Distribution system

• US 6,778,880 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vantec RF Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Leading Information Technology Institute, Inc.
• Inventors: Okamura, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US10/356,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 700/225, 700/226, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A distribution system in which many types of small-volume products classified according to product type, which includes clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, and wallets, design, color, and size are combined for shipping in one or more packing boxes to a retail store. Products 9 are packed in a package 4 at a shipping site 1 and shipped via a distribution network 3 to a receiving site 2. An electronic package tag 5 containing data on a plurality of packed products 9 of differing type, color, and size is attached to each packing box, and electronic product tag 10 containing specific product data is attached to each packed product 9. The data stored on the electronic package tag 5 and the electronic product tags 10 is read at the receiving site 2, compared to the intended package contents were actually received. The thus-verified data may be stored in a database system 34, and printed on a printer 35

Claims

1. In a distribution system in which a plurality of differing types of products of differing shapes and sizes are packed at a shipping site in one or more sealed packages for transportation via a distribution route to a receiving site, with at least one portion of the sealed package being composed of a material through which can pass high frequency signals;

a respective no-contact type wireless electronic product tag attached to each of a plurality of products to be placed inside said sealed package, with article specific article specific data corresponding to the respective attached item being stored on each said electronic product tag, said article specific data including data for identifying the attached item;

an electronic tag attached to each of said packages for storing package specific data, said package specific data including data for identifying said package and its intended contents;

a computer workstation at the shipping site for generating a work order specifying the products to be shipped to said receiving site but not specifying which of said products is to be placed into a particular said package;

a first product tag reading device at the shipping site that reads said article specific data from each electronic product tag as the associated product is being placed in said package;

a package tag writing device at the shipping site that writes said article specific data onto the electronic package tag attached to each said package as specific products on the work order are packed in that package whereby the article specific data stored in the package tag is complete and accurate even if the associated package is sealed and shipped with only some of the products specified on the work order;

a second product tag reading device at the receiving site that reads said article specific data from each electronic product tag before the sealed package is opened and the associated product can be removed from said package;

a package tag reading device at the receiving site that reads said article specific data from the electronic pacgage tag attached to the sealed said package;

a computer workstation at the receiving site connected to the second product tag reading device and to the package tag reading device for comparing the article specific data with the package specific data to thereby confirm that the intended package contents correspond to the actual contents; and

a database system at the receiving site responsive to the computer workstation that stores some or all of the article specific data and the package specific data after the computer workstation has thus confirmed that the intended package contents were actually received.

2. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said products are selected from the group consisting of fabric, clothing, shoes, handbags, wallets, jewelry, precious metals, cash, and negotiable instruments.

3. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the shipping site derives at least some of the package specific data from article specific data previously stored on the electronic product tags, and the package tag writing device writes the thus-derived data onto the electronic package tag.

4. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic package tag is disposed on an outer surface of the package.

5. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic tag is a non-contact, wireless tag.

6. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the data stored on the electronic tag comprises data and quantities for specifying the products to be packed in the package.

7. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the data stored on the electronic tag contains at least one or both of the color and/or the size of the products to be packed.

8. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving site comprises means for displaying the data stored on the electronic tag.

9. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the shipping site performs a collection and delivery function that mixes collected products of different types and packs them according to individual receiving site units.

10. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving site is a store that sells the product.