Real time total asset visibility system

• US 6,662,068 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Touraj Ghaffari
• Original Assignee: Touraj Ghaffari
• Inventors: Ghaffari, Touraj
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US09/976,734
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 700/215, 700/225, 700/229, 700/115, 700/116
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system and method for tracking articles and controlling inventory thereof on a real time basis comprising the use of a tag assembly including a plurality of tags including both active tags and passive tags distinguishable from one another by the provision of a self contained power source in the active tags. One or more readers are disposed within a locale being monitored and are structured to communicate received data transmission from a host controller, for additional administrative processing in terms of determining the existence, location and/or movement of various articles with which the plurality of tags are directly associated. Depending on the category of tags, they may be activated by either entering an electric field of a predetermined first frequency or by receiving an activation signal from the reader assembly also transmitted at the first predetermined frequency. Communication between the tags and the reader occurs at a second frequency being different from the first frequency.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for maintaining inventory control on a real time basis, said system comprising:

a) at least one host controller,

b) a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of articles located within a monitored locale,

c) a reader assembly disposed in communicating relation with said plurality of tags,

d) at least some of said plurality of tags capable of at least uni-directional transmission to said reader assembly, and

e) said reader assembly communicative with both said host controller and said plurality of tags for real time determination of a status of individual ones of said plurality of tags and the articles associated therewith; and

f) said reader assembly being structured to provide said host controller with a non-compliant communication upon failure to receive a transmission from one or more of said plurality of tags.

2. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said tags are further structured for asynchronous transmission to said reader assembly.

3. A monitoring system as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of tags include tags structured to operate in an active mode.

4. A monitoring system as recited in claim 3 wherein said active mode is at least partially defined by operation utilizing a self contained power source.

5. A monitoring system as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of tags comprise one or more passive tags and one or more active tags operatively distinguishable from one another by said one or more active tags having a self contained power source.

6. A monitoring system as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of tags comprise one or more active tags or one or more passive tags, said passive tags and active tags being operatively distinguishable from one another by said active tags having a self-contained power source.

7. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are structured for activation upon exposure to a signal at a first frequency and further structured for transmission to said reader assembly at a second frequency.

8. A monitoring system as recited in claim 7 wherein said first and second frequencies are different and collectively define a multi-frequency capability of at least some of said plurality of tags.

9. A monitoring system as recited in claim 8 wherein said transmission to said reader assembly at said second frequency occurs on a periodic pulse basis.

10. A monitoring system as recited in claim 9 wherein said second frequency is approximately 915 MHz.

11. A monitoring system as recited in claim 8 wherein said plurality of tags are exposed to said first frequency at a substantially continuous, high field strength.

12. A monitoring system as recited in claim 11 wherein said first frequency is approximately 13.56 MHz.

13. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein said host controller generates an alarm indicative of said one or more tags failure to transmit to said reader assembly.

14. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a multi-tag anti-collision protocol comprising said plurality of tags and said reader assembly cooperatively structured to allow concurrent reading of multiple transmissions from said plurality of tags.

15. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein said reader assembly comprises a plurality of fixed readers disposed within the monitored locale in predetermined relation to one another, each of said readers comprising a transceiver structured to receive transmissions from at least some of said plurality of tags and transfer received transmission data from said tags to said host controller.

16. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein the monitored locale is a vehicle;

said reader assembly comprising at least one vehicle reader including a transceiver structured to receive transmitted data from a number of said plurality of tags associated with the vehicle and communicate the transmitted data to said host controller at a location remote from the vehicle.

17. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags include bi-directional, multi-frequency capabilities at least partially defined by activation of said tag at a first frequency and transmission thereby at a second frequency, said first and second frequencies being different and being generated at different field strengths.

18. A monitoring system as recited in claim 17 wherein said reader assembly comprises at least one shelf reader disposed within the monitored locale in predetermined proximity to said plurality of tags.

19. A monitoring system as recited in claim 18 wherein said at least one shelf reader comprises a transceiver structured to generate an activation signal at said first frequency to said plurality of tags and receive transmitted data from said plurality of tags at said second frequency subsequent to activation of said plurality of tags.

