RFID asset identification systems

• US 7,450,007 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHEP Technology Pty Limited (Brambles Limited)
• Original Assignee: CHEP Technology Pty Limited (Brambles Limited)
• Inventors: Naidu, Vishnu, Cook, William, Sawhney, Puneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/242,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/540, 340/10.1, 340/825, 3405727-5729, 340/5.1, 340/5.9, 340/5.92, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/568.2, 340/539.26, 340/825.36, 235/385, 235/380, 235/382.5, 235/435
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

An RFID tag is configured to contain identification information in at least three forms. For instance, the RFID tag may include an RFID system, and a human readable number and a bar code that may be visible on an outer surface of the RFID tag. The RFID system, the human readable number and the bar code may generate the same asset identification number. The RFID tag may also be formed from two or more layers having a thickness sufficient to substantially eliminate interference caused by a shipping container to which the RFID tag is attached.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a body;

an RFID system carried by the body and comprising at least one memory storage device for storing an asset identification number and an antenna coupled thereto, the RFID system is to transmit the asset identification number when interrogated;

a human readable number visible on an outer surface of the body, with the human readable number being the same as the asset identification number; and

a bar code visible on the outer surface of the body, with the bar code being the same as the asset identification number;

wherein the asset identification number transmitted by the RFID system is a hexadecimal equivalent of an electronic product code (EPC) number, the asset identification number represented by the human readable number is a decimal equivalent of the EPC number, and the asset identification number represented by the bar code is a hexadecimal equivalent of the EPC number.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a base layer to be attached to a surface, a middle layer coupled the base layer, and an outer layer coupled the middle layer;

wherein the RFID system is carried by the middle layer, and the outer layer providing the outer surface of the body for displaying the human readable number and the bar code.

3. The REID tag of claim 2, wherein the base layer and middle layer each comprises foam.

4. The RFID tag of claim 3, wherein the base layer and middle layer have a combined thickness of about ⅜

of an inch thick.

5. The RFID tag of claim 3, wherein the foam of at least one of the base and middle layers comprises a closed cell foam.

6. The RFID tag of claim 2, wherein at least one of the base layer and the middle layer comprises a hydrophobic material.

7. The RFID tag of claim 2, wherein the outer layer comprises a water resistant film.

8. The RFID tag of claim 7, wherein the outer layer comprises polyester and has a thickness of about 0.002 inches.

9. The RFID tag of claim 2, further comprising an adhesive layer coupled to the base layer for attaching the body to a shipping container.

10. The REID tag of claim 9, wherein the adhesive layer provides sufficient strength to withstand a washdown directed at the body up to about 20 psi of nozzle pressure.

11. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory storage device comprises a first storage space that is read/write enabled for storage of information relating to contents being shipped within a shipping container and;

a second storage space that is read only enabled for storage of information relating to the shipping container.

12. The REID tag of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory storage device comprises a 256-bit memory storage device.

13. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a body comprising a base layer to be attached to a surface of an object to be identified, a middle layer coupled to the base layer, and an outer layer coupled to the middle layer;

an RFID system carried by the middle layer and comprising at least one memory storage device for storing an asset identification number, the RFID system to transmit the asset identification number when interrogated;

a human readable number visible on an outer surface of the outer layer, with the human readable number being the same as the asset identification number; and

a bar code visible on the outer surface of the outer layer, with the bar code being the same as the asset identification number.

14. The RFID tag of claim 13, wherein the asset identification number transmitted by the RFID system is a hexadecimal equivalent of an electronic product code (EPC) number, the asset identification number represented by the human readable number is a decimal equivalent of the EPC number, and the asset identification number represented by the bar code is a hexadecimal equivalent of the EPC number.

15. The RFID tag of claim 13, wherein the base layer and middle layer each comprises foam.

16. The RFID tag of claim 15, wherein the base layer and the middle layer each have a thickness of about 3/16 of an inch.

17. The RFID tag of claim 15, wherein the foam of at least one of the base and middle layers comprises a closed cell foam.

18. The RFID tag of claim 13, wherein at least one of the base layer and the middle layer comprises a hydrophobic material.

19. The RFID tag of claim 13, wherein the outer layer comprises a water resistant film.

20. The RFID tag of claim 19, wherein the outer layer comprises polyester and has a thickness of about 0.002 inches.

21. The REID tag of claim 13, further comprising an adhesive layer coupled to the base layer for attaching the body to the object to be identified.

22. The RFID tag of claim 21, wherein the adhesive layer provides sufficient strength to withstand a washdown directed at the body up to about 20 psi of nozzle pressure.

23. The RFID tag of claim 13, wherein the at least one memory storage device comprises a first storage space that is read/write enabled for storage of information relating to contents being shipped within a shipping container and;

a second storage space that is read only enabled for storage of information relating to the shipping container.

24. The REID tag of claim 13, wherein the at least one memory storage device comprises a 256 bit memory storage device.