Methods and systems for RFID tag read verification

• US 8,269,606 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Cardwell, Gaylen Kenneth, Murray, Donald Lee, Koval, Gary D., Slack, Brian N.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY III, EDWIN C
• Application Number:
  US11/743,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/5.92, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 705/28
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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

Abstract

A method for operating an RFID tag read verification system is described where the system includes at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly and a computing device. The method includes importing a control file, including data relating to a plurality of RFID tagged items that collectively form an RFID tagged environment, into the computing device, scanning the RFID tagged environment utilizing the one or more RFID reader and antenna assemblies, transferring scan data of the RFID tag environment from the one or more RFID reader and antenna assemblies to the computing device, and utilizing the computing device to compare the scan data to the control file to identify any anomalies within the RFID tagged environment.

Claims

1. A method for operating an RFID tag read verification system, the system including at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly and a computing device, said method comprising:

selecting a control file for a specific RFID tagged environment from a plurality of control files stored within a database;

importing the control file, including data relating to a plurality of RFID tagged items that collectively form the RFID tagged environment, into the computing device;

scanning the RFID tagged environment utilizing the at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly;

transferring scan data of the RFID tag environment from the at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly to the computing device;

translating delimited read records created by the at least one RFID reader that make up the scan data; and

utilizing the computing device to compare the translated scan data to the control file to identify any anomalies within the RFID tagged environment.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein importing the control file comprises at least one of importing the control file from a database or spreadsheet application, manually keying the control file into the computing device through a user interface, and building up a control file up using scans of RFID tags within a defined environment.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein importing the control file comprises importing data relating to at least one of RFID tag numbers, description of items tagged, a location of the RFID tag on each item, a serial number for each tagged item, and an inspection date for each RFID tagged item.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein utilizing the computing device to compare the scan data to the control file comprises:

parsing the translated scan data into relevant components; and

comparing the parsed, translated scan data against the control file.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein comparing the parsed, translated scan data against the control file comprises:

determining which of the RFID tags thought to be in the RFID tag environment were scanned;

determining which of the RFID tags thought to be in the RFID tag environment were not scanned; and

determining which of the scanned RFID tags were not included in the control file.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of:

displaying the scan data and control file comparison on a screen of the computing device according to user defined parameters;

generating a report of the scan data and control file comparison according to user defined parameters; and

storing at least one of the scan data and the scan data and control file comparison in the computing device for future use.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein selecting the control file comprises selecting the control file from a plurality of previously imported control files.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the RFID tag environment is an aircraft.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the RFID tag environment is a cabin of an aircraft.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising updating contents of the control file based on the comparison of the scan data to the control file.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the RFID tag environment is one of a warehouse, distribution center or stockroom.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein importing the control file comprises importing data relating to at least one of RFID tag numbers, an item SKU number for each item tagged, and a use before date for each RFID tagged item.

13. A method according to claim 11 further comprising using the comparison data to update inventory records.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the RFID tag environment is a mobile inventory of tools and repair parts including at least one of a maintenance cart and a maintenance vehicle.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein importing the control file comprises importing mobile inventory data relating to at least one of RFID tag numbers, an item number for each item tagged, a serial number for each item tagged, and an issue date and vehicle number for each RFID tagged item.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein comparing the scan data to the control file further comprises determining which tools and repair parts are no longer in the inventory.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein comparing the scan data to the control file further comprises verifying all required tools and repair parts are in the mobile inventory.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein utilizing the computing device to compare the translated scan data to the control file comprises:

comparing an inspection date within the control file to an inspected date received from an RFID tag of an RFID tagged item; and

indicating, via a user interface, whether an inspection for the RFID tagged item is past due, is currently due, is due within a specified time period, or is due at a time after the specified time period.

19. An RFID tag read verification system comprising:

at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly operable to scan an RFID tagged environment to generate scan data;

a database storing a plurality of control files for a plurality of RFID tagged environments; and

a computing device comprising a control file selected from the plurality of control files by a user, said computing device operable to communicate with said at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly at least for reception of delimited scan data therefrom, the selected control file including data descriptive of the RFID tagged environment, said system operable to translate the delimited scan data and compare the translated scan data received from said at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly to the control file data to provide a status for the RFID tagged environment.

20. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein the selected control file comprises at least one of:

one or more files imported into said computing device from a database or spreadsheet application;

one or more files manually keyed into said computing device through a user interface; and

one or more files built up through scans of RFID tags within the RFID tagged environment.

21. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein the selected control file comprises data relating to at least one of RFID tag numbers, description of items tagged, a location of the RFID tag on each item, a serial number for each tagged item, and an inspection date for each RFID tagged item.

22. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein to compare the translated scan data received from said at least one RFID reader and antenna assembly to the control file data, said computing device is operable to parse the received scan data into relevant components for comparison against the control file data.

23. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein to provide a status for the RFID tagged environment, said computing device configured to utilize the comparison of the translated scan data to the control file data to:

determine which of the RFID tags thought to be in the RFID tagged environment were scanned;

determine which of the RFID tags thought to be in the RFID tag environment were not scanned; and

determine which of the scanned RFID tags were not included in the control file.

24. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein said computing device is configured to provide at least one of:

a display of the scan data and control file data comparison on a user interface of said computing device;

a report of the scan data and control file comparison, the report according to user defined parameters; and

storage for at least one of the scan data and the scan data and control file data comparison for future use.

25. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein said computing device is operable to update data within the selected control file based on the received scan data.

26. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein the RFID tagged environment is one of a warehouse, distribution center or stockroom and data within the selected control file comprises data relating to at least one of RFID tag numbers, an item SKU number for each item tagged, and a use before date for each RFID tagged item.

27. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 19 wherein the RFID tagged environment includes a mobile inventory of tools and repair parts and data within the selected control file comprises data relating to at least one of RFID tag numbers, an item number for each item tagged, a serial number for each item tagged, and an issue date and vehicle number for each RFID tagged item.

28. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 27 wherein the status for the RFID tagged environment comprises data indicative of which tools and repair parts are no longer in the inventory.

29. An RFID tag read verification system according to claim 27 wherein the status for the RFID tagged environment comprises data indicating all required tools and repair parts are in the mobile inventory.