US 11,989,686 B2
Inventory management system with RFID-tagged bins on shelves
Isaac B. Mitchell, Bristol, TN (US); Joe L. Smith, Powell, TN (US); and Gregory S. Hodge, Knoxville, TN (US)
Assigned to DeRoyal Industries, Inc., Powell, TN (US)
Filed by DeRoyal Industries, Inc., Powell, TN (US)
Filed on Jul. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/384,060.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/055,427, filed on Jul. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0027841 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G06K 7/10 (2006.01); G06K 19/07 (2006.01); G06K 19/077 (2006.01); H01Q 1/22 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 10/087 (2013.01) [G06K 7/10099 (2013.01); G06K 19/0723 (2013.01); G06K 19/0776 (2013.01); H01Q 1/2216 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for managing an inventory of goods stored in multiple bins on a shelving system, the apparatus comprising:
an RFID antenna disposed in or on an upper shelf of the shelving system, the RFID antenna for communicating with RFID tags disposed above the upper shelf;
RF shielding disposed between the RFID antenna and a lower shelf of the shelving system that is disposed below the upper shelf;
a first RFID tag attached to a bin configured to contain the goods, the first RFID tag encoded with information identifying the goods stored in the bin to which the first RFID tag is attached;
an RFID reader in electrical communication with the RFID antenna, the RFID reader for performing scans to detect RFID tags disposed above the upper shelf; and
an inventory computer in electrical communication with the RFID reader, the inventory computer configured to execute instructions to:
generate a bin detection message based on the first RFID tag being detected on the upper shelf by the RFID reader at least a first number of times during a predetermined detection period, wherein the first number of times is greater than one;
communicate the bin detection message to a user to inform the user that a bin has been detected on the upper shelf; and
after communication of the bin detection message to the user, generate a product reorder message based on the first RFID tag being detected on the upper shelf by the RFID reader at least a second number of times during the predetermined detection period, wherein the product reorder message includes the information identifying the goods stored in the bin, and wherein the second number of times is greater than the first number of times.