Radio frequency identification method and system of distributing products

• US 7,967,199 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promega Corporation
• Original Assignee: Promega Corporation
• Inventors: Linton, John, Linton, William A., Krueger, Julia E., Dearing, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): St. Cyr; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/508,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20090283590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/381, 235/382, 705/2, 705/22, 340/568.1, 340/572
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• 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: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader

Abstract

A method and system for vending products from a defined area, such as a micro-warehouse with a door. The method includes fitting each product with a radio frequency identification tag, positioning the plurality of products in a micro-warehouse, sensing opening and closing of the micro-warehouse door, scanning the plurality of products in the micro-warehouse upon sensing closing of the door to determine the number and type of products in the micro-warehouse, generating a message based on the number and type of products in the micro-warehouse, transmitting the message to a remote processor or server, and maintaining an inventory in the remote processor based on the message. The system is designed to be accessed by authorized individuals possessing some type of code or identifying mechanism. The micro-warehouses may be cabinets, refrigerators, secured rooms, or similar storage units or areas.

Claims

1. A product inventory system, comprising:

a maintenance server for tracking an RFID tagged product;

a commerce server for receiving and maintaining commercial information for each RFID tagged product;

an enterprise application; and

a client for storing RFID tagged products, the client being in communication with the maintenance server and the commerce server through a network, and the client performs a plurality of functions selected from the group consisting of controlling the arrangement of RFID user badges, managing communication sessions with clients, maintaining an inventory of products for the client, checking inventory of the client prior to product ordering, managing security of communications, providing system administrative functionality, and monitoring and maintaining the health of the client.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the client is a storage container.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the storage container includes a plurality of sensors for monitoring RFID tagged product conditions.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the commerce server includes a module selected from the group consisting of a registration module, an order history module, an account set-up module, and a stock-request module.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the module is maintained for a client.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the registration module provides client location information.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the order history module stores the history of orders for each client.

8. The system according to claim 4, wherein the order history module stores the product preferences for each client.

9. The system according to claim 4, wherein the account set-up module provides administrative payment authorization and user information.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the stock request module controls inventory replenishment in response to usage and/or customer requests.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein each RFID tagged product is associated with an individual RFID tag.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the client includes a controller having an RFID user sensing system and a radio frequency data collector inventory interface.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the RFID signatures of the RFID tagged products are accessed by the controller.

14. An inventory comparison system comprising:

a commerce server for tracking RFID tagged products; and

a storage container enterprise application for maintaining an inventory of RFID products, the enterprise application configured to identify movement of the RFID tagged products in and out of a storage container, the storage container configured to perform a plurality of functions selected from the group consisting of controlling the arrangement of RFID user badges, managing communication sessions with storage containers, maintaining an inventory of products for the storage container, checking inventory of the storage container prior to product ordering, managing security of communications, provides system administrative functionality, and monitoring and maintaining the health of the storage container.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein information related to the movement of RFID tagged products is communicated to the commerce server, the information being available for marketing and inventory functions.