WO2003061366A2

WO2003061366A2 - Inventory management system

Info

Publication number: WO2003061366A2
Application number: PCT/US2003/001837
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald George Bauer; Richard John Campero; Paul Brent Rasband; Martin David Weel
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Corporation
Priority date: 2002-01-09
Filing date: 2003-01-23
Publication date: 2003-07-31
Also published as: JP5498653B2; WO2003061366A3; WO2003061060A3; RU2004124049A; EP1470613A4; MXPA04006667A; CN101957904B; US20060232382A1; CA2801837A1; JP2008084331A; CA2473136A1; CN1639913A; TW200406711A; US7084769B2; CN101957904A; AU2003209188A1; KR20040096522A; CN1639913B; US20060238307A1; TWI269235B

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention collect item information from RFID tags (501 and 502) attached to items in an inventory (fig. 3A), and uses the collected item information to perform various inventory management processes. In one aspect, the inventory management processes (550) may include determining, reporting, and/or providing corrective actions for one or more events associated with at least one of depletions of items in the inventory, changes in the design of items in the inventory, defects with one or more items, misplaced items, the movement of an unusual umber of items within a short period of time (i.e., shrinkage) (232), and malfunctions of one or more components includes in the environment (110-1).

Description

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

[001] This invention relates to inventory management systems and, more particularly, to methods and systems for performing an inventory management process that uses an intelligent station to track and/or inventory items that are tagged with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags.

Background of the Invention

[002] Inventory management is becoming increasingly important in today's growing economy. New products are continuously being developed and placed in the market for consumer purchase. Although this growth provides consumers with more choices for selecting various goods and services, businesses (e.g., retailers, wholesalers, etc.) are tasked with managing this growing inventory.

[003] To manage growing product inventories, businesses have implemented perpetual type inventory management systems, which are systems that use Point Of Sale (POS) data on products sold, invoicing data, and historical data on inventory audits or cycle counts (e.g., periodic inventory counts of products) to determine the inventory that exists within the walls of a retail store. POS data generally refers to data generated at a checkout system (i.e., cash register). Based on the inventory level within the retail stores, products may be reordered from a manufacturer. Alternatively, the manufacturer and retailer may have an agreement that directs the manufacturer to preemptively deliver products according to the terms of the agreement. Ideally, inventory is replenished in a manner such that inventory arrives at the retail store just before existing stock levels are exhausted.

[004] Although perpetual inventory management systems alleviate some of the burden in managing large inventories, they employ a management that injects inaccuracies in cycle counts, POS scanning data, redundant re-ordering, misdirected shipments, and/or unusual sales velocity (i.e., the sale of products that take place either too fast or too slow). The result is physical (actual) inventory out-of-stock levels as high as 11-12 percent or even much higher for specially promoted products or products that are closely monitored for safety purposes (e.g., products with expiration dates).

[005] Another shortcoming associated with perpetual inventory management systems includes inventory shrinkage, also described as the reduction of inventory due to non-sale circumstances. For example, shrinkage may occur at any point in a supply chain, stemming from invoice errors, vendor fraud, misdirected shipments, retail employee theft and customer theft. If inventory is computed as described above (i.e., using perpetual inventory management techniques), shrinkage rates (amounting to several percent of sales) can cause divergence of theoretical (i.e., inventory that is proposed or planned) and physical inventory. Another problem with perpetual inventory management systems is the uncertainty associated with the effectiveness of product promotions. For instance, if the relationship

/ between price and inventory velocity, known as price elasticity, is not well understood, promotions can cause an out-of-stock condition that negatively impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty. Alternatively, promotions can fail to achieve a desired reduction of inventory when too much inventory is ordered and the price elasticity is poorly estimated or measured.

[006] Further, another related problem with conventional inventory management systems is associated with misplaced inventory on a retail shelf or similar support unit. Product manufacturers devote large sums of money to market certain products to consumers. In some instances, this marketing may include combating a competitor that manufacturers a similar product. Because retailers generally desire to present as much inventory as possible for sale to the customer, some employees may fill a void on a shelf dedicated for an out of stock product with related products. In some instances, the related products may include products produced by a manufacturer's competitor. This may result in lost sales for the manufacturer and, in some cases, reduction in customer satisfaction. This may also violate agreements between retailers and manufacturers or their distributors. [007] To address the shortcomings of conventional inventory management systems, businesses have begun to incorporate wireless identification devices to assist in managing the inventory of products. This advancement contemplates attaching Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on products during manufacture or when the products are stored in a warehouse. Each RFID tag includes an Integrated Circuit (IC) that enables the tag to have a unique identification number. Therefore, when a product is taken from a warehouse and placed on a retail shelf, for example, the products may be scanned to give a comprehensive inventory. Further, RFID tag technologies have been contemplated in providing distributed inventory management between a manufacturer and a retailer. For example, a manufacturer may be alerted through the Internet each time a product is sold at a retailer using the information stored in the product's RFID tag. The manufacturer may then use this information to forecast replenishment schedules with the retailer to prevent an out of stock situation.

[008] Although the above mentioned RFID tag developments help overcome some of the shortcomings of conventional perpetual inventory management systems, these developments lack the capabilities to provide real, or near real, time comprehensive inventory management in almost any point of a supply chain. Accordingly, there is a need to provide an intelligent inventory management system to provide a comprehensive view of the inventory within a particular environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[009] Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention provide a process for managing an inventory of items, each item being positioned in a respective location within an environment and being associated with a corresponding wireless identification device. In one aspect of the invention, the process may include providing item information associated with each item to each corresponding wireless identification device. Based on the item information, the process may perform an inventory management process to provide real time information associated with the inventory of items. The inventory management process may include at least one of an out of stock control process, a shrinkage recognition process, a rapid product recall process, an alert monitor process, and a sales optimization process. Each of these processes may perform various tasks that are used to manage the inventory of items in the environment, such as monitoring inventory levels of the items, detecting misplaced items in the environment, and providing feedback information associated with the items based on detected events (e.g., \ suggested altemative locations for certain items based on sales data).

[010] Additional features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[011] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[012] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention;

[013] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary environment consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention;

[014] Fig. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary EPC writer process consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention;

[015] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary interface map consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention;

[016] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary inventory analysis process consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention; [017] Fig. 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary shrinkage process consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention; and

[018] Fig. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary recall process consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[019] The following description of embodiments of this invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Where appropriate, the same reference numbers in different drawings refer to the same or similar elements.

INTRODUCTION

[020] Systems and methods consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention enable an intelligent inventory management process to monitor and collect information associated with an inventory of items (e.g., products) included in an environment. An item, as the term is used herein, may be any type of product that is manufactured, developed, grown by a farm business, and provided by a manufacturer, business entity, individual, group of individuals, etc. For example, an item may be food (e.g., produce, dairy products, canned goods, etc.), an article of clothing, a plant or similar type of horticultural product, a machined part for an engine, sporting goods, etc. Further, an item may be associated with live animals or fish, such as livestock (e.g., cattle) that are raised by a livestock provider and sold to a livestock processing business. Alternatively, an item may be a domesticated or non- domesticated animal, such as a dog or reptile that is raised and/or maintained by an animal provider or caretaker (e.g., pet store, zoo, etc.).

[021] The collected information may be used to perform various inventory management processes that enable a user to control the inventory of items, monitor shrinkage, facilitate and identify recalled or defective items included in the inventory, manage the misplacement of items within the environment, and receive alert messages associated with a variety of items inventory conditions, such as security conditions, out of stock conditions, etc. [022] In one aspect of the invention, an environment (e.g., retail store, etc.) uses a system of RFID-enabled structures, such as shelf units, to keep track of an inventory of items. Such a system is described in Attachment A, which corresponds to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. , filed January 9, 2003. Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention enable data associated with the items to be repeatedly collected by a data collection system. A user may operate a user interface that provides demand-based item information (i.e., when the user requests it) or exception-based item information (i.e., when something unusual or noteworthy occurs). Based on the collected data, an intelligent inventory management application and/or the user may manage out of stock items, monitor shrinkage, perform rapid recall functions, and send out alerts about noteworthy events.

System Architecture

[023] Figure 1 is a high level block diagram of an exemplary inventory management system 100 consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention. As shown, system 100 may include one or more environments 110-1 to 110-N interconnected by a network 180. Environments 110-1 to 110-N may also be directly connected via a direct communication path between the environments (not shown). Network 180 may represent any type of communication configuration that allows environments 110-1 to 110-N to exchange information. For example, network 180 may be a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), and a combination of networks, such as the Internet. Further, network 180 may include the infrastructure that allows environments 110-1 to 110-N to exchange information using wireless based communications.

[024] Environments 110-1 to 110-N may each represent an environment associated with a business or non-business entity. In one aspect of the invention, each environment 110 may include, or is associated with, physical structures that manufacture, produce, maintain, store, and/or sell items. For example, environments 110-1 to 110-N may represent a retail store that sells items, a warehouse that purchases, stores, maintains, and/or ships items, a stock room that stores supplies, etc. Environments 110-1 to 110-N may also represent a main office business entity that manages the sale, production, storage, etc., of items located and sold in other environments 110. For instance, several environments (e.g., 110-1) may represent a retail outlet store, such as a supermarket, that sells items directly to consumers (i.e., users) and environment 110-N may represent a main office that manages the inventory and other business aspects of each of the several environments. In accordance with certain aspects of the present invention, one or more environments (e.g., 110-1) may perform intelligent inventory management based on item information collected by automated services performed within the environment(s). [025] To perform the intelligent inventory management services consistent with aspects related to the present invention, each environment 110-1 to 110-N may include an Intelligent Inventory Management System (IIMS) 105, a Data Collection System (DCS) 160, and item inventory 170. IIMS 105 may represent one or more computing systems, such as a server, personal computer, workstation, laptop, or any other similar computer system known in the art, that performs one or more processes consistent with certain aspects of the present invention. Although Fig. 1 shows IIMS 105 located within each environment, certain aspects of the invention enable the IIMS 105 to be located outside an environment as well. For instance, a department store chain may have several stores connected by a network to a single IIMS 105.

[026] DCS 160 may be a configuration of hardware, firmware, and/or software that performs data collection functions consistent with certain aspects of the invention. In one aspect, DCS 160 includes components that collect item information from one or more items included in item inventory 170 using RFID technologies. Item inventory 170 may represent one or more items that are physically located within the respective environment 110. Item inventory 170 may also include one or more types of items that may or may not be similar in characteristics, size, price, taste, functionality, etc. For example, in the example that environment 110-1 represents a supermarket store, item inventory may include different types of food and beverages, with each type of item including a number of items. Thus, in the above example, environment 110-1 may include thousands of items of different types of beverages and other edible items. Alternatively, if environment 110-1 is associated with a home improvement warehouse retail store, item inventory 170 may include different types of tools, machines, appliances, etc.

[027] For descriptive purposes in this application, the items described herein are associated with retail merchandise that is assumed to rest on store shelves that contain RFID antennae included in a respective environment 110. Each item may be associated with an RFID tag that includes item information associated with the respective item. For example, an RFID tag may include identification information unique to the item that the tag is attached, such as an a serial number or a price number. Alternatively, the RFID tag may include item information representing a type and/or associated characteristics of the item, and information identification an environment the RFID tag is located (e.g., for scenarios where IIMS 105 is located outside an environment). DCS 160 may be configured to retrieve the item information from RFID tags associated with each item included in item inventory 170 and provide the information to IIMS 105.

[028] Other types of information retrieving mechanisms may be implemented within environment 110-1 associated with the antennae, including pegboard displays, garment racks, shelf-end displays, cabinets, kiosks, backroom or warehouse racks, display cases, and point of sale or checkout lane equipment. Further, although the following description of certain aspects of the invention involves RFID based shelf units, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be applied as well with RFID readers associated with POS locations (e.g., checkout lanes), warehouse racks, portal areas, etc. The characteristics of the antennae (e.g., form factor), and the rate at which antennae are read, may require adjustment for use in applications other than shelves. For example, warehouse applications might require longer read range and less frequent data updates, while point of sale applications may require very fast data updates with possible lower read ranges. The type and functionality of the RFID based components and systems that may be implemented with methods and systems consistent with the present invention is described in Attachment A.

EXEMPLARY ENVIRONMENT 110-1

[029] As described, system 100 allows item inventories 170 to be intelligently managed by one or more environments 110. Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary environment 110-1 consistent with certain features of the present invention. As shown, environment 110-1 may include IIMS 105, a Request Response Manager (RRM) 220, and DCS 160.

[030] IIMS 105 may include a CPU 201 , memory 202, display 204, and database 215. CPU 201 may be any type of processor (or processors) known in the art. CPU 201 may be configured to execute instructions and perform processes consistent with certain principles related to the present invention. Although FIG. 2 shows only one CPU 201 included in IIMS 105, one skilled in the art would realize that a number of different architectures may be implemented by methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain features related to the present invention. For example, CPU 201 may be replaced, or supplemented, by a plurality of processors with one or more of them performing multi-tasking and/or multiprocessing operations. Display 204 may be any type of device that presents information to a user, such as a computer screen in a workstation, laptop, dumb terminal, kiosk, etc.

[031] Database 215 may be one or more storage device systems that store information used by IIMS 105 to perform the intelligent inventory management features consistent with the present invention. Database 215 may be controlled by a database server (not shown), such as an SQL database server. Further, a Java DataBase Connectivity (JDBC) driver for the SQL server may be used to access the SQL server database. Database 215 may store information associated with each identifier included in the RFID tags. Thus, for each Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) (i.e., information associated with an item reflecting at least a certain type of product (e.g., item type), made by a certain manufacturer, in a certain size, color, style, etc.), the item information stored in database 215 may be selected from:

1) A Universal Price Code (UPC) and/or an Electronic Price Code (EPC). Note that items made by a certain manufacturer in a certain size, color, etc. may have all the same UPC but each may have a unique EPC. Further description of EPCs is provided below with respect to the section entitled "EPC Writer."

2) A current price of the item.

3) An indicator of a seasonality of the item. A seasonality indicator may represent a relationship between an item and a period of time associated with different events or seasons, such as holidays, a time frame surrounding a certain date of a special event (e.g., the Super

Bowl), etc. For example, a soap product may have a seasonality indicator representing no seasonal characteristics, such as "no season," wreaths may have a "Christmas" indicator, charcoal may have a "summer" indicator, etc. Further, promotional items (e.g., those items that are being specially marketed by a manufacturer or retailer) may have a seasonality indicator associated with a time frame, such as "July 2003," etc. The seasonality indicators may be used by ISSA 200 and/or a user to determine when to remove or restock certain items in item inventory 170.

4) A shelf life of the item. A shelf life may be a period of time that an item may be allowed to be included in item inventory 170. For example, perishable products, such as milk, may have a limited period of time that they may be presented on a shelf for sale to a customer. Non- perishable products may also have a limited period of time to be present in inventory 170 based on one or more factors, such as previous sales of items of a similar type, limited promotional time frames, etc.

5) Historical data about the sales rate of each type of item. The historical sales data may extend back a certain period of time, such as a certain number of days, hours, etc. The historical sales data may be formatted in such a manner that provides information reflecting a quantity of sold items of a given type over a period of time, such as a table including a column of sales data having 168 rows representing 7 days multiplied by 24 hours. The column may have fewer rows for an environment that operates less than 24 hours per day, such as a retail store or business that is not open round-the-clock. Further, database 215 may include additional columns of sales rate data for an item, for example representing certain conditions, such as a standard price, a promotional price, a holiday season, a clearance condition, etc.

Holiday seasons may be extended (e.g., Christmas) or short (e.g.,

Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, etc.). Other situations that may produce unusual selling patterns (e.g., accelerated selling patterns) include the Super Bowl, or the days before predicted severe weather such as a blizzard or hurricane. 6) Historical out-of-stock data representing one or more conditions when a type of item has been unavailable in item inventory 170.

7) Historical data representing a number of times an item is picked up then returned to a shelf without a purchase.

8) A shelf "volume" size of an item representing a size characteristic of a single package unit of an item. The size characteristic may be measured as a rectilinear solid or other types of geometrical spaces that may be mathematically represented and manipulated by a process executed by a computer and/or user. For items that cannot be stacked on top of each other, the shelf volume size may be considered to extend up to another shelf positioned adjacent to the shelf whereon an item is currently located.

9) One or more locations within environment 110-1 where the item is preferably located, such as shelf numbers or warehouse locations.

10) Information summarizing shrinkage reflecting a movement of a certain number of items specific to time and place within environment 110-1. For example, shrinkage information may be associated with a condition where a large number of items of a certain type are removed from a shelf in a small amount of time.

11)lnformation summarizing out of stock events specific to time and place within environment 110-1.

[032] Additionally, for an item collection of a certain type (e.g., an individual box of any type of item), database 215 may store item information selected from:

1) The EPC of the item.

2) The UPC of the item to relate back to the SKU information described above.

3) Other types of information not directly known from the SKU (e.g., color, style, size).

4) A serial number associated with the item (if other than the EPC).

5) A cost of the item to a business entity associated with environment 110-1 , such as a retailer. 6) A date the item was first placed in a location within environment 110-1 , such as a particular shelf.

7) An expiration date of the item (if any).

8) Item location information representing a current physical location of the item in environment 110-1 (or if sold, the last known location of the item).

9) A price an item sold was sold (if already sold). 10)A date the item was sold (if already sold).

11 )A preferred customer number of a purchaser (if already sold) representing a unique number assigned to a user that purchases or may purchase items located within environment 110-1. [033] Database 215 may be configured to store data in various data formats and database configurations. For example, database 215 may store one or more tables that include information used by ISSA 200 to perform certain functions related to the present invention. These tables may include:

1 ) tblAlerts - a table that stores alerts and alert confirmations associated with certain events within environment 110-1.

2) tblCompany: a table that stores information about a business entity (e.g., company) that owns, leases, manages, and/or is associated with environment 110-1.

3) tblCurEPC - a table that stores information regarding current EPCs at a given location within environment 110-1 (e.g., at a given shelf).

4) tblEPC: a table that stores information relating an EPC code to product information, such as manufacturer, SKU, and other types of information associated with a product (e.g., an item).

5) tblEPCReader - a table that stores information that relates to an EPC reader device, such as reader 262.

6) tblEPCSkuBase - a table that stores information regarding a base level inventory for an EPC reader device (e.g., reader 262) and any item types associated with the reader.

7) tbIERPInv - a table that stores information associated with a current theoretical inventory (e.g., a planned or proposed inventory that should be present in environment 110-1 as opposed to actual inventory) provided by an Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) or other types of inventory systems. An ERP system is a business management system that integrates many facets of a business, including planning, manufacturing, sales, and marketing, such as those ERP systems provided by SAP, Oracle, and PeopleSoft.

8) tbllnventoryAlertConfig: a table that stores configuration items for an inventory alert job (e.g., a task performed by IIMS 105 that provides alert messages based on one or more inventory conditions).

9) tbllnventoryRemovalAlertConfig: a table that stores configuration data for an Inventory Removal Alerts process.

10)tblManu - a table that stores information associated with one or more manufacturers of items included in inventory 170. 11 )tblReaderType - a table that stores information that defines actions that an

EPC reader may perform (e.g., read, turn displays on/off, adjust power level, etc.). 12)tblReaderTypeActions: a table that stores a list of possible actions for a given EPC reader. 13)tblRelatedEPC - a table that stores identification information for any EPC readers that are related to one of another (e.g., connected to a common shelf unit, associated with a common antenna or antennae, etc.). 14)tbIRemEPC - a table that stores EPCs that are no longer located at a given location within environment 110-1 (e.g., no longer on a designated shelf). 15)tblRequestBroker - a table that stores information defining a request broker location and associated ports (e.g., TCP/IP port identifiers). 16)tblSku - a table that holds information about item SKU information. 17)tblSkuCat - a table that stores information regarding one or more categories for various items. 18)tblStore: a table that stores information about environment 110-1. 19)tbIUser - a table storing a list of any users that are authorized to access

ISSA 200.

20)tblVirtualCommands: a table that stores a list of virtual commands for an

EPC reader. The command list may include commands that may be sent to an RFID reader to direct the RFID tag to perform one or more operations, such as storing item information.

[034] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the above listed tables are exemplary and not intended to be limiting. Database 215 may include more or fewer tables that are configured to store various types of information used by ISSA 200.

[035] Memory 202 may be one or more known type of storage devices that store data used by IIMS 105. Memory 202 may be, but is not limited to, a magnetic, semiconductor, and/or optical type storage device. Memory 202 may also be a storage device that allows CPU 201 quick access to data, such as a cache memory. In one configuration consistent with selected features related to the present invention, memory 202 may store data and/or program instructions (e.g., applications) to implement methods consistent with certain features related to the present invention. Among the software that may be included in memory 202 is Intelligent Shelf Software Application (ISSA) 200.

ISSA 200

[036] ISSA 200 may be an application program, such as a web- enabled application, that provides information to a user, or to an ERP system. Accordingly, ISSA 200 may be configured to receive data from, and supply data to, a user or an ERP system (or other types of business management systems). ISSA 200 may temporarily store inventory data collected from DCS 160 in database 215 before transferring portions of the data to the user and/or an ERP system. In one aspect of the invention, a user may customize ISSA 200 to determine how much inventory data is managed and stored in database 215 and how inventory data is kept in an ISSA system located at another environment, such as environment 110-N.

[037] Additionally, ISSA 200 may execute and/or operate with one or more security processes that are configured to control access to the functions of ISSA 200. For example, ISSA 200 may execute a security process that requires a user to provide a valid username and password (or other form of identification) to access the features provided by IIMS 105, including those performed by ISSA 200. Further, ISSA 200 may assign one or more roles to a user. Based on an assigned role, ISSA 200 (or any other application and/or process included in IIMS 105) may determine which tasks (e.g., programs executed by ISSA 200 via CPU 201) a corresponding user may access. Further, ISSA 200 may control whether a user is to receive certain types of alerts that may be received by ISSA 200 from other components within environment 110-1 , such as DCS 160. Also, ISSA 200 may include a process that, when executed by CPU 201 , creates and maintains a log file of any transactions performed by a user, such as adding data, requesting data, and/or modifying data in database 215.

[038] ISSA 100 may include one or more user interfaces 210 that allow a user to exchange information with ISSA 200, such as through display 204. User interface 210 allows a user to request data in the form of commands or queries that are processed by business logic/transaction engine 230.

[039] Business logic/transaction engine 230 may be software, when executed by CPU 201 , manages one or more tasks (i.e., processes) consistent with certain features related to the present invention. In one aspect, these tasks may include an out of stock control task 231 , shrinkage monitoring task 232, rapid recall task 233, EPC writer task 234, other features task 235, and alerts task 239.

Out of Stock Task 231

[040] Out of stock control task 231 provides management functions to

ISSA 200 associated with item inventory 170. For example, out of stock control task 231 may perform an inventory process that determines, on command and/or periodically, a physical inventory of items included in some or all of inventory 170, such as an actual inventory of items currently resting on a store shelf. Task 231 may allow a user (e.g., customer, employee, etc.) to request and view the results of the inventory process on a display device, such as peripheral device 255 or display 204. Task 231 may determine whether any item types are out of stock (e.g., not available for purchase by a customer because no items of that type are positioned in a location that the customer may collect and purchase). Task 231 may create a list of these out of stock item types and prioritize them based on or more factors, such as lost profits due to the item type being out of stock for a previous period of time

(e.g., last month), lost profits due to the item type being out of stock at the time the out of stock condition was determined, availability elsewhere in environment 110-1 (e.g., in a back storage room), and sale term (e.g., a new release of a popular DVD, snow shovel sales during a blizzard, etc.).

[041] Additionally, out of stock control task 231 may perform an item misplacement process that creates a log of any items that are positioned in an incorrect location within environment 110-1 , such as when an item is placed on a wrong shelf. Further, task 231 may generate and/or forward a misplacement alert message when an item is determined to be misplaced.

Also, task 231 may perform a shelf count threshold process that allows a user and/or ISSA 200 to receive and/or be alerted in the event of, an indication of any item types that have a shelf count below a threshold value for a given location. A shelf count represents a number of items of a certain type that are actually present in a given location associated with the item type. For example, in a supermarket, a certain shelf may be assigned to a type of item

(e.g., canned soup). The shelf count of the exemplary item type would represent how many items of a particular type are located in the assigned shelf. In one aspect of the invention, the threshold value may be determined by a user and/or calculated by ISSA 200 based on one or more conditions, such as how many items of the certain type were previously removed from the given location during the same day, a week earlier, during the hours from a present time until the environment 110-1 is no longer open to customers, and/or until a next scheduled restocking of the item type. Also, the threshold value may be adjusted by one or more factors representing certain conditions associated with the item or external conditions, such as whether the item type is exposed to a sale promotion, a holiday shopping season, a time frame corresponding to a special event (e.g., the Super Bowl, weather conditions etc.). [042] In addition to providing feedback to ISSA 200 and/or a user regarding inventory conditions associated with one or more item types in inventory 170, out of stock control task 231 may also determine how much revenue (e.g., money) is being lost as a function of a certain period of time (e.g., lost revenue per hour) based on an item being out of stock (e.g., unavailable to a customer for purchase). Also, out of stock control task 231 may determine one or more factors that may influence the sale of items of a particular type. These factors may include, but are not limited to, pricing of the items of the item type, seasonal characteristics associated with the sale of the items, and sales of other types of items included in inventory 170.

[043] Out of stock control task 231 may also determine one or more alternate locations within, and/or external to, environment 110-1 that a type of item may be repositioned based on previous sales associated with the item type and/or whether the item type is out of stock. Further, when an item type is determined to be out of stock, task 231 may generate a message to be displayed on a display device reflecting the out of stock condition. The out of stock message may also include other information, such as an apology for the out of stock condition, an offer for a discount of the sale price of another item of a type similar to the out of stock item type (e.g., store or generic brand product), a rain check for the out of stock item, and directions to an alternate environment (e.g., nearby store) that includes an item of the same type in its inventory and the item's price.

Shrinkage Task 232

[044] Shrinkage task 232 may perform processes that manage the shrinkage of items included in inventory 170, such as the loss of inventory through theft, bookkeeping errors, and misplacement. In one aspect of the invention, shrinkage task 232 may perform a process that determines, and/or allows a user to receive information reflecting, when physical shelf inventory and/or theoretical shelf inventory are off by a certain percentage. Theoretical shelf inventory represents a value determined by ISSA 200 corresponding to an inventory of items that should be located in a particular location in environment 110-1. For example, in a case of high-value merchandise, a user may wish to know when the physical and theoretical inventory quantities are different by only one unit. Further, shrinkage task 232 may perform a process that determines, and/or allows a user to view, which locations of environment 110-1 are experiencing the greatest shrinkage. Also, task 232 may perform a process that determines, and/or allows a user to view or be alerted, when items are removed from the shelf in a predetermined quantity, such as a quantity defined by a store manager. The predetermined quantity may represent a large quantity of items that are removed in a relatively short time, which may possibly indicate a theft condition. The removal of a large quantity of items, however, may also denote an exceptionally good customer deserving immediate customer service. Accordingly, shrinkage task 232 may record a detected shrinkage condition in a log and may send an interrupt signal to one or more peripheral devices, such as silent alarms, flashing lights over a gondola, a camera or video time stamp, or an audio "thank you message." Further, shrinkage task 232 may create and provide a message to a user (e.g., sales clerk, employee of environment 110-1 , etc.) that includes information to dispatch the user to the area to offer assistance to a "valued customer."

Rapid Recall Task 233

[045] Rapid recall task 233 may perform one or more processes that allow a user or business entity (e.g., retailer, item manufacturer, etc.) to trace items based on critical data, such as lot number, age, etc. Task 233 may determine and provide information about an item or items that may need to be removed from a shelf, or whose sales should be accelerated for other reasons. For example, certain types of items may have an associated expiration date determined by their manufacture, such as pharmaceuticals, health and beauty products, and perishable goods (e.g., foodstuffs). Although some of these items may still be safe (and pharmaceuticals still be effective) for some time beyond the expiration date, accepted practice may be not to sell the items after their expiration date. Therefore, shrinkage task 233 may identify items that are approaching an expiration date and provide information to a user that indicate the expiration date condition. Further, task 233 may provide suggestions to promote the sale of these items before their expiration date, such as determining an alternate location in, or outside, environment 110-1 that has a history of higher item sales (e.g., a front of a shelf), and/or suggestions to sell the items at lower prices.

[046] Also, task 233 may provide information to a user when an item or items have expired so that the items may be removed from inventory 170. Rapid recall task 233 may also provide information associated with purchase planning for item types. For example, an item type that is not selling well (e.g., sales of the item are not reaching expected levels) before its corresponding expiration date may be indicative of excess inventory. Accordingly, task 233 may provide information that reflects a relationship between previous sales of an item type and expiration dates for items of that item type.

[047] Additionally, rapid recall task 233 may access database 215 to collect shelf life information associated with each item in inventory 170. Shelf life information may represent an approximate useful life of an item, which may be determined from an expiration date for certain types of items. Alternatively, shelf life may represent a usual turnover time for the item, regardless of its useful life or expiration date. Task 233 may determine when an item has exceeded its shelf life and provide an indication of this condition to a user, via a display device (e.g., display 204).

[048] Rapid recall task 233 may also access database 215 to collect time-stamped temperature data associated with certain items in inventory 170. The temperature data may reflect a temperature value of an area proximate to a one or more items stored in environment 110-1 , such as a refrigerated shelf unit. Rapid recall task 233 may use the temperature data to calculate a reduced shelf life or predict spoilage for temperature dependent items, such as milk. Further, task 233 may provide and/or forward an alert message to a user that reflects a condition when the temperature of a particular area (e.g., refrigerated shelf unit) falls below an acceptable level for any items stored in the area.

