CUSTOMER INTERACTION WITH INVENTORY VIA RFID

• US 20080191873A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• 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:
  US12/102,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191873A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• 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. 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.

2. The exit of claim 1, wherein the check-out sends the signal to the sensor after receiving a confirmation.

3. The exit of claim 2, wherein the confirmation is a swipe of the personal card.

4. The exit of claim 2, wherein the confirmation is a personal identification number (PIN).