Methods, systems, and media to improve employee productivity using radio frequency identification

• US 8,639,543 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Le Sesne, Richard H., Waters, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Gurkanwaljit
• Application Number:
  US11/264,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,010 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function

Abstract

Methods, systems, and media to improve employee productivity using radio frequency identification (RFID) are disclosed. Embodiments comprise a method of transmitting information from RFID tags, receiving the information in an RFID tag reader, analyzing the information to select a number of employees to work in a work area, and dispatching one or more employees to or from the work area according to the selected number of employees. Some embodiments select employees with certain skills, based on the RFID tag information. In other embodiments, an RFID tag reader monitors the movement of employees to ensure that they are moving according to the dispatch and potentially dispatching alternate employees. Some embodiments involve reading information from RFID tags attached to goods, whereas other embodiments involve reading information from RFID tags in cards carried by employees and customers, and RFID tags fastened to shopping carts and shopping baskets.

Claims

1. A method for dispatching, in real-time, employees of a business, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, information in at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader located in a work area, wherein receiving the information in at least one RFID tag reader comprises receiving the information in a plurality of RFID tag readers, the plurality of RFID tag readers arranged in a grid near a plurality of point of sale stations wherein the information is from a plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to a plurality of goods;

determining, by a computer, a calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods;

analyzing, by a computer, the information from the plurality of RFID tags to determine a required number of employees to work in the work area;

further determining, by a computer, the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon the calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods;

selecting, by a computer, the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon;

said analyzing, by a computer, the information from the plurality of RFID tags to determine the required number of employees to work in the work area, and

said further determining, by a computer, the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon the calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods; and

dispatching, by a computer, via a computer communicably coupled with the at least one RFID tag reader, a first employee to the work area according to the required number of employees selected to work in the work area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising dispatching a third employee from the work area based on the analyzing information, wherein the work area comprises a plurality of point of sale stations:

adjusting, by a computer, the calculated length of time according to a size and weight of a particular good from the plurality of goods, wherein data describing the size and weight of the particular good is stored in and transmitted from an RFID tag that is affixed to the particular good.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein the calculated length of time is an estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout, and wherein the method further comprises:

calculating, by a computer, the estimated length of time based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein a specific customer in line at the POS checkout holds a customer identification card, wherein a customer RFID tag is attached to the customer identification card, wherein the customer RFID tag contains and transmits data describing a historical average checkout time for the specific customer in line, and wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting, by a computer, the estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout based on the RFID tag reader receiving the historical average checkout time for the specific customer in line.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein a specific customer in line at the POS checkout holds a customer identification card, wherein a customer RFID tag is attached to the customer identification card, wherein the customer RFID tag contains and transmits data describing a historical record of a preferred type of payment used by the specific customer in line, and wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting, by a computer, the estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout based on the RFID tag reader receiving the historical record of the preferred type of payment used by the specific customer in line.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the work area is a warehouse equipped to receive goods from a cargo truck that contains the plurality of goods, and wherein the method further comprises:

calculating, by a computer, and dispatching to the warehouse, an estimated number of employees required to unload the cargo truck, wherein the estimated number of employees is based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are affixed to goods in a customer basket in use by a particular customer, wherein the plurality of RFID tags describe the goods in the customer basket, and wherein the method further comprises:

matching, by a computer, characteristics of a predefined typical buyer of the goods in the customer basket to a consumer demographic;

matching, by a computer, the consumer demographic to a specific employee skill;

identifying, by a computer, a specific employee who holds the specific employee skill; and

dispatching, by a computer, the specific employee to assist the particular customer.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to receive information from at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader located in a work area, wherein the information is sent to the RFID tag reader from a plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to a plurality of goods;

second program instructions to determine a calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods;

third program instructions to analyze the information from the plurality of RFID tags to determine a required number of employees to work in the work area;

fourth program instructions to further determine the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon the calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods;

fifth program instructions to select the number of required employees to work in the work area based upon execution of;

said third program instructions to analyze the information from the plurality of RFID tags to determine the required number of employees to work in the work area, and

