Method and system for inventory management

Abstract

A method and system for inventory management are disclosed. The inventory management method includes sensing, via at least one RFID reader, RFID tag information for each of one or more parcels based on at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more parcels. The inventory management method also includes sensing, via at least one radar sensor, a respective location of each of the one or more parcels. The inventory management method also includes comparing the respective location of each of the one or more parcels to predetermined cargo inventory information via an angular alert framework. Thereafter, the inventory management method includes determining, via one or more processors, a placement of each of the one or more packages based at least on the comparison.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for inventory management to read one or more packages to warn of misplaced one or more packages. Background Art

[0002] In today’s fast-paced world of logistics and parcel delivery, inventory management that accurately and efficiently tracks parcels and the order in which parcels are placed in parcel carts is critical. Proper tracking and placement of parcels on parcel carts directly contributes to improving workers’ daily work efficiency. Improved daily work efficiency makes workers’ workflow simple and helps in the quick delivery of parcels. If any parcel is placed in an incorrect order or misplaced, it can have a significant impact on workers’ daily workflow. So far, there is no automated solution to detect and alert on parcels that are misplaced in parcel carts. Current automated solutions are only able to detect misplaced or incorrect parcels loaded in parcel carts. However, current solutions are not able to detect and alert on parcels that are misplaced in parcel carts. Therefore, there is still a need to address the limitations of current automated solutions to not only detect but also track parcels and alert users to any misplaced parcels on parcel carts.

[0003] The inventors have identified many areas of improvement over the prior art and methods, which are the subject of the embodiments described herein. Through effort, ingenuity and innovation, many of these deficiencies, challenges and problems have been addressed by developing solutions, including in the embodiments of the present disclosure, some examples of which are described in detail herein. Summary of the invention

[0004] An overview of some example embodiments is given below in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. This overview is not an exhaustive review and is neither intended to identify key elements or important elements nor to describe the scope of such elements. It should also be understood that the scope of the present disclosure encompasses many possible embodiments in addition to those summarized herein, some of which will be further described in the specific embodiments given later.

[0005] In an example embodiment, an inventory management method is disclosed. The inventory management method includes the steps of: based on at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with each of the one or more packages, sensing RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages via at least one RFID reader. In addition, the inventory management method includes sensing a corresponding position of each of the one or more packages via at least one radar sensor. In addition, the inventory management method includes comparing the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages with predetermined manifest information via an angle alert framework (AAF). In addition, the inventory management method includes determining, via one or more processors, a placement of each of the one or more packages based at least on the comparison.

[0006] In some embodiments, the inventory management method includes receiving, by the one or more processors, the predetermined manifest information of the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages. In some embodiments, the predetermined manifest information corresponds to predefined location information of the one or more packages. In some embodiments, the placement of the one or more packages within the carrier corresponds to correct placement and incorrect placement of the one or more packages within the carrier.

[0007] In some embodiments, the inventory management method further comprises generating, by the one or more processors, a first signal based at least on the correct placement of the one or more packages. Additionally, the inventory management method comprises sending the first signal to a first indicator, wherein the first indicator generates a visual or audible indication to signal the correct placement of the one or more packages.

[0008] In some embodiments, the inventory management method further comprises generating, by the one or more processors, a second signal based at least on the incorrect placement of the one or more packages. Additionally, the inventory management method comprises sending the second signal to a first indicator, wherein the indicator generates a visual or audible indication to signal the incorrect placement of the one or more packages.

[0009] In some embodiments, the corresponding position of the first package includes at least the angular coordinates of each of the one or more packages.

[0010] In some embodiments, the inventory management method further includes detecting the one or more packages proximate to the carrier via the at least one radar sensor.

[0011] In some embodiments, the inventory management method further comprises determining, via the at least one RFID reader, that the RFID tag information is not associated with the carrier. Additionally, the inventory management method comprises generating, by the one or more processors, an alarm signal based at least on the determination.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one RFID reader and the at least one radar sensor are located within the vehicle.

[0013] In another example embodiment, an inventory management system is provided. The inventory management system includes at least one RFID reader, which is configured to sense RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages based on at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages. In addition, the inventory management system includes at least one radar sensor, which is configured to sense the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages. The at least one RFID reader has one or more processors coupled to a memory. The one or more processors are configured to receive the RFID tag information of each of the one or more packages from the at least one RFID reader. In addition, the one or more processors are configured to receive the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages from the at least one radar sensor, and compare the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages with predetermined cargo manifest information via an angle alert framework (AAF). In addition, the one or more processors are configured to determine the placement of each of the one or more packages in a carrier based at least on the comparison.

