Method for tracking cyclical procedures performed on personal protection equipment

• US 8,760,260 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Farioli Brioschi, Luca D., Ramirez Chaidez, Luis V., Ptasienski, Lawrence J., Anderson, Mark T., Hamerly, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMALL, NAOMI J
• Application Number:
  US12/600,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20100295660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,266 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340 52- 57, 340/10.1, 340/5.92, 235375-385, 702/184
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 3/02 Clothing

Abstract

A method for tracking procedures performed on an article of PPE includes the steps of providing an article of PPE configured with a first smart tag to a first individual prior to performance of a first task; processing the article of PPE in a first cycle after the first individual performs the first task; and retrieving first information from the first smart tag during at least one of: before, during and after processing the article of PPE in the first cycle. The method further includes the steps of providing the article of PPE configured with a second smart tag to a second individual prior to performance of a second task; processing the article of PPE in a second cycle after the second individual performs the second task; and retrieving second information from the second smart tag during at least one of: before, during and after processing the article of PPE in the second cycle.

Claims

1. A method for tracking procedures performed on an article of PPE comprising the steps of:

providing an article of PPE configured with a first smart tag to a first individual prior to performance of a first task;

processing the article of PPE in a first cycle after the first individual performs the first task;

retrieving first information from the first smart tag during at least one of;

before, during and after processing the article of PPE in the first cycle;

providing the article of PPE configured with a second smart tag to a second individual prior to performance of a second task;

processing the article of PPE in a second cycle after the second individual performs the second task; and

retrieving second information from the second smart tag during at least one of;

before, during and after processing the article of PPE in the second cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of retrieving first information from the first smart tag prior to performance of the first task, retrieving second information from the second smart tag prior to performance of the second task, and denying the first or second individual access to the first or second task based on evaluation of the first or second information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the smart tag is removably attached to an accessory of the article of PPE.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information retrieved from the first and second smart tags comprises at least one of:

identification number, PPE information, PPE accessory information and individual information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the first and second information in a database.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating reports based on at least some of the first and second information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a database information comprising at least one of:

identification number, information relating to PPE information, information relating to PPE accessory and information relating to individual.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a result of an evaluation of the first or second information satisfies a predetermined condition.

9. A method for tracking procedures performed on an article of PPE comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of articles of PPE each configured with a first smart tag to a first individual prior to performance of a first task;

processing at least one of the articles of PPE in a first cycle after the first individual performs the first task;

retrieving first information from the first smart tags during at least one of;

before, during and after processing at least one of the articles of PPE in the first cycle;

providing a plurality of articles of PPE each configured with a second smart tag to a second individual prior to performance of a second task;

processing at least one of the articles of PPE in a second cycle after the second individual performs the second task; and

retrieving second information from the second smart tags during at least one of;

before, during and after processing at least one of the articles of PPE in the second cycle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of retrieving first information from the first smart tag prior to performance of the first task, retrieving second information from the second smart tag prior to performance of the second task, and denying the first or second individual access to the first or second task based on evaluation of the first or second information.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the first and second information in a database.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating reports based on at least some of the first and second information.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining whether a result of an evaluation of at least one of the first or second information satisfies a predetermined condition.