Method for electronic tracking of units associated with a batch
First Claim
1. A method for electronic tracking of units originating from a common source, comprising:
- physically associating a first transponder with a common source, the source comprising a plurality of units physically joined with one another, the first transponder sending a code which is electrically associated with the common source;
splitting the common source to separate the source into two or more of the units;
physically associating a second transponder with one of the two or more units, the second transponder sending a code; and
electrically associating the code of the second transponder with an identifier of the common source in a database.
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Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method for electronic tracking of units originating from a common source which comprises a plurality of units physically joined with one another. A first transponder is physically associated with the common source, and the source is split to separate it into three or more of the units. A second transponder is physically associated with one of the three or more units, and the second transponder sends a code. The code of the second transponder is electrically associated with an identifier of the common source. In a particular aspect, the common source is an animal carcass.A batch comprises separate units of objects that are physically joined together. RFID tags are attached to each of the units and to the batch. The codes stored in the RFID tags are electrically associated with one another in the database.
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. A method for electronic tracking of units originating from a common source, comprising:
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physically associating a first transponder with a common source, the source comprising a plurality of units physically joined with one another, the first transponder sending a code which is electrically associated with the common source; splitting the common source to separate the source into two or more of the units; physically associating a second transponder with one of the two or more units, the second transponder sending a code; and electrically associating the code of the second transponder with an identifier of the common source in a database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 35)
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7. A method for electronic identification of meat units originating from a common animal carcass, comprising:
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physically associating a first transponder with an animal carcass, the first transponder sending a code which is electrically associated with an identifier of the animal carcass; splitting the animal carcass into two or more units and physically associating a second transponder with one of the two or more units, the second transponder being joined to a meat spike, the physically associating the second transponder with said one of the units comprising inserting the meat spike into said one of the units, the second transponder sending a code; and electrically associating the code of the second transponder with the identifier of the animal carcass. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for electronic identification of meat units originating from a common animal carcass, comprising:
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providing an animal carcass on a conveyer and conveying the carcass through a meat processing plant, the animal carcass being no more than half of an animal body and initially having a first transponder physically associated therewith, the first transponder sending a code which is electrically associated with an identifier of the animal carcass; first splitting the animal carcass into at least two first units, one or more of the first units being physically separated from the first transponder after the first splitting; physically associating one or more second transponders with at least one of the first units which are physically separated from the first transponder after the first splitting, the second transponders sending codes; and electrically associating the codes of the second transponders with the identifier of the animal carcass. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for electronic identification of an originating animal carcass for packaged meat units, comprising:
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providing a first animal carcass on a conveyer and conveying the first animal carcass through a meat processing plant, the first animal carcass initially having a first transponder physically associated therewith, the first transponder sending a code which is electrically associated with an identifier of the first animal carcass; first splitting the first animal carcass into at least two first units, one or more of the first units being physically separated from the first transponder after the first splitting; physically associating one or more second transponders with at least one of the first units which are physically separated from the first transponder after the first splitting, the second transponders sending codes; electrically associating the codes of the second transponders with the identifier of the first animal carcass; providing a second animal carcass on a conveyer and conveying the second animal carcass through the meat processing plant, the second animal carcass initially having a third transponder physically associated therewith, the third transponder sending a code which is electrically associated with an identifier of the second animal carcass; second splitting the second animal carcass into at least two second units, one or more of the second units being physically separated from the third transponder after the second splitting; physically associating one or more fourth transponders with at least one of the second units which are physically separated from the third transponder after the second splitting, the fourth transponders sending codes; electrically associating the codes of the fourth transponders with the identifier of the second animal carcass; packaging a collection of units comprising one or more packaged units selected from the group consisting of first units, second units and mixtures thereof; removing transponders from the units of the collection before the packaging; providing a package identifier associated with the package in a database; and electrically associating an identifier of the packaged units with the identifiers of the first and second animal carcasses in the database, the identifiers of the first and animal carcasses being ascertained by interrogating the transponders physically associated with the units of the collection before the packaging. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An identification assembly comprising:
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a housing having an outer periphery; a transponder entirely contained within the housing; and at least one spike removably secured to the housing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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- 29. A meat identification assembly comprising a transponder removably attached to a meat spike.
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32. A meat identification assembly comprising a radio frequency identification device (RFID) attached to a meat spike, and wherein:
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the meat spike comprises; a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a holder at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the RFID is attached to a substrate configured to slide over the rod and be retained by the holder. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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36. An identification assembly comprising a transponder housed in an assembly having at least one spike extending therefrom, and wherein the housing comprises a pair of planar surfaces joined by a sidewall, and wherein the at least one spike extends from the sidewall, and wherein the at least one spike is configured for insertion into an object while maintaining substantially the same shape after insertion as before insertion, and wherein the at least one spike alone secures the identification assembly to the object;
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wherein the planar surfaces comprise circular outer peripheries, and wherein the sidewall extends around the circular outer peripheries. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A meat identification assembly comprising a transponder attached to a meat spike, the meat spike comprising:
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a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a holder at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the transponder is attached to a substrate configured to slide over the rod and be retained by the holder.
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39. A meat identification assembly comprising a transponder attached to a meat spike, the meat spike comprising:
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a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a loop at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the transponder is attached to a substrate configured to be retained to the rod by the loop.
