# US 7,411,500 B2 · Methods of monitoring items or material from manufacturing processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,411,500 B2 - Document ID: US7411500B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/226,102 - Filed: 2005-09-14 - Published: 2007-03-15 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2005-09-14 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Michael E. Hamerly; Barry W. Kostyk; Robert D. Lorentz; Robert A. Sainati; James P. McGee; Subhalakshmi M. Ananthanarayanan; John W. Van Bogart; Ronald D. Jesme - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411500B2 ## CPC - G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing - G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling - 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} - Y02P 90/30: Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Methods of monitoring items and/or materials from a manufacturing process. One embodiment of the invention provides a method of monitoring items and/or materials from a manufacturing process using a plurality of RFID tagged containers, and a plurality of stations associated with different portions of the manufacturing process, where each station includes an RFID reader. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of monitoring items and/or materials from a manufacturing process, comprising the steps of: providing a manufacturing process, wherein the manufacturing process includes a plurality of stations associated with different portions of the manufacturing process, wherein each station includes a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader associated with the station; providing a plurality of RFID tagged containers, wherein each container has an associated RFID tag; locating at least one of the RFID tagged containers at least at one of the stations; filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with items and/or materials generated from the manufacturing process; interrogating the RFID tagged container with the RFID reader associated with the station to at least record the location of the station where the RFID tagged container is located, and recording the time of the interrogation; in response to interrogating the RFID tagged container, obtaining information about the items and/or materials that were placed in the RFID tagged container at the station; and based on the obtained information, deciding what action to perform with the items and/or materials in the RFID tagged container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing process is a first manufacturing process for manufacturing a first finished good and the plurality of stations are for receiving semi-finished goods, byproducts, or waste generated from the manufacturing process, and wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with at least a semi-finished good, byproduct, or waste generated from the manufacturing process at the station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with semi-finished goods generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: transporting the semi-finished goods to temporary storage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with byproducts generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: transporting the byproducts to a second manufacturing process that is for manufacturing a second finished good, where the byproducts from the first manufacturing process may be used as raw materials in the second manufacturing process. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with waste generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: weighing the waste in the RFID tagged container, recording the weight, and emptying the RFID tagged container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the interrogation step further includes recording the date the RFID tagged container was located at the station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying a user of where to take the items and/or materials in the RFID tagged container after it leaves the station. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of issuing an alert, if the user takes the RFID tagged container to a wrong location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing an alert, if one of the plurality of stations contains an incorrect number of RFID tagged containers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the deciding step comprises transporting the RFID tagged container to another location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein filling comprises filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with at least one of a byproduct or waste generated by the manufacturing process, and wherein deciding comprises transporting the RFID tagged container to a second manufacturing process, wherein the second manufacturing process may use the byproduct or waste in the RFID tagged container as a raw material or a semi-finished product for use in manufacturing a product. ### Claim 12 A method for tracking semi-finished goods, byproducts of the manufacturing process, or waste from a manufacturing process, comprising the steps of: providing a first manufacturing process for manufacturing a first finished good, wherein the manufacturing process includes a plurality of stations for receiving semi-finished goods, byproducts, or waste generated from the manufacturing process, wherein each station includes, a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader associated with the station; providing a plurality of RFID tagged containers, wherein each container has an associated RFID tag; locating at least one of the RFID tagged containers at least at one of the stations; filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with at least a semi-finished good, byproduct, or waste generated from the manufacturing process at the station; interrogating the RFID tagged container with the RFID reader at the stations; in response to interrogating the RFID tagged container, obtaining information about the goods, byproducts or waste in the RFID tagged container; and based on the obtained information, deciding what action to perform with the semi-finished goods, byproducts, or waste in the RFID tagged containers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with semi-finished goods generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: transporting the semi-finished goods to temporary storage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with byproducts generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: transporting the byproducts to a second manufacturing process that is for manufacturing a second finished good, where the byproducts from the first manufacturing process may be used as raw materials in the second manufacturing process. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with waste generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: weighing the waste in the RFID tagged container, recording the weight and emptying the RFID tagged container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the interrogation step further includes recording the date the RFID tagged container was located at the station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of notifying a user of where to take the items and/or materials in the RFID tagged container after it leaves the station. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of issuing an alert if the user takes the RFID tagged container to a wrong location. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of issuing an alert, if one of the plurality of stations contains an incorrect number of RFID tagged containers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transporting the RFID tagged container to another location. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein filling comprises filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with at least one of a byproduct or waste generated by the manufacturing process, and wherein deciding comprises transporting the RFID tagged container to a second manufacturing process, wherein the second manufacturing process may use the byproduct or waste in the RFID tagged container as a raw material or a semi-finished product for use in manufacturing a product. ### Claim 22 A method of monitoring items and/or materials from a manufacturing process, comprising the steps of: providing a manufacturing process, wherein the manufacturing process includes a plurality of stations associated with different portions of the manufacturing process, wherein each station includes a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader associated with the station; providing a plurality of RFID tagged containers, wherein each container has an associated RFID tag; locating, at least one of the RFID tagged containers at least at one of the stations; filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with items and/or materials generated from the manufacturing process at the station; interrogating the RFID tagged container with the RFID reader associated with the station to at least record the location of the station where the RFID tagged container is located, and recording the time of the interrogation; in response to interrogating the RFID tagged container, obtaining information about the items and/or materials that were placed in the RFID tagged container at the station; repeating the interrogating and obtaining steps multiple times to gather data over a length of time; and using the data to optimize or improve the manufacturing process. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the manufacturing process is a first manufacturing process for manufacturing a first finished good and the plurality of stations are for receiving semi-finished goods, byproducts, or waste generated from the manufacturing process, and wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with at least a semi-finished good, byproduct, or waste generated from the manufacturing process. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with semi-finished goods generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: transporting the semi-finished goods to temporary storage. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with byproducts generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: transporting the byproducts to a second manufacturing process that is for manufacturing a second finished good, where the byproducts from the first manufacturing process may be used as raw materials in the second manufacturing process. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the filling step comprises: filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with waste generated from the first manufacturing process; and wherein the deciding step comprises: weighing the waste in the RFID tagged container, recording the weight, and emptying the RFID tagged container. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the interrogation step further includes recording the date the RFID tagged container was located at the station. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of notifying a user of where to take the items and/or materials in the RFID tagged container after it leaves the station. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of issuing an alert, if the user takes the RFID tagged container to a wrong location. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of issuing an alert, if one of the plurality of stations contains an incorrect number of RFID tagged containers. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the deciding step comprises transporting the RFID tagged container to another location. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein filling comprises filling at least a portion of the RFID tagged container with at least one of a byproduct or waste generated by the manufacturing process, and wherein deciding comprises transporting the RFID tagged container to a second manufacturing process, wherein the second manufacturing process may use the byproduct or waste in the RFID tagged container as a raw material or a semi-finished product for use in manufacturing a product. ### Claim 33 A method comprising: performing a plurality of processes, wherein each process is performed by one of a plurality of processing stations, and wherein at least one of the processing stations includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader; placing output of at least one of the processing stations into a container that includes an RFID tag, wherein the output is at least one of a byproduct or waste; interrogating the RFID tag of the container with the RFID reader to record the location of the station where the container is located and the time of the interrogation; in response to interrogating the RFID tagged container, obtaining information about the output that was placed in the container; and based on the obtained information, determining an action to perform with the output, wherein the action is not disposal.