Apparatus for manufacturing management using a wireless device

• US 6,838,977 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Gray, Patrick, Depperschmidt, Mark E., Lee, James E. Jr., Chen, Robert K. T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US09/801,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20020164976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 455/95, 455/414.1, 455/558, 455/566, 455/90.1, 455/550.1, 455/67.7, 370/316, 370/402, 348/460, 342/450, 342/465, 273/429, 340 722- 723, 340/7.61, 340/311.2, 340/313, 340/314, 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/815.65, 340/815.69, 340/5.92, 340/514, 340/825.72, 235/385, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 340/5.92
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A method of inventory management is described. Upon activation of a button on a wireless device, the wireless device having a light source and a transceiver with a unique media address corresponding to a unique product, the device broadcasts a first signal including an order command and the unique media address by the transceiver via a wireless medium. A central controller then receives the first signal, identifies the unique media address included in the first signal, and using a database, identifies the unique product associated with the unique media address.

Claims

1. A method of inventory management, comprising:

detecting an activation of a button on a wireless device, the wireless device having an indicator and a transceiver with a unique address;

broadcasting a first signal including an order command and the unique address via a wireless medium responsive to detecting the activation;

receiving the first signal;

identifying the unique address included in the first signal;

accessing a database to identify an inventory product associated with the order command based on the unique address;

activating the indicator in a first manner responsive to broadcasting the first signal;

broadcasting a second signal including an acknowledgement command via the wireless medium responsive to receiving the order command;

receiving the second signal in the wireless device and activating the indicator in a second manner responsive to receiving the acknowledgment command; and

ordering retrieval of the inventory product from a central storage facility responsive to receiving the order command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting a third signal including delivery pending command via the wireless medium responsive to retrieving the invnetory product from the central storage facility; and

receiving the third signal in the wireless device and activating the indicator in a third manner responsive to receiving the delivery pending command.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

broadcasting a fourth signal including a delivery complete command via the wireless medium responsive to delivering the inventory product to a location of the wireless device; and

receiving the fourth signal and activating the indicator in a fourth manner responsive to receiving the delivery complete command.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting a third signal including a cancel command via the wireless medium responsive to a reactivation of the button;

receiving the third signal and canceling retrieval of the inventory product responsive to receiving the cancel commandbroadcasting a fourth signal including a reset command via the wireless medium responsive to canceling retrieval of the inventory product; and

receiving the fourth signal in the wireless device and activating the indicator in a third manner responsive to receiving the reset command.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

broadcasting a fourth signal including a cancel command via the wireless medium responsive to a reactivation of the button; and

receiving the fourth signal and ignoring the cancel command responsive to prior retrieval of the inventory product from the central storage facility.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transitioning the wireless device from a power saving state to an awake state responsive to detecting the activation of the button.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transitioning the wireless device to a polling state responsive to receiving the acknowledgment command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator further comprises a light source, activating the indicator in the first manner further comprises activating the light source at first blinking rate, and activating the indicator in the second manner further comprises activating the light source at a second blinking rate different than the first blinking rate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator further comprises an audible indicator, activating the indicator in the first manner further comprises activating the audible indicator at first beeping rate, and activating the indicator in the second manner further comprises activating the audible indicator at a second beeping rate different than the first beeping rate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the first signal further comprises broadcasting the first signal via the wireless medium using an 802.11 protocol.

11. A method of inventory management, comprising:

detecting an activation of a button on a wireless device, the wireless device having an indicator and a transceiver with a unique address corresponding to an inventory product;

broadcasting a first signal including an order command and the unique address via a wireless medium responsive to detecting the activation;

activating the indicator in a first manner responsive to broadcasting the first signal;

receiving a second signal in the wireless device including an acknowledgment command indicating placement of an order for the inventory product; and

activating the indicator in a second manner different from the first manner responsive to receiving the acknowledgment command.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a third signal in the wireless device including a delivery pending command; and

activating the indicator in a third manner different from the first and second manners responsive to receiving the delivery pending command.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a fourth signal in the wireless device including a delivery complete command; and

activating the indicator in a fourth manner different from the first, second, and third manners responsive to receiving the delivery complete command.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

broadcasting a third signal including a cancel command via the wireless medium responsive to a reactivation of the button;

receiving a fifth signal including a reset command indicating cancellation of the order via the wireless medium; and

activating the indicator in a third manner different from the first and second manners responsive to receiving the reset command.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicator further comprises a light source, activating the indicator in the first manner further comprises activating the light source at first blinking rate, and activating the indicator in the second manner further comprises activating the light source at a second blinking rate different than the first blinking rate.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicator further comprises an audible indicator, activating the indicator in the first manner further comprises activating the audible indicator at first blinking rate, and activating the indicator in the second manner further comprises activating the audible indicator at a second beeping rate different than the first beeping rate.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein broadcasting the first signal further comprises broadcasting the first signal via the wireless medium using an 802.11 protocol.

18. An inventory management system, comprising;

means for detecting an activation of a button on a wireless device, the wireless device having an indicator and a transceiver with a unique address;

means far broadcasting a first signal including an order command and the unique address via a wireless medium responsive to detecting the activation;

means for receiving the first signal;

means for identifying the unique address included in the first signal;

means for accessing a database to identify an inventory product associated with the order command based on the unique address;

means for activating the indicator in a first manner responsive to broadcasting the first signal;

means for broadcasting a second signal including an acknowledgement command via the wireless medium responsive to receiving the order command;

means for receiving the second signal in the wireless device and activating the indicator in a second manner responsive to receiving the acknowledgment command; and

means for ordering retrieval of the inventory product from a central storage facility responsive to receiving the order command.

19. An inventory management system, comprising:

means for detecting an activation of a button on a wireless device, the wireless device having an indicator and a transceiver with a unique address corresponding to an inventory product;

means for broadcasting a first signal including an order command and the unique address via a wireless medium responsive to detecting the activation;

means for activating the indicator in a first manner responsive to broadcasting the first signal;

means for receiving a second signal in the wireless device including an acknowledgment command indicating placement of an order for the inventory product; and

means for activating the indicator in a second manner different from the first manner responsive to receiving the acknowledgment command.