RFID encoding/verifying apparatus

• US 7,073,712 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jusas, Keith, Jusas, Todd, Jusas, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, STEVE S
• Application Number:
  US10/635,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/383, 235/385, 235/492, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 156/300, 156/555
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 5/02 the verifying forming a part of the marking action

Abstract

An encoding/verifying apparatus and method for encoding/verifying RFID containing stock is provided. The encoding/verifying apparatus enables the verification of information already programmed on stock containing a RFID tag and/or encodes specific information to the RFID component of the stock while verifying that the proper stock is programmed with the correct information. Stock can either be on a roll or a fan fold with or without pin feeds. The stock will be read/encoded one at a time and advanced only after each successful read/write. Any stock that contains a failed RFID component will be marked so as to designate it as defective. In addition, methods for uniquely programming RFID containing stock are also provided.

Claims

1. An RFID encoding/verifying apparatus comprising:

a platform for positioning RFID containing stock including barcodes upon;

a feeder positioned on said platform for advancing said RFID containing stock;

a motor in communication with said feeder for advancing said RFID containing stock a predetermined distance when activated;

an RFID read/write unit comprising at least one antenna with read/write capability for transmitting information to said RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced past said RFID read/write unit;

at least one antenna with read/write capability for transmitting information to RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced past said at least one antenna;

at least one barcode reader positioned on said platform so as to read information from said RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced passed said barcode reader and wherein the at least one barcode reader is in communication with a processor and said barcode reader reads said barcodes on said RFID containing stock and sends information to said processor to be verified;

said processor in communication with said motor and said RFID read/write unit, said processor controlling the advancing of said motor and the transmission of data to and from said RFID read/write unit;

a radio frequency driver in communication with said processor, said radio frequency driver configured so as to send signals to said RFID read/write unit for transmission to said RFID containing stock; and

a marking unit in communication with said processor wherein said marking unit perforates designs in said RFID containing stock when activated.

2. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the feeder is either tractor fed or non-tractor fed.

3. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the feeder is attached to an adjustable track and said feeder can be adjusted to accommodate REID containing stock of various widths.

4. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the platform is transparent and said barcode reader is positioned directly below said transparent portion of said platform.

5. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising two retractable shutters positioned on opposite sides of the transparent portion of the platform enabling the widening and narrowing of the transparent portion of the platform.

6. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a cycling belt positioned around said platform and in communication with said motor for moving said RFID containing stock in a predetermined direction.

7. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an optical sensor in communication with said motor, said optical sensor controlling the advancing of said motor according to data gathered by said optical sensor.

8. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an optical sensor in communication with said processor, said processor sending RFID commands to read and/or write data from/to a tag embedded in a stock unit once a signal is sent from said optical sensor to said processor.

9. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the platform is transparent and said OCR scanner is positioned directly below said transparent portion of said platform.

10. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said barcode reader is attached to said platform by an adjustable arm that can accommodate RFID containing stock of various widths.

11. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said OCR scanner is attached to said platform by an adjustable arm that can accommodate RFID containing stock of various widths.

12. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said barcode reader is for reading barcodes of various widths.

13. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the motor is a stepper motor.

14. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a stepper motor driver in communication with said processor whereby said controller converts a digital signal received from said controller to a pulse signal and relays said pulse signal to said stepper motor driver so as to drive said stepper motor accordingly.

15. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an adjustable forward RFID containing stock roller for roll or non-printed fan-folded stock positioned at one end of said platform.

16. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said forward RFID containing stock roller is self adjusting whereby said forward RFID containing stock roller automatically adjusts its width so as to accommodate said width of said RFID containing stock.

17. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a receiving roller for roll RFID containing stock positioned at the end directly opposite said forward RFID containing stock roller.

18. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 comprising an attachment located at opposite ends of said platform for feeding and receiving fan-fold RFID containing stock.