[0014] The above-mentioned summary of the invention is provided only for the purpose of summarizing some exemplary embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or essence of the present disclosure in any way. It should be understood that in addition to those summarized here, the scope of the present disclosure also covers many possible embodiments, some of which will be further described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Having thus generally described certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

[0016] Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an inventory management system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2 shows a detailed block diagram of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader of an inventory management system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 3 shows manifest information of an inventory management system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4 One or more packages detected as misloaded by an inventory management system installed in a carrier to read the one or more packages according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure are shown; and

[0020] Figure 5 A flow chart illustrating steps of an inventory management method according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Some embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Indeed, the various embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements.

[0022] The components shown in the drawings represent components that may or may not be present in various embodiments of the present disclosure described herein, such that an embodiment may include fewer or more components than those shown in the drawings without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Some components may be omitted from one or more drawings, or shown in phantom to make the following components visible.

[0023] As used herein, the term "comprising" means including but not limited to, and should be interpreted in the manner in which it is typically used in a patent context. The use of broader terms such as "comprising," "including," and "having" should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as "consisting of," "consisting essentially of," and "composed essentially of."

[0024] The phrases "in various embodiments," "in one embodiment," "according to one embodiment," "in some embodiments," and the like generally mean that the particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, and may be included in more than one embodiment of the present disclosure (importantly, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment).

[0025] As used herein, the word “example” or “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

[0026] If the specification states that a component or feature "may", "can", "might", "should", "will", "preferably", "likely", "typically", "optionally", "for example", "usually" or "might" (or other such language) be included or have a property, the specific component or feature need not be included or have that property. Such components or features may be optionally included in some embodiments or may be excluded.

[0027] The present disclosure provides various embodiments of systems and methods for inventory management. Embodiments may include radar sensors and radio frequency identification (RFID) readers. RFID readers may facilitate real-time identification and monitoring of one or more packages associated with RFID tags within a specified area. The specified area may be a vehicle. At the same time, the radar sensor may provide contactless, wide-area target detection, allowing identification and tracking of the one or more packages near the vehicle. Various embodiments may allow accurate counting and automatic inventory updates of one or more packages to directly improve daily work efficiency. Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide increased inventory accuracy, reduced labor costs associated with manual inventory counting, improved packaging visibility, and the ability to monitor inventory in challenging environments or severe weather conditions.

[0028] Figure 1 A block diagram of an inventory management system 100 is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. The inventory management system 100 may include at least one radar sensor 102, at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 104, at least one RFID antenna 106.

[0029] The at least one radar sensor 102 may be coupled to the at least one RFID reader 104. The at least one radar sensor 102 may also include a transmitter (not shown) and a receiver (not shown). The transmitter may transmit radio waves. The receiver may analyze the echo of the transmitted radio waves. The at least one radar sensor 102 may be configured to detect the real-time movement of one or more packages (not shown) associated with at least one RFID tag. The real-time movement of the one or more packages may be based on the analyzed echo of the transmitted radio waves. In addition, the at least one radar sensor 102 may be configured to sense the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages. In some example embodiments, the at least one radar sensor 102 may include a 60GHz radar sensor based on millimeter waves (mm-wave).

[0030] In addition, the inventory management system 100 may include the at least one RFID reader 104. In some example embodiments, the at least one radar sensor 102 and the at least one RFID reader 104 may be mounted on a carrier (not shown). The at least one RFID reader 104 may be configured to sense the RFID tag information of each of the one or more packages in the carrier. In addition, the at least one RFID reader 104 may be configured to sense the RFID tag information based on at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages. In an example embodiment, the at least one RFID reader 104 may be an IF3A RFID sensor.

[0031] Additionally, the at least one RFID reader 104 may include one or more processors 108. The one or more processors 108 may be responsible for executing operations of the inventory management system 100. The one or more processors 108 may be configured to process incoming requests from the at least one RFID reader 104. Additionally, the one or more processors 108 may interact with other components of the inventory management system 100 based on the incoming requests from the at least one RFID reader 104. Additionally, the one or more processors 108 may return results to the at least one RFID reader 104.

