Method and apparatus confirming return and/or pick-up valuable items
US7267262B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 11, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 1, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08B13/2462
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An RFID tag associated with an item (e.g., by being affixed thereto) eligible for return to a supplier is scanned to obtain item identification information. Thereafter, a notification message indicating that the item is available for pick-up is transmitted, for example to a supplier of the item. The notification message may be transmitted as any or all of: a facsimile message, a telephone message, a pager message, a voice synthesized message, an e-mail message, or an electronic message. Preferably, the notification message is automatically transmitted by a computer system, and may include at least a portion of the item identification information. Upon receipt of the notification message, an account may be credited to reflect return of the item.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.