System and method for tracking items associated with read/writable tags
First Claim
1. A system for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the system comprising:
- a plurality of tag readers;
a control entity, remote from said plurality of tag readers, configured to send to at least one of said tag readers, before a presence of said tag is detected at said at least one of said tag readers, a next identifier associated with said current identifier;
upon receipt of the next identifier, said at least one of said tag readers being configured to reprogram a tag detected to have said current identifier with the next identifier, wherein reprogramming of said tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said current identifier in said tag.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier. The system comprises a plurality of tag readers and a control entity configured to send to at least one of the tag readers a next identifier associated with the tag. Upon receipt of the next identifier, the at least one of the tag readers is configured to reprogram the tag with the next identifier when a presence of the tag is detected. The control entity may be further configured to identify each of the at least one of the tag readers as being a tag reader that the item has a potential to encounter.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the system comprising:
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a plurality of tag readers; a control entity, remote from said plurality of tag readers, configured to send to at least one of said tag readers, before a presence of said tag is detected at said at least one of said tag readers, a next identifier associated with said current identifier; upon receipt of the next identifier, said at least one of said tag readers being configured to reprogram a tag detected to have said current identifier with the next identifier, wherein reprogramming of said tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said current identifier in said tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the method comprising:
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sending, from a control entity, to at least one of a plurality of tag readers remote from said control entity, before a presence of said tag is detected at said at least one of said tag readers, a next identifier associated with said current identifier; and at the at least one tag reader, reprogramming a tag detected to have said current identifier with the next identifier, wherein said reprogramming causes the next identifier to replace said current identifier in said tag. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method of tracking an item associated with a read/writable tag programmed with a current identifier, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to identify at least one tag reader, remote from the computing apparatus, that the item has a potential to encounter; and second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to send to said at least one tag reader, before a presence of said tap is detected at said at least one of said tap readers, a next identifier for reprogramming of said tag so as to replace the current identifier in said tag with the next identifier.
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29. A tag reader used in a system for tracking items associated with read/writable tags programmed with respective current identifiers, the tag reader comprising:
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means attentive to receipt, from a remote control entity, before a presence of a tap having a particular current identifier is detected, of a next identifier associated with the particular current identifier; means for detecting a presence of a tag having said particular current identifier; and means for reprogramming the tag with the next identifier in response to said detecting, wherein reprogramming the tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said particular current identifier in the tag.
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30. A method implemented by a tag reader used in a system for tracking items associated with read/writable tags programmed with respective current identifiers, said method comprising:
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receiving, from a remote control entity, before a presence of a tap having a particular current identifier is detected, a next identifier associated with the particular current identifier; detecting a presence of a tag having said particular current identifier; and
reprogramming the tag with the next identifier in response to said detecting, wherein reprogramming the tag with the next identifier causes the next identifier to replace said particular current identifier in the tag.
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Specification