[049] Further, for any items of certain types that have a shelf life or expiration date, rapid recall task 233 may provide, as an additional safety feature against database error, an alert to one or more locations within or external to environment 110-1. For example, an alert message (e.g., sound and/or display message) may be provided at a POS location or checkout lane to have the cashier double-check the expiration date normally printed on the package for an item about to be purchased at the POS location.

[050] Rapid recall task 233 may also determine which items have been modified by a manufacturer or supplier and, based on this determination, provide information reflecting possible actions that may help move older inventory. For example, products (i.e., items) sometimes undergo a style change, such as a new package style, a different size, a color change, a flavor change, etc. While the existing product is still good, a retailer may want to sell off existing older stock as soon as possible because customers may be reluctant to purchase a perceivably older product. Accordingly, rapid recall task 233 allows the retailer to locate such restyled merchandise and to move it to more marketable locations, such as onto the sales floor, in the front of shelves, and/or offer the merchandise at a discounted price to move the older merchandise from inventory 170.

[051] Items also may be defective when they arrive in environment

110-1. In the case of pharmaceuticals, it may be imperative to remove the item immediately to prevent possible health risks. These items may be destroyed at environment 110-1 or returned to the manufacturer. Further, a defective item may need to be recalled by the manufacturer. Accordingly, removing the defective item from inventory 170 before it is purchased may save time for a retailer and the customer, as well as permit the item to be returned to the manufacturer intact in its original package. Rapid recall task

233 may perform one or more processes that address these types of situations. For example, in some cases, an item may have a defect that renders it less valuable, while not constituting a health or safety risk, such as an item with a missing part, a cosmetic defect, a mismatched part, etc. A manufacturer may be able to identify these items after they have been delivered to environment 110-1 based on an identification number associated with the delivery (e.g., lot numbers). However, once a large number of items are warehoused and/or shipped, different lots may become mixed together and the retailer may have problems identifying the items affected without opening the packages. However, with the RFID tagging features associated with certain aspects of the present invention, the manufacturer may identify a range of RFID serial numbers that were incorrectly packaged. Environment

110-1 may receive these serial numbers and allow ISSA 200 to identify the defective items in inventory 170. Rapid recall task 233 may perform a process that searches database 215 for items associated with the received serial numbers for the defective items and provide this information to a user, perhaps through display 204 or other peripheral devices. The user may then offer customers various marketing incentives to move the defective items from inventory 170. For example, a customer may be offered a discount on a defective item for purchasing it "as-is." Upon sale of the product, a cashier may either take the customer's name and address and relay this information to the manufacturer, or the customer may be given a key number with which to order a missing part free of charge from the manufacturer, such as through the Internet. Alternately the known missing part may be shipped to the retailer to be handed out as a free "service package." Procedures like these would save the manufacturer shipping and handling costs involved in returning the entire package. Further, a retailer might even use this feature to offer a special discount to a customer willing to purchase an "open carton" or such as product returned by another customer, that may lack items not due to manufacturer's fault. Using the RFID tagged items, a retailer may offer a special discount on packages damaged in the retailer's inventory 170, without worrying that unscrupulous customers might damage good boxes on the shelf and seek to obtain a discount.

[052] Additionally, certain types of items, such as software products, often contain known errors or "bugs," that may require a remedial "corrective patch." For example, a computer readable medium (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD, magnetic disk, etc.) including one or more programs and data may require a revision comprising only a few megabytes that can be downloaded over the Internet. Rapid recall task 233 may identify these types of defective items using the RFID tags 280 in inventory 170. Consequently, the retailer and/or manufacturer may offer a customer a small discount to purchase an "out-of- date" or "buggy" product, with the customer understanding that the product may be brought up to specification with a few minutes' time on the Internet to download the corrective code. Further, environment 110-1 may provide one or more workstations that a user may use to download the corrective code while in environment 110-1.

EPC Writer 234

[053] EPC writer 234 may be a process that is used to aid ISSA 200 write EPCs to particular RFID tags 280. In one aspect of the invention, EPC writer 234 may access database 215 to obtain identification numbers, such as a UPC, for particular items that are to be tagged with an EPC on an RFID tag 280. Further description of these aspects of the invention is described below with respect to the section, EPC Writer.

Other Features Task 235

[054] Other features task 235 may perform one or more applications associated with advertising, price sensitivity, sales optimization, automatic pricing, and customer information and services.

[055] In one aspect of the invention, other features task 235 includes an Advertising, Price Sensitivity, and Sales Optimization (APSSO) application that determines relationships reflecting how advertising (e.g., marketing and/or presentment of items) and/or price influences the sales or possible sales of items or item types that are presented to customers that interact with inventory 170. This application may create, on demand or periodically, a summary of how often an item or items of a certain type are physically moved from their current location in environment 110-1 , such as when an item is taken off of a shelf and replaced. Thus, the APSSO application may request and receive periodic inventory updates of inventory data reflecting a current inventory of items in inventory 170. The APSSO application may leverage the out of stock task 231 to collect the inventory information, or alternatively send commands to inventory request interface 250 to collect the information itself, such as requesting an inventory reading a shelf's contents at least every few seconds. The APSSO application may compare the collected inventory information to sale rate data associated with the items corresponding to the collected inventory information to provide an indication (e.g., a ratio) of a number of item examination events per single purchase event. The indication, or ratio, may describe how much attention an item is getting from customers, as opposed to the rate of item purchases. The data could be correlated with location information associated with the item, for instance, whether the item was at eye level, on a shelf-end display, positioned in the front of a store, positioned in a promotional display, positioned in the back of the store, etc.

[056] The term eye level, as used herein, may refer to one or more distances extending from the floor of environment 110-1 where items are displayed for purchase, such as 5 feet to 7 feet high. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the term eye level is not intended to be limited by this exemplary range of distances. Any distance from the bottom of a structure that supports item(s) that rests on the floor of environment 110-1 may be associated with the term eye level without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, the distance associated with the term eye level may be based on the type of environment 110-1 represents. For example, a clothing manufacturer and/or retailer may determine that eye level refers to a distance lower than that of a distance defined by a food retailer.

[057] Also, the APSSO application may determine how often an item is purchased in pairs, triples, etc. Further, for a given item type, the APSSO application may identify other items of other types thatare moved from their current position in environment 110-1 at, or about (e.g., within a few seconds, minutes, etc.), the same time as the given item type has an item moved, known as a correlated time of purchase. The APSSO application may also determine which items of a given type, if any, have not moved from their respective positions for a defined time period. Alternatively, or additionally, the APSSO application may determine what items of a given type have been moved and replaced for a defined time period (i.e., items that are not being purchased by the customers). And, the APSSO application may identify any items of a given type that have undergone a price change within a previous period of time, such as the past day, week, month, etc. The APSSO application may generate a list of these price changed items and provide the list to a user via a peripheral device (e.g., device 255) and/or display 204. Further, the APSSO application may determine, based on the identified items with price changes, a relationship between these items and the number of item examination events (e.g., when a customer picks up an item and replaces it).

[058] In one aspect of the invention, the APSSO application may interact with an expert system (internal or external to IIMS 105) to analyze historical data on cross-item or correlated sales, sales velocity (i.e., how rapidly or slowly are items being sold and their respective inventory being depleted), price-sales sensitivity (e.g., a relationship between previous sales of an item type and sale price events for that item type), seasonality, etc., to suggest improvements in store layout and shelf organization. That is, the expert system and/or the APSSO application may determine and provide suggestions to a user via a peripheral device on alternative locations for certain item types based on the above analyzed information.

[059] Other features task 235 may also include an Automatic Pricing

Application (APP) that performs processes that manage the sale price of an item. In one aspect of the invention, the APP may receive and/or collect price plans from database 215 (or any other memory device that may store these plans) and automatically update a displayed item sale price on a display device (e.g., an LCD mounted on a shelf supporting the item). A price plan may represent a price schedule for certain or all item types in inventory 170 that is generated by a price plan process executed by a computing device

(e.g., IIMS 105) or generated by a user (e.g., retail store manager). For example, an exemplary price plan may include scheduled promotions that suggest reducing the price of certain item types based on these promotions. Further, a price plan may consider season or time dependent conditions, such as holidays, weather conditions, etc., to determine how to modify the price of an item type. For instance, the price plan process may collect periodic weather information from a server system that accesses and stores current weather data for a surrounding area proximate to environment 110-1 (e.g., 50- 100 mile radius, city limits, etc.) The price plan may use the collected weather information to determine whether the sale price of certain items (e.g., snow shovels, stock wood studs, etc.) should be adjusted. Alternatively, a user (e.g., store manager) may collect, or automatically receive, the weather information and adjust the sales price manually through the price plan process and/or the APP.

[060] The APP may also correlate, in real time, the price of a target item with the age of the shelf inventory associated with the target item, an amount of items of the same type as the target item in theoretical inventory, and the sales velocity of other item types whose sales correlate with the sale of the target item. The APP may generate a report reflecting the correlation(s) and provide the report on demand or on a scheduled basis to a peripheral device (e.g., storage device, display device, printer, etc.).

[061] The other features task 235 may also include a Customer

Information and Special Services Application (CISSA) that performs processes that provide users (e.g., customers shopping in environment 110-1 ) with assistance in locating an item of interest under a variety of special circumstances. In one aspect of the invention, the CISSA may also provide item inventory availability information to remote users (i.e., customers). For example, a user remotely located from environment 110-1 may access a web site hosted by a server operated in association with environment 110-1 through network 180. Using the web site, the user may request the availability of one or more items of one or more types at environment 110-1

(e.g., is an item in inventory 170). The CISSA may receive the request from the computer server and determine whether the request items are available in inventory 170. In one aspect of the invention, the CISSA may access database 215 to collect inventory information collected by out of stock task 231. Alternatively, or additionally, the CISSA may request a search for the requested items throughout environment 110-1 by providing one or more commands to RRM 220 and DCS 160.

[062] Further, the CISSA may generate a request for the availability of the requested items at one or more remote environments ( e.g., environment 110-N) and receive back a response indicating whether the requested item(s) are available at these respective locations. In this scenario, the remote environment may perform a local inventory search process to determine whether the item is currently in stock. Based on the local search, the remote environment may provide a response message to environment 110-1 indicating the result of the local search (e.g., the item is or is not available at that location). Alternatively, remote environments may periodically provide their current inventory data to environment 110-1. ISSA 200 may receive and store this received information in a database (e.g., database 215) for access by the CISSA as needed.

[063] Based on the received information indicating whether the item is available, the CISSA may provide the user (via the computer server and network 180) a response indicating a real-time availability of a requested item at environment 110-1 and/or at alternate environments, such as a user's favorite retail outlet or the nearest three or four alternative outlets.

[064] Additionally, the CISSA may provide the same item availability functions described above through computing devices located within environment 110-1 (e.g., kiosks located in a store). For example, when a customer arrives at a store (e.g., environment 110-1) expecting to find a particular item and is disappointed to learn the item is out of stock, the customer may request the item's availability using a kiosk located within the store. In addition to one or more alternative store addresses that have the item in stock, the kiosk may display to the customer an offer for an inconvenience discount (e.g., a cents off coupon for the item or perhaps another item). The customer may accept the discount by, for example, providing a simple code word/number of their choice. The discount will be valid for a limited period of time and the customer need only use the chosen word/number within 24 or 48 hours this code word/number will entitle them to the discount at the alternative stores. Further, the CISSA may also provide alternate location information on a display device mounted on a shelf unit supporting an item or group of items. For example, for any item that is not in stock, the display device may display the location of, and/or directions to, the nearest alternate location (e.g., store) that currently includes the item in inventory. For items which are not out-of-stock, the display device may show the item price instead of alternate locations. As described above, the alternate locations may be determined based on these locations performing, on a periodic or a demand basis, an inventory search for the requested item.

Alert Monitor 239

[065] Alert Monitor 239 may perform one or more processes that notify a user of certain events. In one aspect of the invention, alert monitor 239 may notify a user through e-mail, a pager, a cell phone, an audible or visual signal, etc. Alert monitor 239 may include the appropriate software to interact with other devices, software, and/or computing systems that include the infrastructure to facilitate communications over a particular medium. That is, alert monitor 239 may send an alert message to an output interface that translates the message into a format compatible with a message relaying or provisioning system (e.g., wireless network device, etc.). Alert monitor 239 may receive data reflecting an event from interface 250 and/or other processes, such as one of tasks 231-234, and formulate an alert message accordingly. The received data may reflect a pending item known to be in an alternate location (e.g., back room) so that a user (e.g., retailer employee) may bring the spare stock onto a retail floor. If the item out of stock cannot be replenished from the alternate location, the user and/or ISSA 200 may reorder the item. Further, the received data may reflect a malfunction in one or more components within environment 110-1 , such as an antenna 270.

[066] In one aspect of the invention, alert monitor 239 may operate on an "exception" basis. That is, providing alert messages as an event is detected to indicate to a user when something unusual happened. Also, alert monitor 239 may operate on an escalation basis, where repeated or prolonged events would be given a higher priority. For example, a stock clerk might be alerted whenever an item was approaching an out of stock situation, or when a single shelf malfunctioned. Further, a department manager might be alerted if several types of items were out of stock, if an out of stock situation persisted for more than a day, and if a gondola went out of service.

[067] ISSA 200 may also include one or more inventory request interfaces 250 that collects RFID tag reader events and may receive data and/or requests from business layer 230 and request response manager 220. The exchange of commands, data, and/or information within environment 110-1 denote a typical information flow, which may be associated with a higher level entity, such as inventory request interface 250 sending a command to a lower level entity such as DCS 160, and in return, receiving data from the DCS 160. Further, the information flow may also be reversed. For example, DCS 160 may request information from ISSA 200, such as antenna tuning data, or may report certain events ISSA 200, such as a malfunction in one or more components (e.g., antenna 270). Interface 250 may be an Active Server Page (ASP) that other applications may send HTTP information. Interface 250 may receive EPC data from RRM 220 and send EPC extensible Markup Language (XML) data to a message queue that is set up for each reader 262 in DCS 160.

[068] ISSA 200 may be configured using different types of architectures. For example, in one aspect of the invention, ISSA 200 may be configured in a three-tier architecture structure that includes a top level associated with user interface 210, a middle layer associated with business logic/transaction 230, and a bottom layer associated with database 215.

[069] The top layer user Interface 210 may be software that runs on a web browser, such as Internet Explorer (v5.0 or higher) from Microsoft^® Corp.

