Wearable RFID Garment for Automated Inventory Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current RFID technologies are not cost-effective for monitoring inventory in temporary or mobile facilities, requiring employee reassignment or additional labor to read and upload data from RFID tags, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A wearable garment equipped with an RFID reader, control circuit, and antenna that reads and emulates RFID tags in remote locations, automatically transmitting emulated identifiers to an inventory management system when the wearer returns to a designated area, eliminating the need for manual data upload and reducing labor costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RFID tags are used in temporary facilities, then inventory monitoring capability is improved, but labor costs increase due to employee reassignment or addition
Solution Approach 1:
The garment enables self-service inventory monitoring by automatically reading RFID tags in remote locations and transmitting data back to the system, eliminating the need for employees to manually visit and read tags, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining monitoring capability and reducing labor costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual employee visits with an automated electronic system embedded in the garment, using RFID readers and transmitters to automatically capture and report inventory data, thereby improving monitoring while reducing labor requirements
2Reliability
If employees are reassigned or added for inventory management, then inventory monitoring is improved, but operational efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment performs self-service by automatically monitoring inventory and transmitting data without requiring employee intervention, thus maintaining reliable inventory tracking while preserving operational efficiency of existing staff
Solution Approach 2:
The garment enables continuous automated monitoring and transmission of inventory data, eliminating the discontinuous manual processes and employee reassignment needs, thereby maintaining monitoring reliability while sustaining high operational efficiency
3Measurement precision
If RFID readers are deployed in temporary facilities, then inventory accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the RFID reader functionality from fixed facility infrastructure and relocates it to a portable garment, allowing deployment in temporary facilities without complex installation, thus maintaining inventory accuracy while reducing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The garment serves multiple functions including RFID reading, data processing, and wireless transmission in a single integrated device, enabling accurate inventory monitoring in diverse locations without requiring separate specialized equipment for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables frequent and automated monitoring of inventory in remote locations, reducing labor costs and increasing efficiency by automating the inventory process without the need for additional employees or equipment installation in temporary facilities.
Implementation Method 1
an RFID reader attached to a garment body... configured to read the plurality of RFID tags
Implementation Method 2
an antenna attached to the garment body... communicatively coupled to the RFID reader
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring a plurality of RFID tags in a remote location. In some embodiments, a garment for monitoring a plurality of RFID tags in a remote location comprises a garment body, an RFID reader attached to the garment body, the RFID reader configured to read the plurality of RFID tags in the remote location, an antenna attached to the garment body, and a control circuit attached to the garment and configured to receive, from the RFID reader, one or more identifiers, wherein the one or more identifiers are associated with the plurality of RFID tags, generate, based on the one or more identifiers, emulated identifiers, determine that the garment is within a designated area separate from the remote location, and in response to determining that the garment is within the designated area, cause the emulated identifiers to be transmitted.