[0032] In some embodiments, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to receive RFID tag information of each of the one or more packages from the at least one RFID reader 104. In addition, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to receive the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages from the at least one radar sensor 102. In addition, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to compare the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages with the predetermined cargo manifest information via an angle alert frame (AAF). In addition, the one or more RFID readers 104 may be configured to determine the placement of each of the one or more packages in the carrier via the one or more processors 108 based at least on the comparison. In an example embodiment, the placement of each of the one or more packages may include at least the coordinates of each of the one or more packages in the carrier. In another example embodiment, the placement of each of the one or more packages may include placing each of the one or more packages on the left or right side of the shelf in the carrier.

[0033] In some embodiments, the one or more processors 108 may include suitable logic components, circuits, and / or interfaces that are operable to execute one or more instructions stored in the memory in order to perform predetermined operations. In one embodiment, the processor may be configured to decode and execute any instructions received from one or more other electronic devices or servers. The processor may be configured to execute one or more computer-readable program instructions, such as program instructions that perform any function described in this specification. In addition, the processor may be implemented using one or more processor technologies known in the art. Examples of processors include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors (e.g., or AdvancedMicro (AMD) microprocessors) and / or one or more special purpose processors (e.g., digital signal processors or System on Chip (SOC) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Processor).

[0034] In addition, the at least one RFID reader 104 may include a memory 110. The memory 110 may be communicatively coupled to the one or more processors 108. In addition, the memory 110 may be configured to store a set of instructions and data executed by the one or more processors 108. In addition, the memory 110 may include one or more instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors 108 to perform specific operations. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the one or more instructions stored in the memory 110 enable the hardware of the system to perform predetermined operations. Some well-known memory implementations include, but are not limited to, fixed (hard) drives, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical disks, compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs) and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memories such as ROMs, random access memories (RAMs), programmable read-only memories (PROMs), erasable PROMs (EPROMs), electrically erasable PROMs (EEPROMs), flash memories, magnetic or optical cards, or other types of media / machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions.

[0035] In some embodiments, the at least one RFID reader 104 may be coupled to the at least one RFID antenna 106. In an example embodiment, the at least one RFID antenna 106 may be integrated into the at least one RFID reader 104. It may be noted that the at least one RFID antenna 106 and the at least one RFID reader 104 may be combined into a single physical unit. The integration of the at least one RFID antenna 106 and the at least one RFID reader 104 may create a compact and efficient RFID reader device to effectively communicate with the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages.

[0036] In another example embodiment, the at least one RFID antenna 106 may be mounted on a wall, ceiling, or floor of the carrier. The at least one RFID antenna 106 may transmit and receive radio waves. Additionally, the at least one RFID reader 106 may enable communication between the at least one RFID reader 104 and the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown in , the at least one RFID reader 104 may include input / output circuitry 112. In some embodiments, the network 114 may be configured as a communication link that facilitates the smooth operation of the inventory management system 100. It may be noted that the network 114 may be a wired network and / or a wireless network. If the network 114 is wireless, it may be implemented using one or more communication technologies. The one or more communication technologies may be visible light communication (VLC), world interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), long term evolution (LTE), wireless local area network (WLAN), infrared (IR) communication, public switched telephone network (PSTN), radio waves, and other communication technologies known in the art.

[0038] In addition, the input / output circuit 112 may enable a user to communicate or interface with the inventory management system 100 via one or more user devices 116. The one or more devices may include user device-1, user device-2, ..., user device-N. In some example embodiments, the user devices 1-N may include a control room computer system or other portable electronic device. It may be noted that the input / output circuit 112 may act as a medium for transmitting input from the one or more user devices 116 to the inventory management system 100 or from the inventory management system. In some embodiments, the input / output circuit 112 may refer to hardware and software components that facilitate the exchange of information between the user and the inventory management system 100. In one example, the inventory management system 100 may include a graphical user interface (GUI) (not shown) as an input circuit to allow the user to input data via the one or more user devices 116. The input / output circuit 112 may include various input devices, such as a keyboard, a barcode scanner, a GUI for a user to provide data, and various output devices for a user to receive data, such as a display, a printer. In another example, the input / output circuit 112 may include various output circuits, such as an indicator indicating the correct and incorrect placement of the one or more packages.

