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US 11,960,950 B1Granted
Apparatuses, methods and systems for tracking articles using customized indicia
AssigneeBell Lumber & Pole Company
InventorsBrett Franks, Joshua Schindeldecker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to methods, systems and machine readable media including computer programs to track information for an article of manufacture. An illustrative method includes providing a blank tag for the article of manufacture, and forming a marked tag from the blank tag by forming at least one character on the blank tag using a light source, such as a laser. The at least one character can be encoded with information relating to the article of manufacture.
Claims17
A method for associating tracking information with a laminated member, the method comprising:
- providing a blank tag for the laminated member;
- and
- providing an apparatus for forming information into the blank tag to access tracking information for the laminated member including:
- a memory circuit including data stored thereon in machine readable format, the data including information to access the tracking data for the laminated member;
- a light source including a light source control circuit operable to operate the light source;
- and
- a processor circuit operably coupled to the memory circuit and the light source control circuit, the processor circuit being configured to operate the light source, wherein the processor circuit executes instructions to (i) retrieve from said memory circuit said information to access the tracking data for said laminated member, and (ii) operate said light source to form at least one character into a surface of the blank tag, said at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data relating to said laminated member;
- and
- forming a marked tag from the blank tag by way of the apparatus by forming at least one character on the blank tag using the light source of the apparatus, the at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data for said laminated member to permit an observer to retrieve information about the laminated member after the laminated member has been installed.
6 more elements
A method for associating tracking information with a lamp pole, the method comprising:
- providing a blank tag for the lamp pole;
- and
- providing an apparatus for forming information into the blank tag to access tracking information for the lamp pole including:
- a memory circuit including data stored thereon in machine readable format, the data including information to access the tracking data for the lamp pole;
- a light source including a light source control circuit operable to operate the light source;
- and
- a processor circuit operably coupled to the memory circuit and the light source control circuit, the processor circuit being configured to operate the light source, wherein the processor circuit executes instructions to (i) retrieve from said memory circuit said information to access the tracking data for said lamp pole, and (ii) operate said light source to form at least one character into a surface of the blank tag, said at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data relating to said lamp pole;
- and
- forming a marked tag from the blank tag by way of the apparatus by forming at least one character on the blank tag using the light source of the apparatus, the at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data for said lamp pole to permit an observer to retrieve information about the lamp pole after the lamp pole has been installed.
6 more elements
A method for associating tracking information with a utility structure, the method comprising:
- providing a blank tag for the utility structure;
- and
- providing an apparatus for forming information into the blank tag to access tracking information for the utility structure including:
- a memory circuit including data stored thereon in machine readable format, the data including information to access the tracking data for the utility structure;
- a light source including a light source control circuit operable to operate the light source;
- and
- a processor circuit operably coupled to the memory circuit and the light source control circuit, the processor circuit being configured to operate the light source, wherein the processor circuit executes instructions to (i) retrieve from said memory circuit said information to access the tracking data for said utility structure, and (ii) operate said light source to form at least one character into a surface of the blank tag, said at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data relating to said utility structure;
- and
- forming a marked tag from the blank tag by way of the apparatus by forming at least one character on the blank tag using the light source of the apparatus, the at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data for said utility structure to permit an observer to retrieve information about the utility structure after the utility structure has been installed.
6 more elements
A method for associating tracking information with a structural member, the method comprising:
- providing a blank tag for the structural member;
- and
- providing an apparatus for forming information into the blank tag to access tracking information for the structural member including:
- a memory circuit including data stored thereon in machine readable format, the data including information to access the tracking data for the structural member;
- a light source including a light source control circuit operable to operate the light source;
- and
- a processor circuit operably coupled to the memory circuit and the light source control circuit, the processor circuit being configured to operate the light source, wherein the processor circuit executes instructions to (i) retrieve from said memory circuit said information to access the tracking data for said structural member, and (ii) operate said light source to form at least one character into a surface of the blank tag, said at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data relating to said structural member;
- and
- forming a marked tag from the blank tag by way of the apparatus by forming at least one character on the blank tag using the light source of the apparatus, the at least one character being encoded with said information to access the tracking data for said structural member to permit an observer to retrieve information about the structural member after the structural member has been installed;
- wherein the structural member is one of a column, a beam, or a truss.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.