RFID ENTERPRISE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS
An enterprise inventory management system, and methods of use thereof, including a global inventory database subsystem for cataloging a plurality of inventory items, each of the items identified by at least a unique identification code; and, a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator subsystem, the RFID interrogator subsystem operative to read radio RFID tags associated with each of the plurality of inventory items, wherein each of the RFID tags is programmed with at least a unique identification code for its associated item. The system provides functionality for improved single item identification/location, verification of shipping and receiving of inventory items, and inventory operations utilizing single or multiple RFID interrogators.
1 . An enterprise inventory management system, comprising:
a global inventory database subsystem for cataloging a plurality of inventory items, each of said items identified by at least a unique identification code; and,
a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator subsystem, said RF interrogator subsystem operative to read RFID tags associated with each of said plurality of inventory items, wherein each of said RFID tags is programmed with at least said unique identification code for its associated item;
wherein,
said RFID interrogator subsystem is operable to:
receive, from said global inventory database subsystem, at least one unique identification code for an item;
scan the RFID tags of items contained at a physical location; and,
report, to said global inventory database subsystem, whether the item associated with said at least one unique identification code is present at said physical location.
2 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem is further operable to:
receive an Advance Shipping Notice (ASN) from said global inventory database subsystem, said ASN identifying a plurality of new inventory items to be received at said physical location;
scan the RFID tags of all items contained in a shipment, whereby receipt of all expected items identified in said ASN can be verified.
3 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem emits an audible tone when an item associated with said at least one unique identification code is scanned.
4 . The system recited in claim 3 , wherein said step of receiving, by said RFID interrogator subsystem, comprises receiving a plurality of unique identification codes associated with a like plurality of items, said RFID interrogator subsystem emitting an audible tone only the first time an item associated with any of unique identification codes is scanned, whereby the presence or absence of said plurality of items can be confirmed when all items at said physical location have been scanned and no further audible tone is emitted.
5 . The system recited in claim 4 , wherein said report to said global inventory database subsystem identifies at least one of the presence or absence of each of said plurality of items at said physical location.
6 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said physical location is the sales floor of a store.
7 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem is further operative to scan items contained with a second physical location.
8 . The system recited in claim 7 , wherein said second physical location is a back stock area of said store.
9 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem updates the physical location of ones of said plurality of items in response to the receipt of said report from said RFID interrogator subsystem.
10 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem maintains at least one attribute for each of said plurality of inventory items.
11 . The system recited in claim 10 , wherein said attribute defines a status of said associated item.
12 . The system recited in claim 11 , wherein said status comprises:
available;
reserved;
sold;
damaged;
display; or,
unsalable.
13 . The system recited in claim 10 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem updates an attribute of an inventory item in response to the receipt of said report from said RFID interrogator subsystem.
14 . The system recited in claim 12 , wherein said RFID interrogator is operative to encode an RFID tag associated with an inventory item with said status.
15 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem comprises a plurality of fixed or mobile RFID interrogators.
16 . The system recited in claim 15 , wherein said plurality of mobile RFID interrogators comprises at least first and second handheld RFID interrogators, each of which are operative to share data associated with scanned items, said data including at least the unique identification code for each scanned item.
17 . The system recited in claim 16 , wherein said data associated with scanned items includes the date and time of a scanning event, whereby said enterprise inventory management system can synchronize data associated with each inventory item.
18 . The system recited in claim 16 , wherein said data is shared in real-time.
19 . The system recited in claim 16 , wherein said data is directly shared between said first and second handheld RFID interrogators via a wireless connection.
20 . The system recited in claim 16 , wherein said data is indirectly shared between said first and second handheld RFID interrogators via said global inventory database subsystem.
21 . The system recited in claim 16 , wherein each of said handheld RFID interrogators emits an audible tone only the first time an item associated with a unique identification code is scanned, and inhibits said audible tone when scanning an item associated with a unique identification code previously scanned by the same or another of said handheld RFID interrogators, whereby the presence or absence of said plurality of items can be confirmed when all items at said physical location have been scanned and no further audible tone is emitted by any of said handheld RFID interrogators.
22 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem comprises at least one processor and at least one memory, said at least one memory containing instructions which, when executed by said at least one processor, are operative to perform the claimed functions of said global inventory database subsystem.
23 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem is hosted in a cloud computing system.
