Transporting hazardous material using an optical reader or RFID reader

• US 6,995,673 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter J. Osredkar
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Osredkar
• Inventors: Osredkar, Victoria M., Osredkar, Priscilla Ellen
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/098,325
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.6, 340/539.11, 235/384, 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.02
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A preferred embodiment is directed to a method and system of identifying hazardous materials using an optical reader and an optical label. A first step is to locate the optical label on a transportation device. A second step is to activate a trigger control of the optical reader to engage power and begin scanning the optical label. Another step is to image the optical label to generate a first electromagnetic signal containing code of a hazardous material. Yet another step is to transmit the first electromagnetic signal to a host computer wherein the host computer transmits a second electromagnetic signal. A next step is to receive at the optical reader the second electromagnetic signal containing information on the hazardous material. The final step is to obtain the information about the hazardous material on a display of the optical reader.

Claims

1. A method of identifying hazardous materials using a RFID reader and RFID tag comprising the steps of:

locating said RFID tag on a transportation device;

activating a trigger control of said RFID reader for engaging power to begin reading said RFID tag;

interrogating said RFID tag generating a first electromagnetic signal that represents a modulated backscatter of preprogrammed code from said RFID tag for correlating said modulated backscatter to hazardous material information when processing in a host computer;

transmitting said first electromagnetic signal to a host computer wherein said host computer processes said first electromagnetic signal generating a second electromagnetic signal containing information on said hazardous material;

transmitting said second electromagnetic signal to a display means wherein said display means receives information on said hazardous material; and

displaying said information about said hazardous material.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said code is based on a NFPA label system.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said code is based on a HMIS label system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of vehicles.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of containers.

6. A method of identifying hazardous materials using an optical reader and label comprising the steps of:

locating said optical label on a transportation device;

activating a trigger control of said optical reader for engaging power to begin imaging said optical label;

reading said optical label generating a first electromagnetic signal that represents a barcode string of digits from said optical label for correlating said digits to hazardous material information when processing in a host computer;

transmitting said first electromagnetic signal to said host computer wherein said host computer processes said first electromagnetic signal generating a second electromagnetic signal containing information on said hazardous material;

transmitting said second electromagnetic signal to a display means wherein said display means receives said information on said hazardous material; and

displaying said information on said hazardous material.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said barcode is based on a NFPA label system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said barcode is based on a HMIS label system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of vehicles.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of containers.

11. A RFID reader system for identifying hazardous material in a transportation device comprising:

a) a RFID tag representing a modulated backscatter of preprogrammed code from said RFID tag for correlating said modulated backscatter to hazardous material information;

b) a RFID reader having an input means and circuitry all within a portable housing for interrogating said RFID tag and generating a first signal;

c) a host computer receiving said first signal of said modulated backscatter of preprogrammed code, wherein said host computer processes said first signal generating and transmitting a second signal, said second signal containing current information of said hazardous material; and

d) a display means for a user to obtain said information on said hazardous material.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said preprogrammed code is based on a NFPA label system.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said preprogrammed code is based on a HMIS label system.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of vehicles.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of containers.

16. An optical reader system for identifying hazardous material in a transportation device comprising:

a) an optical label representing a string of digits for identifying information pertaining to a hazardous material;

b) an optical reader having an input means and circuitry all within a portable housing for imagining said optical label and generating a first signal after reading said optical label;

c) a host computer receiving said first signal, wherein said host computer processes said first signal generating and transmitting a second signal, said second signal containing current information of said hazardous material; and

d) a display means for a user to obtain said information on said hazardous material.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said optical label encoding is based on a NFPA standard.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said optical label encoding is based on a HMIS standard.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of vehicles.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said transportation device is a plurality of containers.

21. An optical label comprising:

a plurality of formatted bars and spaces forming various widths representing a string of digits for identifying a hazardous material according to NFPA standards, wherein said formatted bars and spaces are arranged on a label in a NFPA system, said string of digits after processing identifying information of said hazardous material according to NFPA standards.

22. The optical label as claimed in claim 21, wherein the NFPA is substitutable with HMIS.

23. An RFID tag comprising:

a semiconductor RF chip having a preprogrammed memory for identifying a hazardous material according to NFPA standards, and after processing identifying information on said hazardous material according to NFPA standards;

an antenna; and

a substrate.

24. The RFID tag as claimed in claim 23, wherein the NFPA is substitutable with HMIS.