Inventory system using articles with RFID tags

• US 5,963,134 A
• Filed: 07/24/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated), Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Clare, Thomas J., Bowers, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/899,438
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 340/582, 340/568, 340/825.35, 340/825.54, 340/825.31, 340/825.3, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/568.5, 340/568.8, 235/380, 235/381, 235/385, 235/383
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

An article inventory control system for articles, such as books, uses RFID tags attached to each article. Each tag has a unique identification or serial number for identifying the individual article. An inventory database tracks all of the tagged articles and maintains circulation status information for each article. Articles are checked out of the library using a patron self-checkout system. Checked out articles are returned to the library by being deposited into an exterior smart book drop which reads the RFID tag and automatically checks the article back in. Article data from the exterior smart book drop are used to generate reshelving reports for efficiently reshelve the articles. Articles which are used in the library, but not checked out, are returned to interior smart book drops within the library for reshelving. The interior smart book drops capture data regarding in-house use of articles. The data are used to generate historical usage reports. The uncirculated articles are stored on shelves of the library. The shelves are periodically scanned with an RFID scanner for updating inventory status.

Claims

1. An inventory control system for use in conjunction with articles which are maintained in a storage area, of the articles having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the article by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing article identification information and for outputting the article identification information with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag, the system comprising:

(a) at least one article return area for receiving articles which were removed from the storage area and which are to be returned to the storage area, the article return area including an interrogation zone and a collection bin for holding returned articles, the returned articles passing through the zone and into the collection bin as the articles are returned, wherein plural articles may be simultaneously placed in the zone;

(b) an interrogator for monitoring the zone for disturbances in the form of a response signal caused by the presence of one or more tags within the zone, the interrogator substantially simultaneously interrogating each article in the zone, the interrogator outputting an interrogator output signal for each tag detected in the zone, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag; and

(c) a database for receiving the interrogator output signals, the database including inventory data for articles monitored by the system including checkout status data, the received interrogator output signals being used to update the checkout status data of each returned article.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system tracks articles associated with a library which are available for checkout by patrons, and the storage area comprises shelves of a library.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the article return area is a library book drop.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system tracks articles associated with a library and the at least one article return area is within the library, the inventory data further including article usage data.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the database includes storage area location data for the articles monitored by the system.

6. The system according to claim 5 further comprising a computer in communication with the database, the computer including means for generating a report of the storage area locations for articles in the article return area, the report facilitating return of articles to their respective, appropriate locations in the storage area.

7. An inventory control method for use in conjunction with articles which are maintained in a storage area, each of the articles having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the article by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing article identification information and for outputting the article identification information with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) scanning a portion of the storage area with a mobile interrogator, the mobile interrogator detecting disturbances in the form of response signals caused by the presence of tags on the articles within a predefined zone extending from the interrogator and outputting an interrogator output signal when a tag is detected in the zone, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag, wherein plural articles located in the portion of the storage area may be simultaneously scanned;

(b) repeating step (a) for an adjacent portion of the storage area and for all remaining portions of the storage area;

(c) receiving the interrogator output signals in a database, the database including inventory data for the articles maintained in the storage area, wherein the inventory data is updated using only the received interrogator output signals obtained from the tagged articles;

(d) using the received interrogator output signals and the inventory data to determine whether an article in a particular scanned portion is outside of a range of articles which belong in the scanned portion, and, if so;

(e) signaling that the article is mislocated.

8. A library inventory control system for use in conjunction with articles which are maintained in a storage area, each of the articles having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the article by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing article identification information and for outputting the article identification information with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag, the system comprising:

(a) an inventory database including a list of articles in the library and the circulation status of each of the articles; and

(b) a mobile interrogator for scanning the storage area in discrete portions, detecting disturbances in the form of a response signal caused by the presence of tags within a predefined zone extending from the interrogator, and for outputting an interrogator output signal for each tag detected in the zone, wherein plural articles located in the discrete portions may be simultaneously scanned, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag, the inventory database receiving the identification information and updating the circulation status of the articles stored therein using only the identification information obtained from the interrogated tagged articles.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the tags are physically non-deactivatable tags.

10. A self-service check-in system for a library having articles available for checkout by patrons, each of the articles having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the article by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing article identification information and for outputting the article identification information with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag by an interrogator, the system comprising:

a tray for holding a plurality of articles;

a collection bin for holding returned articles;

a gate for allowing articles held on the tray to pass into the collection bin upon release of the gate;

an interrogator for substantially simultaneously interrogating the plurality of articles placed on the tray which the patron wants to return, the interrogator receiving a response signal containing the stored article identification information for each of the plurality of articles being returned, wherein the interrogator receives the response signals regardless of the orientation of the articles, the interrogator releasing the gate upon receiving acceptable response signals from each of the articles;

an inventory database including the articles in the library and the circulation status of each of the articles, the database receiving the article identification information for each article being returned; and

a processor in communication with the database for updating the circulation status of the articles being returned.

11. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a patron identification (ID) card comprising a radio frequency identification tag, the patron ID card including patron identification information electronically stored thereon, wherein the patron ID card is placed on the tray and interrogated substantially simultaneously with the articles being returned.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the database includes a field for storing the patron ID corresponding to any previously checked out articles.

