Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Method and RFID System for Providing a Service
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
technology, and more particularly to a method and RFID system for providing
a service.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] RFID technologies are well known in the art. There is renewed interest
in this technology in recent years as the benefits of wireless technology
become more apparent and technological advances have made RFID more
accessible. In particular, RFID technologies allow an automatic system and
method for asset tracking. It is the usefulness of RFID technology in asset
tracking that has fostered the most interest as companies look to more
efficient
means for tracking incoming and outgoing materials.
[0003] RFID systems have therefore been typically used by a supplier and
is associated with the physical items that are supplied. RFID systems have
generally not been developed for the provision of services for these items.
[0004] Therefore, there is a desire to provide an RFID system and a method of
use that is useful for the provision of a service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates to the use of RFID systems for the
provision of services.
[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a means for providing a
service
that is associated with an RFID tag.
[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
RFID system which includes: a tag manager for providing one or more than one
RFID tags, each being associated with a service, the RFID tag being
selectively
associated with an item; and a service manager for sensing the RFID tag
associated with the item and identifying a service associated with the RFID
tag.
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[0007] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided
a method of using an RFID tag containing information related to a service,
which includes the steps of: having one or more RFID tags, the RFID tag having
a memory containing information related to a service; selecting the RFID tag;
and associating the RFID tag with an item wherein the service is to be
provided
to the item.
[0008] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided
a method of using an RFID tag containing information related to a service,
which includes the steps of: scanning for an RFID tag that is associated with
an
item; detecting the RFID tag; reading the RFID tag to determine the service
associated therewith; and handling the item with consideration to the service.
[0009] This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all
features
of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] These and other features of the invention will become more apparent
from the following description in which reference is made to the appended
drawings wherein:
[0011] Figure 1a is a schematic block diagram showing a scenario in which an
RFID tag in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is
suitably used;
[0012] Figure 1 b is a schematic block diagram showing a scenario in which the
RFID tag of Figure 1a is read;
[0013] Figure 2a is a schematic block diagram showing one example of an
RFID system for providing a service according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0014] Figure 2b is a schematic block diagram showing another example of an
RFID system for providing a service according to an embodiment of the
invention;
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[0015] Figure 3 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of associating a
service with an item according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0016] Figure 4 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of providing at
least one service according to an embodiment of the invention; and
[0017] Figure 5 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of writing
information to an RFID tag according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for
identifying information related to a service that is to be to an item with
which a
lo tag is associated.
[0019] Figures 1a and lb illustrate an exemplary scenario in which an RFID
token 104 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is
suitably used. The RFID token 104 is, along with item 102, inserted into
package 100. The RFID token may alternatively be affixed to the item 102 or
the package 100. The invention encompasses all means whereby the token
104 is associated with the item 102. Further in the current embodiment a
single
token is inserted into the package 100. The invention considers the case
where a user places at least one token 104 in the package 100. The token 104
is associated with and appropriate for indicating a service that is to be
provided
to the item 102.
[0020] The package 100 may be a shipping package that is used for shipping,
handling or storing the item 102. The package 100 may be a container, parcel,
envelope, box, or any other structure that is appropriate for receiving the
item
102. The package 100 may be a paper or plastic based package that may be
in the form of a carton. The package 100 may be made from any material and
any configuration that does not interfere with the operation of an RFID token
104 that is located therein. The item 102 may be any item that is to be
packaged within the package 100.
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[0021] The RFID token 104 is in the form of an RFID tag and will hereinafter
be
referred to as RFID tag 104. The RFID tag 104 may be a read only tag, or a
read/write tag. The RFID tag 104 may be a passive or active tag. The RFID tag
104 may have any shape, such as square, trapezoidal, circular, oval, and the
like. It may include a signal-processing unit, a communication unit that
includes
an antenna appropriate for radio frequency communications, and a memory. In
an embodiment of the present invention, information identifying and generally
associated with one or more specific services is encoded in the RFID tag 104.
This information is encoded or stored within the memory of the tag 104. The
specific service is, for example, identification of priority handling for the
item
102, a pre-paid repair service for the item 102 or priority shipment service
for
the item 102. The identified priority may be any classification that is
associated
with the service or services with which the tag 104 is associated. In the
current
embodiment the priority indicates the turn-around time for a service that is
to be
provided to item 102. The invention is not to be limited to the above
services.
Rather any service that may be provided to the item 102 is encompassed by
the invention.