User interface 210 may, when executed by CPU 201 , send requests and receive responses from a computer system, such as a server (e.g., Microsoft^®

Internet Information Server (IIS)). The server may return XML and extensible

Stylesheet Language (XSL) information to user interface 210. The XML and

XSL information may be applied together by user interface 210 using one of many Document Object Model (DOM) techniques (e.g., Microsoft DOM). When the XML and XSL are applied by user interface 210, content presented in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) may be displayed on display 204 through the browser executed by IIMS 105. Although the above examples described XML and HTML based services, one skilled in the art will appreciate that many types of data processing and presentation languages may be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

[070] The middle or Business Logic tier 230 exposes business logic to ISSA 200. Business logic components may be developed, for example, using Microsoft .NET Classes, Microsoft VB.NET or C#. Furthermore, .NET Class components may be created from within ASP.NET Web Services. These classes may be stateless, and multi-threaded unless otherwise specified by business logic 230.

[071] The database 215 tier may store data used to perform one or more inventory management processes consistent with certain features of the invention, ln one aspect of the invention, there may be no business logic in this tier, that enables IIMS 105 to implement multiple types of databases. Database 215 may be accessed using different types of database languages, depending on the architecture the database is configured upon. For example, Structured Query Language (SQL) commands via ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and/or Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) over Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Further, to prevent mismanagement of the information, database 215 tier may be configured to allow access only by business logic tier 230.

RRM 220

[072] RRM 220 may be an application that is executed by a computing system (e.g., an RRM system (not shown)) to provide a bridge (i.e., interface) between high level components (e.g., software such as ISSA 200) and lower level components (e.g., hardware/firmware, such as DCS 160). Although Fig.

2 shows RRM 220 as a separate component, RRM 220 may be stored in memory 202 and executed by CPU 201. In one aspect of the invention, RRM

220 may communicate between inventory request interface 250 and one or more primary controllers 260, located in DCS 160, or primary controller proxies (not shown) located within RRM 220, which perform data handling or analysis on information collected from RFID tags 280 in inventory 170. RRM 220 may include a user interface that allows a user to view a current status of RRM 220. The user interface may be accessed from IIMS 105 which may execute RRM 220.

[073] In one aspect of the invention, RRM 220 may load XML configuration documents from an RRM configuration interface (not shown) included in ISSA 200. The configuration file may include one or more event lists and/or command lists, which are a list of events provided by DCS 160 and commands provided by ISSA 200, respectively. RRM 220 may create a request broker 222 for each event list in the configuration file from a configuration XML document provided by ISSA 200 (e.g., inventory request interface 250). Alternatively, RRM 220 may create a primary controller proxy (not shown) for each event list. A primary controller proxy is further explained below with respect to DCS 160 and primary controller 260. Also, RRM 220 may create one or more response brokers 224 that handle responses from one or more primary controllers 260 or primary controller proxies included within RRM 220. A response broker 224 may also send acknowledgment and/or failure information to request broker 222 indicating whether a response has been properly received from primary controller 260. In one aspect of the invention, response broker 224 may initiate an object-oriented class based on a reader 262 that receives read data and converts it to an EPC XML document. Response broker 224 may also send the EPC XML document to ISSA 200, if available. If the ISSA 200 is not available at that time, response broker 224 may store the EPC XML document in a queue until ISSA 200 is available.

[074] When request broker 222 is initiated by RRM 220, it may be sent a list of commands from ISSA 200. Request broker 222 may access the received list and execute each command. After each command is executed, request broker 222 may wait for a response from a response broker 224, such as acknowledgement or failure response. If there is no response from response broker 224 within a certain time period (that may be defined in the command list), or a failure message is returned, another command list may executed in response to the failure. On the other hand, if an acknowledgement is received from response broker 224, then request broker 222 may execute the next command in the command list. Once all commands in a command list are executed, request broker 222 may re- execute the commands in the command list in the original order of execution.

[075] Response broker 224 monitors for any responses provided by primary controller 260 or a primary controller proxy included within RRM 220. When a response arrives, response broker 224 may determine a response Internet Protocol (IP) address and creates a thread to process the received response while continuing to monitor for any additional incoming responses. Based on a received response from primary controller 260, response broker 224 may provide an appropriate request broker 222 with an acknowledgment or failure information representing the status of the broker's request. The appropriate response broker 222 may be the broker that executed a command or request that corresponds to the received response.

[076] In the event the received response contains data, response broker 224 may dynamically initiate a method of an object to parse the data based on the configuration XML. Each class that is initiated may return similar EPC XML data. Response broker 224 may place each returned EPC XML data into a data structure, such as a table. Response broker 224 may also retrieve one or more read sequences for a given reader 262 from the table (e.g., a sequence of read commands that retrieve EPC information from certain RFID tags 280).

[077] If response broker 224 determines that there is EPC XML data left in the queue for a current reader 262, then response broker 264 may send the data to ISSA 200. In one aspect of the invention, response broker 224 may send the EPC XML data from the queue in a particular sequence, such as oldest to newest. Once the queued EPC XML data is provided to ISSA 200, response broker 224 may then send the current EPC XML received. On the other hand, if there is no EPC XML data in the queue for the current reader 262, then the current EPC XML data is passed to the ISSA 200. At that time, if ISSA 200 is unavailable, then response broker 224 may place the current EPC XML in the queue.

[078] In one aspect of the invention, ISSA 200 may request data (e.g., provide a read command) on demand (e.g., requests with response times of a few seconds or less) or periodically, such as requests that are initiated automatically on set schedules (e.g., every minute, hour, day, etc.). DCS 160 may acquire the requested data from RFID tags 280 through one or more antenna 270. The rate of acquisition of the data may be based on the number of RFID tags 280 included in inventory 170. Thus, for example, DCS 160 may collect the requested data within a few seconds for an inventory including a few hundred of tagged items or within a few minutes for much larger inventories, such as those including thousands of RFID tagged items. It is the responsibility of RRM 220 to manage the collection of the data through the components operating within DCS 160. For example, RRM 220 may be configured to sequentially provide a query for requested data to several RFID tag reader devices (e.g., reader 262) that are dedicated to collecting item information from RFID tags positioned in different locations within environment 170.

DCS 160 and RFID taq data collection

[079] DCS 160 may be a collection of hardware, firmware, and/or software that perform data collection functions consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention. DCS 160 may include a primary controller

260, one or more readers 262, and one or more secondary controllers 266.

DCS 160 may control one or more antenna 270 that are associated with (e.g., mounted on) corresponding support structures (e.g., shelf units) from which one or more items rest. The items in inventory 170 may each be tagged with

RFID tags 280 that include item information, such as an EPC reflecting various characteristics associated with the respective item. When a corresponding antenna 270 is activated by DCS 160, information within any

RFID tags 280 located within a readable proximity of the activated antenna may be retrieved and provided to DCS 160'. The RFID tags 280 respond to RF energy emitted by antenna 270, and this response is sensed by reader 262, which returns digital serial data to the primary controller 260. The digital serial data may be parsed by primary controller 260 and then returned to response broker 224 for further processing by ISSA 200.

[080] Primary controller 260 may be a device and/or process that monitors for and receives requests (e.g., commands) from request broker 222 and consequently generates a series of corresponding commands specific to a reader 262 that environment 110-1 may be using to access particular items in inventory 170. In one aspect of the invention, the commands provided by a request broker 222 may be formatted in accordance with a network protocol, for example, the TCP/IP protocol. Primary controller 260 may send the received commands (e.g., TCP/IP packets) to reader 262 and/or one or more secondary controllers 266. In another aspect of the invention, controller 260 may pass the commands to reader 262 and/or one or more secondary controllers 266 in the form of RS-485 or other types of serial communication protocols. Table I shows a list of exemplary commands that primary controller 260 may provide to reader 262 and/or secondary controllers 266.

EXEMPLARY COMMAND

Select an antenna 270

Place reader 262 in active mode

Adjust a power level of reader 262 for the selected antenna 270

Perform a first read operation

Determine which EPC numbers have been read

Prevent the read tag(s) from responding further during a current read cycle

Perform additional read operations until no more EPC numbers are read

Place reader 262 in standby mode

De-select the antenna 270

Continue with the next antenna 270 to be read

Table I. Exemplary Primary Controller Commands

[081] Primary controller 260 also monitors for a response from reader 262 and/or secondary controller 266 that was sent one or more commands. Based on whether a response is received and the type of response, primary controller 260 may generate and send acknowledgment , non-acknowledgment (e.g., failure), and/or read information to response broker 224. The read information may include EPC information associated with the RFID tags 280 in inventory 170. For example, primary controller 260 may provide one or more EPC numbers to response broker 224 each time a read operation is completed by reader 262. Alternatively, primary controller 260 may store the EPC numbers temporarily in a memory device (not shown). Once a certain number of RFID tags 280 for one or more antennae 270 have been read by reader 262 (e.g., all of tags, a portion of the tags, etc.), primary controller 260 may also perform a batch transfer process that provides the read data (e.g., EPC data) all at once, or in groups, to response broker 224.

[082] In another aspect of the invention, primary controller 260 may adjust for any differences in a received command or data stream that may be peculiar to a reader 262 that the controller may use to read information from RFID tags 280. Primary controller 260 may use any of a number of readers 262 so long as the chosen reader 262 is physically able to drive one or more antennae 270. Each antenna 270 may be configured to be compatible with one or more different types of readers 262. In one aspect of the invention, a given antenna 270 may be optimized (i.e., tuned) for one frequency, so that the antenna 270 may work with any reader 262 that uses the same frequency. Accordingly, more than one reader 262 may activate any given antenna 270 within environment 110-1 as long as the reader 262 provides its signals using the frequency tuned to that given antenna 270.

[083] As explained above, although Fig. 2 shows primary controller 260 as part of DCS 160, controller 260 may be implemented as a software primary controller proxy (not shown) within the RRM 220. Accordingly, communications from the primary controller proxy software may leave the RRM 220 as TCP/IP commands and are converted to RS-485 data communications by a separate device and/or process (not shown).

[084] Reader 262 may be one or more of any type of off-the-shelf RFID readers provided by many different manufacturers, such as the l-CODE reader provided by Philips^®. More than one type of reader 262 may be implemented within DCS 160, as long as primary controller 260 (or an equivalent device dedicated to communicate with reader 262) is configured to communicate with the reader 262 (e.g., provide valid commands and properly interpreting returned data). Although Fig. 2 shows reader 262 as a separate component within DCS 160, primary controller 260 and reader 262 may be physically combined in a single electronic entity. Depending on the type of environment 110-1 and/or item inventory 170, one, several, several hundred, etc. readers 262 may be used by DCS 160 to collect item information from inventory 170. Although each reader 262 may be associated with its own primary controller 260, a single primary controller 260 may be assigned to work with one or more readers 262 to facilitate collecting item information from inventory 170.

Secondary Controller 266

[085] Besides communicating with reader 262, primary controller 260 also communicates with one or more secondary controllers 266. Secondary controller 266 is a computing device and/or process that may select one or more antennae 270 by controlling electronic components that act as switches to activate or deactivate a corresponding antenna 270. Each secondary controller 266 may be physically located proximate to and connected with a group of antennae 270, such as several antennae contained within a shelf or localized fixture that store items included in inventory 170. For example, environment 110-1 may have hundreds of secondary controllers 266 and thousands of antennae 270. Further, secondary controller 266 may also, upon receiving one or more commands from primary controller 260, operate a peripheral device 255 to display item information from RFID tags 280 included in item inventory 170 and/or provide inventory information to a user. For example, peripheral device 255 may be a display mounted on a front edge of a shelf that supports one or more items. Alternately, peripheral device 255 may be connected directly to a serial data bus that communicates between primary controller 260 and secondary controller 266. Further, peripheral device 255 may be connected to a dedicated bus that is not tied to secondary controllers 266 (e.g., USB). Besides output devices such as displays, peripheral device 255 may include an input/output device, such as a bar code reader or any other type of device that may plug into a shelf to facilitate data collection/retrieval from items with or without RFID tags 280. For example, a user may use such a bar code scanner to collect and read the UPC number for an item and to associate an EPC number with UPC numbers already in a database. Accordingly, in circumstances where one or more items are received by environment 110-1 without an RFID tag 280, the scanner may be used to facilitate associating a non-tagged item with a UPC or EPC. Also, peripheral device 255 may be a monitoring device that connects to an interface mounted on a shelf unit. The monitoring device may perform checking functions, such as checking the status of any antennae in the shelf unit and items resting on the shelf.

[086] In one aspect of the invention, one or more peripheral devices

255 may communicate with one or more secondary controllers 266. For example, peripheral device 255 may represent a plurality of proximity sensors that each detect the presence of a user (e.g., customer) within a predetermined vicinity of the device 255. Based on whether a user, or other entity, was within the vicinity (e.g., a few inches, a few feet, etc.), device 255 may generate a signal (e.g., analog or discrete signal, digital signal, etc.) that may be monitored by a processor device and/or computer executed process with analog and/or digital I/O processing capabilities. Alternatively, device 255 may be a video camera mounted within or proximate to one or more shelves for surveillance purposes. The camera may receive a signal (e.g., interrupt) from secondary controller 266 when it determines that an item, or a number of items above a certain threshold number, was removed from a particular location. The camera may be activated by the signal to record video continuously or may take a still picture only when the signal is received.

[087] One task of secondary controller 266 may be to switch antennae 270 mounted within a single shelf unit (or similar support unit) storing one or more items from inventory 170. Also, secondary controller 266 may be used to communicate information to and from a user (e.g., customer, retailer employee, etc.). For example, secondary controller 266 may receive from ISSA 200 (via database 215) item information about each item known to be on a shelf served by secondary controller 266. This item information may include current price, size, weight, unit price, and/or sale status (e.g., discount on a current sale price). The item information may be displayed on peripheral device 255, such as a shelf edge display. If there is more than one type of item on the shelf, there may be multiple shelf edge displays mounted on or near the shelf. Alternately, information for each item type might cycle sequentially on a single display, pausing for several seconds before continuing to the next item type. The shelf edge display may be provided with a user interface button to temporarily halt the display cycle and to request additional information about the product being displayed when pressed by the user. Also, if ISSA 200 senses an item being removed from the shelf based on data provided by DCS 160, it may instruct secondary controller 266 to display information associated with that item on the peripheral device 255.

[088] Secondary controller 266 may also be configured to facilitate other interactive operations between ISSA 200 and a customer. In one aspect of the invention, a customer may be provided with an RFID-based customer card that includes an RFID tag containing information concerning or identifying a customer. The customer identification information may be related to information stored in database 215 or another memory device that maintains customer information, such as a current shopping list provided by the customer (via the Internet and browser software, kiosk device, etc.), and profile information associated with the customer and/or the customer's family members (e.g., clothing sizes, brand preferences, etc.). When a customer carrying a customer RFID card enters and moves throughout environment

110-1 , the presence of the customer card in the vicinity of a shelf equipped with the RFID antenna associated with secondary controller 266 may cause a signal or data to be passed to ISSA 200 through primary controller 260. In response to the signal or data, ISSA 200 may direct secondary controller 266 to display information about an item at the shelf that detected the customer card, such as through peripheral device 255. In this instance, ISSA 200 may access database 215 to collect any customer information associated with the identifier corresponding to the detected customer card. ISSA 200 may then determine whether any items or types of items located near or at the shelf that detected the card relate to the customer information stored in database 215.