24 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem comprises at least one processor and at least one memory, said at least one memory containing instructions which, when executed by said at least one processor, are operative to perform the claimed functions of said RFID interrogator subsystem.
25 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein said unique identification code comprises an Electronic Product Code (EPC).
26 . A method for maintaining inventory data in an enterprise inventory management system, comprising:
utilizing a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator subsystem to read radio RFID tags associated with inventory items, wherein each of said RFID tags is programmed with at least a unique identification code for its associated item, said RF interrogator subsystem operable to perform the steps of:
receiving, from a global inventory database subsystem, at least one unique identification code for an item, wherein said global inventory database subsystem maintains a catalog of a plurality of inventory items;
scanning the RFID tags of items contained at a physical location; and,
reporting, to said global inventory database subsystem, whether the item associated with said at least one unique identification code is present at said physical location.
27 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem is further operable to perform the steps of:
receiving an Advance Shipping Notice (ASN) from said global inventory database subsystem, said ASN identifying a plurality of new inventory items to be received at said physical location;
scanning the RFID tags of all items contained in a shipment, whereby receipt of all expected items identified in said ASN can be verified.
28 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem emits an audible tone when an item associated with said at least one unique identification code is scanned.
29 . The method recited in claim 28 , wherein said step of receiving, by said RFID interrogator subsystem, comprises receiving a plurality of unique identification codes associated with a like plurality of items, said RFID interrogator subsystem emitting an audible tone only the first time an item associated with any of unique identification codes is scanned, whereby the presence or absence of said plurality of items can be confirmed when all items at said physical location have been scanned and no further audible tone is emitted.
30 . The method recited in claim 29 , wherein said step of reporting to said global inventory database subsystem comprises identifying at least one of the presence or absence of each of said plurality of items at said physical location.
31 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said physical location is the sales floor of a store.
32 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem is further operative to scan items contained at a second physical location.
33 . The method recited in claim 32 , wherein said second physical location is a back stock area of said store.
34 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said step of reporting causes said global inventory database subsystem to update the physical location of ones of said plurality of items scanned by said RFID interrogator subsystem.
35 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem maintains at least one attribute for each of said plurality of inventory items.
36 . The method recited in claim 35 , wherein said attribute defines a status of said associated item.
37 . The method recited in claim 36 , wherein said status comprises:
available;
reserved;
sold;
damaged;
display; or,
unsalable.
38 . The method recited in claim 35 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem updates an attribute of an inventory item in response to the receipt of said report from said RF ID interrogator subsystem.
39 . The method recited in claim 37 , further comprising the step of encoding, with said RFID interrogator, an RFID tag associated with an inventory item with said status.
40 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said RFID interrogator subsystem comprises a plurality of fixed or mobile RFID interrogators.
41 . The method recited in claim 40 , wherein said plurality of mobile RFID interrogators comprises at least first and second handheld RFID interrogators, each of which are operative to share data associated with scanned items, said data including at least the unique identification code for each scanned item.
42 . The method recited in claim 41 , wherein said data associated with scanned items includes the date and time of a scanning event, whereby said enterprise inventory management system can synchronize data associated with each inventory item.
43 . The method recited in claim 41 , wherein said data is shared in real-time.
44 . The method recited in claim 41 , wherein said data is directly shared between said first and second handheld RFID interrogators via a wireless connection.
45 . The method recited in claim 41 , wherein said data is indirectly shared between said first and second handheld RFID interrogators via said global inventory database subsystem.
46 . The system recited in claim 41 , wherein each of said handheld RFID interrogators emits an audible tone only the first time an item associated with a unique identification code is scanned, and inhibits said audible tone when scanning an item associated with a unique identification code previously scanned by the same or another of said handheld RFID interrogators, whereby the presence or absence of said plurality of items can be confirmed when all items at said physical location have been scanned and no further audible tone is emitted by any of said handheld RFID interrogators.
47 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem comprises at least one processor and at least one memory, said at least one memory containing instructions which, when executed by said at least one processor, are operative to perform the claimed functions of said global inventory database subsystem.
48 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said global inventory database subsystem is hosted in a cloud computing system.
49 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said RF interrogator subsystem comprises at least one processor and at least one memory, said at least one memory containing instructions which, when executed by said at least one processor, are operative to perform the claimed functions of said RF interrogator subsystem.
50 . The method recited in claim 26 , wherein said unique identification code comprises an Electronic Product Code (EPC).