respective unique network address corresponding thereto, the data processor converting said identifying data in said data signal to the unique network address for the identifying device, and accessing said network address over the computer data network;

a plurality of servers connected with the computer data network, said servers supporting said network addresses;

said data processor transmitting data identifying the tag device and event data identifying the user and a location of the user to the network address over the computer data network,

said servers being connected with a computerized resource management system, said servers transmitting to said resource management system management data derived from the identifying data and the event data received thereby;

said management system accessing a data record indexed based on the identifying data;

said management system recording said management data or data derived therefrom;

said management system preparing and transmitting display data including data derived from the data record to the respective server;

the server transmitting the display data to the respective portable processing system; and

the portable processing system displaying the display data to the user on the display device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data processor is connected with the tag sensing device with a wireless connection.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the data processor is in a stationary position while the user moves with the tag sensing device.

4. A method for processing data derived from a number of articles being processed by one or more human users, said method comprising:

providing each of said articles with a respective identifying device each having respective identifying data distinguishing from the identifying data of the other identifying devices;

providing to each of said users a portable processing unit having a sensor configured to implicitly sense the identifying devices when said device is within a threshold detection distance from the sensor and to receive at the portable processing unit identifying data identifying the tag device and the article with which it is associated;

storing a data record for the article indexed by the identifying data or by an identifier derived therefrom;

converting the identifying data to a network address on a computer data network;

transmitting the identifying data or data derived therefrom to the network address over the computer network; and

using receipt of the identifying data or data derived therefrom to the network address over the computer network; and

using receipt of the identifying data or data received therewith from the portable processing unit to alter processing of the associated article.

5. A method for acquiring data regarding processing of a number of articles by workers, said method comprising:

providing a respective tag device in or on each of the articles, said tag devices each having identifying data distinguishing each tag device from all of the other tag devices;

providing to each of said workers a respective portable unit having a wireless communication link with a computer data network having thereon a plurality of network servers, said portable unit further having a sensor connected therewith in a glove adapted to be worn by the user;

scanning with said sensor for tag devices;

detecting one of the tag devices when said tag device is within a threshold detection distance from the sensor and obtaining from said tag device the identifying data thereof;

deriving from the identifying data a network address for the computer data network which is unique to the respective tag device;

transmitting data identifying the tag device to the address over the wireless communication link on the computer data network;

receiving the data transmitted at a server supporting the network address and using the data to access a data record corresponding to the article associated with the tag device;

recording the contact of the worker with the article;

preparing display data from the data record of the article;

transmitting the display data over the network to the originating portable unit;

displaying a display derived from said display data on a display device connected with the portable unit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

said scanning comprises generating in the sensor an invisible signal which wirelessly coacts with the tag device so that the sensor obtains therefrom the identifying data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

said signal is an RF signal.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the scanning comprises generating a magnetic field which is influcenced by the tag device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the magnetic field is an alternating magnetic field having a frequency which resonates with the tag device.

10. The method of claim 5 and

receiving an input from the worker at the portable unit and accessing an address on the network responsive thereto.

11. The method of claim 5 and said scanning being continuous.

12. The method of claim 5 and said scanning being periodic.

13. The method of claim 5 and said scanning being intermittent.