RFID reader supporting one-touch search functionality

• US 20070017983A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Yungers, Christopher, Pearson, Scott, Frank, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,413,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Techniques are described for performing a one-touch search to locate a selected item associated with an RFID tag. The techniques allow, for example, an RFID reader to perform a search where a user selects an item from a list, and the RFID reader, without any further input from the user, interrogates one or more RFID tags until an RFID tag associated with the selected item is found. The RFID reader may also allow a user to associate items with an RFID tag, view items associated with an RFID tag, and edit item lists associated with an RFID tag. In this way, an RFID reader may associate any number of items to an RFID tag, repeatedly edit existing item lists associated with an RFID tag, and quickly search multiple RFID tags until a desired item associated with a particular RFID tag is found.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input from a user selecting an item from an item list in a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

identifying an RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

causing the RFID reader to search for the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the RFID tag comprises accessing a memory to search a database for the selected item, wherein the database associates a set of items with the RFID tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input comprises receiving a selection from the user, wherein the method comprises a one-touch search in which the RFID reader continues searching for the RFID tag associated with the selected item until the RFID tag is found, the user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the RFID reader to search comprises:

interrogating a plurality of RFID tags; and

terminating the interrogation upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

terminating the interrogation if a user intervenes; and

terminating the interrogation if a timer expires.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein interrogating the plurality of RFID tags comprises cycling interrogation on and off over a time period that is sufficiently small in comparison to a transit time associated with relative movement of the RFID reader from one RFID tag to another RFID tag such that the reader is substantially off during the transit time, and cycling thereafter.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein after terminating the interrogation upon identifying the RFID tag, the method further comprises:

causing an audio device to emit an audio alert upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

causing a display to display a visual indication that indicates a tag match upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

8. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader comprising:

an input interface that receives input from a user selecting an item from an item list stored in the device; and

a controller that identifies an RFID tag associated with the selected item, and causes the RFID reader to search for the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

9. The RFID reader of claim 8, wherein the controller identifies the RFID tag by accessing a memory to search a database for the selected item, wherein the database associates a set of items with the RFID tag

10. The RFID reader of claim 8, wherein the input interface receives input by receiving a selection from the user, wherein the RFID reader executes a one-touch search in which the RFID reader continues searching for the RFID tag associated with the selected item until the RFID tag is found, the user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

11. The RFID reader of claim 8, wherein the controller causes the RFID reader to search by causing the RFID reader to:

interrogate a plurality of RFID tags; and

terminate the interrogation upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

12. The RFID reader of claim 11, wherein when the RFID reader terminates the interrogation upon identifying the RFID tag, the controller:

causes an audio device to emit an audio alert upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

causes a display to display a visual indication that indicates a tag match upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause an RFID reader to:

receive input from a user selecting an item from an item list in a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

identify an RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

search for the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions identify the RFID tag by accessing a memory to search a database for the selected item, wherein the database associates a set of items with the RFID tag.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions receive input by receiving a selection from the user, wherein the instructions cause the RFID reader to perform a one-touch search in which the RFID reader continues searching for the RFID tag associated with the selected item until the RFID tag is found, the user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the RFID reader to search by:

interrogating a plurality of RFID tags; and

terminating the interrogation upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions upon terminating the interrogation:

cause an audio device to emit an audio alert upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

cause a display to display a visual indication that indicates a tag match upon identifying the RFID tag associated with the selected item.

18. A method comprising:

receiving input from a user selecting a state of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader from a plurality of states, wherein the plurality of states include an item search state, a generate database state and a tag read state; and

controlling the RFID reader according to the selected state.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the input from the user comprises receiving input selecting the item search state, wherein controlling the RFID reader according to the selected state comprises:

displaying an item list;

receiving input from the user selecting an item from the item list;

identifying an RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

causing the RFID reader to search for the RFID tag associated with the selected item until the tag is found, the user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the input from the user comprises receiving input selecting the generate database state, wherein controlling the RFID reader according to the selected state comprises:

causing the RFID reader to read an RFID tag;

receiving input from the user identifying one or more items; and

associating the one or more items with the RFID tag.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the input from the user comprises receiving input selecting the tag read state, wherein controlling the RFID reader according to the selected state comprises:

causing the RFID reader to read an RFID tag;

displaying items from a database associated with the RFID tag if the database exists; and

providing an alert if the database does not exist.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

in response to receiving input selecting the item search state, displaying an item list, receiving input from the user selecting a first item from the item list, identifying a first RFID tag associated with the selected item, and causing the RFID reader to search for the first RFID tag associated with the selected item;

in response to receiving input selecting the generate database state, causing the RFID reader to read a second RFID tag, receiving input from the user identifying a second item, and associating the second item with the second RFID tag; and

in response to receiving input selecting the tag read state, causing the RFID reader to read a third RFID tag, and displaying items from a database associated with the third RFID tag.

23. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that upon execution in a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader cause the RFID reader:

receive input from a user selecting a state of an RFID reader from a plurality of states, wherein the plurality of states include an item search state, a generate database state and a tag read state; and

operate according to the selected state.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein upon receiving input selecting the item search state, the instructions cause the reader to operate according to the selected state by:

displaying an item list;

receiving input from the user selecting an item from the item list;

identifying an RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

causing the RFID reader to search for the RFID tag associated with the selected item until the tag is found, the user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein upon receiving input selecting the generate database state, the instructions cause the reader to operate according to the selected state by:

causing the RFID reader to read an RFID tag;

receiving input from the user identifying an item; and

associating the item with the RFID tag.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein upon receiving input selecting the tag read state, the instructions cause the reader to operate according to the selected state by:

causing the RFID reader to read an RFID tag;

displaying items from a database associated with the RFID tag if the database exists and providing a unique audio alert; and

providing an alert if the database does not exist.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein

in response to receiving input selecting the item search state, the instructions cause the reader to display an item list, receive input from the user selecting a first item from the item list, identify a first RFID tag associated with the selected item, and search for the first RFID tag associated with the selected item;

in response to receiving input selecting the generate database state, the instructions cause the reader to read a second RFID tag, receive input from the user identifying a second item, and associate the second item with the second RFID tag; and

in response to receiving input selecting the tag read state, the instructions cause the reader to read a third RFID tag, and display items from a database associated with the third RFID tag.

28. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader comprising:

an input interface that receives input from a user selecting a state of the reader from a plurality of states, wherein the plurality of states include an item search state, a generate database state and a tag read state; and

a controller that operates the reader according to the selected state.

29. The RFID reader of claim 28, wherein when the input from the user selecting the state of the reader selects the item search state, the controller:

receives input from the user via the input interface selecting an item from an item list in the RFID reader;

identifies an RFID tag associated with the selected item; and

causes the RFID reader to search for the RFID tag associated with the selected item until the tag is found, the user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

30. The RFID reader of claim 28, wherein when the input from the user selecting the state of the reader selects the generate database state, the controller:

causes the RFID reader to read one of the RFID tags;

receives input from the user identifying an item; and

associates the item with the one of the RFID tags.

31. The RFID reader of claim 28, wherein when the input from the user selecting the state of the reader selects the tag read state, the controller:

causes the RFID reader to read one of the RFID tags; and

displays items from a database associated with the one of the RFID tags if the database exists; and

provides an alert if the database does not exist.

32. The RFID reader of claim 28, wherein:

in response to receiving input selecting the item search state, the controller displays an item list, receives input from the user selecting a first item from the item list, identifies a first RFID tag associated with the selected item, and causes the RFID reader to search for the first RFID tag associated with the selected item;

in response to receiving input selecting the generate database state, the controller causes the RFID reader to read a second RFID tag, receives input from the user identifying a second item, and associates the second item with the second RFID tag; and

in response to receiving input selecting the tag read state, the controller causes the RFID reader to read a third RFID tag, and displays items from a database associated with the third RFID tag.

33. A method comprising:

receiving input from a user making a selection in a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

identifying a set of RFID tags associated with the selection; and

causing the RFID reader to search for the set of RFID tags associated with the selection.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein causing the RFID reader to search comprises:

interrogating a plurality of RFID tags;

identifying interrogated RFID tags that are in the set of RFID tags associated with the selection; and

terminating the interrogation upon identifying all RFID tags in the set, a user interacts with the RFID reader, or a timer expires.

35. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader comprising:

an input interface that receives input from a user making a selection; and

a controller that identifies a set of RFID tags associated with the selection, and causes the RFID reader to search for the RFID tags associated with the selection.