For example, ISSA 200 may determine whether an item is included in a shopping list created by the customer and/or relates to a list of preferred products for the customer. Further, ISSA 200 may provide additional information to secondary controller 266 for display on peripheral device 255, such as the availability of the customer's size in the case of a clothing item, the availability of a rebate for an item, and the availability of sales or rebates for other items.

[089] The exemplary features associated with secondary controller

266 are not limited to RFID-based customer cards. Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects of the invention may also allow a user who is an employee or similar individual affiliated with environment 110-1 to be assigned an RFID-based employee card. For example, a salesperson working for a retail store may be provided with an RFID-based employee card that may be detected by antenna 270 located in any shelf unit or similar structure included in the retail store. The presence of the RFID-based employee card within the vicinity of a shelf associated secondary controller 266 may cause ISSA 200 to provide commands to DCS 160 and ultimately secondary controller 266 that direct peripheral device 255 to display information associated with the shelf. For instance, the information displayed may include data that identifies any out-of-date items that must be removed from the shelf, items approaching an expiration date that may be relocated forward on the shelf, moved to another location (e.g., a promotional area), and/or offered at reduced price, items that are short on stock and where to locate additional units of the items within the store (e.g., environment 110-1 ), and items that are misplaced and where to relocate them within the store. For items low on stock but not available from a third party supplier, such as a warehouse, ISSA 200 may instruct secondary controller 266 to display a message that conveys expected delivery dates of new stock. Further, the message may also report an availability of a missing item at nearby stores or alternate locations remote from environment 110-1.

[090] ISSA 200 and RRM 220 may also communicate with DCS 160 that is located at POS locations, such as checkout lanes. At these locations, ISSA 200 may interact with the POS system to facilitate certain sales transactions. For example, ISSA 200 may automatically register an item having a warranty with a manufacturer by using serial number information obtained from the EPC number of the item and/or customer identification information (e.g., name, address, etc.) collected from an RFID (or conventional) customer card. The customer may be given an option whether to accept the registration at the checkout lane, or to defer it until later.

Optimization of RFID Taq Reading Performed bv DCS 160

[091] In one aspect of the invention, reader 262 may send RF energy through an RF bus (e.g., cable) to antennae 270 through secondary controller

266. A single antenna 270, or a group of antennae 270 located adjacent to one another and working in concert, may be activated and operational at a given time based on signals provided by secondary controller 266 and/or reader 262. The active period for a given antenna 270 may be based on the amount of time it takes to collect information from RFID tags 280 located in proximity to the antenna 270. Secondary controller 266, under directions from the primary controller 260, may select and activate each antenna 270 in turn. The order in which antenna 270 are selected may be optimized so that the reader 262 may be shared among many antennae 270. The sharing of reader 262 may allow DCS 160 to collect inventory data more or less regularly, as well as focusing immediate attention on antennae 270 where one or more items are being moved. In one aspect of the invention, ISSA 200 may determine which antenna 270 to activate based on one more prioritization factors. These factors may include:

1 ) antennae 270 that are located in proximity to a RFID tag 280 that was most recently added or moved;

2) antennae 270 that are located in proximity of one or more antennae 270 with recent activity;

3) antennae 270 associated with one or more items known historically to have a high sales volume during a particular time period (e.g., time of day or week);

4) antennae 270 that are associated with a pushbutton request from a customer for information, such as an interactive display peripheral device 255 mounted on a shelf including the antennae 270;

5) antennae 270 that have an RFID card (e.g., customer or employee card) located within their read range;

6) antennae 270 that have not been activated for a predetermined period of time;

7) antennae 270 that have one or more theft-prone items within their read range, such as high end merchandise items (e.g., jewels, etc.);

8) antennae 270 that are expected to have a product of immediate interest to a user (e.g., employee or customer), such as when a user requests information reflecting whether a desired item is available "on shelf or in a back inventory stock room; 9) antennae 270 that are associated with one or more items that have passed through a POS terminal within a predetermined period of time (e.g., recent POS sales); and

10)antennae 270 that are associated with one or more items approaching their shelf life.

[092] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the above list of prioritizing factors is not intended to be limiting and ISSA 200 and/or a user may determine other prioritizing factors based on one or more variables and weighting factors associated with the characteristics of the items in inventory 170.

Performance Monitoring Capabilities of DCS 160

[093] In one aspect of the invention, the hardware/software components of DCS 160, including primary controller 260, reader 262, and secondary controllers 266, may perform self-monitoring and self-diagnosing operations to determine and report any operational problems to ISSA 200. For example, to perform some self-diagnosing operations, a shelf unit may include, within the shelf's antennae 270 read range, at least one RFID tag to provide a self-check function. Accordingly, even when the shelf is empty (i.e., no items rest upon the shelf) there is at least one RFID tag that may be read by the antennae 270 included in the shelf. In one aspect of the invention, at least one such RFID tag may be embedded near the center of, or at another location easily read by, an antenna 270 included in the shelf and another RFID tag embedded near the antenna's 270 read-range limit. Secondary controller 266 may, either periodically or on command from ISSA 200, send test read signals/commands to the antenna of a target shelf 270 and monitor any responses collected from the embedded RFID tag(s) included in a corresponding shelf unit. In the event that secondary controller 266 does not receive a proper response from one or more embedded RFID tags, controller 266 (or another device, such as primary controller 260) may ascertain that a malfunction may have occurred.

[094] To locate the source of a malfunction, DCS 160 may perform various self-test read operations through neighboring components to a target shelf unit and/or target antenna 270. For example, if another antenna 270 driven by the same secondary controller 266 can still be read, then DCS 160 may associate the malfunction with the target antenna 270. On the other hand, if all antennae 270 served by a given secondary controller 266 are not responding to command signals from the controller (i.e., not reading any RFID tags 280), then DCS 160 may associate the malfunction with the secondary controller 266. Further, if all antennae 270 served by a given primary controller 260 and reader 262 are not reading data from a secondary controller 266, then the problem is likely within the primary controller 260 or the reader 262. To determine which of these components is the source of the malfunction, DCS 160 may determine whether primary controller 260 may still communicate diagnostic data with one or more secondary controllers 266. If so, DCS 160 may associate the malfunction with reader 262. Additionally, if RS-485 serial data communication techniques are used between primary controller 260, reader 262, and one or more secondary controllers 266, DCS 160 may provide a sequential order of secondary controllers 266 that primary controller 260 may communicate with during a tag reading operation. Accordingly, if an RS-485 data cable is disconnected somewhere along its length, primary controller 260, having been provided beforehand with the sequence information indicating the order of the secondary controllers 266 along the RS-485 link, may determine at what point the RS-485 link was disconnected. In one aspect, acknowledgment command protocols may be performed by primary controller 260 to determine which secondary controller 266 is not responding to a command. That is, communications along the RS- 485 link may include commands that are acknowledged by the receiving entity on the link, and lack of acknowledgment is another means to deduce where any problems may lie.

Exemplary Software Objects for ISSA 200 [095] In one aspect of the invention, ISSA 200 may perform certain functions related to the present invention using object-oriented programming constructs and techniques. For example, ISSA 200 may employ web services to perform certain functions related to aspects of the present invention. Table II shows a list of exemplary software objects that may be implemented by ISSA 200 that may be used by one or more processes (e.g., tasks 231-239) and interact with one or more of the exemplary tables included in database 215.

Table II. Exemplary Software Objects

Jobs 240

[096] Jobs 240 may be one or more processes that are executed internally and/or externally from ISSA 200 and may be used to trigger alerts and retrieve information from remote locations, such as a manufacturer's website, or from entities located within environment 110-1. Each process, or job, included in Jobs 240 may be developed using known programming languages, such as the JAVA programming language and JDBC provided by Sun Microsystems, Inc., and known scheduling software, such as Microsoft Scheduler.

[097] In one aspect of the invention, Jobs 240 may include an inventory limit job that runs periodically (e.g., every 60 seconds) and monitors inventory levels based on configurations that may have been set by a user through a user interface provided in interface 210 and stored in a configuration table within database 215. This job may generate an inventory out of limits alert if any inventory items are found to be out of bounds relative to the baseline inventory (e.g., current stock above and/or below a predetermined value). The alert may be generated using an alert method, such as the exemplary WebService

ISSAserv/Alerts.asmx/NewlnventoryAlertJob method described in Table II. In one aspect of the invention, the inventory limit job may direct a message provisioning service to send an e-mail to one or more predefined users each time an inventory out of limits alert occurs.

[098] Jobs 240 may also perform a wrong shelf job that may run continuously and monitors misplaced items that are on an incorrect shelf. If ISSA 200 determines that an item is located on an incorrect shelf, Jobs 240 may generate an alert message corresponding to that type of alert (i.e., misplaced item) and insert it into a table within database 215, such as an alert table (e.g., tblAlerts). In one aspect of the invention, the wrong shelf job may direct a message provisioning service to send an e-mail to one or more predefined users each time a misplaced item alert occurs.

[099] Jobs 240 may also perform a removal limit job that may run continuously and monitor items that have been removed from their designated locations (e.g., shelf) in a quantity and time period specified by a user via user interface 210. The removal limit job may generate and store information associated with the removed items in a table in database 215, such an inventory removal table (e.g., tbllnventoryRemove). Further, if this job determines one or more items that have been removed based on the specified quantity and time period values, this job may create a new alert message associated with this condition and insert into the alert table (e.g., tblAlerts).

[0100] Jobs 240 may also perform an expired products job that may run every day at a predetermined time (e.g., 12:01 a.m.), and determine whether any items have been located in inventory 170 have reached or exceeded their corresponding expiration limit (e.g., expiration date). If the expired products job finds an item that has been expired, or is approaching an expiration date, it may create a corresponding alert message and insert it into the alert table (e.g., tblAlerts).

[0101] Further, Jobs 240 may perform a SKU update job that may run periodically (e.g., every 10 minutes) that identifies any new items (e.g., SKUs) that may have been added to environment 170. This job may request item information associated with the identified new items from an ERP system or a manufacturer's website using XML.

[0102] Also, Jobs 240 may perform a manufacturer update job that may run periodically (e.g., every 10 minutes) that monitors a table in database 215 that is updated when an item is included in inventory 170 that is provided by a manufacturer that is not registered with ISSA 200 (i.e., a new manufacturer). This update job may retrieve information associated with the new manufacturer from the manufacturer's website or other type of external data source.

EPC Writer

[0103] As the RFID tag industry grows, it is expected that items may be "source-tagged." That is, the RFID tags 280 may be applied to items and the EPCs written to the tags by a manufacturer. There may be instances, however, when items are included in inventory 170 that do not include source tagged items. Accordingly, environment 110-1 may perform an EPC writer process that is designed to write EPCs to RFID tags 280. Since the EPC process may be configured to access data on a particular tag one at a time, the process may be performed by a system that is separate from ISSA 200. Alternatively, ISSA 200 may include a separate EPC writer process (in addition to, or in place of, EPC writer task 234) that is executed by IIMS 105.

[0104] The EPC writer process may be a Windows^® executable process that may use .NET serial implementations to communicate to reader

262. The EPC writer may store, in a file location, the number for the last EPC written to an RFID tag for a given manufacturer and its SKU information (e.g., item type information). Further, the EPC writer process may store a range of serial numbers, SKU information, and manufacturer ID'S for an EPC and write this EPC information to the memory of one or more RFID Tags 280. Also, the EPC writer may write to RFID tags based on a standard, such as the Philips SLRM900 specification, depending on the type of RFID tags implemented by environment 110-1. Alternatively, the EPC writer may write to tags using RS- 232 or other serial interface communication protocols.

[0105] In one aspect of the invention, inventory 170 may include one or more RFID enabled shelves that include communication capabilities with peripheral device 255, such as a bar code reader. Accordingly, each shelf may, at least temporarily or periodically, exclusively communicate with the EPC writer process. For instance, a group of items of a certain type may be placed on a shelf by a user (e.g., stock person). One of the items may be scanned with a bar code reader to determine its corresponding UPC number. The EPC writer may then sequentially assign EPC numbers to each item in the group by incorporating the information derived from the UPC number.

[0106] Differences between a common UPC and an EPC are shown in Table III. A UPC may consist of decimal (i.e., base ten) data including manufacturer number, object number, and a check digit, totaling 12 digits. An EPC includes binary data that may include a header, manufacturer number, object number, and electronic serial number. In both the UPC and EPC, the manufacturer number may be assigned by a governing body, such as price code standards governing body. An object class (including the object number) may be assigned by a manufacturer. In the case of an EPC, the serial number may also be assigned by the manufacturer.

[0107] In situations where a manufacturer or manufacturers have not been assigned EPC manufacturer codes, the EPC writer may use arbitrary number assignments until the EPC manufacturer codes are assigned. Alternatively, the existing UPC manufacturer codes, which fit directly into the larger EPC manufacturer field, may be used. Also, the existing UPC object class would fit into the larger EPC object field.

[0108] In such situations where a governing body has not assigned manufacturer's codes, the EPC writer may be used in an arbitrary pseudo- EPC field arrangement for use in initial inventory operations, such as trial inventory management processes that incorporate the current UPC field values or arbitrary values as the manufacturer's codes. However, if a standard EPC field arrangement has been implemented, the EPC writer may be used by environment 110-1 to ensure items are properly tagged. Also, if a standard EPC field arrangement is promulgated, the EPC writer may be used by retailers, distribution centers or manufacturers, possibly for limited product lines. One skilled in the art will appreciate that in the event RFID tagging becomes more widespread and "source tagging" by the manufacturer becomes common, use of the EPC writer may diminish at retail locations but increase at manufacturing sources, which may implement methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain aspects of the invention. [0109] If the pseudo-EPC field arrangement is implemented described above, environment 110-1 may assign EPC codes by defining a determined number of fields (e.g., three) for the pseudo-EPC number. For example, the pseudo-EPC number may be arranged with an 8-bit header (1111 ,1111 ) that corresponds to the type header in the EPC, a 52-bit UPC field that is divided into 13 subfields of 4 bits each, and a 36-bit serial number field, such as a sequential number, 0 to 68,719,476,735). The size of the data segments in the EPC may vary without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0110] The UPC number is made up of up to 13 digits, using the binary representation of each digit, one nibble per UPC digit. That is, 0 is 0000, 1 is 0001 , 2 is 0010, ... and 9 is 1001. Individual packages of a given item may be assigned unique serial numbers until more than 68.7 billion packages are encountered. Note that there may be a difference in how the UPC number and the serial number are treated by the EPC writer and environment 110-1 when converting to a binary representation. In the case of the UPC number, each UPC digit (up to 13 digits) is assigned a nibble in the EPC. A binary conversion may be performed by EPC writer digit by digit, keeping particular decimal digits in correspondence with particular EPC nibbles. In the case of the EPC serial number, however, a straight conversion may be performed from the decimal serial number to the binary serial number, which is recorded in the 36-bit EPC field.

