Wireless call tag based material replenishment system

US6317082A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Wherenet Corp · US

Inventors

• Thomas M. Bacon · Portland, US
• Huong M. Hang · San Jose, US
• Walter S. Johnson · Mill Valley, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 14, 2000
• Grant date: Nov 13, 2001
• Expiry date: Feb 14, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S13/74
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A call tag-based material replenishment system employs a tagged object radio location infrastructure of the type described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,287. For each different part used by a lineside workstation an associated `call` tag is placed at or near that workstation. To initiate replenishment of a part, a `call` push-button on a call tag is operated. In response to the operation of the call button, an RF signal burst containing tag identity and status data is transmitted from the call tag. This information is recovered by a spatially distributed reader and processor subsystem for application to an asset management database. The database associates the call tag's identification data with a particular part, to enable a resource management operator to specify what component is to be accessed from storage and delivered to the requesting call tag's workstation.