System, method, and logic for processing raw data comprising tag identifiers

• US 7,161,487 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobeRanger Corporation (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: GlobeRanger Corporation (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Hanebeck, Hanns-Christian L., Tracey, Bryan D., Hernandez, Daniel G., Calvesbert, Edward F., Watson, Mark (nmi)
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/871,654
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.4, 340/539.1, 340/539.19, 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/825.69, 707/3, 707/101, 235/383, 235/384, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Processing raw data includes receiving raw data. The raw data includes tag identifiers associated with one or more tags detected during a number of detection events. The tag identifiers are filtered to yield one or more unique tag identifiers. A unique tag identifier corresponds to a tag of the tags. The unique tag identifiers are converted to at least one business object. At least one business rule is applied to the business object to generate a response, and the response is performed.

Claims

1. A method for processing raw data, comprising:

receiving raw data comprising a plurality of tag identifiers, the plurality of tag identifiers associated with one or more tags detected during a plurality of detection events;

filtering the plurality of tag identifiers to yield one or more unique tag identifiers, a unique tag identifier of the one or more unique tag identifiers corresponding to a tag of the one or more tags;

converting the one or more unique tag identifiers to at least one business object;

applying at least one business rule to the at least one business object to generate a response; and

performing the response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers further comprises receiving the raw data from a tag reading system operable to detect a tag of the one or more tags, the tag reading system comprising an antenna and a reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers further comprises receiving the raw data from a tag reading system, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag when an item associated with the tag is placed in or removed from an item detection area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers further comprises receiving the raw data from a tag reading system, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag when an item associated with the tag passes through a portal associated with the tag reading system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the plurality of tag identifiers to yield the unique tag identifiers further comprises:

grouping the plurality of detection events into at least one smoothing interval, a smoothing interval comprising one or more detection events; and

determining the one or more unique tag identifiers from the plurality of tag identifiers of each smoothing interval.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the one or more unique tag identifiers to the at least one business object further comprises determining a business object corresponding to a unique tag identifier according to a lookup table.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the response further comprises:

generating a tag read event in accordance with the business objects; and

publishing the tag read event to a consumer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the response further comprises performing at least one of:

sending an electronic mail message to a recipient; and

storing data describing the selected tag identifiers in a database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

applying the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response further comprises determining a product quantity of the product.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product;

applying the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response further comprises determining that a product restock threshold of the product has been reached; and

performing the response further comprises sending a product restock notification.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product;

applying the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response further comprises;

determining an inventory of the product; and

determining that the product is out of stock; and

performing the response further comprises sending an out-of-stock notification.

12. A system for processing raw data, comprising:

a database operable to store raw data comprising a plurality of tag identifiers, the plurality of tag identifiers associated with one or more tags detected during a plurality of detection events; and

a server system coupled to the database and operable to;

filter the plurality of tag identifiers to yield one or more unique tag identifiers, a unique tag identifier of the one or more unique tag identifiers corresponding to a tag of the one or more tags;

convert the one or more unique tag identifiers to at least one business object;

apply at least one business rule to the at least one business object to generate a response; and

perform the response.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to receive the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers by receiving the raw data from a tag reading system operable to detect a tag of the one or more tags, the tag reading system comprising an antenna and a reader.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to receive the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers by receiving the raw data from a tag reading system, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag when an item associated with the tag is placed in or removed from an item detection area.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to receive the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers by receiving the raw data from a tag reading system, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag when an item associated with the tag passes through a portal associated with the tag reading system.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to filter the plurality of tag identifiers to yield the unique tag identifiers by:

grouping the plurality of detection events into at least one smoothing interval, a smoothing interval comprising one or more detection events; and

determining the one or more unique tag identifiers from the plurality of tag identifiers of each smoothing interval.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to convert the one or more unique tag identifiers to the at least one business object by determining a business object corresponding to a unique tag identifier according to a lookup table.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to perform the response by:

generating a tag read event in accordance with the business objects; and

publishing the tag read event to a consumer.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the server system is further operable to perform the response by performing at least one of:

sending an electronic mail message to a recipient; and

storing data describing the selected tag identifiers in a database.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

the server system is further operable to apply the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by determining a product quantity of the product.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

the server system is further operable to;

apply the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by determining that a product restock threshold of the product has been reached; and

perform the response by sending a product restock notification.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

the server system is further operable to;

apply the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by;

determining an inventory of the product; and

determining that the product is out of stock; and

perform the response by sending an out-of-stock notification.

