Radio frequency alignment object, carriage and associated method of storing a product associated therewith

• US 8,094,028 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Inventors: Braun, Patrick, Wangu, Manoj, Thompson, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehravari, Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/342,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/5.3, 340/568.1, 340/10.1, 340/572.8, 206/470, 700/236, 700/243, 700/244, 235/492, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• 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: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber

Abstract

A carrier apparatus is provided that includes a body and a fastener configured to affix the body to a product. The body includes a radio frequency (RF) transponder tag, or marker for directing inclusion of an RF transponder tag, at a designated location on the body. The apparatus of this aspect further includes a positioning feature configured to position the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product relative to an RF antenna separate from the RF transponder tag. This positioning feature may be configured to position the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product in a manner ensuring approximately at least a predetermined spatial relationship between the RF transponder tag and the antenna or one or more other RF transponder tags located proximate the RF transponder tag. A carriage apparatus and method of storing a product are also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a body including a radio frequency (RF) transponder tag, or marker for directing inclusion of an RF transponder tag, at a designated location on the body;

a fastener configured to affix the body to a product including a container for holding a volume of fluid, the fastener being configured to affix the body to the product such that the apparatus projects out from the container;

a first positioning feature for supporting the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product relative to a support structure located proximate an RF antenna, the first positioning feature being shaped, sized or positioned such that, in an instance in which the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tag has approximately at least a first predetermined spatial relationship with the RF antenna; and

a second positioning feature comprising a projection that projects out from the body, the second positioning feature being shaped, sized or positioned such that, in an instance in which the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure proximate another RF transponder tag, the RF transponder tag has approximately at least a second predetermined spatial relationship with the other RF transponder tag.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first positioning feature comprises an opening defined by the body for suspending the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product from the support structure comprising a hanging structure.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises first and second portions one or both of which includes a projection, the first and second portions being foldable upon one another such that the projection at least partially encases the RF transponder tag.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first and second portions of the body respectively include an indention and projection, and wherein the first and second portions being foldable upon one another such that the projection is extendable at least partially into the indention, the indention being configured to hold the projection in place.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises an adhesive tab, the adhesive tab being separable from the body.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product includes a carrier defining an opening, and

wherein the fastener comprises a retainer having a pair of tabs respectively including an indentation and projection, the tabs being configured to extend on opposing sides of the carrier such that the projection is extendable through the opening of the carrier and at least partially into the indention.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product includes a carrier defining an opening, and

wherein the fastener is configured to affix the body to a product such that the opening defined by the body is at least partially aligned with the opening defined by the carrier.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined spatial relationship is selected to ensure that, in an instance in which the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tag is within a read field of the RF antenna.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container includes a bag for holding the volume of fluid.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second predetermined spatial relationship is selected to ensure that, in an instance in which the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure proximate another RF transponder tag, mutual coupling between the RF transponder tag and other RF transponder tag is effectively eliminated.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a support structure configured to support a carrier having a product affixed to the carrier, the product including a container for holding a volume of fluid, the carrier having the product affixed to the carrier such that the carrier projects out from the container, the support structure comprising a hanging structure, the carrier defining an opening for suspending the carrier from the hanging structure, the carrier having a radio frequency (RF) transponder tag;

an RF antenna separate from the RF transponder tag; and

a mount to which the support structure and antenna are affixed,

wherein the support structure is further configured such that, in an instance in which the carrier, RF transponder tag and affixed product are suspended from the hanging structure, the RF transponder tag has approximately at least a predetermined spatial relationship with the RF antenna, and

wherein the carrier further includes a projection that is shaped, sized or positioned such that, in an instance in which another carrier including another RF transponder tag and affixed product is suspended from the hanging structure, the RF transponder tag has approximately at least a second predetermined spatial relationship with the other RF transponder tag.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the support structure and antenna are integrated.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the mount is mountable at a storage location of the product affixed to the carrier.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the support structure is configured to support a plurality of carriers and respective, affixed products, and

wherein the support structure is configured such that, in an instance in which the carriers, RF transponder tags and respective, affixed products are supported by the support structure, the RF transponder tags of the carriers each have approximately the same predetermined spatial relationship with the RF antenna.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined spatial relationship is selected to ensure that, in an instance in which the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tag is within a read field of the RF antenna.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the container includes a bag for holding the volume of fluid.

17. A method comprising:

affixing a carrier to a product including a container for holding a volume of fluid, the carrier being affixed to the product such that the carrier projects out from the container, wherein the carrier comprises;

a body including a radio frequency (RF) transponder tag at a designated location on the body;

a fastener for affixing the body to the product;

a positioning feature for supporting the body, RF transponder tag and affixed product relative to a support structure located proximate an RF antenna; and

a projection that projects out from the body; and

supporting the carrier and affixed product relative to a support structure of a carriage configured to support the carrier, RF transponder tag and affixed product, the carriage including an RF antenna separate from the RF transponder tag,

wherein the carrier and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure by the positioning feature, the positioning feature being shaped, sized or positioned such that, as the carrier and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tag has approximately at least a first predetermined spatial relationship with the RF antenna, and

wherein the projection is shaped, sized or positioned such that, in an instance in which another carrier including another RF transponder tag and affixed product is supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tag has approximately at least a second predetermined spatial relationship with the other RF transponder tag.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the positioning feature comprises an opening defined by the body, and the support structure comprises a hanging structure, and

wherein supporting the carrier, RF transponder tag and affixed product comprises suspending the carrier, RF transponder tag and affixed product by the opening from the hanging structure.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein affixing a carrier comprises affixing a plurality of carriers to a plurality of respective products, and

wherein supporting the carrier, RF transponder tag and affixed product comprises supporting the carriers, RF transponder tags and respective, affixed products relative to the carriage such that, as the carriers and affixed products are supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tags of the carriers each have approximately the same first predetermined spatial relationship with the RF antenna.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the projections of the respective carriers are shaped, sized or positioned such that, as the carriers and affixed products are supported relative to the support structure, each RF transponder tag has approximately at least a second predetermined spatial relationship with an adjacent RF transponder tag.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the second predetermined spatial relationship is selected to ensure that, as the carriers and affixed products are supported relative to the support structure, mutual coupling between the RF transponder tags is effectively eliminated.

22. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first predetermined spatial relationship is selected to ensure that, as the carrier and affixed product are supported relative to the support structure, the RF transponder tag is within a read field of the RF antenna.

23. A method according to claim 17, wherein the container includes a bag for holding the volume of fluid.