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US 7,256,682 B2Granted
Remote identification of container contents by means of multiple radio frequency identification systems
AssigneeOdin Technologies Ltd.
InventorPatrick J. Sweeney, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing the remote identification of the contents of containers by means of multiple radio frequency identification systems.
Claims18
An apparatus, comprising:
- a radio frequency tag configured to be coupled to an object within a container;
- an interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to be coupled to an interior portion of the container and configured to acquire an inventory-related information associated with the radio frequency tag;
- a data storage means;
- and
- an externally accessible radio frequency tag coupled to an exterior portion of the container,
- the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the data storage means, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the externally accessible radio frequency tag, the externally accessible radio frequency tag configured to send an indicator of the inventory-related information to an external radio frequency identification interrogator when interrogated by the external radio frequency identification interrogator, the externally accessible radio frequency tag being prevented from sending the indicator to the external radio frequency identification interrogator when the container is open.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a radio frequency tag configured to be coupled to an object within a container;
- an interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to be coupled to an interior portion of the container and configured to acquire an inventory-related information associated with the radio frequency tag;
- a data storage means;
- and
- an externally accessible radio frequency tag coupled to an exterior portion of the container,
- the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the data storage means, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the externally accessible radio frequency tag, the externally accessible radio frequency tag configured to send an indicator of the inventory-related information to an external radio frequency identification interrogator when interrogated by the external radio frequency identification interrogator, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator being triggered to acquire the inventory-related information in response to the container being closed.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a radio frequency tag configured to be coupled to an object within a container;
- an interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to be coupled to an interior portion of the container and configured to acquire an inventory-related information associated with the radio frequency tag;
- a data storage means;
- and
- an externally accessible radio frequency tag coupled to an exterior portion of the container,
- the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the data storage means, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the externally accessible radio frequency tag, the externally accessible radio frequency tag configured to send an indicator of the inventory-related information to an external radio frequency identification interrogator when interrogated by the external radio frequency identification interrogator, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator includes an interrogator antenna coupled to the externally accessible radio frequency tag.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a radio frequency tag configured to be coupled to an object within a container;
- an interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to be coupled to an interior portion of the container and configured to acquire an inventory-related information associated with the radio frequency tag;
- a data storage means;
- and
- an externally accessible radio frequency tag coupled to an exterior portion of the container,
- the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the data storage means, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the externally accessible radio frequency tag, the externally accessible radio frequency tag configured to send an indicator of the inventory-related information to an external radio frequency identification interrogator when interrogated by the external radio frequency identification interrogator, the externally accessible radio frequency tag being configured to change from a power-conserving mode to an inventory-acquiring mode when a switch that is configured to be attached to the container is toggled in response to the container being closed, the externally accessible radio frequency tag using the interior radio frequency identification interrogator when in the inventory-acquiring mode to acquire the inventory-related information during an interrogation time period.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a radio frequency tag configured to be coupled to an object within a container;
- an interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to be coupled to an interior portion of the container and configured to acquire an inventory-related information associated with the radio frequency tag;
- a data storage means;
- and
- an externally accessible radio frequency tag coupled to an exterior portion of the container,
- the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the data storage means, the interior radio frequency identification interrogator configured to transfer the inventory-related information to the externally accessible radio frequency tag, the externally accessible radio frequency tag configured to send an indicator of the inventory-related information to an external radio frequency identification interrogator when interrogated by the external radio frequency identification interrogator, the inventory-related information acquired from the radio frequency tag being translated by the externally-accessible radio frequency tag from a signal that is incompatible with the external radio frequency identification interrogator into a signal that is compatible with the external radio frequency identification interrogator.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- acquiring information associated with a radio frequency tag disposed within a container using an interior radio frequency interrogator disposed within the container, the acquiring being triggered when the container changes from being open to closed, the radio frequency tag coupled to an object disposed within the container;
- and
- transferring the information to an exterior radio frequency tag disposed exterior to the container, the exterior radio frequency tag configured to send an inventory indicator to an external interrogator, the inventory indicator being based on the information.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an exterior radio frequency tag disposed exterior to a container and configured to send an inventory indicator to an external interrogator, the inventory indicator indicating inventory information associated with a group of radio identification tags disposed within the container;
- and an interior interrogator coupled to the exterior radio frequency tag and configured to be disposed within an interior portion of the container, the interior interrogator configured to poll during an interrogation time period each radio identification tag from the group of radio identification tags to acquire an identification of each radio identification tag from the group of radio identification tags, the inventory information being based on the identification of each radio identification tag, the interrogation time period triggered by at least one of a toggling of a switch when the container is closed, a toggling of the switch when the container is opened, a signal from a motion sensor, or a signal from the external interrogator.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an exterior radio freguency tag disposed exterior to a container and configured to send an inventory indicator to an external interrogator, the inventory indicator indicating inventory information associated with a group of radio identification tags disposed within the container, the exterior radio frequency tag being prevented from sending the inventory indicator to the external interrogator when the container is open;
- and
- an interior interrogator coupled to the exterior radio freguency tag and configured to be disposed within an interior portion of the container, the interior interrogator configured to poll during an interrogation time period each radio identification tag from the group of radio identification tags to acguire an identification of each radio identification tag from the group of radio identification tags, the inventory information being based on the identification of each radio identification tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.