Detecting Wear Through Use of Information-Transmitting Devices

Abstract

Detecting wear through use of information-transmitting devices. At least one information-transmitting wireless device is provided for each of one or more wear positions of an item, wherein each of the devices is adapted for transmitting information to a reader, such that each of the devices can transmit information usable for detecting wear of the item as the item wears. When using a plurality of devices for a particular wear position, the devices may be stacked or placed in a depth-wise, end-to-end arrangement. As another alternative, a single device having a plurality of separable areas may be provided for each of one or more wear positions. As yet another alternative, a single device may be provided for each of one or more wear positions such that its failure to transmit indicates wear at the corresponding wear position. An information-transmitting device may become damaged or missing, due to item wear, and an RFID reader may therefore be unable to scan (i.e., receive data from) the device.

1 . A computer program product for detecting wear through use of information-transmitting devices, the computer program product comprising computer-readable code embodied on one or more computer-usable media, the computer-readable code comprising instructions that when executed on a computer cause the computer to:
 use information transmitted to a reader by at least one information-transmitting wireless device provided for each of one or more wear positions of a first item, as the first item wears, and by at least one information-transmitting wireless device provided for each of one or more wear positions of a second item, as the second item wears, to detect whether the first item and the second item are wearing in concert at an expected rate.   
   
   
       2 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitted information for each of the wear positions is also, or alternatively, usable for determining a rate of wear of the first item and the second item. 
   
   
       3 . The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitted information for each of the wear positions comprises a percentage of wear at the wear position. 
   
   
       4 . A system for detecting wear through use of information-transmitting devices, comprising:
 at least one information-transmitting wireless device provided for each of one or more wear positions of an item, wherein each of the devices is adapted for transmitting information to a reader, such that each of the devices can transmit information usable for detecting wear of the item as the item wears and wherein the transmitted information for each of the wear positions is usable for determining wear patterns of the item.   
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the transmitted information for each of the wear positions comprises a percentage of wear of the item at the wear position. 
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the transmitted information for each of the wear positions is also, or alternatively, usable for determining a rate of wear of the item. 
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the information-transmitting devices is attached to the item. 
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the information-transmitting devices is embedded in the item. 
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein a plurality of the devices are positioned such that wear is not detected if a first number of the plurality of the devices transmits the information to the reader, but is detected if at least one more than the first number of the devices transmits the information to the reader. 
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein characteristics of the item are altered, using the information transmitted to the reader, upon determining that the transmitted information indicates at least one abnormal wear pattern. 
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 at least one of the devices provided for a particular wear position functions as a base tag; and   at least one corresponding device is provided, for the device functioning as a base tag, wherein each of the at least one corresponding devices functions as a child tag of the base tag for the particular wear position.   
   
   
       12 . A system for detecting wear through use of information-transmitting devices, comprising:
 at least one information-transmitting wireless device provided for each of one or more wear positions of an item, wherein each of the devices is adapted for transmitting information to a reader, such that each of the devices can transmit information usable for detecting wear of the item as the item wears, wherein:
 a plurality of devices is provided, for one or more selected ones of the wear positions, in a depth-wise, end-to-end arrangement; and 
 at least one more-deeply-stacked one of the plurality of devices in the depth-wise, end-to-end arrangement corresponds to a decreased amount of remaining usable material of the item at the wear position. 
   
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the information-transmitting devices is embedded in the item.