RF contact signal detector
First Claim
1. An RF contact tag signal detection system comprising:
- at least one location for receiving an object;
at least one object contact associated with an object to generate data that at least identifies the object;
at least one multi-contact sensor on the at least one location physically contacting the at least one object contact to read the object generated data; and
an RF identifier associated with the location and coupled to the at least one multi-contact sensor for relaying the sensed object data to a receiver within the facility;
wherein the at least one contact associated with the object container further comprises;
a socket forming part of the object container and having spaced multiple electrical contacts being arranged to form a code that at least identifies the object in the object container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A contact-based system for inexpensively monitoring the presence, location, and timing of various advertising and merchandising materials at a variety of retail facilities has been disclosed. This includes sign holders, display holders, stocking section identifiers, and the like that contain a plurality of contact point sensors that match or mate with contacts positioned on the material to be monitored. Identifying contacts are placed on the material to be monitored at a factory such that when they are inserted into a pre-specified location at a facility, contact is made. The contact data is then decoded data and relayed wirelessly to a device at the facility that in turn relays the data to a remote server to determine if the merchandising materials have been positioned in that facility and at a plurality of facilities at the right place and at the right time.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An RF contact tag signal detection system comprising:
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at least one location for receiving an object; at least one object contact associated with an object to generate data that at least identifies the object; at least one multi-contact sensor on the at least one location physically contacting the at least one object contact to read the object generated data; and an RF identifier associated with the location and coupled to the at least one multi-contact sensor for relaying the sensed object data to a receiver within the facility; wherein the at least one contact associated with the object container further comprises; a socket forming part of the object container and having spaced multiple electrical contacts being arranged to form a code that at least identifies the object in the object container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An RF contact tag signal detection system comprising:
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at least one location for receiving an object; at least one object contact associated with an object to generate data that at least identifies the object; at least one multi-contact sensor on the at least one location physically contacting the at least one object contact to read the object generated data; and an RF identifier associated with the location and coupled to the at least one multi-contact sensor for relaying the sensed object data to a receiver within the facility wherein multiple contacts are associated with the prepackaged product container; wherein the multiple contacts associated with the object are coded to at least identify the object; and the multi-contact sensor reads the code on the object container to at least identify the object in the container. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. An RF contact tag signal detection system comprising:
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at least one gondola for holding products; identifier sockets permanently affixed at spaced locations on the gondola; a data storage chip embedded in each of the sockets for storing binary data representing the ID of the given location to be stocked with a product on the gondola; and a Contact Backscatter Tag (CBT) storing binary ID data representing the category or sub- category of the products stocked in given areas on the gondola such that the combination of the tag ID and the socket ID indicates which category/sub-category product is stocked in a given area on the gondola. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method of inexpensively monitoring and reporting presence of displays containing product placed into pre-specified racks comprising the steps of:
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mating a rack pick-up element having a plurality of electrical contacts with a display coding socket to generate a decoded signal representing at least the product contained in the display; coupling the decoded signal to a tag for relaying the decoded data to a remote location for processing.
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Specification