Container with a Detection System

• US 20160117899A1
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker Mea Fze (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Middle East FZE (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Demaretz, Thierry, Lehovetzki, Axel, Chevalier, Julien
• Granted Patent: US 10,109,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/02 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/06 by tampering with fastening
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2451 Specific applications combined with EAS

Abstract

A portable container for one or more articles each tagged with a respective Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder, the container comprising a detector device for detecting removal and/or placement of RFID-tagged articles in the container; a power supply for supplying electrical power to the detector device; an activation means operable to cause the detector device to detect a reference list of RFID-tagged articles located in the container; a verification means operable by movement of the container to cause the detector device to detect RFID-tagged articles located in the container and to signal deviation from the reference list; and a signal means for transmitting signals from the detector device to a user. The detector device may transmit an article absent signal and/or an unknown article signal. The detector device may comprise an external antenna configured to detect RFID-tagged articles outside the container.

Claims

1. A portable container for one or more articles each tagged with a respective Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder, the container having at least one opening into the container and a detector device for detecting removal and/or placement of RFID-tagged articles in the container, wherein the container comprises:

a power supply for supplying electrical power to the detector device,

an activation means in communication with the detector device, wherein the activation means is operable to cause the detector device to detect a reference list of RFID-tagged articles located in the container;

a verification means in communication with the detector device, wherein the verification means is operable by movement of the container to cause the detector device to detect RFID-tagged articles located in the container and to signal deviation from the reference list; and

a signal means in communication with the detector device for transmitting signals from the detector device to a user.

2. A portable container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector device is configured to signal an article absent signal upon detection of absence of a RFID-tagged article on the reference list and the detector device is configured to signal a unknown article signal upon detection of a RFID-tagged article not on the reference list.

3. A portable container as claimed in either one of claim 1 or 2, wherein the detector device is lockable against detection of the reference list, optionally wherein the detector device is configured to signal an initialisation signal upon location in the container of a RFID-tagged key configured to permit detection of the reference list.

4. A portable container as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the verification means comprises an accelerometer.

5. A portable container as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the signal means comprises at least one LED, optionally wherein the or each LED is a multicoloured LED.

6. A portable container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the container comprises a translucent body optically coupled to the or each LED.

7. A portable container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the container comprises a handle (4) and wherein the translucent body forms at least part of the handle.

8. A portable container as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the signal means comprises a display configured to display the number and/or identify of RFID-tagged articles detected by the detector device in the container.

9. A portable container as claimed in claim 8 when ultimately dependent on claim 2, wherein the display is configured to display the article absent signal and wherein the article absent signal comprises the number and/or identify of absent RFID-tagged articles.

10. A portable container as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the detector device comprises a transponder reader device comprising an antenna reader and at least one internal antenna in communication with the antenna reader and wherein the or each internal antenna is configured to detect only RFID-tagged articles in the container.

11. A portable container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detector device comprises an external antenna in selectable communication with the antenna reader and wherein the external antenna is configured to detect RFID-tagged articles outside the container, optionally wherein the external antenna is configured to detect only RFID-tagged articles on the initial reference list.

12. A portable container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the external antenna is portable in relation to the container.

13. A portable container as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the detector device comprises a data processing device having a central processing unit and a memory for recording at least the reference list.

14. A portable container as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the container comprises one of a tool cabinet, a tool cupboard, a tool box, or a tool bag and/or wherein the container is for containment of one or more RFID-tagged tools.

15. A method of detecting removal and/or placement of articles in a container, wherein each article is tagged with a respective Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder, wherein the container has at least one opening into the container, a detector device for detecting removal and/or placement of RFID-tagged articles in the container, a power supply for supplying electrical power to the detector device, an activation means in communication with the detector device, a verification means in communication with the detector device, and a signal means in communication with the detector device for transmitting signals from the detector device to a user, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

(a) operating the activation means to cause the detector device to detect a reference list of RFID-tagged articles located in the container and optionally to detect a RFID-tagged key configured to permit detection of the reference list; and

(b) operating the verification means by movement of the container to cause the detector device to detect RFID-tagged articles located in the container and to signal detection of deviation from the reference list.