[0039] In addition, the at least one RFID reader 104 may include a communication circuit 118. The communication circuit 118 may allow the at least one RFID reader 104 to exchange data or information with other systems. In some example embodiments, the data or information may include manifest information (not shown). The manifest information may refer to historical data that provides details of the one or more packages placed in the carrier. In addition, the communication circuit 118 may include network interfaces, protocols, and software modules responsible for transmitting and receiving data or information. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 118 may include an Ethernet port, a Wi-Fi adapter, or a communication protocol such as HTTP or MQTT for connecting to other systems. The communication circuit 118 may allow the inventory management system 100 to stay up to date and accurately track inventory levels containing one or more packages.

[0040] Figure 2 A detailed block diagram 200 of the at least one RFID reader 104 of the inventory management system 100 is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 right Figure 2 Give a description.

[0041] The at least one RFID reader 104 may be configured to sense RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages based on the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages. The at least one RFID reader 104 may sense the RFID tag information of the one or more packages in proximity within the carrier. In addition, the at least one RFID reader 104 and the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages may be enabled to communicate via the at least one RFID antenna 106. The at least one RFID antenna 106 may help the at least one RFID reader 104 read the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages.

[0042] In addition, the at least one radar sensor 102 may be coupled to the at least one RFID reader 104 via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) 202. It may be noted that the SPI 202 is a widely used synchronous serial communication protocol for connecting microcontrollers, sensors, storage devices, and other digital peripherals in embedded systems. The SPI 202 may facilitate data exchange between the at least one radar sensor 102 and the at least one RFID reader 104 using a common clock signal and multiple data lines. The SPI 202 may provide flexibility and high-speed data transmission, making the SPI 202 suitable for various applications, with different operating modes (such as full-duplex, half-duplex) and various configurations (such as daisy-chaining multiple devices).

[0043] In some embodiments, the at least one radar sensor 102 may be installed at a suitable position within the carrier to ensure full coverage of the approaching one or more packages and to position the one or more packages on the shelves within the carrier. In addition, the at least one radar sensor 102 may be configured to sense the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages placed on the corresponding shelves within the carrier. In some example embodiments, the at least one radar sensor 102 may sense the corresponding positions in the order of approach of the one or more packages within the carrier. In some embodiments, the corresponding position of the first package approaching the carrier may include angular coordinates relative to the shelves and the carrier. In addition, the at least one radar sensor 102 may send sensor data to the radar sensor algorithm 204 via SPI. The radar sensor algorithm 204 may be configured to sense the corresponding positions of the one or more packages approaching the carrier.

[0044] In some embodiments, the radar sensor algorithm 204 may involve data collection and calibration. In addition, data collection and calibration may involve acquiring a radio frequency data set for each location in real time by locating one or more packages on the left and right shelves within the carrier, without exception. In an example embodiment, when collecting the RF data set, the at least one radar sensor 102 may emit millimeter waves. The emitted millimeter waves may then interact with the one or more packages. Thereafter, the millimeter waves may be reflected back to the at least one radar sensor 102. The at least one radar sensor 102 may then evaluate factors including, but not limited to, the time taken for the millimeter wave to return, the signal strength of the millimeter wave reflection, the distance, the speed, the horizontal angle (azimuth), and the vertical angle (elevation). It may be noted that all of the above factors may constitute the acquired RF data set in real time.

[0045] In some embodiments, the radar sensor algorithm 204 may include signal processing and target detection. It may be noted that object detection may further involve detection of the one or more packages. In some embodiments, signal processing and target detection may be facilitated by various radar sensor algorithms (including but not limited to 3DRIMR, Deep3DRadar, OCTNET, and PointNet). The above algorithms may assist in identifying individuals carrying one or more packages in a vehicle. In some embodiments, in order to accurately locate the position of the one or more packages within the range of the at least one radar sensor 102, a variety of techniques may be used, including at least peak detection, clustering, or machine learning driven methods.

[0046] In some embodiments, the arrangement of the at least one radar sensor 102 and the at least one RFID reader 104 may be calibrated to obtain angle information of one or more packages in all shelves within the carrier. It may be noted that the calibration of the arrangement of the at least one radar sensor 102 and the at least one RFID reader 104 may be a one-time activity for each carrier. In some embodiments, the angle information may include the angle coordinates of the one or more packages, the incoming angle of the one or more packages every 100ms, and the acquired RF data set. In an example embodiment, the angle information may be obtained using an angle alert framework (AAF) (not shown). The AAF may include algorithms for processing and interpreting the angle information of the one or more packages. The AAF may be stored inside the memory 110 and processed by the one or more processors 108.