23. Logic for processing raw data, the logic embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

receive raw data comprising a plurality of tag identifiers, the plurality of tag identifiers associated with one or more tags detected during a plurality of detection events;

filter the plurality of tag identifiers to yield one or more unique tag identifiers, a unique tag identifier of the one or more unique tag identifiers corresponding to a tag of the one or more tags;

convert the one or more unique tag identifiers to at least one business object;

apply at least one business rule to the at least one business object to generate a response; and

perform the response.

24. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to receive the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers by receiving the raw data from a tag reading system operable to detect a tag of the one or more tags, the tag reading system comprising an antenna and a reader.

25. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to receive the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers by receiving the raw data from a tag reading system, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag when an item associated with the tag is placed in or removed from an item detection area.

26. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to receive the raw data comprising the plurality of tag identifiers by receiving the raw data from a tag reading system, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag when an item associated with the tag passes through a portal associated with the tag reading system.

27. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to filter the plurality of tag identifiers to yield the unique tag identifiers by:

grouping the plurality of detection events into at least one smoothing interval, a smoothing interval comprising one or more detection events; and

determining the one or more unique tag identifiers from the plurality of tag identifiers of each smoothing interval.

28. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to convert the one or more unique tag identifiers to the at least one business object by determining a business object corresponding to a unique tag identifier according to a lookup table.

29. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to perform the response by:

generating a tag read event in accordance with the business objects; and

publishing the tag read event to a consumer.

30. The logic of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable to perform the response by performing at least one of:

sending an electronic mail message to a recipient; and

storing data describing the selected tag identifiers in a database.

31. The logic of claim 23, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

the logic is further operable to apply the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by determining a product quantity of the product.

32. The logic of claim 23, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

the logic is further operable to;

apply the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by determining that a product restock threshold of the product has been reached; and

perform the response by sending a product restock notification.

33. The logic of claim 23, wherein:

each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product; and

the logic is further operable to;

apply the at least one business rule to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by;

determining an inventory of the product; and

determining that the product is out of stock; and

perform the response by sending an out-of-stock notification.

34. A system for processing raw data, comprising:

means for receiving raw data comprising a plurality of tag identifiers, the plurality of tag identifiers associated with one or more tags detected during a plurality of detection events;

means for filtering the plurality of tag identifiers to yield one or more unique tag identifiers, a unique tag identifier of the one or more unique tag identifiers corresponding to a tag of the one or more tags;

means for converting the one or more unique tag identifiers to at least one business object;

means for applying at least one business rule to the at least one business object to generate a response; and

means for performing the response.

35. A method for processing raw data, comprising:

receiving raw data comprising a plurality of tag identifiers, the plurality of tag identifiers associated with one or more tags detected during a plurality of detection events, each tag corresponds to an item associated with a product, the raw data received from a tag reading system comprising an antenna and a reader, the tag reading system operable to detect a tag of the one or more tags by performing at least one of the following;

detecting a tag when an item associated with the tag is placed in or removed from an item detection area; and

detecting a tag when an item associated with the tag passes through a portal associated with the tag reading system;

filtering the plurality of tag identifiers to yield one or more unique tag identifiers, a unique tag identifier of the one or more unique tag identifiers corresponding to a tag of the one or more tags, the plurality of tag identifiers filtered to yield the unique tag identifiers by;

grouping the plurality of detection events into at least one smoothing interval, a smoothing interval comprising one or more detection events; and

determining the one or more unique tag identifiers from the plurality of tag identifiers of each smoothing interval;

converting the one or more unique tag identifiers to at least one business object, the one or more unique tag identifiers converted to the at least one business object by determining a business object corresponding to a unique tag identifier according to a lookup table;

applying at least one business rule to the at least one business object to generate a response, the at least one business rule applied to the plurality of business objects to generate the response by performing at least one of the following;

determining a product quantity of the product;

determining that a product restock threshold of the product has been reached; and

determining an inventory of the product, and determining that the product is out of stock; and

performing the response by performing at least one of the following responses;

a first response comprising;

generating a tag read event in accordance with the business objects; and

publishing the tag read event to a consumer;

a second response comprising sending an electronic mail message to a recipient;

a third response comprising storing data describing the selected tag identifiers in a database;

a fourth response comprising sending a product restock notification; and

a fifth response comprising sending an out-of-stock notification.