Multi-directional RFID reader for controlling inventory and shelf stock

• US 7,667,602 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Ulrich, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/624,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/5.6, 340/10.1, 235/385, 235/383
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a multi-directional RFID reader system where multi-directional readers can be place on opposing sides of a hallway leading from a back storage area to a retail floor area. The readers can be operable to detect an RFID tag associated with a product as well as its direction of movement, for example whether the product is moving from a back store room to a retail store or the opposite movement is occurring.

Claims

1. An inventory tracking system comprising:

a multi-directional RFID reader positioned along a passageway connecting a product storage area and a retail floor area, wherein the RFID reader includes a plurality of multiple directed sensors, wherein each of the plurality of multiple directed sensors is directed to detect along the passageway presence of an RFID tag associated with a product at multiple discrete positions as the product and the associated RFID tag travel along the passageway, and wherein said RFID reader has a time stamp function operable to assign a time stamp to each discrete detection of the multiple discrete positions detected;

a background server communicably connected to the RFID reader, wherein the RFID reader includes a transmit function operable to transmit to the background server RFID detections, sensor identifications and associated time stamps; and

an executable inventory control application operably residing on the background server, wherein when executed, the inventory control application determines a direction of travel of the product and the associated RFID tag based on RFID transmissions.

2. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors include two directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other, wherein one sensor is directed rearwardly and the other sensor is directed forwardly along the passageway.

3. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 2, wherein the two directed sensors and two second tier directed sensors are directed RFID antennas.

4. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 3, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors include two second tier directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other, and wherein one of the second tier sensors is directed rearwardly and the other sensor is directed forwardly along the passageway.

5. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 4, wherein the background server is communicably linked to a hand held inventory control device.

6. An inventory tracking system comprising:

a first multi-directional RFID reader and a second multi-directional RFID reader each on opposing sides of and positioned along a passageway connecting a product storage area and a retail floor area, wherein each of the RFID readers includes a plurality of multiple directed sensors, wherein each of the plurality of multiple directed sensors is directed to detect along the passageway presence of an RFID tag associated with a product at multiple discrete positions as the product and the associated RFID tag travel along the passageway, and wherein said RFID readers each has a time stamp function operable to assign a time stamp to each discrete detection of the multiple discrete positions detected;

a background server communicably connected to each of the RFID readers, wherein each of the RFID readers includes a transmit function operable to transmit to the background server RFID detections, sensor identifications and associated time stamps; and

an executable inventory control application operably residing on the background server, wherein when executed, the inventory control application determines a direction of travel of the product and the associated RFID tag based on RFID transmissions.

7. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors include two first directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other and two second directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other.

8. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors include two second tier first directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other and two second tier second directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other.

9. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 8, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors are directed RFID antennas.

10. The inventory tracking systems as recited in claim 9, wherein the background server is communicably linked to a hand held inventory control device.

11. An inventory tracking system comprising:

a first multi-directional encoded tag reader positioned along a first lengthwise side of a passageway connecting a product storage area and a retail floor area, wherein the encoded tag reader includes a first plurality of multiply directed sensors, wherein each of the first plurality of multiply directed sensors is directed to detect along the passageway presence of an encoded tag associated with a product at multiple discrete positions as the product and the associated encoded tag travel along the passageway, and wherein said encoded tag reader has a first time stamp function operable to assign a first time stamp to each discrete detection of the multiple discrete positions detected by the first encoded tag reader;

a second multi-directional encoded tag reader positioned along a second lengthwise side of the passageway opposite the first lengthwise side, wherein the second encoded tag reader includes a second plurality of multiply directed sensors, wherein each of the second plurality of multiply directed sensors is directed to detect along the passageway presence of an encoded tag associated with a product at multiple discrete positions as the product and the associated encoded tag travel along the passageway, and wherein said second encoded tag reader has a second time stamp function operable to assign a second time stamp to each discrete detection of the multiple discrete positions detected by the second encoded tag reader;

a background server communicably connected to the first and second encoded tag readers, wherein the each of the first and second encoded tag readers includes respective first and second transmit functions operable to transmit to the background server detections, sensor identifications and associated time stamps; and

an executable inventory control application operably residing on the background server, wherein when executed, the inventory control application determines a direction of travel of the product and the associated encoded tag based on the first and second encoded tag reader transmissions.

12. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors include two first directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other and two second directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other.

13. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 12, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors further include a second tier including two first directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other and two second directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other.

14. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 13, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors are directed RFID antennas.

15. The inventory tracking system as recited in claim 14, wherein the background server is communicably linked to a hand held inventory control device.

16. A method for tracking inventory comprising:

positioning a multi-directional RFID reader along a passageway connecting a product storage area and a retail floor area, wherein the RFID reader includes a plurality of multiple directed sensors, wherein each of the plurality of multiple directed sensors is directed to detect along the passageway presence of an RFID tag associated with a product at multiple discrete positions as the product and the associated RFID tag travel along the passageway and, wherein said RFID reader has a time stamp function operable to assign a time stamp to each discrete detection of the multiple discrete positions detected;

providing a background sewer communicably connected to the RFID reader, wherein the RFID reader includes a transmit function operable to transmit to the background server RFID detections, sensor identifications and associated time stamps;

detecting the RFID tag at multiple discrete positions along the passageway and time stamping each of the multiple discrete positions detected;

transmitting to the background server RFID detections, sensor identifications and associated time stamps; and

executing an executable inventory control application operably residing on the background server, wherein when executed, the inventory control application determines a direction of travel of the product and the associated RFID tag based on RFID transmissions.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors include two directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other, and wherein one sensor is directed rearwardly and the other sensor is directed forwardly along the passageway.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the plurality of multiple directed sensors further include a second tier including two directed sensors obtusely directed one with respect to the other, wherein one of the second tier sensors is directed rearwardly and the other sensor is directed forwardly along the passageway.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the two directed sensors and two second tier directed sensors are directed RFID antennas.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the background server is communicably linked to a hand held inventory control device.