RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An asset tracking and management system for a facility, comprising:
- a data server;
a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags respectively attached to a corresponding plurality of assets, each RFID tag being configured to transmit tag ID uniquely associated in the data server with asset data describing a corresponding asset;
an RFID tag reader configured to receive a radio transmission containing the tag ID, and transmits the tag ID with an RFID tag reader ID to the data server via a first network, wherein, in response to receipt of the tag ID and the RFID tag reader ID from the RFID tag reader, the data server determines location information for the asset corresponding to the tag ID by recognizing the corresponding asset is within a RF coverage zone of the RFID tag reader;
a client device connected to the data server via the first network and configured to receive user-selected report parameters, whereinbased on the user-selected report parameters, the data server is configured to generate and transmit report data to the client device to be displayed.
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Abstract
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking system to track and manage assets. Each asset to be tracked is tagged with an RFID tag, and tracked using RFID readers located throughout a facility. Based on the tracking information, the system allows users to manage assets and generate reports regarding the various tagged assets.
136 Citations
50 Claims
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1. An asset tracking and management system for a facility, comprising:
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a data server; a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags respectively attached to a corresponding plurality of assets, each RFID tag being configured to transmit tag ID uniquely associated in the data server with asset data describing a corresponding asset; an RFID tag reader configured to receive a radio transmission containing the tag ID, and transmits the tag ID with an RFID tag reader ID to the data server via a first network, wherein, in response to receipt of the tag ID and the RFID tag reader ID from the RFID tag reader, the data server determines location information for the asset corresponding to the tag ID by recognizing the corresponding asset is within a RF coverage zone of the RFID tag reader; a client device connected to the data server via the first network and configured to receive user-selected report parameters, wherein based on the user-selected report parameters, the data server is configured to generate and transmit report data to the client device to be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33)
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28. An asset management system for a healthcare facility, including:
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a workstation; a data server coupled to the workstation; a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags coupled to a corresponding plurality of assets, each RFID tag configured to transmit a signal including a tag ID that is uniquely associated in the data server with the corresponding asset; and a RFID tag reader positioned at fixed locations in the facility, the RFID tag reader configured to receive the signal including tag IDs and to transmit the tag IDs to the workstation with a RFID reader ID that is uniquely associated in the data server with the location of the RFID reader, so as to enable the workstation to update location data in the database to indicate that the corresponding assets are adjacent the RFID reader location; wherein the workstation further includes an interface configured to read ID signals from RFID tags, an input device for entering asset data describing the corresponding assets for storage in the database, and a display configured to display the location data. - View Dependent Claims (30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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29. An asset tracking and management method for a facility, comprising:
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transmitting a signal including an RFID tag ID from a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags respectively attached to a corresponding plurality of assets, each RFID tag being configured to transmit a tag ID uniquely associated in the data server with asset data describing the corresponding asset; receiving the signal including the tag IDs, at an RFID tag reader, and transmitting the tag IDs and a RFID tag reader ID to a data server via a first network, wherein, in response to receipt of a tag ID and a RFID tag reader ID from a RFID tag reader, the data server determines location information for the asset corresponding to the tag ID by recognizing the corresponding asset is within an RF coverage zone of the RFID tag reader; receiving user-selected report parameters at a client device connected to the data server via a second network; and generating and transmitting, from the data server, report data to be displayed on the client device, the report data generated based on the user-selected report parameters.
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50. An asset tracking and management system for a facility, comprising:
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means for storing information; a plurality of tag means coupled to a corresponding plurality of assets for transmitting means for uniquely identifying an asset associated in the information storing means with asset data describing the corresponding asset; means for receiving the asset identifying means; means for transmitting the asset identifying means to the information storing means; means for updating the information storing means with asset location data based upon receipt of the asset identifying means from the transmitting means; a plurality of means for communicating, each communicating means including means for communicating with other communicating means, means for accessing data stored in the information storing means, and means for transmitting an identification signal to the updating means, the updating means responding to the identification signal by updating the information storing means with additional location data; means, coupled to the information storing means, for sensing movement of assets through a barrier between two areas; means, coupled to the information storing means, for writing information to the tag means; and means, coupled to the information storing means, for displaying data stored in the information storing means.
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Specification