RF point of sale and delivery method and system using communication with remote computer and having features to read a large number of RF tags

• US 7,661,591 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promega Corporation
• Original Assignee: Promega Corporation
• Inventors: Linton, John, Linton, William A., Krueger, Julia E., Dearing, Michael, Vidugiris, Gediminas
• Primary Examiner(s): St.Cyr; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/954,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20050194437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/383, 235/384, 235/382, 235/375, 920/23
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• 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 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/35 for the management of goods or merchandise
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system for providing point-of-sale and point-of-delivery and/or distribution of products in a restricted access unit near the customer. The method and system utilize products equipped with radio frequency tags and reduce the effects of energy sharing, shadowing, and nulls. In one embodiment, a plurality of RF tagged products are placed within a refrigerator, cabinet, or other micro-warehouse that has a door or opening that can detect access to the micro-warehouse. In one embodiment, one or more antennas are positioned within the door. Each antenna may have a transmission line of sight and be configured to emit a signal at predefined frequencies. Each antenna generates an electromagnetic field within the micro-warehouse. In one embodiment, the products are positioned in one or more bins, compartments, or similar devices located within the micro-warehouse such that at least two of the plurality of products are spaced a distance from each other to reduce energy sharing. The electromagnetic field is moved or altered within the micro-warehouse through the use of reflectors, devices that move the antennas, or other mechanisms.

Claims

1. A method of distributing a plurality of products from an access restricted area, the method comprising:

providing each product with a radio frequency identification tag;

positioning at least one antenna within the access restricted area, the at least one antenna configured to emit a signal at at least one predefined frequency and generate at least one electromagnetic field within the access restricted area;

positioning the plurality of products within the access restricted area;

reading identification information from a key;

permitting ingress to the access restricted area if the identification information read from the key is authenticated;

detecting egress from the access restricted area;

performing a first scan of the restricted area using the at least one antenna, the scan generating a first result;

comparing the first result to a predetermined integrity level; and

performing one or more subsequent scans if the first result does not equal or exceed the predetermined integrity level.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each subsequent scan generates a subsequent result;

the performing of one or more subsequent scans continuing until at least one of the subsequent results equals or exceeds the integrity level, the method further comprising;

determining a number of the plurality of products; and

determining a change in the number of plurality of products by subtracting a value based on the first result or one of the subsequent results from the number of the plurality of products.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising cloaking one or more of the plurality of tags during the first scan or one of the subsequent scans.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising storing information based on the first result or one of a plurality of subsequent results in a buffer.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, the method further comprising comparing the information stored in the buffer to information obtained from a scan performed after the first result.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a read time for at least one scan selected from the group of the first scan and each subsequent scan.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising determining an operating parameter based on the read time.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising gathering information from a sensor associated with the restricted access area.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising generating a message based on at least one scan selected from the group of the first scan and each subsequent scan.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising synchronizing a time maintained in a device within the restricted access area to a standard time reference.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising performing an operational status check of a device associated with the restricted access area.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising checking one or more predetermined alarm conditions.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising altering the position of nulls in the electromagnetic field.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising using a read time curve to determine a condition within a micro-warehouse.

15. A method of distributing a plurality of products from an area, the method comprising:

providing each product with a radio frequency identification tag;

providing at least one antenna, the at least one antenna being configured to emit a signal at at least one predefined frequency and generate at least one electromagnetic field within the area;

positioning the plurality of products within the area;

reading identification information;

permitting access to the area if the identification information read is authenticated;

detecting an end of access to the area;

performing a first scan of the area using the at least one antenna, the scan generating a first result;

comparing the first result to a predetermined integrity level; and

performing one or more subsequent scans if the first result does not equal or exceed the predetermined integrity level.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step of reading identification information comprises one of (a) reading a fingerprint and (b) reading an RFID badge.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said method comprises step (a).

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein said method comprises step (b).

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the area is within a freezer,

wherein said step of detecting an end of access to the area comprises detecting closing of a door of the freezer by sensing output of a proximity sensor,

wherein said step of performing the first scan is performed in response to detection that the door of the freezer has closed,

wherein an inventory message is generated in accordance with a difference between two scans,

wherein said permitting access step comprises controlling a solenoid of an electric actuated lock with which the freezer is equipped,

wherein the at least one antenna is mounted in the freezer, and

wherein passive tags are used in step of providing each product with a radio frequency identification tag.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of products comprises a biological product.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the biological product is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, an assay, and a cloning vector.