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40. A meat identification assembly comprising a radio frequency identification device (RFID) attached to a meat spike, the meat spike comprising:
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a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a holder at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the RFID is attached to a substrate configured to slide over the rod and be retained by the holder.
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41. A meat identification assembly comprising a radio frequency identification device (RFID) attached to a meat spike, the meat spike comprising:
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a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a loop at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the RFID is attached to a substrate configured to be retained to the rod by the loop.
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42. An identification assembly comprising a transponder housed in an assembly having at least one spike extending therefrom, and wherein the housing comprises a pair of planar surfaces joined by a sidewall, and wherein the at least one spike extends from the sidewall, and wherein the at least one spike is configured for insertion into an object while maintaining substantially the same shape after insertion as before insertion;
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wherein the planar surfaces comprise circular outer peripheries, and wherein the sidewall extends around the circular outer peripheries.
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43. A meat identification assembly comprising a transponder attached to a meat spike, the meat spike comprising:
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a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a holder at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the transponder is attached to a substrate configured to slide over the rod and be retained by the holder.
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44. A meat identification assembly comprising a transponder attached to a meat spike, the meat spike comprising:
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a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a loop at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the transponder is attached to a substrate configured to be retained to the rod by the loop.
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45. A meat identification assembly comprising a radio frequency identification device (RFID) attached to a meat spike, and wherein:
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the meat spike comprises; a rod having a pair of opposing ends; a point at one of the opposing ends of the rod; and a loop at an other of the opposing ends of the rod; and the RFID is attached to a substrate configured to be retained to the rod by the loop.
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46. A method for remotely sensing articles, comprising:
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providing a group of articles having a common identification; providing a first radio frequency identification (RFID) device associated with the group of articles comprising a substrate;
one or more antennas disposed adjacent the substrate;
a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit disposed adjacent the substrate comprising a radio frequency receiver for receiving radio frequency signals, a radio frequency transmitter for communicating radio frequency signals, control logic, a memory for persistently storing data including the common identification indicating the group, the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit coupled to the one or more antennas, and a power source coupled to the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit;transmitting to the first RFID device from a radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the group of articles, a radio frequency signal including a command interrogating the first RFID device to determine the common identification; receiving in response, a radio frequency signal communication from the first RFID device including the common identification; affixing to a selected article from the group a second RFID device comprising a substrate, a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit disposed adjacent the substrate comprising a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transmitter, control logic, a memory for persistently storing data, the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit coupled to the one or more antennas, and a power source coupled to the radio frequency transceiver; transmitting to the second RFID device, from a radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the selected article a radio frequency signal including a second identification and a command to store the second identification in the memory within the second RFID device; storing the second identification in the memory of the second RFID device; and associating the common identification and the second identification in a database. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method comprising:
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providing a group of articles having a common identification, wherein the group of articles are packaged up together; providing, on a package comprising the group of articles, a first radio frequency identification (RFID) device associated with the group of articles comprising a substrate;
one or more antennas disposed adjacent the substrate, a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit disposed adjacent the substrate comprising a radio frequency receiver for receiving radio frequency signals, a radio frequency transmitter for communicating radio frequency signals, control logic, a memory for persistently storing data including the common identification indicating the group;
the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit coupled to the one or more antennas, and a power source coupled to the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit;transmitting to the first RFID device, from a radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the group of article, a radio frequency signal including a command interrogating the first RFID device to determine the common identification; receiving in response, a radio frequency signal communication from the first RFID device including the common identification; affixing to a selected article from the group a second RFID device comprising a substrate, a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit disposed adjacent the substrate comprising a radio frequency, a radio frequency transmitter, control logic, a memory for storing data including a second identification, the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuited coupled to the one or more antennas, and a power source coupled to the radio frequency transceiver; transmitting to the second RFID device, from a radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the selected article, a radio frequency signal including a command interrogating the second RFID device to determine the second identification; receiving in response, a radio frequency signal communication from the second RFID device including the second identification; associating the common identification and the second identification in a database; associating the common identification of the group of articles and the second identification of the selected article from the group, with information about those articles in the database. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A method comprising:
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receiving a group of articles having a common identification, the group of articles are packaged together, wherein a first radio frequency identification (RFID) device is affixed to the package and is associated with the group of articles, and at least a second RFID device is affixed to a selected article from the group, wherein at least the first and second RFID comprise a substrate, one or more antennas disposed adjacent the substrate, a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit disposed adjacent the substrate comprising a radio frequency receiver for receiving radio frequency signals, a radio frequency transmitter for communicating radio frequency signals, control logic, a memory for storing identification data, the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit coupled to the one or more antennas, and a power source coupled to the radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit; transmitting to the first RFID device from a radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the group of articles, a radio frequency signal including a command interrogating the first RFID device to determine the common identification; receiving in response, a radio frequency signal communication from the first RFID device including the common identification; accessing a database wherein the common identification is associated with at least the second identification in the database; transmitting to at least the second RFID device affixed to the selected article from the group, from a radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the selected article, a radio frequency signal including a command interrogating the second RFID device to determine the second identification; receiving in response, a radio frequency signal communication from the second RFID device including the second identification; accessing the database wherein at least the second identification of the selected article from the group is associated with information about the articles of the group; and separating the selected article from the group and redistributing the selected article. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77)
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Specification