19. A method for encoding/verifying RFID containing stock using the RFID containing stock encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 comprising;

positioning said RFID containing stock in said feeder on said platform of said RFID encoding/verifying apparatus;

advancing said RFID containing stock using said motor to position at least one RFID containing stock unit in communication with said RFID read/write unit;

reading said information on said RFID containing stock using said read/write RFID unit and communicating said data to said processor;

scanning said barcode and communicating said information to said processor;

generating at least one program instruction by said processor in response to comparing said RFID tag information and said barcode information by said processor;

said program instructions selected from the group consisting of instructing said read/write unit to write specific information to said RFID containing stock, activating said marking unit to mark said RFID containing stock, and advancing said motor so as to repeat said process.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein an OCR is used in place of said barcode scanner.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein clinical labels are produced.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein non-clinical labels are produced.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein blank RFID containing stock is used.

24. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one barcode reader is in a different orientation than a second barcode reader.

25. An RFID encoding/verifying apparatus comprising:

a platform for positioning RFID containing stock upon;

a feeder positioned on said platform for advancing said RFID containing stock;

a motor in communication with said feeder for advancing said RFID containing stock a predetermined distance when activated;

an RFID read/write unit comprising at least one antenna with read/write capability for transmitting information to said RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced past said RFID read/write unit;

a processor in communication with said motor and said RFID read/write unit, said processor controlling the advancing of said motor and the transmission of data to and from said RFID read/write unit;

a marking unit in communication with said processor whereby said marking unit perforates said RFID containing stock when activated; and

said feeder attached to an adjustable track wherein said feeder can be adjusted to accommodate RFID containing stock of various widths.

26. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the feeder is either tractor fed or non-tractor fed.

27. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the feeder is attached to an adjustable track and said feeder can be adjusted to accommodate RFID containing stock of various widths.

28. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 26 further comprising an adjustable forward RFID containing stock roller for roll or non-printed fan-folded stock positioned at one end of said platform.

29. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said forward RFID containing stock roller is self adjusting whereby said forward RFID containing stock roller automatically adjusts its width so as to accommodate said width of said RFID containing stock.

30. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 29 further comprising a receiving roller for roll RFID containing stock positioned at the end directly opposite said forward RFID containing stock roller.

31. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 26 comprising an attachment located at opposite ends of said platform for feeding and receiving fan-fold RFID containing stock.

32. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the read/write unit comprises at least one integrated circuit coupled to at least one antenna with read/write capability for transmitting information to RFID containing stock as said REID containing stock is advanced past said at least one antenna;

and said RFID encoding/verifying apparatus further comprises at least one barcode reader positioned on said platform so as to read information from said RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced passed said barcode reader.

33. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said barcode reader is positioned directly below said transparent portion of said platform.

34. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 33 further comprising two retractable shutters positioned on opposite sides of the transparent portion of the platform enabling the widening and narrowing of the transparent portion of the platform.

35. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 33 further comprising a cycling belt positioned around said platform and in communication with said motor for moving said RFID containing stock in a predetermined direction.

36. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 32 wherein one barcode reader is in a different orientation than a second barcode reader.

37. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the read/write unit comprises at least one integrated circuit coupled to at least one antenna with read/write capability for transmitting information to RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced past said at least one antenna;

and said RFID encoding/verifying apparatus further comprising an OCR scanner positioned on said platform so as to read information from said RFID containing stock as said RFID containing stock is advanced passed said OCR scanner.

38. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 37 wherein at least part of the platform is transparent and said OCR scanner is positioned directly below said transparent portion of said platform.

39. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said barcode reader is attached to said platform by an adjustable arm that can accommodate RFID containing stock of various widths.

40. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 37 wherein said OCR scanner is attached to said platform by an adjustable arm that can accommodate RFID containing stock of various widths.

41. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said barcode reader is for reading barcodes of various widths.

42. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the motor is a stepper motor and said RFID encoding/verifying apparatus further comprises a stepper motor driver in communication with said processor whereby said controller converts a digital signal received from said controller to a pulse signal and relays said pulse signal to said stepper motor driver so as to drive said stepper motor accordingly.

43. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 25 further comprising an optical sensor in communication with said motor, said optical sensor controlling the advancing of said motor according to data gathered by said optical sensor.

44. The RFID encoding/verifying apparatus according to claim 25 further comprising an optical sensor in communication with said processor, said processor sending RFID commands to read and/or write data from/to a tag embedded in a stock unit once a signal is sent from said optical sensor to said processor.