Method of maintaining product status using coded tags

• US 8,322,612 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/778,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/383
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 : Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 : comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1568 : for disturbance correction or prevention within the image-sensor, e.g. biasing, blooming, smearing correction circuits H04N25/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 : Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A method of maintaining a status of a product item is provided. The product item includes an associated interface surface which has coded data including a plurality of coded data portions indicative of the product item'"'"'s identity. The method includes, in a sensing device, sensing at least one coded data portion, generating indicating data indicative of the product item identity therefrom, and transferring the indicating data to a computer system. The computer system is responsive to the indicating data to update product status information stored in a data store. Each coded data portion is indicative of the respective position. The method further includes, generating in the sensing device and using the sensed coded data portion, indicating data indicative of at least one of a position of the sensed coded data portion on the interface surface and a position of the sensing device relative to the interface surface.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining a status of a product item, the product item including tags tiled across a surface thereof, each respective tag encoding an identity of the product item, and position and orientation of the respective tag on the surface, the method including, in a sensing device, the steps of:

sensing at least one tag;

generating, indicating data indicative of the product item identity, the position of the product item relative to the sensing device, and the orientation of the product item relative to the sensing device; and

transferring the indicating data to a computer system, the computer system being responsive to the indicating data to update product status information stored in a data store.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes, in the sensing device:

receiving a selection of a status mode; and

including in the indicating data the selected status mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the status mode is selected

using an input provided on the sensing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the product status information represents an inventory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the product status information represents a shopping list.