RF-enabled pallet

• US 20080122610A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Original Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Inventors: Muirhead, Scott A.W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,077,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0016 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/38 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00139 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00293 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00303 Cell type, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00323 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00358 Cell type, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00437 on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00442 on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00562 chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00567 mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07792 the antenna adapted for extending in three dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/28 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 : Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 : used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 : Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 : Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 : Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

The inventions involve material handling apparatus developed to operate in radio frequency rich environments. Articles are provided having at least one large compartment capable of enclosing at least one electronic device or a package populated with a plurality of devices. RFID tags are also provided having three antenna arrays situated on three planes to improve electromagnetic and electrostatic coupling with an external distributed network of devices. Pallets are provided with cellular communications devices to provide track and trace functionality. Sensors and actuators are used in connection with the material handling apparatus.

Claims

1. A communications system for a material handling apparatus comprising:

a detectable RFID device having a first memory section and a second memory section,

said first memory section containing first means to identify the apparatus, and

said second memory section containing second means to indicate a condition of the apparatus.

2. A communications system as set forth in claim 1 in which:

said second means indicates a condition of the apparatus that associates said first means with said second means.

3. A communications system as set forth in claim 2 in which:

a second detectable RFID device for coupling with an object associated with the apparatus produces said second means.

4. The communications system of claim 3 in which:

said second detectable RFID device couples with an object selected from the group consisting of a component of the material handling apparatus and a unit load transported on the apparatus.

5. A communications method comprising:

placing a first detectable RFID device having a first memory section and a second memory section onto a pallet,

providing a first identification code in the first memory section to uniquely identify the pallet,

using the pallet to transport an object,

identifying the object with a second detectable RFID device,

producing a second identification code with the second detectable RFID device, and

copying the second identification code into the second memory section to indicate a condition of the pallet.

6. A communications method as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

associating the second identification code with the object while the second identification code is retained in the second memory section.

7. A communications method as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

associating the second identification code with a condition of the pallet.

8. A communications method as set forth in claim 7 which includes:

creating a third identification code, and

storing the third identification code in one of the first memory section and the second memory section.

9. A communications method as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

associating the first detectable RFID device with the second detectable RFID device.

10. A communications device for a pallet comprising:

an RFID tag,

said RFID tag having a first memory section for storing a first level identification code to uniquely identify the pallet, a second memory section for storing a second level identification code to uniquely identify an owner of the pallet, and a third memory section for storing a third level identification code to uniquely identify a user of the pallet, and

said codes indicating a condition associated with said pallet.

11. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 in which:

said RFID tag includes a fourth memory section for storing a fourth level identification code indicative of data obtained by a sensor.

12. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 which includes:

a reading/writing unit for detecting said identification codes, and

said reading/writing unit communicating over a network with a host

13. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 which includes:

a pallet body

a plurality of spaced apart components positioned within said pallet body, and

said RFID tag connecting to one of said pallet components.

14. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 which includes:

said RFID tag being an RFID selected from the group consisting of a passive RFID tag, an active RFID tag, and a combination of a passive RFID tag and an active RFID tag.

15. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 which includes:

a plurality of removable components, and

at least of said removable components connecting to said RFID tag.

16. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 which includes:

said first level identification code, said second level identification code, and said third level identification code being selectively detectable between levels.

17. A communications device as set forth in claim 12 which includes:

a host for communicating with the device using said reading/writing unit.

18. A communications device as set forth in claim 17 which includes:

said reading/writing unit being mobile and being integrated with the device.

19. A communications device as set forth in claim 10 which includes:

an association identification code in the memory is modified responsive to a condition change.

20. A pallet recycling system for managing a pallet to support pallet recycling comprising:

a managing section connected to a network to manage pallet distribution;

a pallet including a radio tag, said radio tag recording and transmitting pallet distribution information;

a tag reader/writer to read out the pallet distribution information recorded in said radio tag to write the pallet distribution information to said radio tag, and to communicate with said managing section,

said radio tag having a read-only memory having a serial number of said radio tag recorded therein, a first dedicated memory region where information corresponding to a pallet owner information is recorded using said tag reader/writer, and a second dedicated memory region where user information is recorded using said tag reader/writer; and

said tag reader/writer writing to said first dedicated memory region of said radio tag updated pallet owner information.

21. A radio frequency identification system comprising:

a radio frequency identification tag that includes a memory with a first page having a page size that is defined by a first predetermined number of bytes and a second page having a page size that is defined by a second predetermined number of bytes;

wherein the first page and the second page include data that identifies objects to be tracked by the radio frequency identification tag;

a radio frequency identification interrogator that is configured to interrogate the radio frequency identification tag;

a server that communicates with the radio frequency identification interrogator to interrogate the first page and the second page; and

wherein the identified objects are associated based on a relationship between the first page and the second page.