Container manifest integrity maintenance system and method

• US 7,852,219 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce, Watt, Stephen James, Childress, Rhonda L., Huffman, Joann, Childs, Bradley, Hyman, Stewart Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/109,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20090315677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/10.1, 340/505, 705/28, 235/462.22
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

Container manifests are tracked using a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID-tagged items are disposed, the contents reader being configured to collect and store identification information from all of the tagged items; and using an active RFID tag emulator affixed to the container which responds to an external reader activation code by receiving the collected information from the affixed RFID contents reader, and by transmitting the identification information to the external reader.

Claims

1. A container manifest tracking system comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed, said contents reader configured to collect and store identification information from all of said tagged items; and

an active RFID tag emulator affixed to said container configured respond to an external reader activation code by receiving said collected information from said affixed RFID contents reader, and by transmitting said identification information to said external reader.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a manifest database affixed to said container, accessible by said contents reader, and storing said periodically collected information; and

a contents discriminator configured to apply one or more logical rules to information received from said tagged items to reduce false additions of items to said manifest database.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a manifest database affixed to said container, accessible by said contents reader, and storing said periodically collected information; and

a contents discriminator configured to apply one or more logical rules to information received from said tagged items to reduce false removal of items from said manifest database.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising

a manifest database affixed to said container, accessible by said contents reader, and storing said periodically collected information;

and

a manifest event log configured to receive and store indications of changes to said manifest database from said contents reader.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a hierarchical data structure stored in one or more computer readable media comprising:

a set of item identifiers associated with a set of items stored in said container, each of said item identifiers being maintained by an RFID tag associated with one and only one item and reportable only to said contents tracker;

a manifest database associated with said container and modifiable only by said contents tracker and reportable only to an external reader; and

an external container inventory stored in a manner physically disassociated with said container, and maintained by an external reader.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a first communication protocol between said contents tracker and said tagged items is distinguishable from a second communication protocol between said contents tracker and said external reader.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first protocol is a low-frequency RFID protocol, and wherein said second protocol is a high-frequency RFID protocol.

8. An automated method comprising:

affixing a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed;

affixing an RFID emulator to said container;

collecting by said RFID contents reader identification information from said tagged items disposed in said container;

receiving said collected identification information by said RFID tag emulator from said RFID contents reader; and

responsive to an external reader activation code, emulating an RFID tag by said RFID tag emulator by transmitting said collected identification information to said external reader.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising:

storing said collected identification in a manifest database associated with said RFID contents reader; and

discriminating using one or more logical rules to reduce false additions of items to said manifest database.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising:

storing said collected identification in a manifest database associated with said RFID contents reader; and

discriminating using one or more logical rules to reduce false removal of items from said manifest database.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising:

storing said collected identification in a manifest database associated with said RFID contents reader; and

storing indications of changes to said manifest database in a manifest event log.

12. The method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising producing a hierarchical data structure stored in one or more computer readable media by:

associating a set of item identifiers with a set of items stored in said container, each of said item identifiers being maintained by an RFID tag associated with one and only one item and reportable only to said contents tracker;

associating a manifest database with said container in a manner which is modifiable only by said contents tracker and reportable only to an external reader; and

storing an external container inventory in a manner physically disassociated with said container, and maintained by an external reader.

13. An article of manufacture comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) contents reader affixed to a container in which a plurality of RFID tagged items are disposed;

an RFID emulator affixed to said container;

a computer readable medium suitable for encoding software, and disposed to be accessed by said RFID contents reader and by said RFID emulator; and

one or more software programs encoded in said medium configured to performing the steps of;

collecting by said RFID contents reader identification information from said tagged items disposed in said container;

receiving said collected identification information by said RFID tag emulator from said RFID contents reader; and

responsive to an external reader activation code, emulating an RFID tag by said RFID tag emulator by transmitting said collected identification information to said external reader.

14. The article as set forth in claim 13 further comprising software program encoded by said computer readable medium configured to discriminate using one or more logical rules to reduce false additions of items to a manifest database.

15. The article as set forth in claim 13 further comprising software program encoded by said computer readable medium configured to discriminate using one or more logical rules to reduce false removal of items from a manifest database.

16. The article as set forth in claim 13 further comprising software program encoded by said computer readable medium configured to store indications of changes in a computer readable manifest event log.

17. The article as set forth in claim 13 further comprising software program encoded by said computer readable medium configured to produce a hierarchical data structure stored in one or more computer readable media by:

associating a set of item identifiers with a set of items stored in said container, each of said item identifiers being maintained by an RFID tag associated with one and only one item and reportable only to said contents tracker;

associating a manifest database with said container in a manner which is modifiable only by said contents tracker and reportable only to an external reader; and

storing an external container inventory in a manner physically disassociated with said container, and maintained by an external reader.