System and method of managing time-sensitive items

Abstract

A method of managing time-sensitive items which relies on identification information of RFID labels associated with the items. The method includes the steps of identifying the time-sensitive item, and obtaining the expiration information from a web site of a seller of the time-sensitive item. In another form concerned with products, the method includes the steps of identifying an EPL associated with the product, causing the EPL to interrogate an RFID label on the product, receiving identification information from the RFID label, and obtaining the expiration information about the product using the identification information from the RFID label. The method additionally compares the expiration information with current date information and either causes the EPL to display a lower price or assists with removal of expired instances of a product through a report.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of obtaining information about a time-sensitive item comprising the steps of: 
 identifying the time-sensitive item; and    obtaining the information from a web site.    
     
     
         2 . A method of obtaining expiration information about a time-sensitive item comprising the steps of: 
 identifying the time-sensitive item; and    obtaining the expiration information from a web site of a seller of the time-sensitive item.    
     
     
         3 . A method of obtaining information about a product comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an EPL associated with the product;    causing the EPL to interrogate an RFID label on the product;    receiving identification information from the RFID label; and    obtaining the information about the product using the identification information from the RFID label.    
     
     
         4 . A method of obtaining information about an instance of a product comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an EPL associated with the product;    causing the EPL to interrogate an RFID label on the instance of the product;    receiving identification information from the RFID label; and    obtaining the information about the instance of the product using the identification information from the RFID label.    
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the step of obtaining comprises the substep of: 
 obtaining the information from a web site of a seller of the instance.    
     
     
         6 . A method of obtaining expiration information about an instance of a product comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an EPL associated with the product;    causing the EPL to interrogate an RFID label on the instance of the product;    receiving identification information from the RFID label; and    obtaining the expiration information about the instance of the product using the identification information from the RFID label.    
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the step of obtaining comprises the substep of: 
 obtaining the expiration information from a web site of a seller of the instance.    
     
     
         8 . A method of pricing a product comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an EPL associated with the product;    causing the EPL to interrogate an RFID label on the product;    receiving identification information from the RFID label;    obtaining expiration information about the instance of the product using the identification information from the RFID label; and    comparing the expiration information with current date information to determine a new price for the product.    
     
     
         9 . A method of pricing a product comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an EPL associated with the product;    causing the EPL to interrogate RFID labels on a number of instances of the product in proximity with the EPL;    receiving identification information from the RFID labels;    obtaining expiration information about the instances of the product using the identification information from the RFID labels;    comparing the expiration information with current date information; and    if the current date information is within a predetermined time period of the expiration information of any of the instances of the product, then causing the EPL to display a lower price for the product.    
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the step of obtaining comprises the substep of: 
 obtaining the expiration information for the instances from a web site of a seller of the product.    
     
     
         11 . A method of identifying an expired instance of a product comprising the steps of: 
 determining that the product is time-sensitive;    identifying an EPL associated with the product;    causing the EPL to interrogate RFID labels on a number of instances of the product in proximity with the EPL;    receiving identification information from the RFID labels;    obtaining expiration information about the instances of the product using the identification information from the RFID labels;    comparing the expiration information about the instances with current date information; and    if the current date information is after the expiration information of any of the instances of the product, then generating a report to assist with removal of expired instances of the product.    
     
     
         12 . A system for obtaining information about a time-sensitive item comprising: 
 a first computer which has a web site address and which stores the information about the time-sensitive item; and    a second computer which identifies the time-sensitive item and which contacts the first computer to obtain the information.    
     
     
         13 . A system for obtaining information about a time-sensitive item comprising: 
 a first computer associated with a supplier of the time-sensitive item which has a web site address and which stores the information about the time-sensitive item; and    a second computer associated with a retailer of the time-sensitive item which identifies the time-sensitive item and which contacts the first computer to obtain the information.    
     
     
         14 . A system for obtaining information about a product comprising: 
 an RFID label affixed to the product; and    a computer which identifies an EPL associated with the product, causes the EPL to interrogate the RFID label, receives identification information from the RFID label, and obtains the information about the product using the identification information from the RFID label.    
     
     
         15 . A system for obtaining information about a product comprising: 
 an RFID label affixed to the product;    a first computer associated with a supplier of the product which has a web site address and which stores the information about the product; and    a second computer which identifies an EPL associated with the product, causes the EPL to interrogate the RFID label, receives identification information from the RFID label, sends the identification information from the RFID label to the first computer, and receives the information about the product from the first computer.    
     
     
         16 . A system for obtaining expiration information about a product comprising: 
 an RFID label affixed to the product;    a first computer associated with a supplier of the product which has a web site address and which stores the expiration information about the product; and    a second computer which identifies an EPL associated with the product, causes the EPL to interrogate the RFID label, receives identification information from the RFID label, sends the identification information from the RFID label to the first computer, and receives the expiration information about the product from the first computer.    
     
     
         17 . A system of pricing a product comprising: 
 an RFID label affixed to an instance of the product; and    a computer which identifies an EPL associated with the product, causes the EPL to interrogate the RFID label on the instance of the product, receives identification information from the RFID label, obtains expiration information about the instance of the product using the identification information from the RFID label, and compares the expiration information with current date information to determine a new price for the product.    
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 another computer associated with a supplier of the product which has a web site address and which stores the expiration information about the instance of the product;    wherein the one computer sends the identification information from the RFID label to the other computer and receives the expiration information about the product from the other computer.    
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the one computer generates a report identifying the instance of the product as being expired if the current date information is after the expiration information.  
     
     
         20 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the one computer causes the EPL to display a lower price if the current date information is within a predetermine time before the expiration information.