[0111] For example, consider an exemplary 96-bit pseudo-EPC code that has been filled with an exemplary barcode for a type of item (e.g., a10-fl oz bottle of a multi-symptom cold/flu relief medicine). The barcode may be 23900,00296 (or 000,23900,00296 in 13-digit form). A serial number of 34782 may have been assigned to make the package for this item type unique. In binary representation, 34782 is 0100,0011 ,1110,1111. Table IV shows the corresponding EPC and UPC data associated with this exemplary item type.

Table IV. Exemplary UPC and EPC codes for Exemplary Item Type

[0112] To facilitate assignment of the appropriate pseudo-EPC number to tagged items, the EPC writer may record the 12- or 13-digit UPC number electronically at the time when the serial number is assigned and the RFID tag 280 is applied to the package of the item. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of an exemplary EPC writer process that may perform the above described RFID tagging process. As shown, the EPC writer process may obtain a list of SKUs (item types) to be tagged (Step 310). This list may include the UPC number for each item type and a character string identifying the item, and may be stored in a SKU table that may be filled by any known type of barcode scanning software and/or hardware. In one aspect of the invention, the SKU table may include three fields, a UPC number field, a manufacturer name field, and a character string to include general description information, such as size, flavor, etc.

[0113] At the time when an RFID tag 280 is to be assigned to an item, the EPC writer process may call EPC writer task 234 that operates as an assignment module in ISSA 200. The call may direct task 234 to access the • SKU table (which may be stored in database 215) and locate a corresponding UPC for each SKU included in the list obtained in Step 310 (Step 320). For example, EPC writer task 234 may generate a query to search the SKU table for manufacturer and/or item name.

[0114] Once a UPC is located for a corresponding SKU, the EPC writer task 234 may provide this information back to the EPC writer process. Once received, the EPC writer process may use the UPC to write the entire pseudo-EPC number to the RFID tag on each package of the item type, by for example, using a write to tag command that is executed by the RFID reader (Step 330). This step assigns the unique serial numbers to each tag. Further, the EPC writer process may log the pseudo-EPC into a table during this procedure, such as a table stored in database 215 (Step 340).

[0115] In one aspect of the invention, an RFID tag 280 may contain both the serial number that is assigned as the unique RFID tag number and the pseudo-EPC number that is encoded as extra data. Although the pseudo- EPC number includes information that identifies an item, the serial number may be read faster by reader software/hardware than the pseudo-EPC number. For example, an anticollision select command provided by certain bar code readers, such as the Philips reader, may automatically return the RFID tag serial numbers. In instances where the type of items located on a particular shelf change very little from one RFID tag read operation to another, the read cycle for obtaining the pseudo-EPC number may be improved by storing the EPC information and corresponding serial number information in a local cache memory device (not shown). Accordingly, the reader may issue an anticollision select command when attempting to read an RFID tag 280 and initially receive the RFID tag serial number. The reader may then determine whether the tag serial number is located in the local cache. If it is, then the reader may retrieve the corresponding EPC number from the cache. If the tag is not stored in the cache, then the reader may read the tag data blocks to obtain the pseudo EPC number. The RFID tag serial number and EPC number may then be added to the cache for a subsequent read cycle. Environment 110-1 may perform a purge process that may purge the tag information contained within the cache on a periodic basis. This may provide similar data access performance as a relational type database containing the tag serial number and EPC, with less data management delays.

User Interface Pages

[0116] User interface 210 may provide content-based interfaces to a user that enables the user to request and input information associated with the intelligent inventory management functions consistent with certain aspects related to the invention. Fig. 4 shows an exemplary interface map 400 that provides a framework that ISSA 200 may implement to respond to inquiries from a user via user interface 210. Each box in map 400 may represent a page process performed by user interface 210 that allows a user to request and/or receive information. Each page may check a security key carried in a session for a current user to determine whether the user is allowed access to the corresponding page. Further, each page may post an XML document to ISSA 200 and retrieve XML information. Also, content may be displayed on a display device (e.g., display 204) by applying style sheets to XML from COM+ components described for each page. Further, the page process in map 400 may interact with corresponding one or more processes included in ISSA 200 (e.g., tasks 231-239) and jobs 240.

[0117] As shown, Fig. 4 includes a home page 402 allows that allows a user to navigate to other pages displayed by the page process in map 400. Among these pages is a user login page 410 that allows a user to enter a username and password. Page 410 may then initiate a login process, such as a WebService ISSAserv/Login.asmx/Login method. If the user is a valid user, the login page process may direct user interface 210 to execute home page process 402. Otherwise, login page 410 may again request a user name and password.

[0118] File page 408 directs the user to login as new user page 410 which allows the user to create and edit user information and to set up alert subscriptions (e.g., define certain types of alerts that are desired to be reported). Logoff page 412 page allows the user to log off from the current login session.

[0119] Stock level control page 414 allows the user to access various inventory level information by directing the user, for example, to View Live Inventory page 416. This page allows users to view the current physical inventory at a particular location, such as a shelf. The user may generate a query using various fields defined by user interface 210. Table V shows a list of exemplary search fields a user may use to filter a search. Once the query is entered by the user, interface 210 may display a search results for Live Inventory page 416 that initiates a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/OutofStock.asmx/GetlnventoryXML) that allows the user to search and view information associated with an item. This process may allow the user to receive information from another page, such as an Item Detail page (not shown). In one aspect of the invention, a user who is a vendor with merchandise included in environment 110-1 may be given limited local or remote access to the View Live Inventory page 416 to ascertain whether their item is being displayed according to preset agreements. For example, the vendor may determine whether their items are presented on a certain number of shelf facings, located in a particular location within a store, whether their items are positioned in a preferred location within a set of shelves, such as at eye level as opposed to higher or lower levels, etc. Manufacturer

SKU Number

Category

Current Inventory Count (From, To) (on-shelf)

Current Inventory Count (From, To) (back room or warehouse)

Expected Inventory Count (From, To) on order

Expected Delivery Date

Serial Number (From, To)

Price (From, To)

Cost (From, To)

Aisle Number

Gondola Number

Shelf Number

EPC Reader (For debugging purposes)

Revenue (price x velocity)

Time an Alert is active

Time elapsed since last sale

Time elapsed since item count dropped below a critical threshold

Time since an out-of-date, or until an out-of-date

Other arbitrarily assigned or calculated priority codes

Table V. Search Fields

[0120] The Item Detail page (not shown) may perform a process that allows a user to view information associated with an item, determine where the item is currently located in environment 110-1 , and a time when the item was placed at that location. Items may be considered to be located at a particular physical location (e.g., a particular shelf) if the item is read by a single reader antenna 270, or on a "virtual shelf" if the item is read by multiple reader antennae 270 that are associated with each other in a relationship table, such as a tblRelatedEPC table included in database 215.

[0121] The View SKU Out of Limits page 418 allows a user to view information associated with one or more item types that are currently over or under an allowable percentage of baseline inventory. The user may be able to filter a search by using the fields shown in Table V. Once the filter information is entered by the user, user interface 210 may display a search results for SKUs out of limits page (not shown). This page may initiate a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/OutofStock.asmx/OutofLimitsSKUXML) that shows a user a current inventory for a given item or item type at a current location. Further, the process may also provide the baseline inventory value for that item at the specified location, and the difference the current inventory deviates above or below the desired baseline inventory. Furthermore, the process may display the allowable percentage over and under for a given

SKU and location. This out of limits information may be used by ISSA 200 to suggest which out-of-limits items to restock first based on expected sales information provided by a user and/or a software process that produces this information. ISSA 200 may also access current and historical sales data maintained in a memory device (e.g., database 215) to generate a report predicting expected times at which each item may become out of stock. Also,

ISSA 200 may use various factors, such as pricing, seasonality, etc., to adjust the predicted information provided in the report.

[0122] The View Lost Sales page 420 may allow a user to view information associated with item types that have lost sales due to being out of stock. The user may be able to filter a search query for these SKUs using the fields listed in Table V. Once the filter information is entered, by a user, user interface 210 may display a search results for lost sales page (not shown).

This page may initiate a sales estimation process that shows the user an estimate of the sales (e.g., in dollars) lost due to the items of the item type being out-of-stock. The estimate provided by the sales estimation process may be based on a comparison of inventory levels, sales volume (current and historical), and traditional correlation of sales events for similar types of items.

For example, ISSA 200 may access inventory data, sales information, etc. from database 215 to perform the comparisons used by the sales estimation process. The estimate of out-of-stock lost sales may be also be based entirely on factors provided by a user (e.g., administrator, retailer manager, etc.) to describe substitution rates associated with the similar item types.

Alternatively, ISSA 200 may be configured to train itself by recognizing trends associated with previous sales of these item types and mining it from a database including similar information. [0123] The Misplaced SKUs page 422 may allow a user to view information associated with items that are currently positioned in an incorrect location within environment 110-1. The user may be able to filter a search for misplaced items using the fields in Table V. Once the filter information is provided by the user, interface 210 may display a search results for misplaced SKUs page. This page may initiate a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/OutofStock.asmx/MisplacedSKUXML) that displays any current items that are misplaced and their current location in environment 110-1. The user may elect an item using, for example, the item's SKU information, from a list displayed on a display device to view the location of the selected SKU.

[0124] Stock level maintenance page 424 directs the user to pages (e.g., 426 and 428) that allow the user to configure and/or view current inventory arrangements in environment 110-1. The View Shelf Arrangement page 428 may allow a user to view information regarding any item in inventory 170 and their corresponding currently assigned locations in environment 110- 1. The user may be able to filter a search using the fields in Table V. Once the filter information is entered by the user, user interface 210 may display a current shelf arrangements page (not shown). The arrangements page may perform a process (e.g., WebService

ISSAserv/OutofStock.asmx/SKUArrangement) that shows items and their allowable locations (e.g., locations in environment 110-1 that are assigned to the respective items). ISSA 200 may access item price and/or sales velocity data from a database (e.g., database 215) to provide prioritized locations within environment 110-1 that items of certain types may be placed to promote increased sales and/or movement of these items.

[0125] The Set Shelf Arrangement page 426 may allow a user to set a location for certain types of items, a category of items, items provided by certain manufacturers, a specific SKU number, and a particular range of locations within environment 110-1 (e.g., an aisle, a gondola, and/or a shelf).

Page 426 may also allow a user to set the baseline inventory for each item type. Further, environment 110-1 may implement planogram software, which is a plan (e.g., a diagram, picture, etc.) that describes how and where products should be placed on retail shelves and displays. A planogram analyzes space utilization, provides financial data, along with other reports that permit retailers and manufacturers to effectively plan, set-up and manage their businesses to maximize profitability of retail space. Accordingly, the set shelf arrangement page may be downloaded from a planogram program executed by environment 110-1. Likewise, ISSA 200 may allow the planogram program to update current inventory information using the interface page information provided by the inventory data provided by the pages in map 400. Also, the planogram routine may be incorporated into ISSA 200 for execution by IIMS 105.

[0126] The Shrinkage Control page 430 directs the user to shrinkage information provided by pages 432 and 434. The View Over Removed Inventory page 432 may allow a user to filter items by individual items, by a category of items, items provided by a particular manufacturer, by SKU numbers that are in locations within environment 110-1, by particular locations within environment 110-1 (e.g., an aisle, a gondola, and a shelf number). Page 432 may allow the user to view the requested items that have been removed from their designated locations in a determined quantity within a certain period of time that may be specified by the user. It also displays an Over Removed Inventory Results page (not shown). This page may initiate a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/Shrinkage.asmx MajorPullXML) that may show the location, item information, a time when a first item of the number of items was removed from the designated location, a time when a last item of the number of items was removed, and how many items were removed in that time period.

[0127] The View Actual vs. ERP Inventory page 434 may allow a user to receive information associated with items located in environment 110-1 that have a user defined percent variance over and/or under a defined inventory level. The user may filter a search of these items individually, by a category of items, by items provided by a particular manufacturer, and a SKU number that is in a location within environment 110-1 , such as an aisle, a gondola, and a shelf number. Inventory page 434 may show an Actual vs. ERP

Results page (not shown). This results page may initiate a process (e.g.,

WebService ISSAserv/Shrinkage.asmx/lnventoryCompareXML) that may show the physical inventory present in inventory 170, such as those items located on shelves, a business defined inventory (e.g., an ERP inventory), and the percentage variance between the two.

[0128] The Rapid Recall page 436 may direct the user to one or more pages (e.g., 438-442) that provide information associated with items that may have expired or are approaching an expiration date. The View Expired SKUs page 438 may allow a user to filter items individually, by a category of items, by items provided by a particular manufacturer, by a SKU number that may be in a location within environment 110-1 , such as an aisle, a gondola, and a particular shelf. Page 438 may display an Expired SKUs Results page (not shown) that may initiate a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/RapidRecall.asmx ExpiredProductsXML) that may show item descriptions, locations of items have that have expired, and a time period that these expired items have been located in their current location since their corresponding expiration dates.

[0129] The View Upcoming Expired SKUs page 440 may allow the user to filter items individually, by a category of items, by items provided by a particular manufacturer, by a SKU number that may be in a location within environment 110-1 , such as an aisle, a gondola, and a particular shelf. Page 440 may allow a user to receive information regarding items that are going to expire within a certain period of time (e.g., minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc.). Further, page 440 may display an Upcoming Expired SKU Results page (not shown). This results page may perform a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/RapidRecall.asmx/ExpiredProductsXML) that may show the locations and associated items that are due to expire within the certain period of time for the given products based on the user defined filter.

[0130] The Find Serial Number page 442 may allow a user to view items within a certain serial number range. The user may be able to filter a search using the fields in Table V. Once the filter information is provided by the user, user interface 210 may display the Search Results for Live Inventory page, described above. This page may perform a process (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/OutofStock.asmx GetlnventoryXML) that provides information regarding items with corresponding serial numbers within the range specified by the user.

[0131] The Alerts page 444 may direct the user to one or more pages (e.g., pages 446-452) that allow the user to receive and/or set information associated with one or more types of inventory alerts. The Set SKU Inventory Alert page 446 may allow the user to set an alert configuration for items that drop below or go above a defined percentage of a base line inventory. Alert page 446 may allow the user to set the alert configuration for all items in inventory 170, for items of a particular type, for a category of items, for items provided by a manufacturer, and for particular SKU numbers that are positioned in particular locations within environment 110-1, such as an aisle, a gondola, and a particular shelf. Alert page 446 may initiate a process that performs the desired monitoring set by the user (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/Alerts.asmx/NewlnventoryAlertJob).

[0132] The View SKU Inventqry Alerts page 448 may show an alert configuration for the items and their corresponding locations in environment 110-1 that are currently being monitored by an inventory alerts process. Page 448 allows the user to remove inventory alert configurations that are no longer needed.

[0133] The Set Inventory Removal Alerts page 450 may allow a user to set an alert configuration for situations where a determined number of items are removed within a determined time period. Page 450 may allow the user to set these types of alert configuration for individual items, all items, for a category of items, for items provided by a particular manufacturer, and for items with a SKU number that may be in a location within environment 110-1 , such as an aisle, a gondola, and a particular shelf. Page 450 may initiate a process that performs the configurations described above, (e.g., WebService ISSAserv/Alerts.asmx NewlnventoryRemovalJob).

