System and method for swapping tag reads based on statistical analysis of known environment

• US 7,538,676 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Graveline, Angela Susan, Pring, Lisa M., Branigan, James Peter, Smith, Gregory Covert
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu; Shirley
• Application Number:
  US11/422,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340 101- 102, 705/28, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A radio frequency IC tag is provided which is excellent in weatherability, dustproofness, waterproofness, and static protection and capable of making a communication distance long even though each antenna section is made small in configuration. A first antenna equipped with an IC chip is formed on an upper surface of a first spacer. A second antenna is formed on a lower surface of a top cover. A second spacer is shaped in hollow form. The first spacer and the top cover are disposed on both sides of the second spacer with the first antenna and the second antenna being opposite to each other. Each of the first spacer, the second spacer and the top cover is formed of a synthetic resin. Thus, the IC chip and each antenna section are not exposed to the outside and hence weatherability is enhanced.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for swapping tag information, said method comprising:

first reading, using a first software process, a first plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a first plurality of objects, the first reading performed at a first portal by a first RFID reader, wherein the first reading is performed while unloading the first plurality of objects;

retrieving a first manifest data corresponding to the first plurality of objects, the first manifest data including a first plurality of expected identifiers corresponding to a first plurality of objects expected to be received at the first portal;

first comparing the first plurality of expected identifiers to the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the first RFID reader;

second reading, using a second software process, a second plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of objects, the second reading performed at a second portal by a second RFID reader, wherein the second reading is performed while unloading the second plurality of objects;

retrieving a second manifest data corresponding to the second plurality of objects, the second manifest data including a second plurality of expected identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of objects expected to be received at the second portal;

second comparing the second plurality of expected identifiers to the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the second RFID reader;

first identifying, based on the first comparison, one or more of the first plurality of expected identifiers that are not included in the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers, the first identifying resulting in one or more missing identifiers;

second identifying, based on the second comparison, one or more of the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers that are not included in the second plurality of expected identifiers, the second identifying resulting in one or more extra identifiers;

third comparing the one or more extra identifiers with the one or more missing identifiers;

third identifying, based on the third comparison, one or more cross-read identifiers corresponding to one or more objects being unloaded at the first portal with radio frequency identifiers that were read by the second portal'"'"'s RFID reader;

adding the cross-read identifiers to the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers; and

removing the cross-read identifiers from the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers.

2. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a nonvolatile storage area accessible by at least one of the processors;

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers that read radio frequency identifiers; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein one or more of the processors executes the set of instructions in order to perform actions comprising;

first reading, using a first software process, a first plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a first plurality of objects, the first reading performed at a first portal by a first RFID reader, wherein the first reading is performed while unloading the first plurality of objects;

retrieving a first manifest data corresponding to the first plurality of objects, the first manifest data including a first plurality of expected identifiers corresponding to a first plurality of objects expected to be received at the first portal;

first comparing the first plurality of expected identifiers to the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the first RFID reader;

second reading, using a second software process, a second plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of objects, the second reading performed at a second portal by a second RFID reader, wherein the second reading is performed while unloading the second plurality of objects;

retrieving a second manifest data corresponding to the second plurality of objects, the second manifest data including a second plurality of expected identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of objects expected to be received at the second portal;

second comparing the second plurality of expected identifiers to the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the second RFID reader;

first identifying, based on the first comparison, one or more of the first plurality of expected identifiers that are not included in the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers, the first identifying resulting in one or more missing identifiers;

second identifying, based on the second comparison, one or more of the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers that are not included in the second plurality of expected identifiers, the second identifying resulting in one or more extra identifiers;

third comparing the one or more extra identifiers with the one or more missing identifiers;

third identifying, based on the third comparison, one or more cross-read identifiers corresponding to one or more objects being unloaded at the first

portal with radio frequency identifiers that were read by the second portal'"'"'s RFID reader;

adding the cross-read identifiers to the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers; and

removing the cross-read identifiers from the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers.

3. A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions comprising:

first reading, using a first software process, a first plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a first plurality of objects, the first reading performed at a first portal by a first RFID reader, wherein the first reading is performed while unloading the first plurality of objects;

retrieving a first manifest data corresponding to the first plurality of objects, the first manifest data including a first plurality of expected identifiers corresponding to a first plurality of objects expected to be received at the first portal;

first comparing the first plurality of expected identifiers to the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the first RFID reader;

second reading, using a second software process, a second plurality of radio frequency identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of objects, the second reading performed at a second portal by a second RFID reader, wherein the second reading is performed while unloading the second plurality of objects;

retrieving a second manifest data corresponding to the second plurality of objects, the second manifest data including a second plurality of expected identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of objects expected to be received at the second portal;

second comparing the second plurality of expected identifiers to the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers read by the second RFID reader;

first identifying, based on the first comparison, one or more of the first plurality of expected identifiers that are not included in the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers, the first identifying resulting in one or more missing identifiers;

second identifying, based on the second comparison, one or more of the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers that are not included in the second plurality of expected identifiers, the second identifying resulting in one or more extra identifiers;

third comparing the one or more extra identifiers with the one or more missing identifiers;

third identifying, based on the third comparison, one or more cross-read identifiers corresponding to one or more objects being unloaded at the first portal with radio frequency identifiers that were read by the second portal'"'"'s RFID reader;

adding the cross-read identifiers to the first plurality of radio frequency identifiers; and

removing the cross-read identifiers from the second plurality of radio frequency identifiers.