Article identification system with faraday screens

• US 8,162,213 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G & K Services
• Original Assignee: G&K Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Larson, David F., Windy, Ryan R., Thompson, Andrew J., Frew, Dean, Duddlesten, Jeremy, Ward, Chad, Svalesen, Richard, Grandfield, David, Dasary, Solomon, McPherson, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TARDIF, DAVID P
• Application Number:
  US12/180,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The present disclosure includes methods and systems for identifying articles. One method embodiment includes positioning a number of movable Faraday screens in particular locations relative to a number of different stages in a laundering process, and moving a mobile electronic identification device (EID) reader past the locations.

Claims

1. A method for identifying articles, comprising:

positioning a plurality of movable Faraday screens in particular separate locations relative to a number of different stages in a laundering process; and

moving a mobile electronic identification device (EID) reader past the separate locations while the plurality of Faraday screens are in stationary positions at the separate locations.

2. The method of claim 1, including transporting articles having EIDs to screened areas defined by the movable Faraday screens in the stationary positions.

3. The method of claim 2, including dynamically re-positioning the Faraday screens to adjust relative sizes of areas to be screened based on article quantity changes within the screened areas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stages are selected from a group comprising:

receiving, washing, drying, sanitizing, storage, and shipping.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile EID reader includes:

a processor;

a memory; and

computer executable instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor to;

obtain an EID identifier, wherein the EID identifier is associated with an article in the laundering process.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein computer executable instructions are further executed by the processor to:

obtain additional EID data including;

characteristics of the article; and

a set of laundering information for the article.

7. A method for identifying articles, comprising:

selectively reading, with an electronic identification device (EID) reader having a first antenna, an EID associated with each article in a first group; and

shielding, with a plurality of Faraday screening in separate stationary positions, a communication path from the first antenna to EIDs associated with articles not in the first group; and

determining a path of a mobile cart that carries the EID reader based on positioning of the Faraday screening in the stationary positions.

8. The method of claim 7, including moving the EID reader to establish a communication path between the first antenna and the first group.

9. The method of claim 7, including:

positioning the Faraday screening to define a first area, the first group being in the first area; and

re-positioning the Faraday screening to modify the first area.

10. The method of claim 9, including:

associating an EID with the first area; and

associating the EID of each article in the first group with the first area.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the EID is a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the EID reader has a range, and the communication path is shielded to EIDs associated with articles not in the first group located within the range.

13. The method of claim 7, including:

selectively reading, with the EID reader having a second antenna, an EID associated with each article in a second group; and

shielding, with Faraday screening in the stationary position, a communication path from the second antenna to EIDs associated with articles not in the second group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first antenna is arranged to not have a communication path to the second group, and the second antenna is arranged to not have a communication path to the first group.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the EID reader, the first antenna, and the second antenna are mounted on a mobile cart, and the method includes positioning the mobile cart between the first and second groups.

16. The method of claim 13, including positioning the Faraday screening based on an available path for the mobile cart relative to a number of different stages in a laundering process.

17. A system for selectively discriminating a first group of electronic identification devices (EIDs) from a second group of EIDs during reading, comprising:

a mobile EID reader, having an antenna, configured to read the first group of EIDs; and

a plurality of Faraday screening panels positioned in separate stationary positions according to a particular arrangement to shield transmission of communication signals between the second group of EIDs and the antenna during reading of the first group of EIDs based on an available path of the mobile EID reader in a laundry facility.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the number of Faraday screening panels are further arranged to shield transmission of communication signals between the first group of EIDs and the antenna during interrogation of the second group of EIDs.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the number of Faraday screening panels are arranged to confine transmission of communication signals from the antenna to a particular area of the laundry facility.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the number of Faraday screening panels are movable.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the number of Faraday screening panels are formed of conductive material arranged in a mesh that passes visible light and attenuates radio frequency identification (RFID) signals.