System and method to track inventory using RFID tags

• US 7,474,217 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jeffries, Clark D., Himberger, Kevin D., Peyravian, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US11/939,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/5.92, 235/375, 235/384, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

System and method for tracking inventory of a multiplicity of products. First RFID tags are associated with respective products or groups of products. Second Active RFID tags are associated with respective first containers for the multiplicity products. A third Active RFID tag is associated with a second container for the first containers. First RFID tags broadcast their respective identifications. Second Active RFID tags hash the identities of the first RFID tags within their respective first containers and broad their hashed values. Third Active RFID tag hash the hashed values broadcast by the second Active RFID tags. An expected value is compared to a result of the third Active RFID tag hashing the hashed values broadcast by the second Active RFID tags.

Claims

1. A system for tracking inventory, said system comprising:

a first plurality of RFID tags attached to a first, respective plurality of products within a first container, each of said first plurality of RFID tags including means for broadcasting its respective identity;

a second plurality of RFID tags attached to a second, respective plurality of products within a second container, each of said second plurality of RFID tags including means for broadcasting its respective identity;

a third, Active RFID tag attached to said first container and including means for hashing the identities broadcast by said first plurality of RFID tags, and broadcasting a result of said hashing of the identities broadcast by said first plurality of RFID tags;

a fourth, Active RFID tag attached to said second container and including means for hashing the identities broadcast by said second plurality of RFID tags, and broadcasting a result of said hashing of the identities broadcast by said second plurality of RFID tags; and

a fifth, Active RFID tag attached to a third container containing all of said first containers with said first plurality of RFID tags and containing all of said second containers with said second plurality of RFID tags, said fifth Active RFID tag including means for generating a hash value based in part on the results broadcast by said third and fourth Active RFID tags.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first container is a first package and said container is a second package.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said third container is a shipping container sized and adapted for shipping as a body of a tractor trailer truck.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first container is a first box, and said second container is a second box.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

means for comparing an expected hashed value to a result of the means, within said fifth Active RFID tag, for hashing results broadcast by said third and fourth Active RFID tags.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first plurality of RFID tags and said second plurality of RFID tags are respective first and second pluralities of Passive RFID tags.