IP Library Granted Patent US 11,714,399
Granted Patent B2
US 11,714,399 · App. 17/730,759 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Systems and methods for end-to-end article management

Inventors: Graham Page (Alameda, CA); Anthony Perez (Foster City, CA); Angelique Dietz (Alameda, CA); Charles Rogers (Durham, NC); Abolfazl Aghanouri (Alameda, CA); Subra Goparaju (Greensboro, NC); Demitri Balabanov (Greensboro, NC)
Assignee: The North Face Apparel Corp.
G05B19/41865D06B1/04D06C27/00D06H3/02D06M10/02D06P7/00G05B19/182G06K19/06037G06Q10/0875G06Q30/0621G06Q30/0633G06Q50/04D06H7/221D10B2401/021G05B2219/36199G05B2219/45196
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,714,399
App. No.
17/730,759
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are described for managing articles. The systems and methods described herein may comprise an example method for manufacturing an article. The systems and methods provides an end-to-end manufacturing value chain as a closed system and feedback loop.

Claims (12)

1. A method for attribution and/or traceability, the method comprising:

receiving order data associated with one or more first consumer orders;

disposing one or more unique identifiers on at least a portion of a material, wherein the one or more unique identifiers represent article data comprising at least a portion of the order data;

processing, via one or more manufacturing processes, a component forming at least a portion of an article and concealing at least a portion of the one or more unique identifier, wherein the article data represented by the one or more unique identifiers is updated based on each manufacturing process to comprise information associated with a respective manufacturing process, wherein at least one of the one or more manufacturing processes comprises:

receiving information indicating locations for application of a material on a surface of the component; and

selectively disposing, using digital printing or digital extrusion and based on the locations, the material only at the locations, whereby the material is not disposed on at least a portion of the component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order data comprises one or more of: biometric information associated with the one or more consumers, color data associated with a color of the article, or component information indicating a composition of the component to be processed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises an adhesive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively disposing is based on registration points associated with the article.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the article data comprises grade information indicating quality of one or more preceding processes of the one or more manufacturing processes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the grade information is at least partially derived from a physical characteristic of the one or more unique identifiers.

7. A system configured to implement the method of claim 1 .

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2025
From: ALTRA LLC; JANSPORT APPAREL CORP.; THE NORTH FACE APPAREL CORP; VANS, INC.; W-D APPAREL COMPANY, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 072770/0030 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2022
From: PAGE, GRAHAM; PEREZ, ANTHONY; DIETZ, ANGELIQUE; ROGERS, CHARLES; AGHANOURI, ABOLFAZL; GOPARAJU, SUBRA; BALABANOV, DEMITRI
To: THE NORTH FACE APPAREL CORP.
Reel/Frame 059742/0815 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16684478 · Nov 14, 2019
Provisional Application 62768506 · Nov 16, 2018
Related Publication 20220326695A1 · Oct 13, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,675,035