System and method for tracking shipment of items utilizing RFID-tags
First Claim
1. A system for tracking transport of at least one item, the system comprising:
- a tray comprising;
a storage portion configured to receive an item; and
a first wireless tag that identifies the tray, wherein the first wireless tag is configured to transmit a first signal in response to a received interrogation signal;
a tray carrier comprising;
a holding portion configured to hold the tray; and
a second wireless tag that identifies the tray carrier, wherein the second wireless tag is configured to transmit a second signal in response to a received interrogation signal;
a reader configured to receive identification information from the tray and the tray carrier, wherein the reader is configured to transmit an interrogation signal and to receive the first signal from the first wireless tag and the second signal from the second wireless tags anda processing station configured to associate data relating to the tray with the first received signal and to associate data relating to the tray carrier with the second received signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of tracking a plurality of items during transfer from a source location to a destination. One embodiment is a method comprising associating information identifying the plurality of items with a radio frequency (RF) tag that identifies a carrier unit. The method further comprises storing said associated information in at least one of the RF tag and a computer memory. The method further comprises communicating with the RF tag to identify the location of the carrier unit. The method further comprises identifying the location of at least one of the plurality of items based at least in part on the location of the carrier unit. Another embodiment is a system configured to perform an embodiment of the method.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for tracking transport of at least one item, the system comprising:
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a tray comprising; a storage portion configured to receive an item; and a first wireless tag that identifies the tray, wherein the first wireless tag is configured to transmit a first signal in response to a received interrogation signal; a tray carrier comprising; a holding portion configured to hold the tray; and a second wireless tag that identifies the tray carrier, wherein the second wireless tag is configured to transmit a second signal in response to a received interrogation signal; a reader configured to receive identification information from the tray and the tray carrier, wherein the reader is configured to transmit an interrogation signal and to receive the first signal from the first wireless tag and the second signal from the second wireless tags and a processing station configured to associate data relating to the tray with the first received signal and to associate data relating to the tray carrier with the second received signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of tracking transport of at least one item, the method comprising:
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placing an item in a tray; attaching a wireless tag to the tray, wherein the wireless tag is configured to transmit a signal in response to a received interrogation signal; receiving a first signal from the wireless tag at a first reader in response to a first interrogation signal; associating the received signal with a tray characteristic; receiving a second signal from the wireless tag at a second reader in response to a second interrogation signal; receiving the second signal from the wireless tag at a third reader in response to the second interrogation signal; and determining the location of the tray based on parameters associated with the second and third readers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification