History management system

• US 6,769,604 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Yoshiaki, Nakazawa, Tateo
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US10/440,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/472.01, 235/485, 235/487, 235/493, 235/385, 235/449, 235/462.46, 235/383, 235/380, 705/28, 340/5.61, 340/568.8, 340/568.1, 340/572, 340/571, 340/825.49, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 235/375
• 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 history management system that enables the user to acquire, via a network, history information even on a passive part like a cable for example, that is part of a product. Firstly, a product is installed with a noncontact label reader/writer which is made capable of connecting to network. Noncontact labels are applied to each part comprising product. These noncontact labels each provide an IC chip and antenna embedded inside the substrate. The IC chip provides a storage part that records information and transfers information to and receives from the noncontact label reader/writer through the antenna by wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A history management system comprising:

a) at least one first noncontact label applied to a wire connector which electronically interconnects a first and second part of a product;

b) said at least one first noncontact label having a storage area for storing wire information;

c) at least one second noncontact label applied to a given part of said product;

d) said at least one second noncontact label having a storage area for storing part information;

e) a noncontact label reader operative for wirelessly reading out said wire information and said part information from said at least one first noncontact label and said at least one second noncontact label respectively;

f) said label reader connected to a network external to said product, and responsive to a transmission request received from said external network, for transmitting to said external network said wire information and said part information.

2. The history management system according to claim 1

wherein said at least one given part comprises a CPU, liquid crystal display part, a prepaid card reader/writer, a flexible drive device, a thermal printer, a hard disk device, power supply unit, cache drawer part and an extension board and

wherein the information provided by said attached one given part is read in by said at least one second noncontact label reader via said CPU and stored in each said storage area of said at least one second noncontact label.

3. The history management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising

a maintenance server connected to said external network, and

wherein said noncontact label reader receives via said network, said transmission request from said maintenance server.