IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,984,379
Granted Patent B2
US 10,984,379 · App. 16/877,026 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Systems and methods for an improved tag counting process

Inventors: Craig E. Trivelpiece (Mission Viejo, CA); Steve E. Trivelpiece (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
G06Q10/087G06K7/10009G06K7/10386G06K17/0022
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,984,379
App. No.
16/877,026
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a tag reader. The methods comprise: performing tag read operations by the tag reader to read tags; processing first information received from the read tags to identify which tags are newly detected tags; adding entries for the newly detected tags in a local list stored in a local memory of the tag reader; communicating second information at least identifying the newly detected tags from the tag reader to a remote computing device; receiving, by the tag reader, feedback information generated by the remote computing device which specifies at least a count of entries added to a remote list stored in a remote datastore based on the second information; and selectively outputting a notification from the tag reader based on the value of the count.

Claims (48)

1. A method for operating a tag reader, comprising:

performing tag read operations by the tag reader to read tags;

processing first information received from the read tags to identify which tags are newly detected tags;

adding entries for the newly detected tags in a local list stored in a local memory of the tag reader;

communicating second information at least identifying the newly detected tags from the tag reader to a remote computing device;

receiving, by the tag reader, feedback information generated by the remote computing device which specifies at least a count of entries added to a remote list stored in a remote datastore based on the second information, wherein the entries are added to the remote list based additionally on third information obtained from at least one other tag reader;

selectively outputting a notification from the tag reader based on the value of the count; and

removing an entry from the local list for at least one tag associated with an oldest tag read.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing operations by the tag reader to clear at least a first portion of the local list prior to when the tag read operations are performed by the tag reader.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein a second portion of the local list includes exclusion information identifying tags that are not to be counted during a tag counting cycle.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second information further specifies at least one of a unique reader identifier and a location of the tag reader.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback information further specifies at least one of a percentage of cycle completion, a user efficiency, and an area of a facility in which tag reads still need to be performed.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the notification is selectively output from the tag reader only when the value is a non-zero value.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises: at least one beep having a variable volume or variable duration that correspondingly increases and decreases with changes in the value; or a plurality of beeps of a number defined by the value.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second information is communicated from the tag reader continuously.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second information is communicated from the tag reader at every pre-defined interval of time.

10. A tag reader, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to implement a method for inventory management, wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions to:

process first information received from tags read by the tag reader to identify which tags are newly detected tags;

add entries for the newly detected tags in a local list stored at the tag reader;

cause second information at least identifying the newly detected tags to be communicated from the tag reader to a remote computing device;

receive feedback information generated by the remote computing device which specifies at least a count of entries added to a remote list stored in a remote datastore based on the second information, wherein the entries are added to the remote list based additionally on third information obtained from at least one other tag reader;

cause a notification to be selectively output from the tag reader based on the value of the count; and

remove an entry from the local list for at least one tag associated with an oldest tag read.

11. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the programming instructions further comprise instructions to clear at least a first portion of the local list prior to when the tag read operations are performed by the tag reader.

12. The tag reader according to claim 9 , wherein a second portion of the local list includes exclusion information identifying tags that are not to be counted during a tag counting cycle.

13. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the second information further specifies at least one of a unique reader identifier and a location of the tag reader.

14. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the feedback information further specifies at least one of a percentage of cycle completion, a user efficiency, and an area of a facility in which tag reads still need to be performed.

15. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the notification is selectively output from the tag reader only when the value is a non-zero value.

16. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the notification comprises: at least one beep having a variable volume or variable duration that correspondingly increases and decreases with changes in the value; or a plurality of beeps of a number defined by the value.

17. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the second information is communicated from the tag reader continuously.

18. The tag reader according to claim 8 , wherein the second information is communicated from the tag reader at every pre-defined interval of time.

19. A method for operating a tag reader, comprising:

performing tag read operations by the tag reader to read tags;

processing first information received from the read tags to identify which tags are newly detected tags;

adding entries for the newly detected tags in a local list stored in a local memory of the tag reader;

communicating second information at least identifying the newly detected tags from the tag reader to a remote computing device, wherein the second information is communicated from the tag reader continuously or at every pre-defined interval of time;

receiving, by the tag reader, feedback information generated by the remote computing device which specifies at least a count of entries added to a remote list stored in a remote datastore based on the second information; and

selectively outputting a notification from the tag reader based on the value of the count.

20. A tag reader, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to implement a method for inventory management, wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions to:

process first information received from tags read by the tag reader to identify which tags are newly detected tags;

add entries for the newly detected tags in a local list stored at the tag reader;

cause second information at least identifying the newly detected tags to be communicated from the tag reader to a remote computing device, wherein the second information is communicated from the tag reader continuously or at every pre-defined interval of time;

receive feedback information generated by the remote computing device which specifies at least a count of entries added to a remote list stored in a remote datastore based on the second information; and

cause a notification to be selectively output from the tag reader based on the value of the count.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2021
From: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
To: SENSORMATIC ELECTRONICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 055110/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2020
From: TRIVELPIECE, CRAIG E.; TRIVELPIECE, STEVE E.
To: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
Reel/Frame 053366/0393 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15493355 · Apr 21, 2017
Related Publication 20200279215A1 · Sep 3, 2020