Methods and systems for managing inventory through the supply chain and lifecycle of a product
Systems and methods for managing inventory, including one or more devices, such as computers or other terminal devices and/or computer systems, for managing inventory through the supply chain and lifecycle of a product. The system and method may include features for receiving the same or similar information associated with a plurality of products from a manufacturer, a distributor, and/or a consumer or other user, and associating various information, such as product location, quantity, and/or condition information with the products via one or more RFID devices operating at a plurality of frequencies, at any one or more locations, by any one or more devices, during the product lifecycle.
1. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores data for managing inventory through a supply chain and lifecycle of a product; and
a processor configured to execute instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
receive first information and first characteristic information associated with the product;
correlate the first information with an identifier;
store in the memory an entry including the first information, the first characteristic information, and the identifier;
receive second information and second characteristic information associated with the product;
update the entry based on the second information and the second characteristic information; and
wherein the first information and the second information are obtained by scanning, at two different frequencies, a dual-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag applied to the product;
wherein the processor is further configured to query the memory for the entry based on the first information, the second information or the identifier; and
wherein the first information and the second information include a same unique identification information and is transmitted by two devices to the processor at different locations and different times.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two different frequencies comprise at least two frequencies from a group consisting of a low frequency, a high frequency, and an ultra-high frequency.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is scanned at the ultra-high frequency for the first information, and scanned at the low frequency or the high frequency for the second information.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two devices comprise two separate RFID enabled readers.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first characteristic information includes at least one of a date the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a time the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a type of RFID enabled reader that read the dual-frequency RFID tag, a status indicator, or a location the dual-frequency RFID tag was read.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second characteristic information includes at least one of a second date the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a second time the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a second type of RFID enabled reader that read the dual-frequency RFID tag, a second status indicator, or a second location the dual-frequency RFID tag was read.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is configured as one of a first RFID element above a second RFID element, a first RFID element overlapping a second RFID element, as a flag shape comprising two RFID elements, a rectangular shape comprising two RFID elements, or a foldable flag shape comprising two RFID elements.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein, upon receiving the second information and fourth characteristic information or the first information and third characteristic information the entry is updated.
9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is scanned at the ultra-high frequency for the second information, and scanned at the low frequency or the high frequency for the first information.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first characteristic information, the second characteristic information, the third first characteristic information, or the fourth characteristic information includes at least one of a date the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a time the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a type of RFID enabled reader that read the dual-frequency RFID tag, a status indicator, or a location the dual-frequency RFID tag was read.
11. A method, comprising:
receiving first information and first characteristic information associated with a product; and
correlating the first information with an identifier;
storing in a memory an entry including the first information, the first characteristic information, and the identifier;
receiving second information and second characteristic information associated with the product;
updating the entry based on the second information and the second characteristic information; and
wherein the first information and the second information are obtained by scanning, at two different frequencies, a dual-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag applied to the product;
wherein the method further comprises querying the memory for the entry based on the first information, the second information or the identifier; and
wherein the first information and the second information include a same unique identification information and is transmitted by two devices at different locations and different times.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the two different frequencies comprise at least two frequencies from a group consisting of a low frequency, a high frequency, and an ultra-high frequency.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is scanned at the ultra-high frequency for the first information, and scanned at the low frequency or the high frequency for the second information.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the two devices comprise two separate RFID enabled readers.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first characteristic information includes at least one of a date the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a time the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a type of RFID enabled reader that read the dual-frequency RFID tag, a status indicator, or a location the dual-frequency RFID tag was read.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second characteristic information includes at least one of a second date the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a second time the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a second type of RFID enabled reader that read the dual-frequency RFID tag, a second status indicator, or a second location the dual-frequency RFID tag was read.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is configured as one of a first RFID element above a second RFID element, a first RFID element overlapping a second RFID element, as a flag shape comprising two RFID elements, a rectangular shape comprising two RFID elements, or a foldable flag shape comprising two RFID elements.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein, upon receiving the second information and fourth characteristic information or the first information and third characteristic information the entry is updated.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is scanned at the ultra-high frequency for the second information, and scanned at the low frequency or the high frequency for the first information.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first characteristic, the second characteristic information, the third characteristic information, or the fourth characteristic information includes at least one of a date the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a time the dual-frequency RFID tag was read, a type of RFID enabled reader that read the dual-frequency RFID tag, a status indicator, or a location the dual-frequency RFID tag was read.
21. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores data for managing inventory through a supply chain and lifecycle of a product; and
a processor configured to execute instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
receive first information and first characteristic information associated with the product;
correlate the first information with an identifier;
store in the memory an entry including the first information, the first characteristic information, and the identifier;
receive second information and second characteristic information associated with the product;
update the entry based on the second information and the second characteristic information;
wherein the first information and the second information are obtained by scanning, at two different frequencies, a dual-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag applied to the product;
wherein the processor is further configured to query the memory for the entry based on the first information, the second information or the identifier; and
wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is configured as one of a first RFID element above a second RFID element, a first RFID element overlapping a second RFID element, as a flag shape comprising two RFID elements, a rectangular shape comprising two RFID elements, or a foldable flag shape comprising two RFID elements.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the two different frequencies comprise at least two frequencies from a group consisting of a low frequency, a high frequency, and an ultra-high frequency.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is scanned at the ultra-high frequency for the first information, and scanned at the low frequency or the high frequency for the second information.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the first information and the second information include a same unique identification information and is transmitted by two devices to the processor at different locations and different times.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the two devices comprise two separate RFID enabled readers.
26. A method, comprising:
receiving first information and first characteristic information associated with a product; and
correlating the first information with an identifier;
storing in a memory an entry including the first information, the first characteristic information, and the identifier;
receiving second information and second characteristic information associated with the product;
updating the entry based on the second information and the second characteristic information; and
wherein the first information and the second information are obtained by scanning, at two different frequencies, a dual-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag applied to the product;
wherein the method further comprises querying the memory for the entry based on the first information, the second information or the identifier; and
wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is configured as one of a first RFID element above a second RFID element, a first RFID element overlapping a second RFID element, as a flag shape comprising two RFID elements, a rectangular shape comprising two RFID elements, or a foldable flag shape comprising two RFID elements.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the two different frequencies comprise at least two frequencies from a group consisting of a low frequency, a high frequency, and an ultra-high frequency.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the dual-frequency RFID tag is scanned at the ultra-high frequency for the first information, and scanned at the low frequency or the high frequency for the second information.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the first information and the second information include a same unique identification information and is transmitted by two devices at different locations and different times.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the two devices comprise two separate RFID enabled readers.