Inventory Monitoring System

Abstract

An inventory monitoring system including a data collection and transmission module and a data evaluation module. The data collection and transmission module receives data from an RFID tag and transmits the data to the data evaluation module to thereby enable the presence of a product to which the RFID tag is attached.

1 . An inventory monitoring system for monitoring the presence of a product having a product identification tag associated therewith, wherein the product identification tag contains product identification information, wherein the inventory monitoring system comprises:
 a first data acquisition and transmission device comprising:
 a control subsystem; 
 a wireless tag reader subsystem operably communicating with the control subsystem; 
 an array of switches operably connecting the wireless tag reader subsystem to at least one first antenna that are capable of receiving the product identification information from the product identification tag; 
 a wireless communications subsystem operably communicating with the control subsystem, wherein the wireless communications subsystem is capable of transmitting the product identification information via a ubiquitous wireless network; and 
   a data evaluation subsystem that is capable of receiving the product identification data, and processing the product identification data.   
     
     
         2 . The inventory monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the control subsystem, the wireless tag reader subsystem, the wireless communication subsystem and the plurality of antennae are removably mounted in the inventory monitoring system. 
     
     
         3 . The inventory monitoring system of  claim 1 , and further comprising a location monitoring subsystem operably connected to the control subsystem, wherein the location monitoring subsystem is capable of tracking a location of the first data acquisition and transmission device. 
     
     
         4 . The inventory monitoring system of  claim 1 , and further comprising a power supply subsystem operably attached to at least one of the control subsystem, the wireless tag reader subsystem and the wireless communication subsystem. 
     
     
         5 . The inventory monitoring system of  claim 1 , and further comprising a power source that is removably attached to the data acquisition and transmission device. 
     
     
         6 . The inventory monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein the power source is a battery. 
     
     
         7 . The inventory monitoring system of  claim 1 , and further comprising a second data acquisition and transmission device comprising:
 a second control subsystem;   a second wireless tag reader subsystem operably communicating with the second control subsystem;   a second array of switches operably connecting the second wireless tag reader subsystem to at least one second antenna that are capable of receiving the product identification information from the product identification tag; and   a communications subsystem operably communicating with the second control subsystem, wherein the communications subsystem is capable of transmitting the product identification information to the first data acquisition and transmission device.   
     
     
         8 . A process for collecting and managing information about products, wherein the process comprises:
 providing a first data acquisition and transmission device comprising a first control subsystem, a first wireless tag reader subsystem and a wireless communication subsystem;   associating a product identification tag with a product, wherein the product identification tag contains product identification information;   receiving the product identification information from the product identification tag with a first antenna that is associated with the first wireless tag reader subsystem;   transmitting the product identification information with the wireless communication subsystem via a ubiquitous wireless communication network;   receiving the transmitted product identification information in a data evaluation subsystem; and   processing and storing the product identification information in the data evaluation subsystem.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising placing at least one of the first control subsystem, the first wireless tag reader subsystem and the wireless communication subsystem are in a reduced power operating mode when the first control subsystem is not receiving the product identification information and transmitting the product identification information. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the wireless communication subsystem is configured to only permit connections initiated by the control subsystem. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising issuing an alert from the data evaluation subsystem when the product identification information indicates that product inventory is less than a threshold value. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising powering the first data acquisition and transmission device with a self-contained power source. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising tracking a location of the first data acquisition and transmission device with a location monitoring subsystem that is operably connected to the first control subsystem. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising attaching a product identification tag to the first antenna, wherein the product identification tag contains product identification information. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising attaching a product identification tag to a support on which or in which the product is placed, wherein the product identification tag contains product identification information. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising transmitting additional information selected from the group consisting of power status, signal strength of ubiquitous wireless communication network, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, location of the first data acquisition and transmission device, transmission integrity information and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising:
 providing a second data acquisition and transmission device comprising a second control subsystem, a second wireless tag reader subsystem and a communication subsystem;   receiving the product identification information from the product identification tag with a second antenna that is associated with the second wireless tag reader subsystem; and   transmitting the product identification information with the communication subsystem to the first data acquisition and transmission device.   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising transmitting information from the data evaluation subsystem to remotely configure the data acquisition and transmission device. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 8 , and further comprising:
 repeating the receiving product identification information and aggregating the product identification information; and   preparing a product replenishment or promotion execution algorithm from the aggregated product identification information.