[0047] In some embodiments, the AAF may use a radar angle software development kit (SDK) (not shown). Additionally, the radar angle SDK may be provided by the manufacturer. In some embodiments, the SDK includes a set of tools and libraries provided by the manufacturer that enable users to create algorithms that interact with the manufacturer's hardware or technology. In the inventory management system 100, the SDK is specific to angle information and acquired RF data sets.

[0048] In some embodiments, the calibrated data may be stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) of the memory 110. The non-volatile memory may be used by the AAF to determine and alert the placement of the one or more packages. In some embodiments, the AAF may use the cargo manifest information database 206 to obtain the placement information of the one or more packages within the vehicle. In some embodiments, the calibrated data may be stored in the non-volatile memory in the form of a calibrated data set 208. In addition, the radar sensor algorithm 204, the cargo manifest information database 206, the calibrated data set 208, and the AAF may be included in the RFID firmware (FW) 210 of the at least one RFID reader 104.

[0049] Figure 3 2 shows the manifest information 300 of the inventory management system 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 to Figure 2 right Figure 3 Give a description.

[0050] As previously discussed, the manifest information 300 may be stored in the manifest information database 206. In some embodiments, the manifest information 300 may be affixed within the carrier before the one or more packages arrive. It may be noted that the manifest information 300 may be predetermined information related to the location information of the one or more packages within the carrier. In some embodiments, the manifest information 300 may include numbered segments. In the numbered segments, each numbered segment may represent a specific location within the carrier. In one example, the numbered segment 34 may correspond to an upper left area, which is designated for identifying one or more packages numbered from 3000 to 3999. In another example, the numbered segment 36 may correspond to a middle right area, which is designated for identifying one or more packages numbered from 6000 to 6999. In addition, an angle lookup table may be created based on the manifest information 300 communicated to the at least one RFID reader 104. The angle lookup table may include the location of each of the one or more packages within the carrier.

[0051] In some embodiments, it may be important to organize the one or more packages in numbered sections, depending on the priority of fast delivery. In some embodiments, the manifest information 300 may correspond to predefined location information for the one or more packages within the vehicle. Additionally, the manifest information 300 may provide a structured layout of the one or more packages within the vehicle.

[0052] Additionally, the manifest information 300 may include calibrated values ​​of the at least one radar sensor 102 and one or more pre-assigned location coordinates of the one or more packages. Additionally, the calibrated values ​​may include time taken by the reflected wave, signal strength, distance, speed, horizontal angle, vertical angle. In some example embodiments, the remaining metrics covered in the manifest information 300 may be associated with customer-related factors. In some embodiments, more extensive and generalized manifest information may be created depending on the inventory within the vehicle.

[0053] In addition, the manifest information 300 may be communicated to the at least one RFID reader 104 installed in the carrier. In some embodiments, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to receive the manifest information 300 of the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages. In addition, the manifest information 300 may help the AAF know the details of each of the one or more packages. The details of the one or more packages may include at least how many packages there are, one or more package placement locations, such as left / right side of a shelf, shelf number, and section.

[0054] In addition, the at least one radar sensor 102 is capable of sensing angle information about the approaching one or more packages. Then, the at least one sensor 102 may pass the angle information to the AAF. In addition, the AAF may obtain RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages based on at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages; in addition, the AAF may obtain details of the approaching one or more packages from the RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages from the RFID reading SW module. In addition, the AAF may be configured to compare the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages with the cargo manifest information 300. As a result, with the help of the AAF, the calibrated data and the cargo manifest information 300 may provide ideal placement angle information for the approaching one or more packages.

[0055] Thus, the AAF can alert of misplaced packages based at least on: the incoming angle of one or more packages from the at least one radar sensor 102 every 100 milliseconds, the approaching one or more package identifications from the RFID FW, and the ideal placement angle information of the approaching one or more packages from the calibrated data and the cargo manifest information.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown in , the same digital copy of the manifest information 300 may be sent to the RFID FW 210 via the network 114. In some embodiments, the same digital copy may be sent from the network 114 just before the one or more packages are loaded. The at least one RFID reader 104 may compare the shelf with the information of the manifest information 300, and then, the one or more processors 108 may be used to generate an alarm signal. The alarm signal may include a first signal (not shown) or a second signal (not shown).

[0057] In some embodiments, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to determine a placement of each of the one or more packages within the carrier based at least on the comparison. In one example embodiment, the placement of the one or more packages within the carrier may correspond to a correct placement of the one or more packages within the carrier. In another example embodiment, the placement of the one or more packages within the carrier may correspond to an incorrect placement of the one or more packages within the carrier.

