Inventory tracking using RFID
US10599890B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2018 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 1, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q10/087
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar, RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.