# US 10,769,589 B2 · Inventory system and methods of using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,589 B2 - Document ID: US10769589B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/395,125 - Filed: 2019-04-25 - Published: 2019-08-15 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-03 - Applicants: BarTrac Inc. - Inventors: Robert Alan Conrad; Andrew Thomas Yee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769589B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/0875: Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials - G01G 19/42: for counting by weighing (G01G19/387 takes precedence) - G06K 7/10316: {using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers (antennas in general H01Q1/22)} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G06Q 10/08778: {for managing mis-shipments, lost items or stolen goods} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to an inventory system that can include a tagged inventory item, wherein the tagged inventory item includes a radio field tag attached to an inventory item; and an inventory device, wherein the inventory device includes a weighing surface, an array of force sensing resistors, and at least one radio field antenna, wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are configured to weigh and identify the tagged inventory item through the weighing surface, and methods of using the same. One benefit of the system and method disclosed herein can be monitoring inventory having changing amounts of content in real time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a tagged inventory item, wherein the tagged inventory item includes a radio field tag attached to an inventory item; and an inventory device, wherein the inventory device includes a weighing surface, an array of force sensing resistors, and at least one radio field antenna, wherein the inventory device includes a top, a bottom, and a side, wherein the top of the inventory device includes the weighing surface, wherein the weighing surface includes a flexible material; wherein the top, bottom, side, and weighing surface are resistant to the passage of water; wherein the array of force sensing resistors is positioned between the weighing surface and the at least one radio field antenna; and wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are configured to weigh and identify the tagged inventory item through the weighing surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the radio field tag includes an item adhesive layer, a concentrating layer, and an integrated circuit layer, and wherein the concentrating layer is in contact with and located between the item adhesive layer and the integrated circuit layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the radio field tag is a passive radio frequency identification tag, a battery assisted radio frequency identification tag, an active radio frequency identification tag, or a passive nearfield tag; and wherein the at least one radio field antenna includes an active radio field antenna or a passive radio field antenna. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the concentrating layer includes a radio signal enhancing material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are located between the top and the bottom of the inventory device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the array of force sensing resistors is closer to the top of the inventory device than the at least one radio field antenna, and optionally, the array of force sensing resistors is in contact with the top of the inventory device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are configured to communicate with a system processor, and wherein the system processor is configured to communicate with at least one of a database, a display, and a network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the inventory item includes a vessel containing an amount of content, and wherein the content includes a solid, a liquid, a slurry, a particulate, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the inventory item includes a vessel containing an amount of content, wherein the content includes a solid, a liquid, a slurry, a particulate, or a combination thereof; and wherein the concentrating layer enhances an amount of radio signal from the radio field tag to the at least one radio field antenna. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: providing a system that includes; a tagged inventory item, wherein the tagged inventory item includes a radio field tag attached to an inventory item; and an inventory device, wherein the inventory device includes a weighing surface, an array of force sensing resistors, and at least one radio field antenna, wherein the inventory device includes a top, a bottom, and a side, wherein the top of the inventory device includes the weighing surface; wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are configured to weigh and identify the tagged inventory item through the weighing surface; wherein the weighing surface includes a flexible material, wherein the top, the bottom, the side, and the weighing surface of the inventory device are resistant to the passage of water; detecting a weight change of from about 25.0 g to about 45.0 kg when the tagged inventory item is placed into contact with the weighing surface of the inventory device; measuring a weight of the tagged inventory item; and identifying the tagged inventory item by turning on the at least one radio field antenna. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are configured to communicate with a system processor, wherein the system processor is configured to communicate with at least one of a database, a network, and a display. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, the method further comprising: transmitting at least one of a measurement time, a measurement date, a radio field tag code, a tagged inventory item identity, a temperature, a weight, and an inventory device code from the system processor to at least one of the database, the network, and the display. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one radio field antenna is turned on in response to the array of force sensing resistors detecting the weight change of from about 25.0 g to about 45.0 kg. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: turning off the at least one radio field antenna after communicating a radio field tag code to a system processor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the inventory item includes a vessel containing an amount of content, wherein the content includes a solid, a liquid, a slurry, a particulate, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 16 A system comprising: a tagged inventory item, wherein the tagged inventory item includes a radio field tag attached to an inventory item, wherein the radio field tag includes an item adhesive layer, a concentrating layer, and an integrated circuit layer; wherein the concentrating layer is in contact with and located between the item adhesive layer and the integrated circuit layer; and wherein the concentrating layer includes a radio enhancing material, wherein the radio enhancing material includes a solid foam, a polystyrene foam, a foam rubber, a silicone foam, a polyurethane foam, or combinations thereof; and an inventory device, wherein the inventory device includes a weighing surface, an array of force sensing resistors, and at least one radio field antenna, wherein the inventory device includes a top and a bottom, wherein the top of the inventory device includes the weighing surface, wherein the weighing surface includes a flexible material; wherein the array of force sensing resistors is positioned between the weighing surface and the at least one radio field antenna; and wherein the array of force sensing resistors and the at least one radio field antenna are configured to weigh and identify the tagged inventory item through the weighing surface.