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US 11,699,046 B2Granted
Sortable tracking object
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsRobert Charles Moran, Marlon Guy Wells, Veronica Yvette Hale, Ellis Mitchell Gore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sortable tracking objects that can be associated with item containers and items for tracking and organization.
Claims18
A method of tracking items, the method comprising:
- determining a quantity of tracking objects to be introduced into item processing equipment based on a quantity of individual items intended for processing on the item processing equipment, the determined quantity of tracking objects being less than the quantity of individual items;
- introducing the quantity of tracking objects into the item processing equipment, each of the tracking objects of the quantity of tracking objects comprising a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and an outer periphery enclosing the RFID tag;
- sorting individual items of the quantity of individual items into a plurality of bins of the item processing equipment, each of the plurality of bins associated with an intended destination;
- scanning a first tracking object of the quantity of tracking objects with a sensor;
- sorting, in the item processing equipment, the first tracking object into a first bin of the plurality of bins;
- identifying a second bin of the plurality of bins, the second bin not having a tracking object of the quantity of tracking objects therein;
- scanning a second tracking object of the quantity of tracking objects with the sensor;
- sorting, in the item processing equipment, the second tracking object of the quantity of tracking objects into the second bin of the plurality of bins;
- associating, in a database, the first tracking object with individual items of the quantity of individual items sorted into the first bin of the plurality of bins;
- associating, in the database, the second tracking object with individual items of the quantity of individual items sorted into the second bin of the plurality of bins;
- and
- updating in the database a status of the individual items of the quantity of individual items associated with the first and second tracking objects based on the first and second tracking objects being scanned by the sensor.
9 more elements
A method of tracking items utilizing tracking objects, the method comprising:
- determining a quantity of tracking objects to be introduced into item processing equipment based on a quantity of individual items intended for processing on the item processing equipment, the determined quantity of tracking objects being less than the quantity of individual items;
- introducing the quantity of tracking objects into a sortation volume comprising a quantity of individual items, each of the tracking objects of the quantity of tracking objects comprising a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and an outer periphery that surrounds the RFID tag;
- sorting individual items of the quantity of individual items into a plurality of bin locations;
- scanning a first tracking object of the quantity of tracking objects with a sensor;
- sorting the first tracking object to a first bin location of the plurality of bin locations and into an item container positioned at the first bin location;
- scanning a second tracking object of the quantity of tracking objects with the sensor;
- identifying a second bin location of the plurality of bin locations, the second bin location not having a tracking object;
- sorting the second tracking object to the second bin location and into an item container positioned at the second bin location;
- associating, in a database, the first and second tracking objects with individual items of the quantity of individual items sorted into the item containers at the first and second bin locations;
- interacting the RFID tag of the first and second tracking objects with a reader to generate scan events that are recorded in the database, the scan events indicative of statuses of the associated individual items of the quantity of individual items;
- moving the item containers within a distribution network and past a second reader;
- scanning, by the second reader, the first and second tracking objects in the item containers;
- and
- in response to scanning the first and second tracking objects in the item containers by the second reader, disassociating, in the database, the first and second tracking objects from the individual items of the quantity of individual items to facilitate reuse of the first and second tracking objects.
11 more elements
A tracking object comprising:
- an outer periphery bounding an internal volume;
- a tag disposed within the internal volume, the tag configured to emit a signal, wherein the signal includes a unique identifier;
- a filler material disposed within the internal volume and around the tag configured to maintain the tag at a central location within the internal volume;
- and
- a computer readable code positioned on an external surface of the outer periphery;
- wherein the tracking object is configured to be introduced into item processing equipment that processes a quantity of items for delivery, sorted into a bin location which does not have another tracking object, and associated, in a database, with a plurality of items of the quantity of items sorted to the bin location such that a scan event of the tracking object corresponds to a status of the plurality of items of the quantity of items sorted to the bin location.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.