[0022] In Figure 1 b the package 100 is provided to a service provider. The
package 100 with the item 102 and the RFID tag 104 located therein, is passed
through an RFID interrogator 106 such that the tag 104 is read by the
interrogator 106. In the current embodiment, the RFID interrogator 106 is a
portal reader. The portal reader 106 interrogates the RFID tag 104 and obtains
information related to a service associated with the RFID tag 104 that is
encoded therein, when the package 100 enters the facility. This information
related to the service can be collected without opening the package 100. For
example, the package 100 may be one package amongst a plurality of
packages that are located on a truck wherein the truck passes through the
portal reader 106. Thus the packages can be processed according to the
service indicated by tags located therein without having to open the packages,
review paperwork and input information into a database. In the current
embodiment the service provider offers and provides services without a
customer contract. The user simply purchases one or more RFID tags 104,
and selectively uses them.
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[0023] It is noted that the RFID interrogator 106 is not limited to a portal
reader,
and may be any reader or sensor that can communicate with and read
information from the RFID tag 104. The RFID interrogator 106 may
communicate with a computer system or the service provider (e.g. the
computer system 214 of Figure 2a or the computer system 222 of Figure 2b)
through a wired/wireless communications network, which may process
information obtained through the RFID interrogator 106.
[0024] With consideration to the basic system and method described above
there are numerous options related to the service with which the tag is
associated, the nature of the information identifying this information located
on
the RFID tag 104 and the nature in which this information is handled prior to
and after use of the tag.
[0025] The current embodiment of the invention considers systems and
methods for distributing and managing tags. Two examples of systems for
providing services through the use of an RFID tag are presented in Figures 2a
and 2b. In Figure 2a the RFID system 200a includes a tag manager 202, a user
204 and a service manager 206. The tag manager 202 distributes and/ or
provides at least one RFID tag 104, each of the tags 104 has specific service
information encoded thereon. The user 204 purchases the RFID tag 104 from
the tag manager 202 and selects or selectively uses a particular RFID tag 104
to request a service with respect to the item 102. The service manager 206 is
the service provider. The service manager 206 reads or interrogates the RFID
tag 104 and provides the service to the user 204. In the current example the
tag manager 202 and the service manager 206 are separate entities. Further
the tag manager 202 is a 3rd party with respect to the user 204 and the
service
manager 206.
[0026] The tag manager 202 may include a computer system 210 and a
database 212 for managing the RFID tags 104, or the RFID tags 104 and
services associated therewith. The service manager 206 may include a
computer system 214 for determining a service based on information read from
the RFID tag 104 and for managing services, or the services and the RFID tags
104 associated therewith, and a database 216 for managing the information
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read from the RFID tag 104 and managing the services. The computer system
210 may be connected to the computer system 214 through a communications
network.
[0027] The user 204 may insert the item 102 and the selected RFID tag 104 into
the package 100, and may send the package 100 to the service manager 206.
The tag 104 is obtained from the tag manager 202. The service manager 206,
receives the package 100 with the item 102 and the RFID tag 104. The service
manager 206 senses/reads/scans the tag 104 receiving the service information
and identifies a service that is to be provided to the item 102. The service
manager 206 handles the item 102 based on the service information. In this
embodiment the tag manager 202 and the service manager 206 are elements
of different entities.
[0028] Figure 2b illustrates another example of an RFID system for providing a
specific service using an RFID tag. The RFID system 200b of Figure 2b
includes a manger 220 having the tag manager 202 and the service manager
206 included therein. The manager 220 may also contain a computer system
222 and a database 224, which are shared by the tag manager 202 and the
service manager 206. In this example the tag manager 202 and the service
manager 206 are elements of the same entity, namely manager 220.
[0029] Referring to Figures 2a and 2b, the database, i.e., 212, 216, 224, may
be created and managed by the manager with which they are associated to
track, monitor and verify the services associated with the RFID tags 104. For
example, with reference to Figure 2b, when the RFID tags 104 are offered for
sale, their identification information and internal data is stored in the
database
224. When the RFID tags 104 are sensed/read/scanned at the time of their
use their information is validated and confirmed against the information
stored
in the database 224 to verify the service to be provided. In some cases,
identification numbers or codes imbedded in the RFID tags 104 are
cross-referenced in the database 224 to identify the correct service to be
provided.
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[0030] Through the use of the RFID tag 104, the information in the database
212, 216, 224 may be updated when the RFID tag 104 is scanned. In this
scenario, the information on the RFID tag 104 may update and or override
information that is currently in the database.
[0031] In an example, a technician (e.g., the user 204 of Figures 2a and 2b)
would like to have the item 102 repaired within 24 hours. The technician
selects the RFID tag 104 indicating the level of service (i.e., repair within
24
hours). The RFID tag 104 is inserted in the package 100 with the item 102.
