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EP-4740157-A1 - MODULAR RFID CONTAINER SYSTEM

EP4740157A1EP 4740157 A1EP4740157 A1EP 4740157A1EP-4740157-A1

Abstract

A modular RFID container system comprises a host container and at least one tethered container. The host container comprises an RFID reader with a plurality of antenna ports, and a host container antenna system connected to and in operative communication with a first one of the plurality of antenna ports. The at least one tethered container comprises a tethered antenna system connected to and in operative communication with a further one of the plurality of antenna ports of the RFID reader of the host container, so that RFID operation of the container system is controlled by the host container via the host container RFID reader. The host container antenna system may comprise two or more host container RFID antennas connected together via a daisy-chain connection so that the host container antenna system operatively connects to the RFID reader via one antenna port.

Inventors

  • PONG, Tai Wai
  • MURDOCH, GRAHAM

Assignees

  • Sato Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230705

Claims (14)

  1. 1. A modular RFID container system comprising: a host container comprising: an RFID reader with a plurality of antenna ports; and a host container antenna system connected to and in operative communication with a first one of the plurality of antenna ports; and at least one tethered container comprising a tethered antenna system connected to and in operative communication with a further one of the plurality of antenna ports of the RFID reader of the host container, so that RFID operation of the container system is controlled by the host container via the host container RFID reader.
  2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the host container antenna system comprises two or more host container RFID antennas connected together via a daisy-chain connection so that the host container antenna system operatively connects to the RFID reader via one antenna port.
  3. 3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one tethered antenna system comprises two or more tethered container RFID antennas connected together via a daisy-chain connection so that the tethered container antenna system operatively connects to the RFID reader via one antenna port.
  4. 4. The system of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the daisy-chain connection comprises at least one length compensation unit and a bypass switch operable to selectively bypass and connect a respective RFID antenna.
  5. 5. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the host container antenna system comprises a plurality of RFID coil antennas, each associated with a different section within the host container.
  6. 6. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each tethered container antenna system comprises a plurality of RFID coil antennas, each associated with a different section within the respective tethered container.
  7. 7. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the RFID reader is configured to activate one or more of the antennas that form part of the host container antenna system and the tethered container antenna systems in order to detect RFID tags inside each container to then determine the content of each container.
  8. 8. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the RFID reader has a number of RFID reader ports, and the total or maximum number of containers in the system is the same as the number of RFID reader ports.
  9. 9. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the host container and the tethered containers comprise an access antenna module configured to control access to one or more of the containers of the system.
  10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the access antenna module comprises: an access antenna; and a door control system comprising an access sensor interface, and configured to control access to the containers by confirming user authorisation via the access sensor interface.
  11. 11. The system of claim 9 or claim 10, further comprising an access antenna reader configured to monitor access authorisation of one or more of the containers by sequentially scanning the access control module.
  12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the host container comprises the access antenna reader.
  13. 13. The system of any one of the preceding claims further comprising a user interface provided on one or more of the containers.
  14. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is provided by the host container, and the user interface comprises an authentication interface.

Description

Modular RFID Container System Technical Field [0001] The present disclosure broadly relates to radio-frequency identification (RFID) inventory tracking and, more particularly, to a modular RFID container system for tracking contents of one or more connected containers in the system. Background [0002] The sale, stocking and inventory management of some products are managed by sales representatives. In some circumstances a sales representative would travel to the buyer or reseller on a regular basis to check the inventory and restock the products as required. For some products, for example certain medical products such as prostheses, this type of manual checking can be very time consuming and ineffective. For example, if items run out, it may take a long time before the sales representative is able to check the inventory and subsequently restock an item. [0003] One solution to this problem is to employ an inventory tracking system, for example using barcodes or radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers. Some of these systems may even be able to automatically track the inventory, for example where RFID readers are integrated in a cabinet used to house tagged items. However, such cabinets are very costly not only because the cabinets themselves need to be constructed in a way to facilitate RFID operation (e.g., made from solid metal to provide electromagnetic shielding), but also because the cabinets must then include RFID antennas and RFID readers in order to detect and receive information from the RFID tags applied to the items in the cabinets. In circumstances where a large number of items must be held in stock and multiple cabinets are required, the cost of such automated inventory systems may be prohibitively high. [0004] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application. Summary [0005] In one aspect there is provided a modular RFID container system comprising: a host container comprising: an RFID reader with a plurality of antenna ports; and a host container antenna system connected to and in operative communication with a first one of the plurality of antenna ports; and at least one tethered container comprising a tethered antenna system connected to and in operative communication with a further one of the plurality of antenna ports of the RFID reader of the host container, so that RFID operation of the container system is controlled by the host container via the host container RFID reader. [0006] The host container antenna system may comprise two or more host container RFID antennas connected together via a daisy-chain connection so that the host container antenna system operatively connects to the RFID reader via one antenna port. [0007] At least one tethered antenna system may comprise two or more tethered container RFID antennas connected together via a daisy-chain connection so that the tethered container antenna system operatively connects to the RFID reader via one antenna port. [0008] The daisy-chain connection may comprise at least one length compensation unit and a bypass switch operable to selectively bypass and connect a respective RFID antenna. [0009] The host container antenna system may comprise a plurality of RFID coil antennas, each associated with a different section within the host container. [0010] Some or each tethered container antenna system may comprise a plurality of RFID coil antennas, each associated with a different section within the respective tethered container. [0011] The RFID reader may be configured to activate one or more of the antennas that form part of the host container antenna system and the tethered container antenna systems in order to detect RFID tags inside each container to then determine the content of each container. [0012] The RFID reader may have a number of RFID reader ports, and the total or maximum number of containers in the system may be the same as the number of RFID reader ports. [0013] One or more of the host container and the tethered containers may comprise an access antenna module configured to control access to one or more of the containers of the system. [0014] The access antenna module may comprise: an access antenna; and a door control system comprising an access sensor interface, and configured to control access to the containers by confirming user authorisation via the access sensor interface. [0015] The system may further comprise an access antenna reader configured to monitor access authorisation of one or more of the containers by sequentially scanning the access control module. [0016] The host container may comprise the access antenna reader. [0017] The system may further comprise a user inte