Decommissioning an electronic data tag
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsKiran K. Reddy, John Christian Onderko, Gary A. Clement, Fung-jou Chen, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rendering data stored within an electronic data tag unreadable. A receptacle receives an article with the data tag, detects the presence of the electronic data tag, and decommissions the electronic data tag. The receptacle further modifies a label on the article to remove data printed thereon.
Claims24
A system comprising:
- a compartment for receiving a plurality of articles each having an electronic data tag associated therewith;
- a single decommission device for simultaneously decommissioning the received plurality of electronic data tags without instructing the electronic data tags to disable themselves;
- and
- means for selectively activating the decommission device.
A method for decommissioning an electronic data tag on an article upon discarding the article, said method comprising:
- receiving, from a user into a receptacle having a decommission device, a discarded article having an electronic data tag storing data capable of association with the user;
- receiving a command to decommission the electronic data tag on the received, discarded article;
- and
- decommissioning the electronic data tag in response to the received command to protect user privacy by rendering inaccessible the data stored within the electronic data tag and capable of association with the user.
A system for decommissioning an electronic data tag and a label having a readable electronic product code (EPC) printed thereon, said electronic data tag and said label being associated with an article, said system comprising:
- means for receiving the article from a user;
- means for decommissioning the electronic data tag associated with the article received by the means for receiving;
- and
- means for modifying the label to render the EPC unreadable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.