The package 100 is forwarded to the manufacturer or other provider of the
required repair service (e.g., the service manager 206 of Figures 2a and 2b).
At a facility where the package 100 is received, the level of service to be
provided to item 102 within package 100 is automatically detected, and the
package 100 is prioritized according to this level of service.
[0032] In an embodiment of the invention, the RFID tag 104 has information
1s stored therein that indicates a service and a price associated with the
service.
In the embodiment, a user purchases one or more RFID tags 104 where the
price of the RFID tag 104 includes the price of the service with which the
RFID
tag 104 is associated. Thus the cost of the service is prepaid. Further,
according to this embodiment, the user does not need to sign a contract, such
as a maintenance contract, for obtaining a service with respect to the item
102.
In an embodiment of the invention such a contract may be provided with the
memory of the RFID tag 104.
[0033] Figure 3 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of associating a
service with an item 102. One RFID tag 104 is, for example, associated with
a service "repair within 24 hours", and another tag 104 is associated with a
service "repair within 3 days".
[0034] At step 302, a plurality of RFID tags 104 are provided. At step 304, at
least one RFID tag 104 associated with the desired service, such as "repair
within 24 hours", is selected.
[0035] At step 306, the selected RFID tag 104 is associated with the item 102.
For example, as described above, the selected RFID tag 104 is associated
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with the item by inserting the item 102 and the selected RFID tag 104 into the
package 100.
[0036] Figure 4 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operation for providing
at
least one service. It is assumed that the RFID tag 104 is associated with an
item 102 as per the method presented Figure 3.
[0037] At step 402, an RFID reader, such as the RFID interrogator 106 of
Figure 1 b, reads the RFID tag 104 associated with the item 102.
[0038] At step 404, based on the read information, the service that is to be
provided to the item 102 is determined. At step 406, based on the
determination, the item 102 is handled with consideration to the service.
[0039] The item 102 may be handled based on information programmed in the
RFID tag and information stored in, for example, the database 212, 216 of
Figure 2a, 224 of Figure 2b.
[0040] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the expiration date
of
a service associated with the RFID tag 104 is tracked. The expiration date may
be encoded directly on the tag 104 or the tag 104 may contain be encoded with
an identifier that allows access to this information, which is contained in
the
database 212, 216 or 224.
[0041] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the RFID tag 104 may
be associated with a service and a specific item that may receive that
service.
In this case, particular pricing information related to the service may be
provided on the RFID tag 104 or as above within a database that is identified
by the tag 104. The tag 104 or the associated file in the database can
indicate
how much was paid for the token, thereby indicating what services are
included, for example, a fast turn around time for identified specific
services.
The tag 104 or database could indicate a "maximum" or "not to exceed" amount
that is established by the service provider. Further, the tag 104 or database
could theoretically carry a running balance of the clients' account. In this
scenario service fees could be subtracted from the tag 104 after each service.
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The available balance could also be increased by purchasing more services or
credit. The purchased credit would then be updated onto the tag 104.
[0042] As described above, the RFID tag 104 may be a read/write tag.
Information in addition to that discussed above may be written on the RFID tag
104 by the user to supplement that already associated with the RFID tag 104.
The additional information may include specialized instructions; order
information or product configuration details. The order information may
include
customer information, Purchase Order (PO) numbers and the like. The product
configuration details may include, for a computer system, the amount of
memory contained therein, the operating system and the identification of any
peripherals added thereto. The tag manager 202 may write additional
information, such as order information, product configuration details, to the
RFID tag 104.
[0043] The user 204 (or customer), who is using the RFID tag 104, may write
additional instructions on the RFID tag 104. The instructions written on the
RFID tag 104 are automatically associated with the item 102.
[0044] Figure 5 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method of writing
additional information to the RFID tag 104 by a user (e.g. the user 204 of
Figures 2a and 2b). Steps 502-506 of Figure 5 are similar to steps 302-306 of
Figure 3. At step 508 the user writes information to the RFID tag 104. The
positioning of step 508 is somewhat arbitrary with the additional information
be
written to the tag generally before or after step 506. By writing information
after
step 506 the information is written to the tag 104 after the tag 104 has been
associated with the item 102, ensuring the information is associated with the
correct item.
[0045] According to embodiments of the present invention, the RFID tag 104
becomes the physical embodiment of a service. The RFID tag 104 is the
"currency" or "product" that is bought and sold in commercial transactions.
The
RFID system allows for the association of a prepaid service with an item. This
greatly reduces the need for paper work including the generation of purchase
orders.
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[0046] The present invention has been described with regard to one or more
embodiments. However, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a
number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the
scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