[0058] In some embodiments, if the one or more packages are correctly placed, the angle of the approaching one or more packages may contact the ideal placement angle of the one or more packages. In addition, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to generate a first signal based at least on the correct placement of the one or more packages. Then, the one or more processors 108 may send the first signal to the first indicator 212. The first indicator 212 may generate a visual or audible indication to signal the correct placement of the one or more packages. In some example embodiments, the first indicator 212 may include a green light emitting diode (LED).

[0059] In some embodiments, if the one or more packages are not placed correctly, the angle of the one or more packages approached may not be able to enter the ideal placement angle of the one or more packages. In addition, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to generate a second signal based at least on the incorrect placement of the one or more packages. Then, the one or more processors may send the second signal to the second indicator 214. The second indicator 214 may generate a visual or audible indication to signal the incorrect placement of the one or more packages. In some embodiments, the second indicator 214 may include a red LED. The second indicator 214 may be further connected to a buzzer 216. Before turning off the buzzer 216, the one or more processors 108 may further raise the buzzer 216 for at least 5 seconds. As a result, the user may notice that one or more packages are verified in time and correctly placed in the appropriate section by the one or more packages, or the one or more packages are removed from the carrier when the one or more packages are misplaced.

[0060] It may be noted that the first indicator 212 and the second indicator 214 may be connected to the at least one RFID reader 104 via a general purpose input / output (GPIO) 218. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the GPIO 218 is a common interface found in microcontrollers, single board computers, and embedded systems. The GPIO 218 may provide a means of interacting with external devices and sensors by allowing digital signals to be received as inputs and transmitted as outputs. Additionally, the GPIO pins may be programmatically configured as input or output ports. Common types of GPIO operations may include reading digital signals (such as button presses or sensor data) as inputs, and controlling external components (such as LEDs, motors, relays) as outputs.

[0061] In another example embodiment, the at least one RFID reader 104 may be configured to determine that the RFID tag information is not associated with the vehicle. The one or more processors 108 may be configured to generate an alarm signal based at least on the determination.

[0062] Figure 4 Scenario 400 is shown of one or more packages 402 detected as misloaded by inventory management system 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 1 to 3 right Figure 4 Give a description.

[0063] In some embodiments, the at least one radar sensor 102 may alert the at least one RFID reader 104 to verify the RFID tag information of each of the one or more packages 402 approaching the carrier 404. In addition, the inventory management system 100 may verify the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages 402 according to the list of the one or more packages in the manifest information 300. The inventory management system 100 may then confirm whether the one or more packages 402 are misloaded. It may be noted that the at least one RFID reader 104 may detect the one or more packages 402, and the at least one radar sensor 102 may indicate that the one or more packages 402 are placed outside the carrier 404, thereby further discarding stray reads of the one or more packages 402.

[0064] In some example embodiments, during a misload, the one or more packages 402 may continue to arrive on a rolling conveyor (not shown). Once each of the one or more packages 402 can be assigned to a cargo hold, an individual can pick up each package and place the package near the carrier 404. In some embodiments, a package may sometimes belong to a carrier 404 parked in a bay terminal. In some embodiments, a package may sometimes belong to another carrier (not shown) on the next separate shift. Such a package may be detected by the at least one RFID reader 104 during an RFID scan and may thus constitute a stray read. Thus, the at least one radar sensor 102 may track the one or more packages 402 arriving on the conveyor and placed near the carrier 404, and then command the at least one RFID reader 104 to scan the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages 402. As a result, the at least one RFID reader 104 may read all stray tags. Thus, once a scan of the at least one RFID tag can be initiated, the at least one RFID reader 104 may match and ignore all stray tags detected. Additionally, as a result, the reading efficiency of the at least one RFID reader 104 may be improved.

[0065] In addition, the at least one radar sensor 102 and the AAF may track the approaching one or more packages 402 within the carrier 404. Then, the at least one radar sensor 102 and the AAF may compare the angles with the angle lookup table created during calibration of the at least one radar sensor 102 and the at least one RFID reader 104. As a result, the AAF may detect the shelf where each of the one or more packages 402 is placed. Then, the at least one RFID reader may compare the shelf with the manifest information 300. Thereafter, when the one or more packages 402 are placed in the designated shelf according to the manifest information, the at least one RFID reader 104 may declare the correct placement of the one or more packages 402 using the first indicator 212. In another embodiment, when the one or more packages 402 are not placed in the designated shelf according to the manifest information 300, the at least one RFID reader 104 may declare the incorrect placement of the one or more packages using the second indicator 214.

