Bi-directional data flow in a real time tracking system
First Claim
1. A method for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:
- receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article;
receiving in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article;
receiving in the system sensor information derived from data sensed by a sensor coupled to the second article such that the sensor information represents at least one condition existing at the second article;
receiving in the system relationship information specifying a relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article;
maintaining in the system a first physical object representing the first article, the first physical object maintaining information representing the first attribute information;
maintaining in the system a second physical object representing the second article, the second physical object maintaining information representing the second attribute information;
maintaining in the system a context object representing the relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article;
associating the sensor information, derived from the data sensed by the sensor coupled to the second article, with the first physical object based on the relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article represented in the context object such that the sensor information is determined to describe at least one condition existing at the first article;
comparing the sensor information with the first attribute information;
determining that an alert condition exists at the first article based on a result of comparing the sensor information and the first attribute information;
generating updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the determined alert condition;
detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was determined to exist; and
causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article. In one aspect, a method includes: receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the article; similarly receiving second attribute information for a second article; receiving sensor information derived from a sensor coupled to the second article; receiving relationship information specifying a relationship between the articles; maintaining first and second virtual articles representing the first article and the second article and sensor information, respectively, and maintaining a context object representing the relationship; recognizing an alert condition relating to the first article; generating updated attribute information; detecting the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition; and causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:
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receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article; receiving in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article; receiving in the system sensor information derived from data sensed by a sensor coupled to the second article such that the sensor information represents at least one condition existing at the second article; receiving in the system relationship information specifying a relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article; maintaining in the system a first physical object representing the first article, the first physical object maintaining information representing the first attribute information; maintaining in the system a second physical object representing the second article, the second physical object maintaining information representing the second attribute information; maintaining in the system a context object representing the relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article; associating the sensor information, derived from the data sensed by the sensor coupled to the second article, with the first physical object based on the relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article represented in the context object such that the sensor information is determined to describe at least one condition existing at the first article; comparing the sensor information with the first attribute information; determining that an alert condition exists at the first article based on a result of comparing the sensor information and the first attribute information; generating updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the determined alert condition; detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was determined to exist; and causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:
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receive in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article; receive in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article; receive in the system sensor information derived from data sensed by a sensor coupled to the second article such that the sensor information represents at least one condition existing at the second article; receive in the system relationship information specifying a relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article; maintain in the system a first physical object representing the first article, the first physical object maintaining information representing the first attribute information; maintain in the system a second physical object representing the second article, the second physical object maintaining information representing the second attribute information; maintain in the system a context object representing the relationship between the first article and the second article; associate the sensor information, derived from the data sensed by the sensor coupled to the second article, with the first physical object based on the relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article represented in the context object such that the sensor information is determined to describe at least one condition existing at the first article; compare the sensor information with the first attribute information; determine that an alert condition exists at the first article based on a result of comparing the sensor information and the first attribute information; generate updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the determined alert condition; detect in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was determined to exist; and cause the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon a detection of the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A system for updating information on a writable tag bound to an article, comprising:
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means for receiving in a system first attribute information for a first article, where the first attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a first tag bound to the first article, the first attribute information including a first identifier identifying the first article; means for receiving in the system second attribute information for a second article, where the second attribute information was derived from data read automatically from a second tag bound to the second article, the second attribute information including a second identifier identifying the second article; means for receiving in the system sensor information derived from data sensed by a sensor coupled to the second article such that the sensor information represents at least one condition existing at the second article; means for receiving in the system relationship information specifying a relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article; means for maintaining in the system a first physical object representing the first article, the first physical object maintaining information representing the first attribute information; means for maintaining in the system a second physical object representing the second article, the second physical object maintaining information representing the second attribute information; means for maintaining in the system a context object representing the relationship between the first article and the second article; means for associating the sensor information, derived from the data sensed by the sensor coupled to the second article, with the first physical object based on the relationship of physical proximity between the first article and the second article represented in the context object such that the sensor information is determined to describe at least one condition existing at the first article; means for comparing the sensor information with the first attribute information; means for determining that an alert condition exists at the first article based on a result of comparing the sensor information and the first attribute information; means for generating updated attribute information to be written to the first article in response to the determined alert condition; means for detecting in the system the presence of the first tag at a tag writer station after the alert condition was determined to exist; and means for causing the tag writer station to write the updated information to the first tag at the tag writer station upon detecting the presence of the first tag at the tag writer station. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method comprising:
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maintaining in a system first attribute information for a first article; maintaining in the system second attribute information for a second article; receiving in the system relationship information indicating physical proximity between the first article and the second article; receiving in the system sensor information describing a condition treated as existing at the second article; associating the sensor information with the first article based on the physical proximity between the first article and the second article, indicated by the relationship information, such that the condition is (i) determined to exist at the first article, as well as (ii) treated as existing at the second article; comparing the sensor information with the first attribute information; determining, based on a result of the comparing of the sensor information with the first attribute information, that an alert condition of the first article has occurred; and updating the first attribute information to reflect that the alert condition has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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Specification