Customer interaction with inventory via RFID

• US 20060085297A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Minerley, Kevin G.
• Application Number:
  US10/965,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085297A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Customer interaction with inventory via radio frequency identification (RFID) are disclosed, where a unique RFID is combined into ID cards, credit, debit, and smartcards. The current inventory RFID technology and RFID reader are moved into a place convenient to the end-user or customer to remove the need for cashiers. Some applications include point-of-sale terminals, libraries, tool cribs, and places where customers or end-users remove items from inventories and inventories need to be monitored.

Claims

1. A method for interaction with inventory, comprising:

reading an inventory radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a personal RFID tag in proximity to an RFID reader, the inventory RFID tag identifying an inventory item, the personal RFID tag identifying a personal item;

associating the inventory item with the personal item; and

checking-out the inventory item to the personal item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the inventory RFID tag with the inventory item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the personal RFID tag with the personal item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein checking-out the inventory item to the personal item occurs automatically in proximity to an exit area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating unique RFID tags with each inventory item in an inventory.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

reading a plurality of inventory RFID tags;

associating a plurality of corresponding inventory items to the personal item; and

checking-out the plurality of corresponding inventory items to the personal item.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing the associated inventory items for review, before check-out.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein non-portable inventory items are represented by inventory items having RFID tags that are tokens.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

associating each inventory RFID tag initially to a default value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal item is a personal card.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

swiping the personal card to associate the inventory item to the personal card.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the personal card is one of:

a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, or an identification card.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement before associating the inventory item with the personal item.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement before checking-out the inventory item to the personal item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the acknowledgement is an agreement to sale terms, contract terms, or license terms.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

shipping the inventory item to a location.

17. A computer-readable medium having instructions for performing a method of interaction with inventory, the method comprising:

reading an inventory RFID tag and a personal RFID tag in proximity to an RFID reader, the inventory RFID tag identifying an inventory item, the personal RFID tag identifying a personal item;

associating the inventory item with the personal item; and

checking-out the inventory item to the personal item.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inventory item is a book in a library.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the inventory item is a piece of merchandise in a retail store.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the inventory item is a tool in a tool crib.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the RFID reader is part of a cell phone.

22. A system for interaction with inventory, comprising:

at least one inventory item having an inventory RFID tag;

a check-out system including at least one RFID reader, the at least one RFID reader for reading the inventory RFID tag and a personal RFID tag on a personal item, the check-out system for associating the personal item with the at least one inventory item in proximity to the RFID reader; and

at least one exit area in communication with the check-out system, the at least one exit area allowing passage, in response to a signal from the check-out system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the exit area is adapted for a retail store, a library or a tool crib.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the personal item is a personal card, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a cell phone, or an identification card.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one exit area includes at least one door, the at least one door opening in response to the signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the door is a revolving door.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one door is coupled to at least one check-out queue.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one check-out queue maximizes throughput.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the signal is an indication of agreement to the associating and checking-out.

30. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

a returned items area for receiving at least one returned item of the at least one inventory item and de-associating the at least one returned item from the personal item.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the returned items area is a drop box.

32. A shopping cart for interaction with inventory, comprising:

a holder for receiving at least one acquired item from a plurality of inventory items having inventory RFID tags, the at least one acquired item having been read by an RFID reader; and

a list-making component for creating and maintaining an interim list of the at least one acquired item and for providing a final list for reconciliation, the interim list associating the at least one acquired item with a personal item having a personal RFID tag, the personal RFID tag being read by the RFID reader.

33. The shopping cart of claim 32, wherein the RFID reader is coupled to the holder.

34. The shopping cart of claim 32, wherein the RFID reader is coupled to the list-making component.

35. The shopping cart of claim 32, wherein the RFID reader is coupled to a cell phone.

36. The shopping cart of claim 32, further comprising:

an exit for receiving the final list and receiving an indication of agreement.

37. The shopping cart of claim 32, wherein the holder is virtual and represented on a web page and the list-making component is associated with the web page.

38. The shopping cart of claim 32, wherein the holder is physical and coupled to the list-making component.

39. The shopping cart of claim 32, further comprising a plurality of exits in communication with the list-making component that allow passage upon a valid sale.

40. The shopping cart of claim 39, wherein the exits do not allow passage upon an invalid sale.

41. The shopping cart of claim 39, wherein the exits set an alarm upon an invalid sale.

42. The shopping cart of claim 32, wherein the at least one acquired item is read by the RFID reader when the at least one acquired item is placed in the holder.

43. A cell phone for interaction with inventory, comprising:

a list-making component for creating and maintaining an interim list of acquired items from a plurality of inventory items having inventory RFID tags and for providing a final list for reconciliation, the interim list associating at least one inventory item having at least one inventory RFID tag with a personal card having a personal RFID tag; and

an RFID reader for reading the at least one inventory RFID tag and the personal RFID tag, when the at least one inventory RFID tag and the personal RFID tag are in proximity to the RFID reader.

44. The cell phone of claim 43, wherein the list-making component sends the final list and an indication of agreement to an exit.

45. An exit area for interaction with inventory, comprising:

an RFID reader for reading a personal card having a personal RFID tag and at least one inventory item having at least one inventory RFID tag, when the personal card and the at least one inventory item are in proximity to the RFID reader;

a check-out component for automatically checking-out the at least one inventory item to the personal card, after the personal RFID tag and the at least one inventory RFID tag are read by the RFID reader, the check-out component being in communication with the RFID reader and receiving information associated with the personal card and the inventory item from the RFID reader; and

a sensor for operating at least one exit way upon receiving a signal from the check-out component, the sensor being in communication with the check-out component.

46. The exit of claim 45, wherein the check-out sends the signal to the sensor after receiving a confirmation.

47. The exit of claim 46, wherein the confirmation is a swipe of the personal card.

48. The exit of claim 46, wherein the confirmation is a personal identification number (PIN).