said fourth program instructions to further determine the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon the calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods; and

sixth program instructions to dispatch, via a computer communicably coupled with the at least one RFID tag reader, the required number of employees selected to work in the work area;

and wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to adjust the calculated length of time according to a size and weight of a particular good from the plurality of goods, wherein data describing the size and weight of the particular good is stored in and transmitted from an RFID tag that is affixed to the particular good; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein the calculated length of time is an estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

seventh program instructions to calculate the estimated length of time based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein a specific customer in line at the POS checkout holds a customer identification card, wherein a customer RFID tag is attached to the customer identification card, wherein the customer RFID tag contains and transmits data describing a historical average checkout time for the specific customer in line, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

seventh program instructions to adjust the estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout based on the RFID tag reader receiving the historical average checkout time for the specific customer in line; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein a specific customer in line at the POS checkout holds a customer identification card, wherein a customer RFID tag is attached to the customer identification card, wherein the customer RFID tag contains and transmits data describing a historical record of a preferred type of payment used by the specific customer in line, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

seventh program instructions to adjust the estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout based on the RFID tag reader receiving the historical record of the preferred type of payment used by the specific customer in line; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the work area is a warehouse equipped to receive goods from a cargo truck that contains the plurality of goods, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

seventh program instructions to calculate, and to dispatch to the warehouse, an estimated number of employees required to unload the cargo truck, wherein the estimated number of employees is based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are affixed to goods in a customer basket in use by a particular customer, wherein the plurality of RFID tags describe the goods in the customer basket, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

seventh program instructions to match characteristics of a predefined typical buyer of the goods in the customer basket to a consumer demographic;

eighth program instructions to match the consumer demographic to a specific employee skill;

ninth program instructions to identify a specific employee who holds the specific employee skill; and

tenth program instructions to dispatch the specific employee to assist the particular customer; and

wherein

the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to receive information from at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader located in a work area, wherein the information is sent to the RFID tag reader from a plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to a plurality of goods;

second program instructions to determine a calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods;

third program instructions to analyze the information from the plurality of RFID tags to determine a required number of employees to work in the work area;

fourth program instructions to further determine the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon the calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods;

fifth program instructions to select the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon execution of;

said third program instructions to analyze the information from the plurality of RFID tags to determine the required number of employees to work in the work area, and

said fourth program instructions to further determine the required number of employees to work in the work area based upon the calculated length of time needed to process the plurality of goods; and

sixth program instructions to dispatch the required number of employees to the work area; and

wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to adjust the calculated length of time according to a size and weight of a particular good from the plurality of goods, wherein data describing the size and weight of the particular good is stored in and transmitted from an RFID tag that is affixed to the particular good; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein the calculated length of time is an estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

seventh program instructions to calculate estimated length of time based on the information from the plurality of RFID tags that are affixed to the plurality of goods; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein a specific customer in line at the POS checkout holds a customer identification card, wherein a customer RFID tag is attached to the customer identification card, wherein the customer RFID tag contains and transmits data describing a historical average checkout time for the specific customer in line, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

seventh program instructions to adjust the estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout based on the RFID tag reader receiving the historical average checkout time for the specific customer in line; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the work area is a point of sale (POS) checkout area, wherein a specific customer in line at the POS checkout holds a customer identification card, wherein a customer RFID tag is attached to the customer identification card, wherein the customer RFID tag contains and transmits data describing a historical record of a preferred type of payment used by the specific customer in line, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

seventh program instructions to adjust the estimated length of time that will be required to check out all customers currently in line at the POS checkout based on the RFID tag reader receiving the historical record of the preferred type of payment used by the specific customer in line; and

wherein

the seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are affixed to goods in a customer basket in use by a particular customer, wherein the plurality of RFID tags describe the goods in the customer basket, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

seventh program instructions to match characteristics of a predefined typical buyer of the goods in the customer basket to a consumer demographic;

eighth program instructions to match the consumer demographic to a specific employee skill;

ninth program instructions to identify a specific employee who holds the specific employee skill; and

tenth program instructions to dispatch the specific employee to assist the particular customer; and

wherein

the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.