US 9,959,520 B2 · Systems for ordering products

Abstract

Product replenishment systems which identify to vendors need for replenishment product, and effect shipment of such product. Product containers have computer readable labels which identify particular product to those containers. When a container is empty, the container is tossed into a chute. An antenna subassembly, including antenna, antenna tuner, and signal reader, reads the label as the container passes through the chute. The container label can alternatively be read by otherwise moving the label across the field of a suitable antenna, or by reading such label using a bar code reader. The antenna, or bar code reader, communicates label information to a local computer. The local computer communicates, to a separate host computer, certain of the label information. The host computer collects information from one or more local computers and communicates with respective vendor computers which receive the information, and process and instruct shipment orders related to the needed product.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A system for managing a consumable products inventory at one or more use locations for such products where such products are temporarily stored in a container and wherein each such product is consumed by a single use of such product, said system comprising:

(a) a container, having a computer readable RFID tag mounted thereon, said container being adapted and configured to temporarily store a first supply of such products, wherein such products are consumed when removed from said container, and wherein said container is replenished from a package containing a second supply of such products, all while the computer readable RFID tag remains mounted on said container;
(b) an antenna assembly, said antenna assembly comprising a tuner, a signal reader, and a signal-emitting antenna body, said antenna body receiving electrical signals from said tuner, an antenna opening extending through the antenna body, the opening having a cross-section adapted to receive said container therethrough while said computer readable tag is mounted on said container;
said signal reader being capable of reading tag response signals received from said computer readable RFID tag;
and
(c) a computer subsystem, the computer subsystem receiving tag response signals from said signal reader, and using information from such tag response signals to manage the respective consumable products inventory.

2 more elements

A system for capturing and processing information from computer-readable tags, said system comprising:

(a) a plurality of containers adapted and configured to temporarily store sequential first and second supplies of consumable products, wherein such products are consumed when removed from said containers, and wherein said containers are replenished from packages containing subsequent supplies of such products, each said container having first and second such computer readable tags mounted thereon and spaced from each other, both of said first and second computer readable tags being responsive to a same broadcast signal frequency, a given said container having a length, a width, and a height,
(b) a kiosk, comprising
(i) a kiosk body having a front and a rear,
(ii) a reservoir for holding such containers being associated with said kiosk body,
(iii) a chute having a chute opening extending into said kiosk body and communicating with said reservoir, the chute opening being surrounded by chute walls, and
(iv) an antenna assembly, comprising a circuit board, and a signal-emitting tangible antenna body, said circuit board comprising a tuner and a signal reader, said tangible antenna body defining an antenna body loop extending about said chute proximate said chute walls, and an antenna body opening extending through said antenna body loop, thereby defining a front-to-rear path through the antenna body loop,
said chute, said antenna body opening, and said containers being sized and configured, and said antenna body emitting a sufficient signal, that at least some of said containers, having the first and second computer readable tags mounted thereon, can be tossed into the chute, and thence conveyed to said reservoir in said kiosk body, and wherein said tossed containers have random orientations relative to said chute as said containers pass through said chute, and wherein said antenna signal activates at least one of said first and second computer readable tags on the respective said containers as the respective containers pass through said chute, and before the respective containers reach said reservoir;
and
(c) said signal reader being adapted and configured to read a response signal received from either of the first and second computer readable tags.

6 more elements

A system wherein a customer places replenishment orders for commonly-stocked consumable products with a vendor for such consumable products, containers being provided for respective ones of such commonly-stocked consumable products, said system comprising:

(a) at a use location at a customer facility, a container adapted and configured to temporarily store consumable products, wherein such consumable products are consumed when removed from said container, said container having mounted thereon a computer readable tag, each such said computer readable tag, and thus said container, as well as a particular one of the consumable such products to be used at that use location, having been identified to electronic memory;
(b) a kiosk having a chute defining a chute opening which provides a generally constant cross-section path extending, from a front of said kiosk, into an interior chamber inside said kiosk, said kiosk receiving said container, with said computer readable tag mounted thereon, tossed through said chute along the generally constant cross-section path, and into said interior chamber;
and
(c) an antenna subsystem, in said kiosk, transmitting electronic signals at a frequency which can awaken such computer readable tag while said tossed container, bearing said computer readable tag, is passing through said chute
in response to which antenna signals, such computer readable tag emits a tag response signal,
said antenna subsystem further being adapted and configured
to receive such response signal from said computer-readable tag,
to read such response signal, and
to generate computer-readable signal information pertaining to such tag response signal;
and
(d) a computer subsystem adapted and configured to receive such tag response signal and to initiate an order for the respective product.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems for ordering products

Life of this patent

Systems for ordering products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36