Event-based communication in a distributed item tracking system

• US 6,843,415 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Vogler, Hartmut K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US10/285,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/384, 235/383, 235/375, 705/28, 705/22
• US Class Current: 235/385
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for communicating item disposition information between publishers and subscribers such as RFID tag readers and item tracking systems. Event routers can be used to distribute the information and an extended object naming service can be used to locate event routers. The items being tracked can have a hierarchical relationship with each other. Subscribers can choose to subscribe only to events relating to items at a particular level of the hierarchy.

Claims

1. A method to be performed by a system that tracks items, the method comprising:

subscribing to receive from one or more event routers events relating to one or more tagged items, each event including a tag identifier for a tag bound to an item, a reader identifier, and a timestamp;

each event being an event that was published to the event routers by a publishing system that is separate from the event routers;

receiving from the event routers events related to the one or more tagged items; and

using the received events to update disposition information for the one or more tagged items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tagged items have a hierarchical relationship with each other and subscribing includes subscribing only to events relating to items at a particular level of the hierarchy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more event routers include a plurality of event routers, the method further comprising:

using a mapping service and all or part of the tag identifier to determine which of the plurality of event routers to subscribe to.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the tag identifier has a first portion that specifies the manufacturer of the item, a second portion that specifies the product class of the item, and a third portion that specifies a serial number of the item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag identifier is an electronic product code (ePC).

7. A method to be performed by monitoring system that includes one or more tag readers, the method comprising:

detecting an item;

generating an event, the event including a tag identifier associated with a tag bound to the item, a reader identifier, and a timestamp;

using a mapping service and either the tag identifier or the reader identifier to identify one or more event routers from a plurality of event routers, the plurality of event routers being separate from the monitoring system; and

publishing the event to the identified event routers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID).

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the tag identifier is an electronic product code (ePC).

10. A system, comprising:

a monitoring system including one or more tag readers;

one or more subscribers, including a system that tracks tagged items; and

one or more event routers, the event routers being separate from the monitoring system, wherein;

the monitoring system is operable to;

detect one or more of the tagged items;

generate an event, the event including a tag identifier, a reader identifier, and a timestamp; and

publish the event to one or more of the event routers;

the system for tracking tagged items is operable to;

subscribe to receive from one or more of the event routers events relating to one or more of the tagged items; and

upon receiving events, use the received events to update disposition information for one or more of the tagged items; and

each event router is operable to;

maintain a list of subscribers;

receive events from the monitoring system; and

send events to the subscribers.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more event routers include a plurality of event routers and wherein the monitoring system is further operable to:

use a mapping service and either the tag identifier or the reader identifier to identify one or more event routers from the plurality of event routers; and

publish the event to the identified event routers.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein each subscriber is operable to use a mapping service and all or part of the tag identifier to determine which event router to subscribe to.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein each subscriber is operable to use a mapping service and all or part of the reader identifier to determine which event router to subscribe to.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the tagged items have a hierarchical relationship with each other and a subscriber is operable to subscribe only to events relating to items at a particular level of the hierarchy.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID).

16. The system of claim 10, wherein each event belongs to an event type, at least two events belong to different event types and a subscriber is operable to subscribe only to events of a particular event type.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the tag identifier is an electronic product code (ePC).