METHODS OF ORDERING PRODUCTS
Methods of identifying need for replenishment product, and ordering replenishment product, when on-hand supply falls below a predetermined threshold. Product containers have computer readable labels which identify particular product to be stored in those containers. As a container is emptied, the empty container is tossed into a chute. An antenna subassembly 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 host computer, certain of the label information. The host computer collects information from one or more local computers and communicates with vendor order-processing computers which receive the information, and confirm, process, and instruct shipment orders related to the needed replenishment product.
1 . A method of capturing and processing information from a computer-readable tag on a container which is adapted and configured to hold consumable products, and to have such consumable products replenished when the container has been emptied, the method comprising:
(a) using an antenna transmitting an antenna signal having an effective signal range, the antenna comprising an antenna loop extending about an antenna perimeter, an opening extending through the antenna loop, from a front of the antenna loop to a rear of the antenna loop, thereby defining a front-to-rear path through the antenna loop, the opening having a cross-section adapted to receive such container therethrough along the front-to-rear path,
(b) passing a such container through the antenna loop at a speed which enables the antenna signal to activate the computer readable tag on the respective container as the container is passing through the antenna loop,
(c) the computer-readable tag receiving the signal transmitted by the antenna and emitting a tag response signal,
(d) receiving the tag response signal emitted by the computer-readable tag, and (e) a signal reader reading the response signal.
2 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising providing a kiosk having a front, a rear, a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom, all collectively defining a three-dimensional physical space encompassed by physical dimensions of the kiosk, the kiosk extending about, and transversely outwardly from, the antenna loop, including extending transverse to the front-to-rear path through the antenna loop, and thereby confining, within the physical dimensions of the kiosk, a transverse portion of the effective range of the antenna signal.
3 . A method as in claim 2 , further comprising designing the kiosk to extend frontwardly of the front of the antenna loop and rearwardly of the rear of the antenna loop, far enough to confine the entirety of the transmitted antenna signal, both front-to-rear, and transversely, within the three dimensional physical space encompassed by the physical dimensions of the kiosk.
4 . A method as in claim 2 , further comprising positioning a speed controller along the front-to-rear path of movement of a respective container through the antenna loop, and thereby limiting speed of movement of such container through the antenna loop.
5 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising providing a local computer in communication with the signal reader, the signal reader communicating tag response information, based on the tag response signals so read, to the local computer.
6 . A method as in claim 5 , further comprising providing a host computer in communication with the local computer, the local computer communicating at least a portion of the tag response information received from the signal reader, to the host computer.
7 . A method as in claim 6 , further comprising providing an order-processing computer in communication with the host computer, the host computer communicating at least a portion of the tag response information so received from the local computer, to the order-processing computer.
8 . A method for placing replenishment orders for different types of commonly-stocked consumable products with a vendor for such consumable products, at least first and second containers being provided for respective ones of such commonly-stocked consumable products, the method comprising:
(a) using computer readable tags, identifying to electronic memory at least first and second such containers, including respective container identification indicia, each such container to be used at a use location with a particular one of the consumable products, the computer readable tags being attached to the at least first and second containers, both the computer readable tags and the respective at least first and second containers thus being associated with the particular consumable product in such electronic memory;
(b) at a use location at a user facility, stocking the first and second containers with the particular one of the consumable products;
(c) using an antenna subsystem, transmitting a signal which can be received by a such computer-readable tag, in response to which, such computer readable tag can emit a tag response signal;
(d) the antenna subsystem
(i) receiving the tag response signal from the computer-readable tag,
(ii) reading the tag response signal, and
(iii) generating computer-readable information pertaining to the tag so read, based on the tag response signal; and
(e) a computer subsystem
(i) receiving the generated computer-readable information, related to the tag response signal, from the antenna subsystem, and storing such received information in electronic memory,
(ii) comparing the computer-readable information so received with container-related information in electronic memory available to the computer subsystem,
(iii) identifying and retrieving information relating to the container which was read, including identity and quantity of the respective consumable product to be shipped, and
(iv) processing an order, and effecting shipment of such order for the respective replenishment product to the respective user facility, marked for delivery to the use location, and marked for identification with one of the at least first and second containers.
9 . A method as in claim 8 , the computer subsystem comprising at least one local computer, and a host computer connected, at least intermittently, to the at least one local computer, the host computer receiving at least a portion of the response signal information from the at least one local computer.
10 . A method as in claim 9 , the local computer displaying confirmation information relating to the tag response signal at the product use location.
11 . A method as in claim 8 , the antenna subsystem including the antenna structure, being tuned by an antenna tuner, and a signal reader reading the response signal received from the computer readable tag.
12 . A method as in claim 8 , the method further comprising mounting the antenna inside a kiosk structure at the use location.
13 . A method as in claim 12 , further comprising defining outer dimensions of the kiosk structure, and tuning the antenna signal such that an entirety of the antenna signal is confined within the outer dimensions of the kiosk structure.
14 . A method as in claim 12 , the method further comprising providing an antenna which includes an antenna loop, and an opening through the antenna loop defining a path through the antenna loop.
