Rfid tag/chip reader-based storage and retrieval system and method

RFID TAG/CHIP READER-BASED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM AND METHOD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[Para 1] This invention relates to a system and method of RFID tag/chip reader-based storage and retrieval by cross-referencing serial numbers of frequency identification (RFID) tags with products' barcode allowing all identical items to be read at once together and in any quantity and reading the cross-referenced serial numbers of RFID tags of various products at once without unloading the container in which they are carried.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

[Para 2] A basic Radio-frequency identification (RFID) comprises three components: an antenna (or coil), a transmitter/receiver with decoder, and programmed tag with unique information. The RFID system uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify, and track tags attached to objects. The antenna emits signals to activate the tag and to write and read information from it.

[Para 3] A typical RFID tag has a microchip attached to a radio antenna. The chip can store up to 2kb data.

[Para 4] The receiver emits radio waves between a few centimeters and tens of meters or more, depending on its capacity and frequency. When an RFID tag passes through the electromagnetic medium, it detects the reader's trigger signal. The reader decrypts the information in the integrated circuit (chip) of the RFID and the information is transferred to the host computer for processing.

[Para 5] When triggered by an electromagnetic interrogation pulse from a nearby RFID reader device, the tag transmits digital data, usually an identifying inventory number, back to the reader. This number can be used to track inventory goods.

[Para 6] Currently, when logistics companies or retail companies are interested in working with this technology, it is necessary to burn information on each sticker/chip separately one by one, thus the technology is impractical on both the operational and economic sides.

[Para 7] The technological development introduced in this invention allows all identical items to be read at once together and in any quantity, when the way is not to burn the chip/sticker (tag), but to cross-reference the serial number of the RFID sticker (tag) with the product barcode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[Para 8] The invention discloses a system and method.

[Para 9] A system of RFID tag/chip reader-based storage and retrieval by cross-referencing serial numbers of frequency identification (RFID) tags with products' barcode or any other digital label.

[Para 10] The system comprises a dedicated shelter comprising an antenna, at least one RFID reader, one or more processors that are coupled to a central control computer, cloud-based database, and cloud storage whereas the central control computer comprises a dedicated software that is configured to cause the system to scan all RFID tags attached to products within the shelter at once without unloading the products, to crossreference and associate the serial numbers of RFID tags with the product barcode or any other digital label.

[Para 11] To determine whether the number of products registered in the database is the same as the actual quantity of products found in the container that was inserted into the dedicated shelter.

[Para 12] In response to determining that there is a discrepancy between actual quantity and entered quantity of products into the database the manual entering of quantity is amended.

[Para 13] A sheltered station for self-checkout comprising a connection to cloud storage, a checkout post for inserting shopping cart, at least one RFID reader in the sheltered station, a data entering device, a groove for credit cards, a display screen and means of printing, whereas the dedicated software is configured to cause the system to scan all the products in the shopping cart without any intervenient of the shopper, to show detailed purchase list on the display screen for shopper to confirm, delete, or erase products.

[Para 14] A RFID exit check point comprising at least one RFID reader located in the exit aisle of the shopping cart, a connection to checkout post and to central control computer.

[Para 1 5] The system functions if the product includes a readable barcode or any other readable digital label.

[Para 16] The methods of payment may be by credit card, digital transfer, or any other digital method.

[Para 17] A method of cross-referencing serial numbers of RFID tags with products' barcode or with any other digital label, allowing all identical items to be scanned and read at once together by the system and in any quantity, comprising the steps of:

a. Attaching a RFID tag to each product with a barcode or any other digital label, that includes the data of the product that enters the warehouse.

b. Putting the tagged product in a container.

c. Putting the container in the dedicated shielded station.

d. Scanning into the database the barcode (or any other digital label) affixed to at least one of the identical products.

e. Verifying that the product exists in the database;

f. Manuel entering the quantity of the identical products in the container into the database.

g. Scanning the RFID tags of all the products in the container at once together into the database, and cross-referencing and associating the scanned RFID tags with the barcode or with any other digital label, on the products and storing the cross-referenced data in the database.

[Para 18] The method further comprises the steps of

a. Putting all the purchased items in the shopping cart and going to the selfCheckout stand.

b. Inserting the shopping cart into the sheltered station of the checkout post.

c. scanning all the products in the shopping cart without any intervenient of the shopper by at least one RFID reader.

d. Displaying the detailed purchase list on the display screen.

e. Confirming, delating, or erasing of products from the detailed purchase list.

f. Appearing of payment screen after confirming.

g. Paying by credit card or by any other digital method.

h. Moving to RFID exit check point after payment is confirmed.

i. Reading the RFID tags of the content of the shopping cart and determining whether the content matches the products on the purchase list and in case of discrepancy between actual products in the shopping card and the purchase list, the RFID exit check point sends an alert to central control computer, and shopper must choose whether to leave the unpaid item/s behind or to go back and repeat steps b-h.

j. When the scanned shopping cart matches the product list, the shopping cart is allowed to exit the shopping place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[Para 19] The novel features characteristic of the invention is set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying figs, wherein:

[Para 20] Fig. 1 - is a flowchart of the overall process of storing products' data in the system.

[Para 21] Fig. 2 - is a perspective view of the first stage of assigning RFID tags to incoming products having barcode stickers, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[Para 22] Fig. 3 - is a perspective view of the principal components for scanning the barcodes and RFID of the products in a dedicated shelter.

