Inventory control and indentification method

• US 6,736,316 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yoram Neumark
• Original Assignee: Yoram Neumark
• Inventors: Neumark, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US10/304,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20040035927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.42, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/835.36, 340/14.1, 340/505, 340/573.1, 340/825.49, 235/375, 235/383, 235/384, 235/385, 235/462.01, 235/462.13, 235/462.45, 235/462.44, 235/462.46, 235/470, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 705/22, 705/28, 342/450, 342/42, 342/50, 342/451, 342/463, 342/465, 700/213, 700/214, 700/215, 700/225, 700/226, 600/300
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An inventory control and identification apparatus uses a storage space with a plurality of inventory items. Identification labels are positioned in physical correspondence with the inventory items. Each of the identification labels provides a unit and an LCD label. The label is enabled with an electronic pictorial display for identification of the inventory. A coordinate network of further units are set in a fixed position relative to the storage space and are enabled for wireless communication with the identification labels. A data processer is enabled for wireless communication with the coordinate network and the identificaton labels so as to remotely change the displays on the labels and to identify the locations of the labels.

Claims

1. An inventory control and identification method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of inventory items in a storage space;

positioning identification labels in physical correspondence with the inventory items;

combining a first transceiving means and an electronic pictorial presentation means with each one of the identification labels;

positioning a coordinate network of second transceiving means in a fixed known position relative to the storage space and enabling the first and second transceiving means for mutual wireless communication;

establishing a computer system in wave energy signal communication with the first and second transceiving means; and

transmitting signals from the computer system to the first transceiving means, the signals corresponding to pictorial representations of the inventory items;

presenting the pictorial representation on the presentation means to enable visual identification and selection of the inventory items;

transmitting a request coded for a selected one of the identification labels;

emitting a time stamped transmission by the selected one of the identification labels;

receiving the time stamped transmission of the identification label by at least three of the second transceiving means of the coordinate network and identifying the time of receipt of the emitted time stamped transmission at the at least three second transceiving means;

receiving the emitted times and received times of the time stamped transmission at the computer system; and

calculating the location of the selected one of the identification labels.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting signals from the first transceiving means to the data processing means to confirm satisfactory operation of the identification labels.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting signals from the first transceiving means to the data processing means to confirm identity of the inventory items related thereto.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of composing a pictorial map of the inventory items within the storage space from the calculated locations of the labels.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of identifying any one of the labels on the pictorial map.

6. An inventory control and identification apparatus comprising:

a storage space for receiving a plurality of inventory items;

a plurality of identification labels in physical correspondence with the inventory items, the identification labels each providing a first transceiving means and an electronic pictorial presentation means;

a coordinate network of second transceiving means in a fixed known position relative to the storage space, the first and second transceiving means enabled for mutual wireless communication;

a computer system in wave energy signal communication with the first and second transceiving means wherein pictorial representations of the inventory items are enabled for being transmitted from the computer system to the first transceiving means and displayed thereon for visual identification and selection of the inventory items;

the computer system further enabled for transmitting a request signal coded for a selected one of the identification labels;

the selected one of the identification labels further enabled for emitting a time stumped transmission in response to the request signal;

the network of the second transceiving means enabled for receiving the time stamped transmission by at least three of the second transceiving means and for identifying a time of receipt of the emitted time stamped transmission at each one of the at least three second transceiving means;

the computer system enabled for receiving the emitting and receipt times of the time stamped transmission of the selected one of the identification labels, from the at least three of the second transceiving means and further enabled for calculating a location of the selected one of the identification labels.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the storage space is one of a warehouse, a supermarket, a parking garage, and a dead storage facility.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the inventory items are one of packages, food containers, vehicles and discarded obsolete equipments.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the identification labels are rectangular in shape with a front face and a means for engaging a track.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first transceiving means is a miniature radio frequency receiver and transmitter.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the presentation means is a liquid crystal display.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second transceiving means is a plurality of radio frequency receivers and transmitters with ultra wide band capability.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pictorial representations are descriptions related to the inventory items.