[0134] The View Inventory Removal Limits page 452 may show alert configurations for the items and their corresponding locations in environment

110-1 that are currently being monitored by an inventory removal limits process. This page may allow the user to remove configurations of inventory removal limits that are no longer needed. [0135] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the pages shown in Fig. 4 and described above are exemplary and not intended to be limiting. Environment 110-1 may implement fewer or additional types of pages that perform various functions that may or may not be associated with the inventory management aspects related to the invention. For example, user interface 210 may include one or more page processes that provide the user with general and/or specific assistance in navigating the pages provided by interface 210. Further, interface 210 may include one or more pages that allow the user to set, view and/or modify various characteristics associated with individual items or item types, such as price, size characteristics, defect status, etc. Additionally, interface 210 may include one or more page processes that allow a user to view customer related information, such as customer profile information that is used with a customer ID card.

Inventory Management Processes

[0136] As described, environment 110-1 includes an ISSA 200 that performs one or more intelligent inventory management processes consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention. Each of these inventory management processes may be performed in response to a user accessing ISSA 200 via user interface 210 and/or in response to a request initiated from a non-user source, such as another task, process, and or computing entity. Figs. 5- 7 show flowcharts of various exemplary inventory processes that may be performed by environment 110-1 consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention.

[0137] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary inventory analysis process that may be performed consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention.

Initially, environment 110-1 may perform processes that determine the inventory of items in inventory 170 (Step 510). This step may be initiated by a user, via interface 210 and the pages described with respect to Fig. 4.

Alternatively, a process performed by ISSA 200 or a job performed by Jobs

240, may periodically initiate the collection of inventory information. Also,

Step 510 may be initiated by an event detected by one or more sensors (e.g., software and/or hardware based sensors) located in environment 110-1. Once environment 110-1 collects the inventory information (e.g., the number of items of each type included in inventory 170), it may be stored in database 215 for subsequent access. Further, the inventory information may be used by ISSA 200 to produce a report and/or content that is provided to a user through various types of medium, such as a printer, web page, telephonic message, etc.

[0138] Environment 110-1 may also determine whether a number of items of any type in inventory 170 is below a predetermined level (Step 520). Environment 110-1 may execute the appropriate processes described above (e.g., via view SKUs out of limits page 418, out of stock control task 231 , etc.) to determine and identify an inventory of items of any type has fallen below the predetermined level for that type. If so, (Step 520; YES), an appropriate item below stock level process may be performed (Step 530). This process may include providing an alert message to a user via an output device (e.g., display 204, a pager, cell phone, etc.) indicating which item type needs restocking and the location of the depleted items in environment 110-1. Once the user is notified, he/she may determine whether there are any additional items of the depleted type in an alternate location, such as in a back room. Alternatively, ISSA 200 may indicate to the user whether there is additional inventory of the item type in environment 110-1. Accordingly, the user or ISSA 200 may re-order stock if additional items are needed. Further, step 530 may include providing a customer message on a shelf display located on or near the location where the depleted inventory of items was determined. In one aspect, a store manager or ISSA 200, for example, may formulate customized messages based on the depleted inventory notification that provide various information to a customer that happens to view the shelf display. The customized messages may include offered discounts, rain checks, location information of alternate environments that have the missing items in stock, etc.

[0139] Environment 110-1 may also determine whether there are any misplaced items in inventory 170 (Step 540). Environment 110-1 may execute the appropriate processes described above (e.g., via misplaced SKUs page 422, and out of stock control task 231 ) to determine and identify any misplaced items in inventory 170. If there is a misplaced item or items (Step 540; YES), environment 110-1 may perform an appropriate misplaced item process (Step 550). This process may include providing a user with information including a location of the missing item and/or its intended location (i.e., where inside a store the item belongs). A user (e.g., stock person) may be directed to the current location of the misplaced item(s) so that they may return these item(s) to their designated location within environment 110-1.

[0140] Also, environment 110-1 may determine information associated with any lost sales based on missing or misplaced items in inventory 170 (Step 550). This step may include generating and providing a lost sales report (via, for example, out of stock task 231) reflecting revenue that is lost based on the item type being out of stock or having a depleted number of items. Further, an influenced sales report may be generated by ISSA 200 and provided to a user that includes information that correlates various factors (e.g., price of the items, seasonality factors, sales of other items, etc.) to previous and current sales of items of the type that has a depleted inventory. A user may use the influenced sales report to determine whether any adjustments are needed, such as moving the items of the depleted item type to other locations, price, stock order schedules, etc.

[0141] Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of a shrinkage process that may be performed by environment 110-1 consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention. Environment 110-1 may initially determine whether a shrinkage event occurred (Step 610). As discussed above, a shrinkage event may be associated with a condition where a predetermined number of items have been removed from their current location within a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, if a large number of items of the same type are taken from a shelf in a manner of minutes, a shrinkage event may have occurred depending on the values set by a user for the predetermined number of items and time period for such shrinkage events and the type of items being effected. If such an event has occurred (Step 610; YES), then environment

110-1 may perform a shrinkage event process (Step 620). If a shrinkage event has not occurred, the process ends. [0142] Step 620 may include various processes performed by a user and/or ISSA 200 as previous explained with respect to shrinkage pages 430- 434 and/or shrinkage process 232. For example, environment 110-1 may provide an alert message to a user including information specific to the determined shrinkage event (e.g., location of the event, the type of items that have been removed, and in what time frame). Thus, a store employee may receive the alert message and s directed to the location to perform various tasks, such as security sen/ices, and/or customer service functions. Also, step 620 may activate one or more security devices, systems, etc., to monitor the location surrounding the shrinkage event. For example, environment 110- 1 may activate a camera to record any physical actions performed by the users at or near the location where in the shrinkage event took place.

[0143] Fig. 7 shows a flowchart of an exemplary recall process consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention. Environment

110-1 may execute the appropriate processes described above (e.g., via rapid recall pages 436-442 and out of rapid recall task 233) to handle any recall events associated with items included in inventory 170. In one aspect, environment 110-1 may determine whether a shelf life or expiration event is detected (Step 710). This step may be associated with determining whether inventory 170 includes any items that have a corresponding shelf life and/or expiration date that has been exceeded and/or is close to being exceed (e.g., within a day, a few days, a week, etc.). If such an event is detected (Step

710; YES), an appropriate shelf life/expiration process is performed (Step

720). This step may include notifying a user (e.g., store employee, clerk at a

POS location, manager at a home office, etc.) and/or another software process in ISSA 200 that inventory 170 includes one or more items that have either exceeded or is about to exceed, their shelf life and/or expiration dates.

The notification may include information identifying each item (e.g., SKU information), their corresponding locations in environment 110-1 , whether there is replaceable stock in environment 110-1 with valid shelf lives and/or expiration dates, and/or instructions on how to deal with the event (e.g., remove from shelves, move item(s) to front of a shelf or store location, etc.).

The user and/or ISSA 200 receiving the event may use the received information to execute one or more of the suggested instructions, as well as perform other processes to remedy the shelf life/expiration event. These other duties may include changing the price of one or more of the items that are associated with this event. Further, environment 110-1 may display a message at a POS terminal and/or a display device mounted at or near the items related to this event to warn customers and/or employees that certain items may have exceeded their shelf lives or expiration dates.

[0144] Further, environment 110-1 may determine whether a temperature event has occurred (Step 730). A temperature event may be associated with a condition where the temperature of an area surrounding, at, or near a particular group of items has changed in such a manner as to possibly damage the items in the group. For example, if a refrigeration unit in environment 110-1 has malfunctioned and the temperature drops below a certain value, any produces stored in the unit may be damaged and deemed unhealthy for sale. If a temperature event has occurred (Step 730; YES), a temperature process is performed (Step 740). In one aspect of the invention, the temperature process may include notifying a user of the temperature event, the location in environment 110-1 associated with the event, instructions on how to deal with the event, item information associated with any items included in the area affected by the event (e.g., SKU information), a time period that the event has occurred and/or is occurring, etc. The user may take appropriate actions to ensure any items affected by the event are safe for purchase(e.g., in the event an event just occurred). The user may relocate these items to a properly operating temperature controlled location in environment 110-1 for further purchase. Further, the user, and or ISSA 200 may provide a repair message to a designated user or use location to request repair of the unit that may have malfunctioned causing the temperature event.

[0145] Environment 110-1 may also determine whether any items in inventory 170 are associated with one or more item types that have had a defect reported by a manufacturer (Step 750). This step may include comparing the item information collected from the determined live inventory step 510 shown in Fig. 5 with a received list of defective items provided by the manufacturer. If there are any items of a certain type that matches those found in the defect information provided by the manufacturer, environment

110-1 , a defect process may be performed (Step 760). This process may include notifying a user (e.g., customer and/or employee) of the defective items in inventory 170, their location, and information regarding the defect

(e.g., the type of defect, whether the item is still safe/operational with the defect, whether the item a POS must be recalled and not sold, etc.). In one aspect, the notified user may be a clerk at location that may facilitate handling the sale of the defective item about to be purchased by a customer. For example, depending on the severity of the defect described in the defect information provided in the notification, the clerk may prevent the customer from purchasing the item. Alternatively, if the item may still be brought up to specification by additional parts or software that will be provided by the manufacturer, the clerk may forward this information to the customer and provide information on how to obtain the corrective parts/software for the purchased item. Further, ISSA 200 may automatically provide a discount for the sale price of the defective item. The reduced sale price may be displayed at the POS location or on a display mounted near a location associated with the one or more defective items. Additionally, environment 110-1 may provide services and/or devices that allow the customer who purchased a defective item to correct the item. For example, a workstation may be provided from which the user may download the necessary software code to correct a defect in a program stored on computer readable medium. Further, environment

110-1 may provide these services to customers in a manner where the customer may leave the purchased item with an employee who performs the necessary procedures to correct the item, such as order a missing part from a manufacturer, downloading a corrective software patch, installing a missing part on a defective item, etc.

[0146] Additionally, environment 110-1 may also determine whether there are any items in inventory 170 that have undergone a design change by their corresponding manufacturer (Step 770). Similarly with Step 750, environment 110-1 may determine whether a design change has occurred by comparing design change information received from a manufacturer with a current list of inventory information, perhaps provided via the process performed at Step 510 of Fig. 5. If an item type has undergone a design change, (Step 770; YES), a design change process may be performed (Step 780). The design change process may include notifying a user (e.g., employee) of the item type that has been changed, the location(s) of any items of the changed type, instructions on how to deal with this design change event, etc. In one aspect of the invention, the design change process may include moving older items to an alternate location in environment 110-1 , such as from a back location on a shelf to a front location to promote their sales before the design changed items. Further, the design change process may include removing the older items from inventory 170, which may be at the directions of the manufacturer.

[0147] Although the steps shown in the flowcharts of Figs. 5-7 are illustrated in particular sequences, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with aspects of the present invention may perform each of the steps in different sequences, such as a single step, in various combination of steps, and with additional or fewer steps, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Conclusion

[0148] As described, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention enable an environment to perform item inventory management processes on a real time, or near real time basis, and at a granularity level that provides many options for the environment to achieve its business goals (e.g., increase sales).

[0149] The foregoing description of implementations of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the invention to the precise form disclosed.

Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practicing of the invention. Additional modifications and variations of the invention may be, for example, the described implementation includes software but the present invention may be implemented as a combination of hardware and software or in hardware alone. The invention may be implemented with both object-oriented and non-object-oriented programming systems.

[0150] For instance, one skilled in the art will appreciate the ability to implement the present invention using many different types of environments 110-1. For example, in addition to retail environments, aspects of the present invention may be applied to any environment that includes objects (e.g., physical tangible objects, such as inventory) that may be RFID tagged and includes antennae for retrieving information from these tags. For instance, the present invention may be applied in an environment where a business wishes to track individuals throughout its business environment. In such a scenario, the business environment (e.g., building) may have antennae mounted in various strategic locations (e.g., doorways, elevators, etc.). Each employee of the business may be issued an RFID card, much like those described previously (e.g., customer RFID card). Thus, ISSA 200 may be able to monitor the movements of a user within the business environment based on information received/collected from the antennae as the employee moves past them.

[0151] Additionally, interface 210 may include other types of interfaces that interact with various processes performed by ISSA 200. For example, various user interfaces may operate that interact with the EPC writer process to allow a user to not only read and write EPC data from/to the RFID tags 280 in inventory 170, but also to monitor the status of such operations. For example, interface 210 may include results interface that presents to a user a results window that includes a list of all items that were entered via an EPC writer window. The results window may include information that indicates whether an EPC write operation was successfully performed. Various interactive display messages may be provided to the user based on the results of any EPC writes. For example, the result window may present one or more error messages indicating a reason why an EPC write was not successful and instructions on how to possibly correct the problem. Also, interface 210 may include a bad tag finder interface that enables a user to request information on any malfunctioning RFID tags 280. The bad tag interface may present to the user information identifying the ID of any bad tags, their location, and the associated item associated with the tag.

[0152] Although aspects of the present invention are described as being stored in memory, one skilled in the art will appreciate that these aspects can also be stored on other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM; a carrier wave from the Internet or other propagation medium; or other forms of RAM or ROM. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

ATTACHMENT A

Intelligent Station Using Multiple RF Antennae and Inventory Control System and Method Incorporating Same

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001 ] The present invention relates generally to the field of using multiple RF (radio frequency) antennae in an intelligent station to track items tagged with RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. More generally, the present invention is directed to an inventory control method and system that uses the intelligent station to track and inventory items that are tagged with RFID tags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems typically use one or more reader antennae to send radio frequency (RF) signals to items tagged with RFID tags. The use of such RFID tags to identify an item or person is well known in the art. In response to the RF signals from a reader antenna, the RFID tags, when excited, produce a disturbance in the magnetic field (or electric field) that is detected by the reader antenna. Typically, such tags are passive tags that are excited or resonate in response to the RF signal from a reader antenna when the tags are within the detection range of the reader antenna. One example of such a RFID system including details of suitable RF antennae is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,094, 1 73. In order to improve the detection range and expand "coverage" it is known to use coplanar antennae that are out of phase. One example of such an antenna is provided in US Patent No. 6, 1 66,706. ATTACHMENT A

[0003] The detection range of the RFID systems is typically limited by signal strength to short ranges, for example, frequently less than about one foot for 1 3.56 MHz systems. Therefore, portable reader units are moved past a group of tagged items in order to detect all the tagged items since the tagged items are typically stored in a space significantly greater than the detection range of a stationary or fixed single reader antenna. Alternately, a large reader antenna with sufficient power and range to detect a larger number of tagged items may be used. However, such an antenna may be unwieldy and may increase the range of the radiated power beyond allowable limits. Furthermore, these reader antennae are often located in stores or other locations were space is at a premium and it is expensive and inconvenient to use such large reader antennae. In another possible solution, multiple small antennae may be used but this configuration may be awkward to set up keeping in mind that space is often at a premium.