[Para 23] Fig. 4 - is a perspective view of uploading barcoded products into database.

[Para 24] Fig. 5 - is a perspective view of cross-referencing and associating the scanned RFID tags with products' barcode.

[Para 25] Fig. 6 - is a flowchart of the steps involved in the point of sale.

[Para 26] Fig. 7 - is a perspective view of the point of sale.

[Para 27] Fig. 8 - is a perspective view of the payment procedure.

[Para 28] Fig. 9 - is a perspective view of the exit check point.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[Para 29] An embodiment is an example or implementation of the inventions.

The various appearances of one embodiment, an embodiment or some embodiments do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments. Although various features of the invention may be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a single embodiment.

[Para 30] Reference in the specification to one embodiment, an embodiment, some embodiments or other embodiments means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions. It is understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for descriptive purpose only.

[Para 31] The invention described below is with respect to a preferred embodiment, but other embodiments are possible. The concepts disclosed herein apply equally to other similar methods for applying RFID tags to products. RFID tags may be either passive or active. Any type of RFID tag may be used, any shape, size, and having components of any shape, size, and functionality. Throughout this description, “product” refers to any item, unit, or individual product; “container” refers to any unit comprising multiple products; cart refers to shopping cards; sticker or tag refer to label; chip refer to microchip; central computer control computer, central control computer refers to a digital or hardware device controlling the system; barcode is a method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form and is used here as one embodiment of the invention but the invention also includes any other digital label whether specifically mentioned or not.

[Para 32] The present invention discloses a system of RFID tag/chip readerbased storage and retrieval by cross-referencing serial numbers of frequency identification (RFID) tags with products' barcode or any other digital label, and a method of cross-referencing serial numbers of RFID tags with products' barcode or with any other digital label, allowing all

0 identical items to be scanned and read at once together by the system and in any quantity, thus preventing the need to burn, scan or read the information from each tag/chip separately one by one. Processing the data by a central control computer with a dedicated cloud-based software

[Para 33] At checkout point, reading the cross-referenced serial numbers of

5 RFID tags of all the variety of products in the cart at once without unloading its content.

[Para 34] At exit point reading the RFID tags of the products in the cart, matching them with the paid products on the checkout list, to verify that all the checked-out products were paid for.

[Para 35] Figs. 1 - 5 show the overall process of storing products' data in the system. The products 1 02 arrive in warehouse 1 01 from the manufacturer 100 with a barcode 1 03 or any other digital label that includes the data of the product (e.g., identification of the product, price, etc.,). Each product receives a RFID tag 105 (steps 103 & 104). The tagged products 1 06 are loaded into container107 and container107 is transferred (step 108) to dedicated shelter109. Dedicated shelter 109 comprises of antenna 110, RFID reader 114 and is connected to central control computer 111, to cloud-based database 113 and to cloud storage 112.

[Para 36] The barcode or any other digital label of product 103, is scanned into database113 (step 115) by a barcode reader or any other digital reader. If product 103 is already registered in database 11 3 (step 11 6) the user adds only the quantity of identical products that has arrived at warehouse 101. If the database returns a does not exist message, user adds the product into database 11 3 (step 11 7) and adds the quantity of products to be scanned (step 118) 119.

[Para 37] The system scans all RFID tags (step 120) in container 107, crossreferences and associates the scanned RFID tags with the products' barcode (step 121). When quantity of entered products matches the quantity of scanned RFID quantity 122, the process is confirmed, and the system returns screens 122 & 124 that show that all products were successfully uploaded.

[Para 38] If after the cross-referencing and associating of the scanned RFID tags with the entered products' barcode (step 121) the system finds discrepancy between actual quantity (scanned RFID tags 120) and entered quantity (step 118), the system returns screen 123 of no match, the system referred the user to step 118, and the procedure is repeated till the system returns screen 122.

[Para 39] Figs 7 - 9 show the process at the point of sale. Shopper puts all the purchased items in shopping cart 125 (step 202) and goes to selfCheckout stand 203.

[Para 40] Self-Checkout stand 203 is a sheltered station comprising a connection to cloud storage 112, a checkout post 203a for inserting cart 125 to be read by at least one RFID reader 203b, a data entering device 203c, a groove 203d for payments with credit cards, a display screen 203e and means of printing.

[Para 41] Shopper puts cart 125 into checkout post 203a. The at least one RFID reader 203b scans all the products in cart 125 without any intervenient of the shopper and the detailed purchase list appears on display screen 203e as seen on purchase list 206. Shopper may confirm, delete, or erase products. Once shopper confirms, (step 207), display screen 208 appears. Shopper moves to payment stage.

[Para 42] The system offers various modes of payments (credit card, digital transfer or any other digital method existing in the market to date or to be developed in the future).

[Para 43] Display screen 209 shows that payment procedure was successfully performed, and cart 125 is directed to RFID exit check point 210.

[Para 44] At RFID exit check point 210 cart 125 passes through at least one RFID scanner 211, where all the content of cart 125 is read and the system matches the content with the paid products on purchase list 206. When the content of cart 125 matches purchase list 206, cart 125 exits the shopping place (step 21 2).

[Para 45] When the content of cart 125 does not match purchase list 206, (step 5 213), system alerts control computer 111 (step 214) and, either the products which were not paid for are been removed from cart 125, (step 215) or shopper goes back to checkout post 204 and repeat steps 205212.