Object management system and method

• US 9,639,722 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Stanley Works Israel, Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Stanley Works Israel, Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Landau, Eitan, Katz, Amir, Goren, Ori
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US14/532,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1033, 340 1051, 340 1052, 3405721, 361212
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article

Abstract

An object management system that includes at least one object identification device to be secured to an associated object. The object identification devices provide radio frequency signals containing object identification codes. The system includes at least one user identification device providing a radio frequency signal containing a user identification code and a control unit having a reader for receiving and reading the signals provided by the user identification devices and the object identification devices. One aspect provides a remote unit that communicates directly with the control unit to receive information associated with a condition of the object management system at a location remote from the control unit. The remote unit is further configured to be carried by a user and configured to communicate information and/or an alert to the user, wherein the information and/or the alert is associated with the condition of the object management system.

Claims

1. An object identification device configured to transmit a radio frequency signal containing an object identification code, the object identification device constructed to be secured to an associated object, the object identification device comprising:

a housing having an interior space;

a transmitter within the housing configured to transmit radio frequency signals containing an object identification code;

a closed loop connector comprising an electrically conductive material and operatively connected to the housing and moveable between i) an unsecured position wherein the at least one object identification device can be released from the associated object and ii) a secured position wherein the housing and the connector form a closed loop to be attached to the associated object, the connector being adjustable to adjust a size of the closed loop formed by at least a portion of the connector,

wherein the electrically conductive material of the connector is configured such that severing the connector or disconnecting the connector from the housing causes the RFID transmitter to cease transmission of radio frequency signals from the object identification device,

wherein the electrically conductive material forms a continuum of electrical connection portions along a length of the connector, and

wherein the continuum of electrical connection portions are constructed and arranged to slidably engage with components disposed in the housing to continually maintain a closed circuit connection with the components disposed in the housing while the connector is being adjusted to adjust the size of the closed loop.

2. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a first portion constructed and arranged to be fixed within the housing.

3. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a signal indicating the severance of the connector or the disconnection of the connector from the housing.

4. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a first portion and a second portion, each of the first portion and the second portion being removably connected to the housing to form the closed loop.

5. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a second portion constructed and arranged to be movable into and out of the housing such that the size of the closed loop formed by the portion of the connector is adjustable.

6. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises electrical contacts configured to connect to the electrically conductive material.

7. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises teeth provided on a surface thereof.

8. The object identification device of claim 7, wherein the housing comprises a teeth engaging structure constructed and arranged to engage with the teeth of the connector to prevent the connector from being moved to the unsecured position.

9. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the housing is constructed and arranged to receive a screw that is constructed and arranged to engage at least a portion of the connector to prevent the connector from being moved to the unsecured position.

10. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, and wherein the first end portion and the second end portion of the connector are not connected to one another.

11. The object identification device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, and wherein one of the first end portion and the second end portion of the connector is inserted into and pulled through a structure of the housing to adjust the size of the closed loop.

12. An object identification device configured to transmit a radio frequency signal containing an object identification code, the object identification device constructed to be secured to an associated object, the object identification device comprising:

a housing having an interior space;

a transmitter within the housing configured to transmit radio frequency signals containing an object identification code;

a closed loop connector comprising an electrically conductive material and operatively connected to the housing and moveable between i) an unsecured position wherein the at least one object identification device can be released from the associated object and ii) a secured position wherein the housing and the connector form a closed loop to be attached to the associated object, the connector being adjustable to adjust a size of the closed loop formed by at least a portion of the connector,

wherein the electrically conductive material of the connector is configured such that severing the connector or disconnecting the connector from the housing causes the RFID transmitter to cease transmission of radio frequency signals from the object identification device,

wherein the electrically conductive material forms a continuum of electrical connection portions along a length of the connector,

wherein the continuum of electrical connection portions continually maintains a closed circuit connection with components disposed in the housing while the connector is being adjusted to adjust the size of the closed loop,

wherein the connector comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, and wherein one of the first end portion and the second end portion of the connector is removably connected to the housing such that the one of the first end portion and the second end portion of the connector may be removed from the housing to move the connector to the unsecured position wherein the at least one object identification device can be released from the associated object.