20. A monitoring system as recited in claim 17 wherein said reader assembly comprises at least one mobile reader movably disposed within the monitored locale and structured for wireless communication with said plurality of tags and said host controller.

21. A monitoring system as recited in claim 20 wherein said one mobile reader includes a transceiver.

22. A monitoring system as recited in claim 21 wherein said one mobile reader includes tag identification capabilities comprising the locating of individual ones of said plurality of tags based on field strength of transmitted signals from said plurality of tags.

23. A monitoring system as recited in claim 20 wherein said one mobile reader further comprises display facilities structured for visual display of received transmitted data.

24. A monitoring system as recited in claim 20 wherein said one mobile reader further comprises bar code reading capabilities, said reader structured to transmit bar code data to said host controller.

25. A monitoring system as recited in claim 24 wherein said host controller comprises bi-directional communicating facilities structured to receive said bar code data from said reader assembly and transmit an acknowledgment thereof to said mobile reader.

26. A monitoring system as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of tags are programmable and structured to selectively change at least identification and address data relating thereto.

37. A monitoring system as recited in claim 9 wherein said second frequency is approximately 856 MHz.

38. A monitoring system as recited in claim 9 wherein said first frequency is approximately 433 MHz.

27. A monitoring system for monitoring inventory control on a real time basis, said system comprising:

a) at least one host controller,

b) a tag assembly comprising a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of articles located within a monitored local,

c) a reader assembly including at least one reader disposed in communicating relation with said plurality of tags,

d) at least some of said plurality of tags structured for at least uni-directional transmission to said reader assembly on a pre-scheduled time basis,

e) said one reader communicative with both said host controller and said plurality of tags for real time determination of a status of individual ones of said plurality of tags and the articles associated therewith; and

f) said reader assembly being structured to provide said host controller with a non-compliant communication upon failure to receive a transmission from one or more of said plurality of tags.

28. A monitoring system as recited in claim 27 wherein said plurality of tags comprise one or more passive tags and one or more active tags operatively distinguishable from one another by said one or more active tags having a self contained power source.

29. A monitoring system as recited in claim 27 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags include bi-directional, multi-frequency capabilities at least partially defined by activation of said tags at a first frequency and transmission of data from said tags to said reader assembly at a second frequency, said first and second frequencies being different.

30. A monitoring system as recited in claim 29 wherein said reader assembly comprises at least one shelf reader disposed within the monitored locale in predetermined proximity to said plurality of tags.

31. A monitoring system as recited in claim 30 wherein said at least one shelf reader comprises a transceiver structured to generate an activation signal at said first frequency to said plurality of tags and receive transmitted data from said plurality of tags at said second frequency, subsequent to activation of said plurality of tags.

32. A monitoring system as recited in claim 27 wherein said one reader comprises at least one mobile reader movably disposed within the monitored locale and structured for wireless communication with said plurality of tags and said host controller.

33. A monitoring system as recited in claim 32 wherein said mobile reader includes a transceiver structured to generate an activation signal at said first frequency to said plurality of tags and receive transmitted data from said plurality of tags at a second frequency, subsequent to said activation of said plurality of tags.

34. A monitoring system as recited in claim 27 wherein said reader assembly comprises a plurality of fixed readers disposed within the monitored locale in predetermined relation to one another, each of said readers comprising a transceiver structured to receive transmissions from at least some of said plurality of tags and transfer received transmission data from said tag to said host controller.

35. A monitoring system as recited in claim 34 wherein at least some of said fixed readers are powered by conventional power sources and structured to be removably connected to a light socket, so as to receive power therefrom.

36. A monitoring system for maintaining inventory control on a real time basis, said system comprising:

a) at least one host controller,

b) a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of articles located within a monitored locale,

c) a reader assembly disposed in communicating relation with said plurality of tags,

d) at least some of said plurality of tags capable of at least uni-directional transmission to said reader assembly, and

e) said reader assembly communicative with both said host controller and said plurality of tags for real time determination of a status of individual ones of said plurality of tags and the articles associated therewith; and

f) said reader assembly including a power-up procedure comprising an initiating signal sent to said host controller, said initiating signal being indicative of an active status of said reader assembly.

39. A monitoring system as recited in claim 36 wherein said host controller is responsive to said initiating signal for an automatic establishment of a reader address.