[0066] Obviously, the above-described components of inventory management system 100 are provided for illustrative purposes only. In another embodiment, inventory management system 100 may include other components such as two RFID readers, various location sensors, etc., without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] Figure 5 1 is a flow chart of an inventory management method 500 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 1 to 4 right Figure 5 Give a description.

[0068] First, at step 502, the one or more packages approaching the vehicle 404 may be determined using the at least one radar sensor 102. For example, when an individual approaches the vehicle 404 with a package, the at least one radar sensor 102 may determine whether the approaching package is associated with the vehicle 404. Next, at step 504, it is determined whether the one or more packages are detected. In one case, if the one or more packages are not detected by the at least one radar sensor 102. In this case, at step 502, the at least one radar sensor 102 may continue to detect the one or more packages approaching the vehicle. For example, if the approaching package may not be associated with the vehicle 404, the one or more processors 108 may generate an alarm signal such as a buzzer 216 to indicate that the approaching package may not be associated with the vehicle 404.

[0069] In another instance, the one or more packages are detected by the at least one radar sensor 102. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID reader 104 may be configured to determine that the RFID tag information is not associated with the vehicle 404. Additionally, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to generate an alarm signal based at least on the determination.

[0070] Next, at step 506, based on the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages 402, the at least one RFID reader 104 senses RFID tag information of each of the one or more packages 402. In some embodiments, the at least one radar sensor 102 and the at least one RFID reader 104 may be located inside the vehicle 404. For example, the at least one RFID reader 104 located inside the vehicle may sense RFID information of an approaching package.

[0071] Next, at step 508, the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages 402 is sensed by the at least one radar sensor 102. In some embodiments, the corresponding position of the first package may include at least the angular coordinates of each of the one or more packages 402. For example, the at least one radar sensor 102 may sense the corresponding position of the approaching package.

[0072] Next, at step 510, the corresponding location of each of the one or more packages 402 is compared with the predetermined manifest information 300 using the AAF. In some embodiments, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to receive the manifest information 300 of the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages 402. Additionally, the manifest information 300 may correspond to the predefined location information of the one or more packages 402. For example, the AAF may compare the corresponding location of the approaching packages with the predetermined manifest information 300 communicated to the at least one RFID reader 104.

[0073] Next, at step 512, it is determined whether the one or more packages are correctly placed by the one or more processors 108. In some embodiments, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to determine the placement of each of the one or more packages 402 based at least on the comparison. In addition, the placement of the one or more packages 402 in the carrier 505 may correspond to the correct placement and incorrect placement of the one or more packages 402 in the carrier 404. In one case, the one or more processors 108 may determine that the one or more packages are not correctly placed. For example, the one or more processors 108 may determine that the approaching package is incorrectly placed based on the comparison of the corresponding position with the cargo manifest information 300. The one or more processors 108 may be configured to generate a second signal based at least on the incorrect placement of the one or more packages 402. In addition, the one or more processors 108 may send the second signal to the second indicator 214. The second indicator 214 may generate a visual or audible indication to signal the incorrect placement of the one or more packages 402. The second indicator 214 may be further connected to the buzzer 216. Before turning off the buzzer 216, the one or more processors 108 may further raise the buzzer 216 for at least 5 seconds. In this case, the one or more processors 108 may proceed to step 514.

[0074] In another case, the one or more processors 108 may determine that the one or more packages are correctly placed. For example, the one or more processors 108 may determine that the approaching packages are correctly placed based on a comparison of the corresponding positions with the manifest information 300. The one or more processors 108 may be configured to generate a first signal based on at least the correct placement of the one or more packages 402. In addition, the one or more processors 108 may be configured to send the first signal to the first indicator 212. The first indicator 212 may generate a visual or audible indication to signal the correct placement of the one or more packages. In this case, the one or more processors 108 may proceed to step 516.

[0075] Next, at step 514, the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 are turned on. The second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 may be turned on to indicate the incorrect placement of the one or more packages 402. In addition, returning to step 508, the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages 402 is sensed again via the at least one radar sensor 102. For example, when the approaching package may be incorrectly placed in the carrier 404, the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 may be turned on.

