Method and system for agricultural data collection and management

• US 7,705,735 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aginfolink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aginfolink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Dolan, Andrew J., Pape, William R., Curkendall, Leland D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US11/839,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.3, 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/539.16, 340/539.19, 705/1, 705/10, 705/26, 705/28, 705/29, 705/35, 119/51.02, 128/903, 128/904
• US Class Current: 340/573.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/007 Boluses
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

Agricultural data collection and management, such as for tracking a product in a supply chain. A data collection interface is established between a first supply management device and a transaction database, the data collection interface providing the transaction database with access to identification data and event data, the identification data uniquely identifying the product, and the event data relating to a supply chain process step for the product. A product tracking request for formatted identification data and/or event data is received from a second supply management device. A data conversion interface is established between the second supply management device, and the identification data and/or the event data, the data conversion interface providing the second supply management device with access to the identification data and/or the event data, according to the product tracking request.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a product in a supply chain using one or more processors, the method comprising:

establishing a data collection interface between a first supply management device and a transaction database, the data collection interface providing the transaction database with access to identification data and event data, the identification data uniquely identifying the product, and the event data relating to a supply chain process step for the product;

receiving a product tracking request for formatted identification data and/or event data from a second supply management device; and

establishing a data conversion interface between the second supply management device, and the identification data and/or the event data, the data conversion interface providing the second supply management device with access to the identification data and/or the event data, according to the product tracking request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the identification data and/or the event date from the first supply management device, via the data collection interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the identification data and/or the event data at the transaction database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the identification data and/or the event data at the second supply management device, the identification data and/or the event data formatted according to the product tacking request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the identification data and/or the event data at the transaction database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the identification data and/or the event data to the second supply management device, the identification data and/or the event data formatted according to the product tracking request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing the identification data and the event data using the first supply management device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification data is captured manually, using a keyboard.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing the identification data and the event data at the first supply management device, in a first data format.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising storing the identification data and/or the event data at the second supply management device, in a second data format.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises an event identification number attribute.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises an type attribute.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises an nomenclature attribute.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises a quantity attribute.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises a unit-of-measurement attribute.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises a parent event identification number attribute.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data further comprises a child event identification number attribute.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification data further comprises radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) tag number attribute.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first supply management device is a supply chain database.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first supply management device is a radio frequency identification (“

RED”

) reader.

21. A method for tracking related products, including a first and a second product, in a supply chain using one or more processors, the method comprising:

establishing a data collection interface between a first supply management device and a transaction database, the data collection interface providing the transaction database with access to first identification data and event data, the first identification data uniquely identifying the first product and the event data relating to a supply chain process step for the first product;

receiving product mapping data, the product mapping data mapping the first identification data to second identification data uniquely identifying the second product;

receiving a product tracking request for formatted first identification data and/or event data from a second supply management device, based upon second identification data; and

establishing a data conversion interface between the second supply management device, and the first identification data and/or the event data, the data conversion interface providing the second supply management device with access to the first identification data and/or the event data, according to the product tracking request.

22. A system for tracking related products, including a first and a second product, in a supply chain using one or more processors, the system comprising:

a transaction database configured to store first identification data uniquely identifying the first product, event data relating to a supply chain process step for the first product, and product mapping data mapping the first identification data to second identification data uniquely identifying the second product;

a first supply management device configured to capture the first identification data and the event data;

a data collection interface between the first supply management device and the transaction database, the data collection interface providing the transaction database with access to the first identification data and the event data;

a second supply management device configured to generate a product tracking request for formatted first identification data and/or event data, based upon second identification data; and

a data conversion interface between the transaction database and the second supply management device, the data conversion interface providing the second supply management device with access to the first identification data and/or the event data, according to the product tracking request.

23. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising stored instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

establish a data collection interface between a first supply management device and a transaction database, the data collection interface providing the transaction database with access to identification data and event data, the identification data uniquely identifying the product, and the event data relating to a supply chain process step for the product;

receive a product tracking request for formatted identification data and/or event data from a second supply management device; and

establish a data conversion interface between the second supply management device, and the identification data and/or the event data, the data conversion interface providing the second supply management device with access to the identification data and/or the event data, according to the product tracking request.