Method and system for item tracking with tags

• US 8,269,629 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lyon, Geoff, Pradhan, Salil, Serra, Bill, Caban, Allpio, Badillo, Jorge E
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/284,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention describe a method of tracking an item, comprising. The items is associated with a tag and capable of responding to a query from a tag reader and tag combination. The tag reader and tag combination capable of identifying the item associated with the tag using a tag reader. In operation, a tag reader makes a request to at least one tag reader and tag combination for the identity of an item associated with a tag. The tag reader and tag combination identifies the item associated with the tag and provides the identity of the item and tag to the tag reader.

Claims

1. A method of tracking an item, comprising:

receiving a request on at least one combination tag reader and tag for the identity of an item associated with a tag;

identifying the item associated with the tag using a tag reader portion of the at least one combination tag reader and tag in a daisy-chain sequence of combination tag reader and tag; and

providing the identity of the item and tag through a tag portion of the at least one combination tag reader and tag.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the item is selected from a set of items including:

drugs, medical devices, computer equipment, luxury items, and sports equipment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one combination tag reader and tag receives the request and further receives energy for both the tag reader portion and the tag portion from a reader in a sequence of combination tag reader and tags.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the request further includes:

passing the request for the identity of the item associated with the tag to a sequence of at least one or more combination tag reader and tags; and

querying through the tag reader portion of each of the one or more combination tag reader and tags for the identities of items associated with tags.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the request further includes:

cascading the request for the item associated with the tag through a daisy-chain sequence of the at least one or more combination tag reader and tags wherein the cascading further includes,

passing the request from the tag portion in each combination tag reader and tag through to the tag reader portion and onto a subsequent one or more combination tag reader and tags; and

querying the daisy-chain sequence of the one or more combination tag reader and tags for the identities of items associated with a tag.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag portion in the combination tag reader and tag is selected from a set of tag types including:

a passive tag and an active tag.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identity of the item is stored in the tag portion.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag is configured to operate as a near field tag.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag portion of the tag reader and tag combination is configured to operate as a near field tag.

10. A tracking apparatus comprising:

a tag associated with an item and capable of responding to a query from a combination tag reader and tag; and

a combination tag reader and tag capable of using the tag reader portion thereof for identifying the item associated with the tag;

a tag reader capable of querying the tag associated with the last combination tag reader and tag in a daisy-chain sequence of at least one or more combination tag reader and tags for the identity of the item associated with the tag.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a computer inventory system capable of receiving from the combination tag reader and tag the identity of the item associated with the tag and holding the identity for later reference.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the combination tag reader and tag receives a request and receives energy for both the tag reader portion and tag portion from a tag reader in a sequence of combination tag reader and tags and transmits a predetermined amount of the energy to a tag portion on a subsequent combination tag reader and tag.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the item is selected from a set of items including:

drugs, medical devices, computer equipment, luxury items, and sports equipment.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the tag portion in the combination tag reader and lag is selected from a set of tag types including:

a passive tag and an active tag.

15. A tracking apparatus for pills comprising:

a bubble pack capable of holding a set of pills and having at least one antenna near a holding area for each pill in the set of pills; and

a combination tag reader and tag integrated into the bubble pack, wherein the tag reader portion of the combination tag reader and tag is operatively coupled to the at least one antenna near the holding area for each pill to facilitate identification of a tag associated with each of the one or more pills in the set of pills to be placed in their respective holding area.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a set of pills in the holding area wherein at least one pill is associated with a tag capable of responding to a query from the combination tag reader and tag.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the at least one antenna near the holding area is operatively coupled to the tag reader portion of the combination tag reader and tag.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein two or more antenna near the holding area for each pill are coupled in series and to the tag reader portion of the combination tag reader and tag.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the tag is capable of operating as a near field device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the tag portion of the combination tag reader and tag is capable of operating as a near field device.

21. A computer program product for tracking items, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive a request on at least one combination tag reader and tag for the identity of an item associated with a tag;

identify the item associated with the tag using the at least one combination tag reader and tag; and

provide the identity of the item and tag through the at least one combination tag reader and tag.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the item is selected from a set of items including:

drugs, medical devices, computer equipment, luxury items, and sports equipment.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the instructions that request further includes instructions that:

pass the request for the identity of the item associated with the tag to a sequence of at least one or more combination tag reader and tags; and

query through the tag reader portion of each of the one or more combination tag reader and tags for the identities of items associated with tags.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the instructions that request further include instructions that:

cascade the request for the item associated with the tag to a daisy-chain sequence of at least one or more combination tag reader and tags wherein the cascade further includes instructions that,

pass the request from the tag portion in each combination tag reader and tag through to the tag reader portion and onto a subsequent one or more combination tag reader and tags; and

query the daisy-chain sequence of the one or more combination tag reader and tags for the identities of items associated with a tag.

25. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the tag portion in the combination tag reader and tag is selected from a set of tag types including:

a passive tag and an active tag.

26. An apparatus for tracking items, comprising:

means for receiving a request on at least one combination tag reader and tag for the identity of an item associated with a tag;

means for identifying the item associated with the tag using a tag reader portion of the at least one combination tag reader and tag; and

means for providing the identity of the item and tag through a tag portion of the at least one combination tag reader and tag.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the at least one combination tag reader and tag means for receiving the request and further includes a means for receiving energy for both the tag reader portion and tag portion from a reader in a sequence of combination tag reader and tags.

28. A method of tracking an item, comprising:

transmitting a request for one or more items through a sequence of one or more combination active tag and active tag reader;

receiving the request and energy from at least one of the one or more combination active tag and tag reader on a first combination passive tag reader and tag that energizes both the tag portion and tag reader portion of the first passive combination tag reader and tag;

passing the request and remaining energy from the first combination passive tag reader and tag to a daisy-chain sequence of one or more subsequent combination passive tag reader and tag powered by the remaining energy and each also capable of continuing to pass the request and subsequently remaining energy to other passive combination tag reader and tag.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

identifying an item associated with a tag using a combination passive tag reader and tag; and

providing the identity of the item and tag through the combination passive tag reader and tag.