13. A library inventory control system for use in conjunction with articles which are maintained in a storage area, each of the articles having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the article by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing article identification information and for outputting the article identification information with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag by an interrogator, the system comprising:

an inventory database including a list of the articles in the library and the circulation status of each such article;

a patron identification device for identifying a patron to the system;

an article checkout system located in an article checkout area, the checkout system including a first interrogator for interrogating an article that the patron wants to remove from the storage area, the first interrogator receiving a response signal containing the stored article identification information for the article to be removed;

a processor in communication with the first interrogator and the database, the processor receiving the patron identification information and the article identification information for the article to be removed from the first interrogator, and updating the inventory database with the circulation status of the article to be removed;

an article check-in system including at least one article return area for receiving articles which were removed from the storage area and which are to be returned to the storage area, the article return area including an interrogation check-in zone and a collection bin for holding returned articles, each returned article passing through the check-in zone and into the collection bin as the article is returned, wherein plural articles may be simultaneously placed in the zone; and

a second interrogator in communication with the processor, the second interrogator monitoring the check-in zone for disturbances in the form of a response signal caused by the presence of a tag within the zone, the interrogator simultaneously interrogating each article in the zone and outputting an interrogator output signal for each tag which is detected in the zone, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag for the article being returned, wherein the inventory database receives the interrogator output signals and updates the checkout status data of each article being returned therewith.

14. The system according to claim 13 further comprising:

a mobile interrogator for scanning the storage area in discrete portions, detecting disturbances in the form of response signals caused by the presence of tags within a predefined zone extending from the mobile interrogator, and for outputting an interrogator output signal when a tag is detected in the zone, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag, wherein the database receives the identification information and updates the circulation status of the articles stored therein with the information.

15. The system according to claim 13 further comprising:

a video camera for capturing images of the checkout area and outputting video signals of the captured images; and

a video recorder for storing the video signals on a video storage medium.

16. The system according to claim 13 further comprising:

an exit interrogator for monitoring an exit from the storage area, the exit interrogator for interrogating an article passing through the exit and thereby being removed from the storage area, the exit interrogator receiving a response signal from the tag associated with the article, the response signal containing the stored article identification information for the article passing through the exit.

17. The system according to claim 16 further comprising an exit processor coupled to the exit interrogator, the processor receiving an output signal from the exit interrogator including the identification information of the response signal, wherein the processor compares the received identification information with the information stored in the database to determine whether the article is recorded therein as checked out.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the exit interrogator activates an alarm if the article passing through the exit is not recorded in the database as checked out.

19. The system according to claim 13 wherein the tag is a physically non-deactivatable tag.

20. The system according to claim 13 wherein the library includes a periodical room, the system further comprising a zone interrogator located at an exit of the periodical room for detecting the removal of tagged articles therefrom.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein the zone interrogator activates an alarm in response to the detection of the removal of an article from the periodical room.

22. A library inventory control system for use in conjunction with articles which are maintained in the library, each of the articles having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the article by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing article identification information and for outputting the article identification information with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag by an interrogator, the system comprising:

an inventory database including a list of the articles in the library and the circulation status of each such article;

a patron identification device for identifying a patron to the system;

an article checkout system located in an article checkout area of the library, the checkout system including a first interrogator for interrogating an article that the patron wants to remove from the library, the first interrogator receiving a response signal containing the stored article identification information for the article to be removed;

a processor in communication with the first interrogator and the database, the processor receiving the patron identification information and the article identification information for the article to be removed from the first interrogator, and updating the inventory database with the circulation status of the article to be removed;

a video camera for capturing images of the checkout area and outputting video signals of the captured images;

a video recorder for storing the video signals on a video storage medium;

an article check-in system including at least one article return area for receiving articles which were removed from the library, each returned article passing through a check-in zone as the article is returned;

a second interrogator in communication with the inventory database, the second interrogator monitoring the check-in zone for disturbances in the form of a response signal caused by the presence of a tag within the zone, and outputting an interrogator output signal when a tag is detected in the zone, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag for the article being returned, wherein the inventory database receives the interrogator output signals and updates the checkout status of the article being returned using the interrogator output signals;

a mobile interrogator for scanning discrete portions of the library and detecting disturbances in the form of response signals caused by the presence of tags within a predefined zone extending from the mobile interrogator, and for outputting an interrogator output signal when a tag is detected in the zone, wherein plural articles located in the discrete portions may be simultaneously scanned, each interrogator output signal including the identification information stored in the integrated circuit of an interrogated tag, wherein the database receives the identification information and updates the circulation status of the articles stored therein using only the identification information obtained from the interrogated tagged articles;

an exit interrogator for monitoring an exit from the library, the exit interrogator for interrogating an article passing through the exit and thereby being removed from the library, the exit interrogator receiving a response signal from the tag associated with the article, the response signal containing the stored article identification information for the article passing through the exit;

an exit processor coupled to the exit interrogator, the exit processor receiving an output signal from the exit interrogator including the identification information of the response signal, wherein the exit processor compares the received identification information with the information stored in the database to determine whether the article is recorded therein as checked out, wherein the exit interrogator activates an alarm if the article passing through the exit is not recorded in the database as checked out; and

a zone interrogator located at an exit of a predefined area of the library, the zone interrogator for detecting the removal of tagged articles from the predefined area, wherein the zone interrogator activates an alarm in response to the detection of the removal of an article from the predefined area.