Goods tracking system and method

• US 7,267,270 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bibliotheca Limited (Bibliotheca Group GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Bibliotheca Limited (Bibliotheca Group GmbH)
• Inventors: Hopwood, James, Sykes, Jon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stcyr; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labaze; Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US11/007,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20050139663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 235384-385, 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.46, 705/20, 705/28, 705/22
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A goods tracking method and system for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier is disclosed. The carrier and/or goods have an RFID tag. A data writing device and a data reading device are used. The writing device is arranged to obtain information on the goods and write corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or goods'"'"' RFID tag. The reading device is arranged to read data from the RFID tag of the carrier and/or goods being submitted for fulfilment of an order and to determine acceptance of the goods on or in the carrier in dependence on the data meeting requirements of the order.

Claims

1. A goods tracking system for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier, the carrier and/or goods having an RFID tag, the system comprising a data writing device and a data reading device, the writing device including a barcode scanner and being arranged to obtain information from the goods and write corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or good'"'"'s RFID tag and the reading device being arranged to read data from the RFID tag of the carrier and/or goods being submitted for fulfilment of an order and determine acceptance of the goods on or in the carrier in dependence on the data meeting requirements of the order.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the data writing device is arranged to access a database to obtain the corresponding data in dependence on the goods'"'"' barcode.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the writing device is arranged to obtain data on the life of the goods and to reject goods having a life expiring before a predetermined point in time.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an order database, wherein the reading device is arranged to access the order database to determine acceptance of the goods submitted for a respective order.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein data is written to tags during fulfilment of an order to create an audit trail for tracking said goods and said order.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein upon fulfilment of an order, the system being arranged to transmit data on the order to one or more destinations to facilitate despatch.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the data transmitted includes one or more of a delivery note, a goods manifest and a despatch notice.

8. A goods tracking system for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier, the carrier and/or goods having an RFID tag, the system comprising:

a data writing device and a data reading device, the writing device including a barcode scanner and being arranged to obtain information from the goods and write corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or goods '"'"' RFID tag and the reading device being arranged to read data from the RFID tag of the carrier and/or goods being submitted for fulfillment of an order and to determine acceptance of the goods on or in the carrier in dependence on the data meeting requirements of the order; and

an order database, wherein the reading device is further arranged to access the order database to determine acceptance of the goods submitted for a respective order, wherein upon acceptance of goods, the reading device is arranged to upate the order database to decrement the respective goods required to fulfill the order.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein upon acceptance of goods, the reading device is arranged to record data on tags associated with the goods, the system being to cross reference data recorded on accepted tags to prevent repeated presentation of the goods to fulfil the same or another order.

10. A goods tracking system for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier, the carrier and/or goods having an RFID tag, the system comprising a data writing device and a data reading device;

the writing device including a barcode scanner and being arranged to obtain information on the goods from a database in dependence on a goods'"'"' barcode and write corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or goods'"'"' RFID tag;

the reading device being arranged to read data from the RFID tag of the carrier and/or goods being submitted for fulfilment of an order and to determine acceptance of the goods on or in the carrier in dependence on the data meeting requirements of the order as defined in an order database,

wherein upon acceptance of goods, the reading device is arranged to update the order database to decrement the respective goods required to fulfil the order and to record data on tags associated with the goods, the system being to cross reference data recorded on accepted tags to prevent repeated presentation of the goods to fulfil the same or another order.

11. A method for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier comprising:

including an RFID tag on the carrier and/or goods;

obtaining information from the goods using a barcode scanner and writing corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or goods'"'"' RFID tag;

reading data from the RFID tag of the carier and/or goods being submitted for fulfilment of an order; and

, determining acceptance of the goods on or in the carrier in dependence on the data meeting requirements of the order.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of obtaining information includes the step of reading a goods'"'"' barcode using the barcode scanner and obtaining information on the goods in dependence on a goods'"'"' barcode.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising accessing a database to obtain data in dependence on the goods'"'"' barcode.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of obtaining information includes the step of obtaining data on the life of the goods and to reject goods having a life expiring before a predetermined point in time.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of determining acceptance of goods further comprises accessing an order database to determine acceptance of the goods submitted for a respective order.

16. A method according to claim 11, further comprising writing data to goods'"'"' tags during fulfilment of an order to create an audit trail for tracking said goods and said order.

17. A method according to claim 11, further comprising, upon fulfilment of an order, transmitting data on the order to one or more destinations to facilitate despatch.

18. A method for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier comprising;

including an RFID tag on the carrier and/or goods;

obtaining information from the goods and writing corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or goods'"'"' RFID tag;

reading data from the RFID tag of the carier and/or goods being submitted for fulfillment of an order; and

,

determining acceptance of the goods on or in the carrier in dependence on the data meeting requirements of the order, wherein the step of determining acceptance of the goods submitted for a respective order,

wherein upon acceptance of goods, the method further comprising updating the order database to decrement the respective goods required to fulfill the order.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein upon acceptance of goods, the method further comprising recording data on tags associated with the goods, the step of determining acceptance of goods further comprising cross referencing data recorded on accepted tags to prevent repeated presentation of the goods to fulfil the same or another order.

20. A goods tracking system for tracking goods loaded on or in a carrier for a selected destination, the carrier and/or goods having an RFID tag, the system comprising:

a file storage device containing an order for the selected destination;

a data writing device arranged to obtain information from goods in fulfillment of the order which have been loaded on or in the carrier and write corresponding data to the carrier'"'"'s or goods'"'"' RFID tag;

a data reading device in communication with the file storage device and arranged to read data from the RFID tag of the carrier and/or goods being submitted in fulfillment of the order for the selected destination, to verify the read data against the file in the file storage device concerning the order by the selected destination, and to determine a fulfillment of the order in dependence on the read data meeting the requirements of the order; and

an output associated with the reader and being responsive to the fulfillment determination to identify whether the order for the selected destination is complete and, if not complete, to identify outstanding quantities of any remaining goods.