Method and system for checking completeness in a package

• US 7,436,306 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Detego GmbH
• Original Assignee: RF-iT Solutions GmbH (Enso Holding Ltd.)
• Inventors: Weitlaner, Matthias, Müller, Dietmar, Berger, Dominik
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Son M
• Application Number:
  US11/138,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20050263592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/10.3, 340 1031- 1032, 340/825.65, 340/825.67
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

System and method for checking completeness in a package, which comprises a plurality of objects, which are each provided with at least one electronic information storage medium. The method includes the steps of (a) storing in at least one electronic information storage medium, the total number of objects contained in the package and/or the total number of objects provided for the package; (b) detecting the total number of objects contained in the package by reading the stored value from the at least one electronic information storage medium in which the total number has been stored; (c) counting the objects in the package by reading the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects; and (d) outputting a first predetermined signal if the detected total number is not equal to the counted number and/or a second predetermined signal is output if the detected total number is equal to the counted number.

Claims

1. A method for checking completeness in a package, which comprises a plurality of objects, which are each provided with at least one electronic information storage medium, the method comprising:

storing in at least one electronic information storage medium of the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects at least one of, a total number of objects contained in the package and a total number of objects provided for the package;

detecting the total number of objects contained in the package by reading the stored value from the at least one electronic information storage medium in which the total number has been stored;

counting the objects in the package by reading the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects;

outputting a first predetermined signal if the detected total number is not equal to the counted number; and

outputting a second predetermined signal if the detected total number is equal to the counted number.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the total number of objects contained in the package is stored in at least a plurality of information storage media arranged on the objects, and wherein a percentage of the information storage media which are arranged on the objects in the package and which are to have the total number of objects contained in the package stored therein, corresponds to a predetermined writing threshold value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising outputting a predetermined writing error signal if the writing threshold value has not been reached during the storage step.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the stored total number comprises:

reading the total number which is stored in the information storage media arranged on the objects; and

stipulating the detected total number to be the most frequently read value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of detecting the stored total number further comprises:

determining the number of information storage media, which are arranged on the objects, from which the total number has been read;

determining the proportion of the information storage media from which the most frequently read value has been read in relation to the number of information storage media, which are arranged on the objects, from which the total number has been read; and

stipulating the detected total number to be the most frequently read value if the determined proportion is greater than or equal to a predetermined reading threshold value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising outputting a predetermined reading error signal if the determined proportion is less than the reading threshold value.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage step comprises:

arranging at least one electronic sum information storage medium on the package; and

storing in the at least one electronic sum information storage medium the number of objects contained in the package.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing a unique package identification in essentially all of the electronic information storage media.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising ascertaining the package identification of the package which is to be checked, and wherein the steps of the method use only those objects whose package identification corresponds to the ascertained package identification.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing each object of a package with a serial number.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the reading step and the storage step takes place contactlessly.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic information storage media are radio frequency identification tags.

13. A system for checking completeness in a package, comprising:

a plurality of objects which are each provided with at least one electronic information storage medium and which form a package;

a writing device for storing in at least one electronic information storage medium of the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects, at least one of a total number of objects contained in the package and a total number of objects provided for the package;

a reading device which is designed to;

detect the total number of objects contained in the package by reading the stored value from the at least one electronic information storage medium, and

count the objects in the package by reading the electronic information storage media which are arranged on the objects; and

a device for outputting a first predetermined signal if the detected total number is not equal to the counted number, and for outputting a second predetermined signal if the detected total number is equal to the counted number.

14. A system for checking completeness in a package, comprising:

a plurality of objects, which are each provided with at least one electronic information storage medium;

a writing means for storing in at least one electronic information storage medium of the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects, at least one of a total number of objects contained in the package and a total number of objects provided for the package;

a reading means for;

detecting the total number of objects contained in the package by reading the stored value from the at least one electronic information storage medium in which the total number has been stored, and

counting the objects in the package by reading the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects; and

a means for outputting a first predetermined signal if the detected total number is not equal to the counted number and for outputting a second predetermined signal if the detected total number is equal to the counted number.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the total number of objects contained in the package is stored in at least a plurality of information storage media arranged on the objects, and wherein a percentage of the information storage media which are arranged on the objects in the package and which are to have the total number of objects contained in the package stored therein, corresponds to a predetermined writing threshold value.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a means for outputting a predetermined writing error signal if the writing threshold value has not been reached during the storage step.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reading means comprises:

a means for reading the total number which is stored in the information storage media arranged on the objects; and

a means for stipulating the detected total number to be the most frequently read value.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the reading means comprises:

a means for determining the number of information storage media, which are arranged on the objects, from which the total number has been read;

a means for determining the proportion of the information storage media from which the most frequently read value has been read in relation to the number of information storage media, which are arranged on the objects, from which the total number has been read; and

a means for stipulating the detected total number to be the most frequently read value if the determined proportion is greater than or equal to a predetermined reading threshold value.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a means for outputting a predetermined reading error signal if the determined proportion is less than the reading threshold value.

20. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the writing means comprises:

a means for arranging at least one electronic sum information storage medium on the package; and

a means for storing in the at least one electronic sum information storage medium the number of objects contained in the package.

21. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a means for storing a unique package identification in essentially all of the electronic information storage media.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a means for ascertaining the package identification of the package which is to be checked.

23. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a means for providing each object of a package with a serial number.

24. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reading and the writing means read and store contactlessly.

25. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronic information storage media are radio frequency identification tags.

26. A system for checking completeness in a package, which comprises a plurality of objects, which are each provided with at least one electronic information storage medium, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and

software executing in the processor configured to;

a) store in at least one electronic information storage medium of the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects, at least one of a total number of objects contained in the package and a total number of objects provided for the package;

b) detect the total number of objects contained in the package by reading the stored value from the at least one electronic information storage medium in which the total number has been stored;

c) count the objects in the package by reading the electronic information storage media arranged on the objects;

d) output a first predetermined signal if the detected total number is not equal to the counted number; and

e) output a second predetermined signal if the detected total number is equal to the counted number.