[0076] Next, at step 516, the method determines whether the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 are still turned on. In one case, the inventory management system 100 can determine that the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 have been turned off. In this case, the inventory management system 100 can proceed to step 518. In another case, the inventory management system 100 can determine that the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 are still turned on. In this case, the inventory management system 100 can proceed to step 520.

[0077] Next, at step 518, the first indicator 212 is turned on. In some embodiments, the first indicator 212 may be turned on when the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 are not turned on to indicate the correct placement of the one or more packages 402. In this case, the inventory management system 100 may return to step 502 to again use the at least one radar sensor 102 to determine the one or more packages approaching the carrier 404. For example, the first indicator 212 may be turned on when the approaching packages can be correctly placed in the carrier 404.

[0078] Next, at step 520, the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 are turned on. In some embodiments, the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 may still be turned on even if the one or more packages 402 may be correctly placed. In addition, the inventory management system 100 may turn off the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 and turn on the first indicator 212 to indicate the correct placement of the one or more packages 402. For example, the inventory management system 100 may turn off the second indicator 214 and the buzzer 216 and turn on the first indicator 212 to indicate the correct placement of the approaching packages.

[0079] It should be understood that method 500 can be implemented by one or more embodiments disclosed herein, which can be combined or modified as desired or required. In addition, the steps in method 500 can be modified, changed in order, performed differently, performed sequentially, in parallel or simultaneously, or modified in other ways as desired or required.

[0080] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure may be performed by the one or more processors 108 of the inventory management system 100 and the method 500 using the at least one radar sensor 102, at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 104, at least one RFID antenna 106, and the AAF without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0081] In some embodiments, the inventory management system 100 and method 500 can facilitate real-time identification and monitoring of one or more packages associated with RFID tags within the carrier 404. Additionally, the inventory management system 100 and method 500 can combine accurate sensing of RFID tag information, intelligent sensing of the at least one radar sensor 102, and use of the at least one RFID reader 104 to accurately determine placement of each of the one or more packages.

[0082] The technical personnel in the field of the present disclosure will think of many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure set forth herein after benefiting from the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the related drawings. Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, although the previous description and the related drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions can be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, as can be set forth in some appended claims, it is also conceivable to combine elements and / or functions that are different from those explicitly described above. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used only in a general and descriptive sense, not for restrictive purposes.

Claims

1. An inventory management method, comprising: sensing RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages via at least one RFID reader based on at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages; sensing a respective position of each of the one or more packages via at least one radar sensor; comparing the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages to predetermined manifest information via an angle alert framework (AAF); as well as Based at least on the comparing, a placement of each of the one or more packages is determined via one or more processors.

2. The inventory management method according to claim 1, further comprising: The predetermined manifest information of the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages is received by the one or more processors.

3. The inventory management method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined manifest information corresponds to predefined location information of the one or more packages.

4. The inventory management method of claim 1 , wherein the placement of the one or more packages within a carrier corresponds to correct placement and incorrect placement of the one or more packages within the carrier.

5. The inventory management method according to claim 4, further comprising: generating, by the one or more processors, a first signal based at least on the correct placement of the one or more packages; as well as The first signal is sent to a first indicator, wherein the first indicator produces a visual or audible indication to signal proper placement of the one or more packages.

6. An inventory management system comprising: at least one RFID reader configured to sense RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages based on at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages; at least one radar sensor configured to sense a respective position of each of the one or more packages; and wherein the at least one RFID reader has one or more processors coupled to a memory, the one or more processors being configured to: receiving the RFID tag information for each of the one or more packages from the at least one RFID reader; receiving the respective location of each of the one or more packages from the at least one radar sensor; comparing the corresponding position of each of the one or more packages to predetermined manifest information via an angle alert framework (AAF); as well as Based at least on the comparison, placement of each of the one or more packages within the carrier is determined.

7. The inventory management system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive the predetermined manifest information of the at least one RFID tag associated with each of the one or more packages.

8. The inventory management system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined manifest information corresponds to predefined location information of the one or more packages.

9. The inventory management system of claim 6, wherein the placement of the one or more packages within the carrier corresponds to correct placement and incorrect placement of the one or more packages within the carrier.

10. An inventory management system according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a first signal based at least on the correct placement of the one or more packages, and send the first signal to a first indicator, wherein the first indicator generates a visual or audible indication to signal the correct placement of the one or more packages.

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