22. A method of distributing a plurality of products from an area, the method comprising:

providing each product with a radio frequency identification tag;

positioning an antenna;

positioning the plurality of products within the area;

performing plural scans of the area using the antenna, the scans generating a first result based on output of the plural scans;

comparing the first result to a predetermined integrity level;

performing a subsequent scan if the first result does not equal or exceed the predetermined integrity level; and

creating a superset of all tags read during a plurality of scans,

wherein said step of generating a first result based on output of the plural scans comprises (a) determining the number of scans in which a list of tags was read, and (b) calculating the percentage of the plural scans in which the list of tags was read by dividing the number of scans in which the list of tags was read by the number of scans of the plural scans.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the subsequent scan generates a subsequent result,

wherein the performing a subsequent scan is repeated until the subsequent result equals or exceeds the integrity level, and

wherein the method further comprises:

(a) determining a number of the plurality of products; and

(b) determining a change in the number of plurality of products caused by a user removing a product from the area by subtracting a value based on the first result or one of the subsequent results from the number of the plurality of products.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, the method further comprising cloaking one or more of the plurality of tags during a scan of the plural scans or the subsequent scan.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the predetermined integrity level is 50%.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the predetermined integrity level is 90%.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the list of tags is a majority list, being defined as a list of tags that makes up the result of each of a majority of the plural scans.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the plural scans are RFID scans, and said performing step is performed in response to closing of a door.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the area is an interior of a refrigerated cabinet, and the door is a door of the refrigerated cabinet.

30. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein access to the area is permitted in response to authentication of identification information that is input by a user.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the identification information is input by one of (a) reading a fingerprint and (b) reading an RFID badge.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the identification information is input by reading a fingerprint.

33. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the identification information is input by reading an RFID badge.

34. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the plural scans are RFID scans,

wherein the area is within a freezer having a door,

wherein a RFID scan of the plural RFID scans is performed in response to detection of closing of a door of the freezer by sensing output of a proximity sensor,

wherein a difference between results of plural RFID scans is determined to calculate a change in inventory,

wherein the permitting of access comprises controlling an electric actuated lock with which the freezer is equipped,

wherein the antenna is mounted on or in the freezer, and

wherein passive RFID tags are used.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the product comprises a biological product.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the biological product is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, an assay, and a cloning vector.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a step of cloaking a tag during a RFID scan of the RFID scans.

38. A method as claimed in claim 35, further a step of determining a read time for a RFID scan of the plural RFID scans.

39. A method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a step of altering the position of nulls in an electromagnetic field used for the RFID scanning.

40. A method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a step of using an RFID read time curve to determine a condition in the freezer.

41. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the permitting of access comprises controlling a solenoid of the electronic lock.

42. A method of distributing a plurality of products from an area, the method comprising:

providing each product with a radio frequency identification tag;

providing at least one RFID antenna;

positioning the plurality of products within the area;

one of (a) obtaining identification information from a user, the identification information being biometric identification information and (b) obtaining identification information from a user'"'"'s RFID badge;

permitting access to the area if the identification information obtained is authenticated;

detecting an end of access to the area by detecting closing of a door associated with the area;

performing RFID scanning of the area in response to detection of the end of access to the area,

wherein the RFID scanning employs an integrity algorithm that is based on all of (a) statistical information, (b) historical information, and (c) delay data.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the area is the interior of a refrigerator,

wherein said method further comprises monitoring the location of the refrigerator using GPS,

wherein said method comprises obtaining identification information from the user'"'"'s RFID badge, and

wherein a user restocking the refrigerator uses an RFID badge including a digital signature that provides one-time access to a specific refrigerator and thereafter expires.

44. An apparatus comprising:

an enclosure into which a plurality of RFID tags can be placed;

means for performing RFID scanning to detect the plurality of RFID tags if present;

means for measuring a plurality of read times respectively corresponding to reading of a plurality of the RFID tags, each read time being elapsed time from a start of the RFID scanning to a time of reading of a tag, wherein the plurality of read times are used to determine whether an RFID scanning problem exists.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the plurality of read times are used to obtain a read time curve plotting number of tags read versus read time.

46. A method comprising:

performing RFID scanning of an enclosure into which a plurality of RFID tags can be placed; and

measuring a plurality of read times respectively corresponding to reading of a plurality of the RFID tags, each read time being elapsed time from a start of the RFID scanning to a time of reading of a tag, wherein the plurality of read times are used to determine whether an RFID scanning problem exists.