15 . A method as in claim 14 , further comprising providing an opening in the kiosk, aligned with the path through the antenna loop, and passing a such container through the kiosk opening and also through the antenna loop.
16 . A method as in claim 15 , further comprising using a speed controller to limit speed of movement of such container along the path through the antenna loop.
17 . A method as in claim 9 the host computer receiving response signal information from a plurality of such local computers.
18 . A method as in claim 17 wherein at least first and second ones of the plurality of local computers service at least respective first and second customer entities of a single vendor.
19 . A method as in claim 17 wherein the plurality of local computers service at least first and second different customer entities for each of at least respective first and second different vendors.
20 . A method as in claim 19 wherein, when the host computer receives a tag response signal input from one of the plurality of local computers, the host computer retrieves, from electronic memory, enough information related to the respective container to determine which of the vendors is to receive the respective tag response signal information, and communicates such tag response signal information to only that respective vendor.
21 . A method as in claim 9 , further comprising an order-processing computer receiving at least a portion of the container-related information from the host computer.
22 . A method as in claim 21 , the order-processing computer being controlled by a vendor for the respective consumable product in the at least first and second containers.
23 . A method as in claim 22 , the order-processing computer receiving less than all product-related information contained in the container-related information generated by the local computer.
24 . A method as in claim 21 , the order-processing computer receiving only container identification information from the host computer.
25 . A method as in claim 22 , the order-processing computer processing and effecting shipment of a respective product replenishment order, and receiving, from the host computer, as identification of the container which was read, only the container identification indicia.
26 . A method as in claim 21 comprising shielding, from the local computer and the host computer, certain details of order replenishment shipments being made by the order-processing computer.
27 . A method as in claim 26 , the local computer retrieving from electronic memory enough information about the tag to determine, from the tag response signal information, the identity of the consumable product, so as to facilitate display of product information, corresponding to the read container on a computer display screen proximate the use location.
28 . A method as in claim 27 , the local computer determining, from electronic memory, the quantity of product to be shipped in a replenishment order.
29 . A method as in claim 8 , the computer readable tag comprising an RFID chip using power from the signal transmitted by the antenna to generate the response signal.
30 . A method as in claim 29 , further comprising attaching a computer readable bar code on such first and second containers, in addition to the RFID chip.
31 . A method as in claim 21 , the order-processing computer storing, in memory, lot numbers and selected dates for selected shipments of replenishment product, as confirmed by the respective local computers upon receipt of respective shipments of replenishment product.
32 . A method as in claim 8 , further comprising
(A) identifying a supplier's lot number with a shipment of replenishment product,
(B) storing the respective lot number in memory before shipping the replenishment order product to the use location,
(C) electronically reading the supplier's lot number at the use location when the product is placed into a respective container at the use location,
(D) associating the lot number with the container identification indicia at the use location, and
(E) communicating the read lot number in combination with the container identification indicia into which the replenishment product was placed, to the vendor.
33 . A method of placing replenishment orders for consumable products with one or more vendors for such consumable products, the method comprising:
(a) providing, at a user facility, a tag reading system for reading a computer-readable tag on an empty container, to be re-filled with replenishment product, which tag uniquely identifies that particular container;
(b) transmitting a signal which can activate transmission of tag information by the computer readable tag on the empty container,
(c) bringing a such refillable, empty container, including a such computer-readable tag, within effective range of the transmitted signal whereby the transmitted signal activates the tag and the tag emits a tag response signal;
(d) receiving the tag response signal;
(e) communicating container information based on the so-received tag response signal to a local computer;
(f) storing information from the so-received response signal in memory controlled by the local computer;
(g) periodically communicating the container information, based on any such so-received response signals, from the local computer to a host computer;
(h) managing operation of multiple such tag reading systems at multiple remote user locations, using the host computer;
(i) the host computer communicating the container information to such respective ones of the vendors for the respective such products for fulfillment of such replenishment orders;
(j) the respective vendor shipping an order of replenishment product to the user facility; and
(k) placing the replenishment order product in the respective refillable, empty container.
34 . A method as in claim 33 , the signal being transmitted by an antenna, the antenna defining an antenna loop, including an opening through the antenna loop, the method further comprising passing an empty such container through the antenna loop and thereby reading the computer-readable tag.
35 . A method as in claim 34 , the method comprising passing a plurality of such refillable empty containers through the antenna loop and reading the computer-readable tags on the respective containers, and providing a receptacle which receives such containers after such containers pass through the antenna loop.
36 . A method as in claim 35 , further comprising, upon receipt of a package of a replenishment consumable product, reading product identification indicia on the package of replenishment consumable product, and reading and comparing the product identification indicia on respective ones of the empty containers in the receptacle until the product identification indicia on one of the empty containers from the receptacle matches the product identification indicia on the package of replenishment consumable product.
37 . A method as in claim 36 , further comprising placing the replenishment consumable product in the container having the matching product identification indicia.
38 . A method as in claim 37 , further comprising reading a supplier's lot number on the package of replenishment consumable product, and reporting back to the vendor both the lot number, and the container identification for the empty container into which the replenishment consumable product was placed.