RFID Ink Marking for Accurate Item Inventory

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inventory systems for moves are time-consuming and inaccurate, often relying on manual stickers that are inconvenient to remove and reuse, and labels can be obscured, making it difficult to track items effectively.

Innovation Solution

A system for personal RFID tag creation and item inventorying, which includes a subsystem for applying RFID microdots to items, reading these tags, assigning unique identifiers, and maintaining an inventory using a networked computing environment and mobile devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual stickers are used for item inventorying, then items can be labeled and tracked, but the process is time-consuming and the stickers are inconvenient to remove and reuse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of label removal and reuseVSAvoidtime required for inventorying process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual sticker application with an automated inkjet printing system that directly applies RFID-containing ink to items. This eliminates the need for physical sticker handling, application, and removal, while enabling rapid automated inventorying through wireless RFID reading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If professional movers use sticker-based inventorying, then items can be tracked, but the system is inaccurate and stickers cannot be reused for subsequent moves

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of inventorying systemVSAvoidreusability for subsequent moves

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical sticker-based tracking with wireless RFID technology. RFID tags embedded in the ink can be read remotely and repeatedly without physical contact, enabling accurate automated counting and full reusability across multiple moves and inventory scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The RFID-infused ink serves multiple functions: it acts as both a visible marking substance and a wireless identification tag. This dual functionality enables the same system to be used for initial inventorying, subsequent moves, and various other tracking applications without requiring different materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If labels are placed on boxes for storage, then items can be identified, but labels can be obscured by other boxes making tracking difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of item identifiersVSAvoidability to track items

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces visual label reading with wireless RFID detection. Since RFID signals pass through most materials including cardboard and other boxes, items can be identified and tracked regardless of their physical position or whether they are stacked or obscured, eliminating the visibility problem entirely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8102265B1Systems and methods for personal radio frequency identification tag creation and item inventorying

Publication Date: 2012.01.24 UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USAA)

AI summary

A system for inventorying an item may comprise at least one subsystem that creates a mark on the item with a substance that comprises RFID tags, at least one subsystem that reads a plurality of the RFID tags on the mark, at least one subsystem that determines how many RFID tags were read on the mark, at least one subsystem that assigns an identifier for the item, and at least one subsystem that associates the identifier with how many RFID tags were read on the mark.