Method and system for context-based automated product identification and verification

• US 7,287,694 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bisdikian, Chatschik, Banavar, Guruduth Somasekhara
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Tae W.
• Application Number:
  US10/925,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/383, 382/100, 707/102, 705/29
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A method and a system for automated verification and status identification (context) of objects using data about the objects captured via computer-enabled sensing elements are provided. The object may include goods tagged with electronic identifiers. The objects are shipped from one location to another, and identified via their electronic identifiers. The objects are scanned at the various locations by a number of sensing devices. The outcome of sensing is then compared with stored information describing the object and pointed at by their electronic identifier. The comparison is used to automatically verify that the scanned object is as identified and evaluate its condition.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a physical condition of an item, comprising:

a first station and a second station remotely disposed relative to one another, each including;

an object scanner configured to collect physical characteristics of an item and record the physical characteristics;

an identification reader configured to determine a unique identity of the item; and

a module configured to associate the physical characteristics with the unique identity of the item;

at least one comparison module configured to compare physical characteristics measured at the first station with physical characteristics measured at the second station to determine changes in a condition of the physical characteristics after the item has been shipped between the first and second stations;

the at least one comparison module including a mismatch determination module configured to compute an amount of a mismatch based on the changes in condition between physical characteristics measured between the first station and the second station and provide a corrective action based on the amount of mismatch; and

a database, which stores the physical characteristics and the identity of the item wherein the database includes an item description database which stores information about the item including a current location and a next location.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object scanner includes one or more of a camera and a scanner.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object scanner includes a plurality of scanners to provide data in a plurality of dimensions.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification reader includes a radio frequency identification tag reader.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification reader includes a bar code reader.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the database includes a product description database, which stores information about the item including one or more of a classification of the item, a description of the item, an image of the item, a weight of the item, dimensions of the item, and/or a history of the item.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the item description database includes one or more of a classification of the item, a description of the item, a color of a product, a date of manufacture, and a shipping date.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second stations are remote and share a database such tat comparing digital data of the item at a first time at the first station and a second time at the second station may be performed remotely.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second stations share the database over a network.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the amount of mismatch includes a computed percentage.