Inventory control

• US 8,477,033 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Claudatos, Christopher Hercules, Andruss, William Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/811,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,213 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for inventory control of items in a location are disclosed. In an embodiment, this comprises a surveillance system comprising a plurality of cameras and at least one display, at least one identification tag, at least one identification tag reader configured to read the identification tag and placed to cover at least a portion of the location, and a computer configured to process information including the identification tag read by the reader. In response to the information, the computer controls a video camera to display an image showing an area around the identification tag. This may be based on a determination of heightened risk, such as when the identification tag is associated with a receipt and is brought back to the location after being removed from the location.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an inventory of items stored at a location using at least one identification tag reader and a surveillance system including a plurality of cameras, the method comprising:

using the identification tag reader to detect an identification tag, wherein the identification tag is associated with an item;

determining risk associated with the identification tag based on whether the identification tag has previously been removed from the location and whether the identification tag is being returned to the location,

wherein determining risk associated with the identification tag includes determining from among multiple risk levels, a higher risk level associated with the identification tag if the identification tag is being returned to the location based on a location of the identification tag and a timestamp of return detection of the identification tag by the identification tag reader; and

determining, based on risk level associated with the identification tag, which of the plurality of cameras to select in order to view the area around the identification tag.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification tag includes a radio frequency identification tag.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying images from the selected camera.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising recording images from the selected camera.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising recording information about the risk with the images.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising configuring the identification tag reader to detect the identification tag at an access to the location.

7. A computer program product for controlling an inventory of items stored at a location using at least one identification tag reader and a surveillance system including a plurality of cameras and at least one display, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having machine readable code embodied therein for:

using the identification tag reader to detect an identification tag, wherein the identification tag is associated with an item;

determining risk associated with the identification tag based on whether the identification tag has previously been removed from the location and whether the identification tag is being returned to the location,

wherein determining risk associated with the identification tag includes determining, from among multiple risk levels, a higher risk level associated with the identification tag if the identification tag is being returned to the location based on a location of the identification tag and a timestamp of return detection of the identification tag by the identification tag reader;

and determining, based on risk level associated with the identification tag, which of the plurality of cameras to select in order to view the area around the identification tag.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the identification tag includes a radio frequency identification tag.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, further comprising displaying images from the selected camera.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, further comprising recording images from the selected camera.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, further comprising recording information about the risk with the images.

12. A system for inventory control of items stored at a location, comprising:

a surveillance system comprising a plurality of cameras and at least one display;

at least one identification tag, wherein the identification tag is associated with an item;

at least one identification tag reader configured to read the identification tag and configured to cover at least a portion of the location, wherein the portion includes non-access points to the location; and

a computer configured to process information including the identification tag read by the reader, to determining risk associated with the identification tag based on whether the identification tag has previously been removed from the location and whether the identification tag is being returned to the location,

wherein determining risk associated with the identification tag includes determining from among multiple risk levels, a higher risk level associated with the identification tag if the identification tag is being returned to the location based on a location of the identification tag and a timestamp of return detection of the identification tag by the identification tag reader, and in response to the information, displaying an image on the display by selecting one of the plurality of cameras to view an area around the identification tag.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the computer is further configured to use at least one identification tag reader to determine movement of the identification tag at the location.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the computer is further configured to select another one of the plurality of cameras to display an image showing an area around the identification tag.

15. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising at least one identification tag reader configured to cover an access point to the location.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a recorder configured to store images from the selected camera.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the recorder is further configured to store information with the images, including information about the risk associated with the identification tag.