Method for electronic tracking of units associated with a batch

Abstract

A batch comprises separate units of objects that are physically joined together. RFID tags are attached to each of the units and to the batch. The codes stored in the RFID tags are electrically associated with one another in the database.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method for remotely sensing articles, comprising:
 providing a source with at least one article associated therewith, the source and at least one article having a common identification;   providing a first radio frequency identification (RFID) device associated with the source comprising a substrate, the first RFID device comprising:   a memory for persistently storing data including the common identification indicating the source;   using a remote radio frequency interrogator, transmitting a radio frequency signal including a first command interrogating the first RFID device to determine the common identification;   receiving in response, a radio frequency signal communication from the first RFID device including the common identification;   affixing to the at least one article physically associated with the source a second RFID device comprising a second memory for persistently storing data;   transmitting to the second RFID device, from a second radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to a selected article a second radio frequency signal including a second identification and a second command to store the second identification in the second memory within the second RFID device;   storing the second identification in the second memory of the second RFID device; and   associating the common identification and the second identification in a database.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46  and further comprising:
 subsequently transmitting radio frequency signals including an interrogation command to the second RFID device from a third radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the at least one article; 
 receiving the second identification as part of a radio frequency signal response communicated from the second RFID device; and 
 determining the common identification from referring to the second identification in the database. 
 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein and further comprising:
 removing the at least one article to a location remote from the source;   transmitting from an interrogator in remote proximity to the selected article a radio frequency command message requesting that the second RFID device respond with an identification; and   receiving from the second RFID device a third radio frequency signal that includes the second identification stored in the second memory of the second RFID device.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  and further comprising accessing the database and determining the common identification from the second identification. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the providing the first RFID device further comprises providing a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit device operable to receive spread spectrum modulated radio frequency signals. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein providing the first RFID device further comprises providing a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit device operable to receive spread spectrum modulated radio frequency signals modulated using one selected from the group consisting of: amplitude modulation, binary phase shift keying, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein providing the first RFID device comprises providing a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit device operable to communicate spread spectrum modulated radio frequency signals using backscatter reflection. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the memory further comprises a memory portion that is unalterable. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein providing the source comprises providing goods disposed on a pallet. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the pallet has the first RFID device affixed to it. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 46  and further comprising:
 providing the source with a plurality of additional articles, the source and the plurality of additional articles having a second common identification; 
 removing the plurality of additional units from the source; 
 associating additional RFID devices with one or more of the plurality of additional articles; 
 transmitting from a second remote radio frequency signal interrogator to each additional RFID device a unique identifier for storage in a third memory of the each additional RFID device; and 
 associating each of the unique identifiers with the common identifier in the database. 
 
     
     
         57 . A method comprising:
 providing a source and at least one unit from the source having a common identification, wherein the at least one unit is packaged with the source;   providing, on the source, a first radio frequency identification (RFID) device associated with the group of units comprising a substrate, the first RFID device further comprising:   a memory for persistently storing data including the common identification indicating the group of units;   transmitting to the first RFID device, from a first radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the group of units, a first radio frequency signal including a first command interrogating the first RFID device to determine the common identification;   receiving in response, a first radio frequency signal communication from the first RFID device including the common identification;   affixing to a selected unit from the source a second RFID device comprising a second memory for storing data including a second identification;   transmitting to the second RFID device, from a second radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to a selected unit, a radio frequency signal including a second command interrogating the second RFID device to determine the second identification;   receiving in response, a second radio frequency signal communication from the second RFID device including the second identification;   associating the common identification and the second identification in a database; and   associating the common identification of the source and the second identification of the unit, with information about the source and the unit in the database.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  and further comprising:
 subsequently transmitting radio frequency signals including an interrogation command to the second RFID device from a third radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the selected unit; 
 receiving the second identification as part of a radio frequency signal response communicated from the second RFID device; and 
 determining the common identification from referring to the second identification in the database. 
 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  and further comprising:
 removing additional units from the source; 
 associating additional RFID devices with one or more of the additional units; 
 transmitting from a remote radio frequency signal interrogator to each additional RFID device a unique identifier for storage in a third memory of the each additional RFID device; and 
 associating each of the unique identifiers with the common identifier in the database. 
 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein providing the first RFID device further comprises providing a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit device operable to receive spread spectrum modulated radio frequency signals modulated using one selected from the group consisting of: amplitude modulation, binary phase shift keying, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         61 . A method comprising:
 receiving a source for at least one unit having a common identification, the source and unit are packaged together, wherein a first radio frequency identification (RFID) device is affixed to the source and is associated with the at least one unit, and at least a second RFID device is affixed to the at least one unit, wherein at least the first and second RFID device comprises a memory for storing identification data;   transmitting to the first RFID device from a first radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the source and at least one unit, a first radio frequency signal including a first command interrogating the first RFID device to determine the common identification;   receiving in response, a first radio frequency signal communication from the first RFID device including the common identification;   accessing a database wherein the common identification is associated with at least a second identification in the database;   transmitting to at least the second RFID device affixed to the at least one unit from the source, from a second radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to a selected unit, a second radio frequency signal including a second command interrogating the second RFID device to determine the second identification;   receiving in response, a second radio frequency signal communication from the second RFID device including the second identification;   accessing the database wherein at least the second identification of the at least one unit from the source is associated with information about the source; and   separating the at least one unit from the source and redistributing the at least one unit.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit device of the first and second RFID device, is operable to receive spread spectrum modulated radio frequency signals modulated using one selected from the group consisting of: amplitude modulation, binary phase shift keying, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein a radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit device of the first and second RFID device, is operable to communicate spread spectrum modulated radio frequency signals using backscatter reflection. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the source is a pallet and the at least one unit is a package disposed on the pallet, wherein the pallet has the first RFID device affixed to it. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61  and further comprising:
 removing additional units from the source, wherein each unit of the additional units has affixed thereto an RFID device; 
 transmitting to the RFID devices affixed to the additional units from the source, from a third radio frequency interrogator in remote proximity to the additional units, a third radio frequency signal including a third command interrogating the additional RFID devices to determine their respective identifications; 
 receiving in response, a third radio frequency signal communication from one or more of the additional RFID devices including their respective identifications; and 
 accessing the database wherein at least the respective identifications of the additional units from the source are associated with information about the additional units.