Register for counting and tracking items in a bag

• US 9,552,504 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dufl, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dufl, Inc.
• Inventors: Rinehart, William H., McGowan, Albert J., Gordon, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMALL, NAOMI J
• Application Number:
  US14/634,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20160092709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

A register for counting and tracking items in a bag includes a manifest and an RFID reader. The RFID reader is used to query a plurality of RFID tags attached to items contained in the bag. The register creates reports counting and/or identifying changes to items contained in the bag while the bag is routed and/or items in the bag are processed for a customer.

Claims

1. A system for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, the system comprising:

the bag;

a first used device in communication with a logistics engine;

a second user device in communication with the logistics engine;

a third user device in communication with the logistics engine;

the logistics engine, wherein the logistics engine is a distributed system of multiple servers configured to;

receive a first location from the first user device,

receive a third location from the first user device,

determine an origination location of the bag,

transmit, after determining the origination location, the origination location to the second user device,

transmit, after receiving the first location, the first location to the second user device and the third user device,

transmit, after receiving the third location, the third location to the third user device,

receive a first instruction from the second user device,

receive a second instruction from the third user device,

initiate associating the first instruction with the bag,

initiate associating the second instruction with the bag,

determine a second location at the first location;

determine a third instruction to route the bag to the second location,

initiate associating the third instruction with the bag,

receive a first message from the second user device that the bag is at the first location,

trigger a first notice, to the first user device that the bag is at the first location,

receive a second message from the third user device that the bag is at the third location, and

trigger a second notice, after receiving the second message, to the first user device that the bag is at the third location.

2. The system for routing the bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first instruction is a first barcode or a first QR code; and

the second instruction is a second barcode or a second QR code.

3. The system for routing the bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited claim 2, wherein the third instruction is a third barcode or a third QR code.

4. The system for routing the bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a GPS receiver attached to the bag, wherein the GPS receiver is configured to;

determine a present location of the bag, and

transmit the present location of the bag to the logistics engine;

the logistics engine, wherein the logistics engine is a distributed system of multiple servers further configured to;

receive the present location from the GPS receiver, and

transmit the present location to the first user device.

5. The system for routing the bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited claim 1, wherein the logistics engine is a distributed system of multiple servers further configured to:

send the first instruction to a digital display attached to the bag,

send the second instruction to the digital display attached to the bag, and

send the third instruction to the digital display attached to the bag.

6. The system for routing the bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited claim 5, wherein:

the first instruction is a first barcode or a first QR code; and

the second instruction is a second barcode or a second QR code.

7. The system for routing the bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited claim 6, wherein the third instruction is a third barcode or a third QR code.

8. A method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, the method comprising:

receiving, by a logistics engine, wherein the logistics engine comprises a plurality of servers, the first location to route the bag from a first user device;

receiving , by the logistics engine, the third location to route the bag from the first user device;

determining by the logistics engine, an origination location of the bag;

transmitting by the logistics engine, the origination location to a second user device;

transmitting by the logistics engine, the first location to the second user device and a third user device;

transmitting by the logistics engine, the third location to the third user device;

receiving by the logistics engine, a first instruction from the second user device for routing the bag from the origination location to the first location;

receiving by the logistics engine, a second instruction from the third user device for routing the bag from the first location to the third location;

initiating associating by the logistics engine, the first instruction with the bag;

initiating associating by the logistics engine, the second instruction with the bag;

determining by the logistics engine, a second location to route the bag at the first location;

transmitting, by the logistics engine, the second location to the third user device;

determining by the logistics engine, a third instruction to route the bag to the second location;

initiating associating by the logistics engine, the third instruction with the bag;

receiving by the logistics engine, a first message that the bag is at the first location from the second user device;

triggering by the logistics engine, a message to the first user device that the bag is at the first location;

receiving, by the logistics engine, a second message that the bag is at the third location from the third user device; and

triggering by the logistics engine, a message to the first user device that the bag is at the third location.

9. The method for routing the bag to a destination as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the first instruction is a first barcode or a first QR code; and

the second instruction is a second barcode or a second QR code.

10. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location as recited in claim 9, wherein the third instruction is a third barcode or a third QR code.

11. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the logistics engine, a present location of the bag from a GPS receiver attached to the bag; and

transmitting, by the logistics engine, the present location to the first user device.

12. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

sending, by the logistics engine, the first instruction to be displayed on a digital display attached to the bag;

sending, by the logistics engine, the second instruction to be displayed on the digital display; and

sending, by the logistics engine, the third instruction to be displayed on the digital display.

13. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the first instruction is a first barcode or a first QR code; and

the second instruction is a second barcode or a second QR code.

14. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location as recited in claim 13, wherein the third instruction is a third barcode or a third QR code.

15. A method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, the method comprising:

receiving, by a logistics engine, wherein the logistics engine comprises a plurality of servers, the first location to route the bag, from a customer device;

receiving, by the logistics engine, the third location to route the bag, from the customer device;

determining, by the logistics engine, an origination location of the bag;

transmitting, by the logistics engine, the origination location to a first provider device;

transmitting, by the logistics engine, the first location to the first provider device and a second provider device;

transmitting, by the logistics engine, the third location to the second provider device;

receiving, by the logistics engine, a first instruction from the first provider device for routing the bag from the origination location to the first location;

receiving, by the logistics engine, a second instruction from the second provider device for routing the bag from the first location to the third location;

initiating, by the logistics engine, associating the first instruction with the bag;

initiating, by the logistics engine, associating the second instruction with the bag;

determining, by the logistics engine, a second location to route the bag at the first location;

determining, by the logistics engine, a third instruction to route the bag to the second location;

initiating, by the logistics engine, associating the third instruction with the bag;

receiving, by the logistics engine, a first message that the bag is at the first location from the first provider device;

triggering, by the logistics engine, a message to the customer device that the bag is at the first location;

receiving, by the logistics engine, a second message that the bag is at the third location from the second provider device; and

triggering, by the logistics engine, a message to the customer device that the bag is at the third location.

16. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the first instruction is a first barcode or a first QR code; and

the second instruction is a second barcode or a second QR code.

17. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 16, wherein the third instruction is a third barcode or a third QR code.

18. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the logistics engine, a present location of the bag from a GPS receiver attached to the bag; and

transmitting, by the logistics engine, the present location to the customer device.

19. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

sending, by the logistics engine, the first instruction to be displayed on a digital display attached to the bag;

sending, by the logistics engine, the second instruction to be displayed on the digital display; and

sending, by the logistics engine, the third instruction to be displayed on the digital display.

20. The method for routing a bag to a first location, a second location, and a third location, as recited in claim 19, wherein:

the first instruction is a first barcode or a first QR code; and

the second instruction is a second barcode or a second QR code.