Wearable tuning surfaces for activating RFID buttons or controls
First Claim
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1. An inventory management system comprising:
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;
a wearable accessory comprising at least one RFID tuner, the RFID tuner configured to interact with any respective RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags such that a first RFID signal is received from the respective RFID tag when the RFID tuner is at a first position relative to the respective RFID tag and such that a second RFID signal is received from the respective RFID tag when the RFID tuner is at a second position relative to the respective RFID tag, the first and second RFID signals being different from each other and the first and second positions being different from each other;
an inventory holder comprising a bin RFID tag associated with a bin on the inventory holder, the bin RFID tag included in the plurality of RFID tags;
an inventory item comprising an item RFID tag, the item RFID tag included in the plurality of RFID tags, wherein the RFID reader, the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory, the bin RFID tag of the inventory holder, and the item RFID tag of the inventory item are independent of one another; and
a management circuitry configured to;
receive, via the RFID reader, a bin RFID signal from the bin RFID tag in response to interaction of the bin RFID tag with the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory;
receive, via the RFID reader, an item RFID signal from the item RFID tag in response to interaction of the item RFID tag with the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory; and
associate, based at least in part on the received bin RFID signal and the received item RFID signal, the inventory item together with the bin on the inventory holder.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inventory system can include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and RFID tuners that can be brought into interacting proximity with one another to provide input or other information about the location or other condition of movable elements within the inventory system. A wearable accessory that is wearable by a human operator can include RFID tuners thereon for interacting with RFID tags on other elements of the inventory system in order to communicate details about the elements and facilitate functions of the inventory system.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An inventory management system comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader; a wearable accessory comprising at least one RFID tuner, the RFID tuner configured to interact with any respective RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags such that a first RFID signal is received from the respective RFID tag when the RFID tuner is at a first position relative to the respective RFID tag and such that a second RFID signal is received from the respective RFID tag when the RFID tuner is at a second position relative to the respective RFID tag, the first and second RFID signals being different from each other and the first and second positions being different from each other; an inventory holder comprising a bin RFID tag associated with a bin on the inventory holder, the bin RFID tag included in the plurality of RFID tags; an inventory item comprising an item RFID tag, the item RFID tag included in the plurality of RFID tags, wherein the RFID reader, the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory, the bin RFID tag of the inventory holder, and the item RFID tag of the inventory item are independent of one another; and a management circuitry configured to; receive, via the RFID reader, a bin RFID signal from the bin RFID tag in response to interaction of the bin RFID tag with the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory; receive, via the RFID reader, an item RFID signal from the item RFID tag in response to interaction of the item RFID tag with the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory; and associate, based at least in part on the received bin RFID signal and the received item RFID signal, the inventory item together with the bin on the inventory holder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A wearable accessory comprising at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tuner, the RFID tuner configured to interact with an RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags such that a contact RFID signal is received from the RFID tag when the RFID tuner contacts the RFID tag and such that a non-contact RFID signal is received from the RFID tag when the RFID tuner is separated from the RFID tag;
- wherein the wearable accessory is configured for use in an inventory management system that comprises;
an RFID reader; an inventory holder comprising a bin RFID tag associated with a bin on the inventory holder, the bin RFID tag included in the plurality of RFID tags; an inventory item comprising an item RFID tag, the item RFID tag included in the plurality of RFID tags, wherein said item RFID tag of the inventory item, said bin RFID tag of the inventory holder, and said at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory are independent of one another and of said RFID reader, wherein said RFID reader is configured to receive the contact RFID signal and the non-contact RFID signal; and a management circuitry configured to; receive, via the RFID reader, a bin contact RFID signal from the bin RFID tag in response to contact between the bin RFID tag and the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory; receive, via the RFID reader, an item contact RFID signal from the item RFID tag in response to contact between the item RFID tag and the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory; and associate, based at least in part on the received bin contact RFID signal and the received item contact RFID signal, the inventory item together with the bin on the inventory holder. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- wherein the wearable accessory is configured for use in an inventory management system that comprises;
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15. A method comprising:
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receiving, via a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, an item RFID signal from an item RFID tag in response to interaction of the item RFID tag with at least one RFID tuner of a wearable accessory worn by an operator, the RFID tuner configured to interact with any respective RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags such that a first RFID signal is received from the respective RFID tag when the RFID tuner is at a first position relative to the respective RFID tag and such that a second RFID signal is received from the respective RFID tag when the RFID tuner is at a second position relative to the respective RFID tag, the first and second RFID signals being different from each other and the first and second positions being different from each other, wherein the item RFID tag is included in the plurality of RFID tags and is comprised by an inventory item; receiving, via the radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, a bin RFID signal from a bin RFID tag in response to interaction of the bin RFID tag with the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory worn by the operator, wherein the bin RFID tag is included in the plurality of RFID tags and is comprised by a bin on an inventory holder and wherein the RFID reader, the at least one RFID tuner of the wearable accessory, the bin RFID tag, and the item RFID tag are independent of one another; and associating, based at least in part on the received bin RFID signal and the received item RFID signal, the inventory item together with the bin on the inventory holder. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification