GB2434278A

GB2434278A - Logistics Support System, Computing Device and method thereof.

Info

Publication number: GB2434278A
Application number: GB0600673A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthias Nerling
Original assignee: Motorola Inc
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
Priority date: 2006-01-13
Filing date: 2006-01-13
Publication date: 2007-07-18
Also published as: WO2007084837A2; GB0600673D0; WO2007084837A3

Abstract

A method for locating individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) comprises the steps of tagging a plurality of individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) with an electronic identification (ID) device capable of wireless communication (140); grouping a number of individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) to one or more use-profiles (105); which are loaded into a computing device (170) comprising a wireless detection means (140, 178). A number of the ID devices relating to the individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) are wirelessly detected and the ID of each compared with the one or more use-profile(s) (105) to determine whether respective individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) have been located. Thus, a user of the computing device may group items associated with some specific activity or event together in a use-profile, and efficiently check a presence of the items when carrying out the activity, or when an event occurs.

Description

LOGISTICS SUPPORT SYSTEM, COMPUTING DEVICE AND METHOD THEREFOR

Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a logistics support system for the performance of tasks or activities or for the control of stock or personal items, say, for which specific items and/or information is/are required.

Background of the Invention

For many activities, a person is required to have specific physical items to assist in the activity, or information regarding these items. Furthermore, particularly when a person is in a hurry or otherwise under pressure, it is noticeable that items are forgotten.

Some examples of such everyday situations are: travelling on holiday or for business, checking out of a hotel (e.g. "did I forget something in the room?"), at home, when going to work, when shopping (e.g. "was there something else, I wanted to buy, or is this all?"), etc. Other situations exist where this problem is more acute, such as in a military setting where it is essential to have certain items of equipment available and the associated stress levels placed upon the person can be very high indeed. A more mundane, although clearly still application-critical, example may be an emergency medical team, or mountain/sea rescue team, where specific equipment and perhaps also information, can be crucial for the team to take with them in order to save lives.

The generally accepted approach to this problem has been to simply list items using paper and pencil. A more recent approach has been to involve making a list on an electronic organiser of some description. This is both time consuming and inefficient, and can be prone to failure, given that the person reading the list will normally do at least two things at once, (e.g. read the list whilst searching for further items) Thus, a need exists for an improved logistics support system that supports a user or users when preparing for, or carrying out, an activity or a task, whilst alleviating the problems associated with existing approaches.

Suimnary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, as claimed in Claim 1.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system, as claimed in Claim 9.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computing device, as claimed in Claim 11.

Further aspects and advantageous features of embodiments of the present invention are as described in the appended Claims.

A method for locating individual items comprises the step of tagging a plurality of individual items with an electronic identification (ID) device capable of wireless communication.

The method further comprises grouping a number of individual items to one or more use-profiles; loading the one or more use-profile(s) into a computing device comprising a wireless detection means; wirelessly detecting a number of the ID devices relating to the individual items by the computing device; and comparing the ID of each of the detected items with the one or more use-profile(s) to determine whether respective individual items have been located.

Advantageously, the user may group items associated with some specific activity or event together in a use-profile, and quickly and efficiently check for the presence of these items when carrying out the activity, or when the event occurs.

In a further advantageous embodiment, a list or lists of the member items of the active use-profile(s), which may or may not be detected, are displayed. Thus, advantageously, the user is informed when an item that (s)he expected to be present is detected, or is not detected and is missing.

In a yet further advantageous embodiment, the missing item(s) are identified with the use-profile to which they belong.

This is especially beneficial when multiple use-profiles are active, simultaneously allowing the user to clearly identify use-profiles with missing items.

In a still yet further advantageous embodiment, use-profiles are downloaded into the user's computing device from a network server. This allows use-profiles to be created and stored by a third party, for example an administrator or user of the networked server who has specific knowledge of an activity or event. It is envisaged that the use-profiles may then be downloaded, as and when required by a remote user.

Alternatively, a use-profile can be selected from a pre-defined list stored in a memory of the computing device, thus making the process of selecting a commonly used use-profile faster and more efficient.

An item location system is described that comprises a plurality of individual items that have been tagged with an electronic identification (ID) device; and a computing device having a memory element for storing one or more use-profile(s) comprising a number of the individual items; wireless detection means arranged to wirelessly detect a presence of individual items; and a processor arranged to compare the electronic ID of the detected items with the one or more use-profile(s) to determine whether respective individual items are within a vicinity of the computing device.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the item location system is extended by a network server. This server is advantageously capable of storing use-profiles and serving these use-profiles, say, upon request, to computing device(s) via a communications network. Thus, the server provides a central repository for use-profiles which is accessible to any user on the network.

A computing device for locating individual items that have been tagged with an electronic identification (ID) device is described. The computing device comprises a memory element for storing one or more use-profile(s) comprising a number of the individual items; wireless detection means arranged to wirelessly detect a presence of one or more of the individual items; and a processor arranged to compare the electronic ID of the detected items with the one or more use-profile(s) to determine whether respective individual items are within a vicinity of the computing device.

The computing device may be a personal digital assistant (FDA) or a mobile telephone or a mobile radio, thus advantageously combining the teachings of the current invention with known wireless communication/computing devices.

In this manner, the aforementioned problems associated with the locating of items associated with activities or events have been alleviated.

This has been achieved by the provision of a method, a system and computing device for wirelessly detecting items, for comparing the items detected with a list of items associated with an active use-profile, the use-profile being available in a memory of the computing device.

The advantages described are merely exemplary. The aforementioned and other advantages may be realized by the embodiments described herein, and not all advantages need be achieved by all embodiments of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a space or zone within which a number of items and a computing device, according to one embodiment of the present invention, are located; FIG. 2 illustrates a computing device and network server, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a flow chart describing a method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Description of Embodiments of the Invention

One embodiment of the present invention is described in terms of an individual user of a computing device organising a group of items for a specific activity. However, it can be appreciated that the inventive concept may be employed in any application where such organisational or logistical assistance may be of benefit to a person having access to a computing device.

FIG. 1 shows a conceptual diagram 100 of one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a computing device 170, which in one embodiment is in the form of a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone or mobile radio, has a user interface comprising a display 190. The computing device 170 is shown as being in the vicinity of a number of objects, e.g., a group of items 195. The environment may be, for example, a room or office. However, the size of the environment is not critical and is not limited, in principle, even by the effective range of a radio system 140 used by the computing device 170 for detection of the group of items 195.

Thus, FIG. 1 shows a logistics support system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the computing device 170 is shown having a display and is capable of wireless communications 140. It is also envisaged that the user interface may comprise other input/output mechanisms, such as a keypad, (not shown) The computing device 170 displays a number of icons 110, 120, and 150 corresponding to the real items 115, 125, 135, and 155, respectively. This list of icons corresponds to a specific use-profile 105, the group of items 195 being associated with this use-profile 105. The use-profile 105 has, in this embodiment, been read out of a memory element 172 of the computing device 170 by use of a processing unit 174 operably coupled to the user interface.

The icons 110, 120, 130 and 150 of the use-profile 105 are here displayed in one embodiment in list form, with each icon having a corresponding icon 160 in a second list. The list of corresponding icons 160 is used to indicate the result of a detection process e.g. a presence or absence of a real item 115, 125, 135, 155 in the vicinity of the computing device.

In FIG. 1, a "smiley" face is used to indicate the presence of an item, while an "X" comprises a warning (180) that indicates an item could not be detected.

Thus, the icons 110, 120, and 130 have corresponding "smiley" icons 160, while icon 150 has an "X". This indicates that real items 115, 125, and 135 could be detected but item 150 could not. A skilled artisan may appreciate that numerous mechanisms may be used to represent to a user of the computer device 170 as to whether an item is determined as being in the vicinity of the computing device 170. As such; the choice of icons and formats is, of course, not limited to those illustrated in the example of FIG. 1.

As can be seen from the FIG. 1, real item 155 is shown as being located outside of a wireless detection range 100, which indicates that it cannot be detected by the computing device 170. For example, real item 155 may be "out of range", as shown, or simply the item is not there or a tag associated with the item may have been removed.

In FIG. 1, the user has already activated a use-profile 105 in the computing device 170, the use-profile comprising at least a list of items 115, 125, 135, and 155. It is envisaged that the processing unit may configure the display 190 to display other relevant information concerning the items, for example, an indication of the range of the item from the computing device 170. In this regard, an indication of very near', near', far away' or distant' may be displayed in response to a received signal level indication, provided to the processing unit 174, as known to those skilled in the art.

This information may provide useful information to the user on the status and potential locations of the items. Once the use-profile is activated, the device 170 begins to scan wirelessly 140 for the items listed in the use-profile 105.

In one embodiment, each item has attached to it a radio frequency identification (RFID) device/tag (not shown) . A number, or all of the individual items, for example, items 115, 125, 135, and 155 may be tagged with a uniquely identifiable identifier (ID) . Each RFID device/tag may be configured to respond to, say, a polling' operation at specific radio frequencies. In this regard, the computing device 170 comprises a transmitter 176 arranged to transmit one or more polling signals and a receiver 178 arranged to receive data transmitted back to the computing device 170 from the respective RFID tags. In FIG. 1, the computing device 170 has detected and identified three items, 115, 125, and 135 but has not located real item 155.

In contrast to a polling' operation, the RFID tag may receive a command from an RFID reader (in this case computing device (170)) . The RFID reader can request (query) any details from any RFID tag in the vicinity.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the user is notified of the vicinity of items via the display 190. In another embodiment, the user may be notified additionally or alternative via some other means, perhaps an acoustic warning signal, that a necessary item 150 is missing. The user is then able to take the appropriate action.

step of tagging comprises tagging the plurality of individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) with a uniquely identifiable ID It is envisaged that the wireless communication range shown in FIG. 1 may be so large that the whole environment area may not be able to be covered by one radio transceiver. That is, the range of some of the wireless RFID tags/devices affixed to the real items 115, 125, 135 and 155 may not be great enough to allow them to be detected, when the receiver 178 and the item to be detected, are at opposite ends of the environment. In this case, the user may be required to walk around the environment (say, if it is a large room or hail) in order to detect all of the required items 115, 125, 135 and 155 of the group 195 as defined in the use-profile 105.

Depending upon the configuration of the computing device 170, items that have already been detected, and that suddenly go out of range may be immediately re-identified as "missing", or may remain identified as "detected" for a specific time before being declared to be missing.

-10 -This is an application specific configuration and in one embodiment is left to the user of the computing device 170 to configure, say via a user selectable menu.

Referring now to FIG. 2 a computing device 170 is shown with wireless communication interface 140 and "wired" serial communications interface 240, and socket 230, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The computing device 170 may have other physical communication interfaces that are not shown, such as infra-red or optical, but the principle of operation remains the same. FIG. 2 also shows network servers 210, one instance of the server having a wireless interface 140, and the other instance having a wired interface connected to a socket 230. The socket 230 is shown merely to indicate that the two devices, computing device 170 and the network server 210 are physically remote from each other. This interface could, for example, be a standard Ethernet interface connected to the internet.

It is envisaged that in one embodiment the server 210 could, in fact, be a single device with multiple communication interfaces 140, 230. The computing device 170 is shown connected to the server 210 via a communications interface 140, 240 and is shown downloading 220 a use-profile 105 from the server 210.

In FIG. 2 only two icons 110, 150 are shown on the display 190 of the device 170, this is to indicate that the use-profile (comprising in this example items 110, 120, 130 and 150) is being downloaded 220 to the device 170, and that the download 220 is not yet complete.

-11 -In one embodiment, the network server 210 is capable of holding large numbers of use-profiles 105 and associated activities or events, in a memory element (not shown) . Thus, the user may either select the profile 105 that (s)he requires, or (s)he may select an application or event, and the server 210 may then determine and forward the corresponding use-profile 105 or set of profiles.

Once the use-profile 105 has been downloaded, it is available for use and is only activated by the user.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow chart of a method according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated; the method being executed by the computing device 170. A use-profile 105 is loaded into the computing device 170, either by means of a wireless or wired communications network 140, 240 or directly out of the computing device 170 memory or other data memory, such as a universal serial bus (USBTh) memory stick, for example, as shown in step 300.

The use-profile 105 is then activated by the user in step 310, and the computing device 170 reads the information out of the use-profile 105. The computing device 170 then begins to determine whether the items listed in the use-profile 105 are in the vicinity of the computing device, as shown in step 320.

The computing device 170 (e.g. the RFID reader function) achieves this by performing a wireless scanning operation 140 or radiating an electromagnetic (for example high frequency (HF) or ultra-high frequency (UHF)) field. The radiating of an electromagnetic (for example high frequency (HF) or ultra-high frequency (UHF)) field wakes up and activates a processor in an RFID transponder, which resides in the tag. The RFID -12 -transponder analyzes the electromagnetic field to decode a request sent by the computing device 170. The request may typically be sent by means of field modulation, as known to those skilled in the art. The RFID reader may request any information in any form from the RF tag, such as a serial number associated with the tag or the real item that it is affixed to. To provide the requested information, the RFID transponder may modulate the electromagnetic ((HF) or (UHF)) field, which is issued by the computing device 170.

The computing device 170 then compares the IDs of responding devices to those identities corresponding to those items listed in the use-profile 105, as shown in step 330.

Once detected, the items are noted as being present, and the display 190 is modified to indicate this to the user, as shown in step 340. If any item required by an active use-profile is not present, i.e. has not been detected, then this is also indicated to the user via the display 190, or other warning mechanism, as shown in step 350.

It is envisaged that the computing device 170 may have multiple wireless communication interfaces 140 for supporting a number of protocols in a number of frequency bands. These interfaces are not shown specifically but are assumed to be available as required, and are generically referred to as a "wireless interface" 140.

In one embodiment, the real items 115, 125, 135 and 155 are provided with RFID devices. Hence, the wireless interface 140 used may conform to the specifications of the pertinent RFID standard, one example of which is the so-called "EPCglobal Inc." standard, which can be found at www.epcglobalinc.org.

-13 -Clearly, in order to be detectable, all items 115, 125, 135 and 155 are typically configured with RFID devices (tags), either physically attached to them or embedded within them.

Additionally, it is envisaged that an infrastructure for compiling use-profiles may be available. For example, a shop may provide an on-line application allowing compilation of shopping lists (use-profiles), and also allowing downloading 220 of these use-profiles 105 to the computing device 170.

The user, having created and downloaded a use-profile, could then take the computing device 170 shopping and quite easily determine if (s)he had all of the items 110 on his/her shopping list.

In one embodiment, it is also envisaged that the computing device 170 could also scan the environment (e.g. aisles in the supermarket) wirelessly 140 for items listed in the active use-profile 105, while the user simply walks around the supermarket, notifying the user when an item in the use-profile 105 was detected.

In a further embodiment, the computing device 170 could be a stand-alone device with minimal computing capabilities, capable of storing only a small number of use-profiles. Such a device 170 holding only one use-profile, could be fixed to a tool-box or a cupboard and indicate to the user when an item listed on the use-profile for the tool-box or the cupboard is missing.

In one embodiment, a further example could be a suitcase with an attached stand alone device. The user of the suitcase could select or create a use-profile for a trip and download -14 -it to the suitcase mounted computing device. The computing device 170 could then check the contents of the suitcase to make sure that everything required for the trip was located in the suitcase.

It may be appreciated that any suitable distribution of functionality between different functional units or signal processing elements within the computing device 170 may be used, without detracting from the inventive concept herein described. Hence, references to specific functional devices or elements are only to be seen as references to suitable means for providing the described functionality, rather than indicative of a strict logical or physical structure or organization.

Aspects of the invention may be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. The elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. Indeed, the functionality may be implemented in a single unit or IC, in a plurality of units or ICs or as part of other functional units.

In particular, it is envisaged that the aforementioned inventive concept can be applied by a semiconductor manufacturer to any user interface. It is also envisaged that the aforementioned inventive concepts may also be applied to any RFID architecture or platform solution. It is further envisaged that, for example, a semiconductor manufacturer may employ the inventive concept in a design of a stand-alone user interface for a computing device or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and/or any other sub-system element.

-15 -Although the present invention has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the accompanying claims. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art may recognize that various features of the described embodiments may be combined in accordance with the invention. In the claims, the term comprising' does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps.

Furthermore, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly be advantageously combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. Also, the inclusion of a feature in one category of claims does not imply a limitation to this category, but rather indicates that the feature is equally applicable to other claim categories, as appropriate.

Furthermore, the order of features in the claims does not imply any specific order in which the features should be performed and in particular the order of individual steps in a method claim does not imply that the steps should be performed in this order. Rather, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. Thus, references to "a", "an", "first", "second" etc. do not preclude a plurality.

Thus, a logistics support system comprising at least a computing device capable of wireless communication and of storing one or more use-profiles, one or more items -16 -identifiable wirelessly via attached or integrated RFID devices or tags, for use therewith has been described, where the aforementioned disadvantages with prior art arrangements have been substantially alleviated.

Claims

-17 -Claims 1. A method for locating individual items (115, 125, 135,

155), the method comprising the step of: tagging a plurality of individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) with an electronic identification (ID) device capable of wireless communication (140); the method characterised by the steps: grouping a number of individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) to one or more use-profiles (105); loading the one or more use-profile(s) (105) into a computing device (170) comprising a wireless detection means (140, 178); wirelessly (140) detecting a number of the ID devices relating to the individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) by the computing device (170); and comparing the ID of each of the detected items (115, 125, 135, and 155) with the one or more use-profile(s) (105) to determine whether respective individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) have been located.

2. The method of Claim 1 further characterised by the step of displaying a list or lists of the individual items (110, 120, 130, 150) that have been detected.

3. The method of Claim 2 further characterised by the step of displaying a range indication of the detected items from the computing device (170) 4. The method of any preceding Claim further characterised by the step of generating a warning (180) if any individual item (115, 125, 135, and 155) is not detected.

-18 - 5. The method of Claim 4 further characterised in that one or more item(s) that are not detected are identified with a respective use-profile (105) 6. The method of any preceding Claim further characterised in that the step of tagging comprises tagging the plurality of individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) with a uniquely identifiable ID.

7. The method of any preceding Claim further characterised by a step of down-loading (220) the one or more use-profile(s) (105) into the computing device (170) from a network server (210) 8. The method of any preceding Claim further characterised by a step of selecting a use- profile (105) from a list of one or more use-profile(s) (105) stored in a memory element (172) of the computing device (170) 9. An item location system comprising: a plurality of individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) that have been tagged with an electronic identification (ID) device; the item location system characterised by: a computing device (170) having: a memory element for storing one or more use-profile(s) (105) comprising a number of the individual items (115, 125, 135, 155); wireless detection means (140, 178) arranged to wirelessly detect a presence of individual items (115, 125, 135, 155); and a processor arranged to compare the electronic ID of the detected items (115, 125, 135, and 155) with the one or -19 -more use-profile(s) (105) to determine whether respective individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) are within a vicinity of the computing device (170) 10. The item location system according to claim 9, further characterised by a network server (210) capable of storing one or more use-profiles (105) and providing one or more of the use-profiles (105) on request to said computing device (170), via a communications network (140, 220) 11. A computing device (170) for locating individual items (115, 125, 135, 155) that have been tagged with an electronic identification (ID) device comprising: a memory element for storing one or more use-profile(s) (105) comprising a number of the individual items (115, 125, 135, 155); wireless detection means (140, 178) arranged to wirelessly detect a presence of one or more of the individual items (115, 125, 135, 155); and a processor arranged to compare the electronic ID of the detected items (115, 125, 135, and 155) with the one or more use-profile(s) (105) to determine whether respective individual items (115, 125, 135, and 155) are within a vicinity of the computing device (170) 12. The computing device (170) of Claim 11 further characterised in that the computing device comprises a communications interface (210, 140) via which it receives one or more downloaded use-profiles.

13. The computing device (170) of Claim 11 or Claim 12 further characterised by a display operably coupled to the processor and arranged to display a list or lists of the -20 -individual items (110, 120, 130, 150) that have been detected and/or any individual item (115, 125, 135, 155) that is not detected.

14. The computing device (170) of any of preceding Claims 11 to 13 further characterised in that the computing device (170) is: a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone or a mobile radio.

15. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated by, FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

16. An item location system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated by, FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A computing device (170) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated by, FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.