Tracking system

• US 7,649,462 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G&K Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: G & K Services
• Inventors: Ellis, Peter, Burke, Joseph, Williamson, Robert J., Svensson, Lars O. H., Fisher, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/761,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 700/224, 209/226, 209/583
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An improved tracking system for garments provided to a customer by a garment provider.

Claims

1. A method for tracking garments, comprising:

retrieving garments from one or more customer facilities;

scanning at the one or more customer facilities for an RFID tag associated with the retrieved garments to obtain garment identifying information;

delivering the retrieved garments to a garment provider facility;

laundering the retrieved garment at the garment provider facility using RFID tag to track the retrieved garments through a laundering process;

delivering laundered garments to a customer that has employees as part of a program to provide the customer with laundered garments into one or more customer facilities;

scanning at the one or more customer facilities for the RFID tag associated with the laundered garments to obtain garment identifying information; and

associating the garment identifying information with delivery information for the laundered garments, wherein the delivery information includes confirmation of delivery of the laundered garments into the one or more customer facilities.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying presence of an order that includes the laundered garments by scanning a delivery vehicle for the RFID tag prior to off-loading the laundered garments.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the garment identifying information from the retrieved garments to delivery information for laundered garments previously delivered to the customer.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising verifying removal of the order from the delivery vehicle by scanning the delivery vehicle for the RFID tag after off-loading the laundered garments.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining garment identifying information from retrieved garments with garment identifying information from other retrieved garments.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising processing the retrieved garments in the garment provider facility.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein processing includes storage of the laundered garments.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising scanning an RFID tag associated with a retrieved garment during the laundering process, and determining the status of the garment in the laundering process.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the status of the retrieved garment is determined by associating the location of the scanning with the presence of the retrieved garment in that location.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using at least garment identifying information and status information from a laundered garment to combine laundered garments for delivery to a customer.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising using garment identifying information from the retrieved garments to indentify the location to which a laundered garment should be delivered.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the garment indentifying information and the delivery information is provided to the customer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the delivery information is the assignment of the laundered garment to a particular employee of the customer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the delivery information is used by the customer to monitor movement of the laundered garment within the customer facility.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the delivery information is is used by the customer to restrict movement of the laundered garment into one or more areas of the customer'"'"'s facility.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein garment identifying information is obtained by scanning multiple garments in a single step of scanning.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising using garment identifying information to provide the customer with additional information selected from the group consisting of the total number garments in customer'"'"'s program, location of the garments in the customer'"'"'s program, status of a garment and rate of loss of garments in the program.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the laundered garment is used in a clean room setting.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the laundered garment is used in a food preparation setting.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the laundered garment is part of a set of garments to be used concurrently.

21. The method claim 1, wherein the laundered garment is a mat and the location information is the location in which the mat is deployed in a customer facility.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein garment indentifying information is obtained by the customer for garments to be retrieved prior to retrieval from the customer facility.

23. The method claim 22, further comprising comparing garment identifying information obtained by the customer for garments to be retrieved with the garment identifying information from the retrieved garments, the delivery information for garments previously delivered to the customer or both.

24. A method of tracking a garment, comprising:

associating an RFID tag with the garment as garment identifying information;

retrieving the garment from one or more customer facilities;

scanning at the one or more customer facilities for the RFID tag associated with the retrieved garment to obtain the garment identifying information;

delivering the retrieved garment to a garment provider facility;

cleaning the retrieved garment at the garment provider facility using the RFID tag to track the retrieved garment through a cleaning process;

scanning for the RFID tag at the garment provider facility prior to delivery;

delivering the cleaned garment from the garment provider facility into a facility of a customer that has employees; and

scanning the RFID tag at the customer facility to associate the garment identifying information with receipt at the customer facility and to receive further delivery information directing cleaned garments to a receiving area designated by the customer.

25. A garment tracking system, comprising:

a first RFID scanner located at garment provider facility and configured to;

associate an RFID tag with the garment as garment identifying information, and

associate garment identifying information with a particular order for a customer; and

a second RFID scanner located at a customer facility and configured to;

associate the RFID tag and associated garment identifying information with a particular location in the customer facility to confirm delivery of the garment as part of the particular order into the customer facility, and

a particular employee of the customer.