[0004] However, use of multiple antennae (or components) has the drawback that multiple transmission cables are used to connect a reader unit to the multiple antennae and/or that the multiple antennae cannot be individually controlled when they are all connected by a single transmission cable to the reader unit.

[0005] By way of background, Figure 1 is a block diagram that illustrates the basics of a prior art RFID system. A reader unit 100 may typically be connected through RS-232 or similar digital communication to a terminal 1 02 such as a computer terminal. The reader unit 100 is connected by a cable 203 to a reader antenna 200. The reader antenna 200 typically consists of at least a loop 201 and a tuning circuit 202. Although the tuning circuit 202 is shown as a localized part in Figure 1 , one skilled in the art would recognize that it might be distributed around, the loop 201 . The reader antenna 200 in turn communicates by low power radio waves 1 05 with one or more RFID tags 106 that are typically ATTACHMENT A

associated with items, objects (animate or inanimate) or persons that are to be tracked by the RFID system.

[0006] The transmission cable 203 is typically characterized by its impedance, which in a simplified form, is approximately the square root of inductance L divided by capacitance C of the transmission cable. For coaxial cables, the impedance is commonly 50 or 75 ohms.

[0007] Generally, the transmission cable 203, antenna loop 201 , and tuning circuit 202 are connected together in a manner that most efficiently utilizes the RF power at a desired frequency, which for a given RFID system using a loop antenna, such as antenna 200, is typically a "high" frequency such as 1 3.56 MHz. Another common "low" frequency that is often used for RFID systems is 1 25 kHz. "Ultrahigh" (UHF) frequencies such as 900 MHz or 2.45 GHz within the RF range are also used with different antenna designs.

[0008] A system using multiple antennae powered by a single reader unit and using a multiplexer switch to alternate between the antennae has also been known. Such a system is conceptually represented in Figure 2 where two separate antennae 200a and 200b are connected to a reader and multiplexer unit 101 through respective transmission cables 203a and 203b. The use of multiple antennae typically improves the spatial coverage when reading tags, without requiring more than one reader unit. The main disadvantage of the arrangement disclosed in Figure 2 is the need for a separate transmission cable to each of the antennae. Since space is often at a premium, the use of these separate cables is a disadvantage because additional space is needed to install or position each of these separate cables. This disadvantage is accentuated when more than two antennae are used with one reader unit since all of these multiple antennae require separate transmission cables. ATTACHMENT A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In one aspect, the present invention provides an intelligent station that tracks RFID tags, the intelligent station including: a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals; a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through one or more additional switches. The term "intelligent," as used herein, means that the system can, through transmission of radio frequency signals, capture, store, and lookup data, and monitor unique identifiers associated with trackable items.

[0010] In a further aspect, each of the first and one or more additional RF antennae includes a loop and a tuning circuit.

[001 1 ] In another aspect of the present invention, the reader unit includes a tuning circuit for the first and one or more additional RF antennae, with the tuning circuit connected to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the first transmission cable.

[0012] In another aspect, the present invention includes: a reader unit that generates and receives RF signals; and a control unit that is operatively connected to the reader unit and to first and one or more additional switches, wherein the control unit is configured to selectively operate the first and one or more additional switches to connect the reader to the first and one or more additional RF antennae, respectively. The reader unit and the control unit may be separate devices or combined in a single unit.

[0013] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the intelligent station further includes a second transmission cable that connects the reader unit to auxiliary RF antenna loops, each of the auxiliary RF antenna loops arranged proximate to a corresponding one of the first and one or more additional RF antennae. The auxiliary antennae ATTACHMENT A

receive an unmodulated RF signal that powers up the tags, which are normally not powered in the absence of an RF signal. As used herein, "unmodulated RF signal" is an RF signal without superimposed data. A "modulated RF signal" is an RF signal carrying superimposed data.

[0014] In a further aspect, the reader unit includes a second tuning circuit, proximate to the reader unit, that is connected to the auxiliary RF antenna loops through the second transmission cable. The second tuning circuit is configured to tune the auxiliary RF antenna loops.

[0015] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a second transmission cable that connects the reader unit to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the first and one or more additional switches, respectively. The reader unit transmits an unmodulated RF signal to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the second transmission cable, and transmits a modulated RF signal to the first and one or more additional antennae through the first transmission cable.

[0016] In a further aspect of the present invention, the first switch is configured to operate in only three states: a first state such that the first switch only transmits the modulated RF signal to the first RF antenna; a second state such that the first switch only transmits the unmodulated RF signal to the first RF antenna; and a third state such that both the modulated RF signal and the unmodulated RF signal bypass the first RF antenna. The second switch includes a multi-pole switch configured to operate in only three states: a first state such that the second switch only transmits the modulated RF signal to the associated second RF antenna; a second state such that the second switch only transmits the unmodulated RF signal to the second associated RF antenna; and a third state such that both the modulated RF signal and the unmodulated RF signal bypass the associated second RF antenna. Each of the switches can be controlled independently of each other, thus, for ATTACHMENT A

example, the first and second switches may be set to transmit modulated and unmodulated signals, respectively, at the same time. In addition, a two-pole switch may be used which is configured to operate in one of two states (one state being to pass modulated RF signals to the associated antenna, and the other state being to pass no signals to the associated antenna).

[0017] In a further aspect, the present invention provides: additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit through the same first transmission cable; and additional switches arranged between the first transmission cable and the additional RF antennae, respectively.

[0018] In one aspect, an RF transmission cable has a single branch serving all antennae, that is antennae are connected to a reader unit through a RF transmission cable in a series arrangement.

[0019] In another aspect, an RF transmission cable has two or more branches, each serving one or more antennae, That is, antennae are connected to the reader unit through the RF transmission cable in a parallel-series arrangement, with each branch on the RF transmission cable selectable by use of a switch.

[0020] In another aspect, intelligent stations contain RF signal processing electronics to perform some of the signal processing otherwise done by the reader.

[0021 ] In yet another aspect, each of the one or more additional switches include a PIN type diode.

[0022] In another aspect, the present invention provides an intelligent inventory control system that uses RFID tags to determine item information of items to be inventoried, the intelligent inventory control system including one or more intelligent stations. Each intelligent station comprises a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission ATTACHMENT A

cable through respective one or more additional switches. The reader unit may be located apart from or within one of the intelligent stations. The inventory control system further includes an inventory control processing unit, connected to a data store, that receives item information from the intelligent station to update inventory information regarding the items to be inventoried.

[0023] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of inventory control for items tagged with RFID tags, the method including: providing a plurality of intelligent stations, each intelligent station including a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals, a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and a one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more additional switches; determining item information of items to be inventoried by selectively energizing the first and one or more additional RF antennae of each of the intelligent stations to determine item information of items that are located on the respective intelligent stations; and processing the determined item information to update inventory information of the items to be inventoried.

[0024] In one aspect, each station has its own reader unit. However, one reader unit may also serve many stations.

[0025] In a further aspect of the present invention, the inventory control method includes selectively controlling the first and one or more additional switches to energize the first and one or more additional RF antennae and detect item information from items with RFID tags that are within range of the respective energized one or more additional RF antennae.

[0026] In a further aspect of the present invention, the inventory control method includes software control of the RF power level generated by the reader unit. In a preferred embodiment, testing would determine ATTACHMENT A

how much RF power the reader unit must provide to achieve optimal results for each connected antenna, which are positioned at different distances along the RF cable. This information would be stored, for example, in a look-up table or other equivalent indexed data storing means. Thereafter during operation, the power level for each antenna would be set based on this predetermined level stored in the look-up table, so that antennae at differing distances along the RF transmission cable may all operate at essentially equal power.

[0027] In an alternate embodiment, the power provided to each antenna could also depend on additional factors, for example, on the type of antenna. Therefore, in the alternate embodiment, both the distance and type of the antenna could be used to determine and store the optimal power level for a particular antenna.

[0028] In a further aspect of the present invention, the inventory control method includes RF amplifier devices, such as RF filter amplifiers, located periodically along the RF transmission cable such as in every N^th shelf to boost the RF signal strength.

[0029] In a further aspect of the present invention, the inventory control method includes updating the determined item information of items in a data store.

[0030] In a further aspect, the present invention provides that the inventory control method includes, for each intelligent station, providing a second transmission cable to connect the reader unit to one or more auxiliary antenna loops arranged proximate to respective ones of the first and one or more additional RF antennae, wherein the reader unit transmits a modulated RF signal through the first transmission cable and transmits an unmodulated RF signal through the second transmission cable.

[0031] In yet another aspect, the inventory control method according to the present invention includes providing, for each intelligent ATTACHMENT A

station, a second transmission cable that connects the reader unit to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through first and one or more additional switches, respectively, wherein the reader unit transmits an unmodulated RF signal to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the second transmission cable, and transmits a modulated RF signal to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the first transmission cable.

[0032] In another aspect the inventory control method of the present invention provides, for each intelligent station, configuring the first and one or more additional switches to operate in one of only three states: a first state that only transmits a modulated RF signal to a respective one of the first and one or more additional RF antennae; a second state that only transmits an unmodulated RF signal to the respective one of the first and one or more additional RF antennae; and a third state such that both the modulated RF signal and the unmodulated RF signal bypass the respective one of the first and one or more additional RF antennae.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate without limitation presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the basics of a prior art RFID system.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a prior art RFID system with multiple antennae connected to a reader unit. ATTACHMENT A

[0036] FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an inventory control system that uses intelligent stations in accordance with the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an inventory control system that uses intelligent shelves in accordance with the present invention.

[0038] FIGS. 3C and 3D are flowcharts illustrating processing performed by the control unit of the inventory control system according to the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 3E is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an inventory control system that uses intelligent stations in a parallel-series configuration.

[0040] FIG. 3F is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an inventory control system that uses intelligent stations in another parallel-series configuration.

[0041 ] FIG. 3G is a block diagram illustrating a tee switch for use in a parallel-series configuration.

[0042] FIG. 3H is a block diagram illustrating an inline switch for use in a parallel-series configuration.

[0043] FIG. 31 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary method of carrying RF and digital communications on one cable.

[0044] FIG. 3J is a block diagram illustrating a method of using switches to minimize undesirable effects of an RF cable extending past a selected antenna.

[0045] FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention showing an RFID system with multiple antennae connected to a reader unit.

[0046] FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram showing a logical switch.

[0047] FIGS. 5 and 6 are block diagrams showing alternate embodiments of the present invention having multiple antennae. ATTACHMENT A

[0048] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention in which two separate transmission cables transmit modulated and unmodulated RF signals to multiple antennae each having several loops.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an alternate embodiment in which the modulated and unmodulated RF systems use the same antenna loops.

[0050] FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary switch that may be used with the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 8.

[0051 ] FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram of another exemplary switch that may be used with the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 8.

[0052] FIG. 1 0A is a circuit diagram of a switch using a PIN diode that may be used with various embodiments of the present invention.

[0053] FIG. 1 0B is a circuit diagram showing how an antenna may be "detuned."

[0054] Figure 1 0C is a circuit diagram showing another way that an antenna may be "detuned."

[0055] Figure 1 0D is a circuit diagram showing yet another way that an antenna may be "detuned."

[0056] FIG. 1 1 A is a diagram illustrating various layouts of reader antennae on shelves.

[0057] FIG. 1 1 B is a diagram illustrating the use of tags within shelves.

[0058] FIG. 1 2 is a diagram illustrating one method of making a wire antenna.

[0059] FIG. 1 2A-C are diagrams illustrating alternate ways of securing the ends of wires on a substrate.

[0060] FIG. 1 3 is a diagram illustrating an alternate method of making a wire antenna. ATTACHMENT A

[0061] FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating various alternate wire antenna shapes.

[0062] FIG. 14 illustrates another method of making a wire antenna.

[0063] FIG. 1 5 is a diagram that illustrates a device and method of applying foil tape ribbons to a web or planar substrate to form a foil antenna.

[0064] FIG. 1 6 is a diagram illustrating another method of depositing conductive pathways on a substrate to form a foil antenna.

[0065] FIG. 1 7 is a diagram illustrating a cross section of an applicator 2200 for depositing conductive pathways.

[0066] FIG. 1 8 is diagram that illustrates a method to lay down a simple rectangular conductive pathway using the apparatus shown in Figure 1 5.

[0067] FIGS. 1 8A-B illustrate foil strips folded over.

[0068] FIG. 1 9 shows an embodiment where a conductive trace 2300 being laid down overlaps a previous conductive trace.

[0069] FIG. 20 is a laminated structure containing a foil strip antenna.

[0070] FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating the use of a milling machine to form openings in a substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0071 ] Unless otherwise specified, "a" or "an" means one or more. The present invention provides an intelligent inventory control system including one or more intelligent stations that can detect RFID tags using multiple antennae. The RFID tags are attached to items to be detected or tracked. In certain preferred embodiments discussed herein, the intelligent station system is designated as an intelligent "shelf" system since the intelligent station system provided by the present invention is ATTACHMENT A

suitable for tracking items on shelves of stores and warehouses for inventory control or other tracking purposes. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to intelligent shelf systems since one skilled in the art would recognize its applicability to other uses such as, for example, tracking items in closed receptacles, other storage volumes, and particular spaces. Examples of such closed receptacles or storage volumes include, without limitation, rooms, closets, cabinets, cupboards, refrigerators, freezers, pegboards, clothing racks, trailers, warehouses, pallets, counters, and other similar enclosures, spaces, or racks. It may be used in doors, doorways and other portals, in floors or floor mats, or in ceilings. It is also to be understood that the intelligent stations may be used in orientations other than the horizontal orientation typically associated with a shelf. For example, the intelligent shelves may be used in a vertical orientation as, for example, on the wall of a container, or the back or side area or surface of a storage volume.

[0072] For use in clothing racks, various embodiments are envisioned including linear or circular racks. For circular racks in particular, it is envisioned that two antennas may be used that are orthogonally disposed in two vertical planes within the center of the circular rack. The antenna may be driven by a single reader but the length of their lead-in cables differs, preferably, by ¹Λof the RF wavelength, or alternately, a two-way 90 degree power splitter is used (e.g. MiniCircuits PSCQ-2-1 3) to put the two antennas 90 degrees out of phase. As a consequence the magnetic field orientation set up by the two antennas "rotates" once each cycle of the RF wave, so that all RFID tags around the circular rack may be read.

[0073] For use with clothing racks, another embodiment provides, on the clothing rack, one or more antenna loops, for example positioned or hanging at one or both ends of the rack, or distributed as hangers amidst the clothing. If the antenna loops are provided in the form ATTACHMENT A

of hangers, these may be fabricated by running conductive wire through narrow (e.g. ¹/ '-3/8" diameter) thermoplastic tubing, then heat-forming the tubing to create hanger-shaped antennas. The same method could be used to create self-supporting antennas in any shape.

[0074] A planar antenna can be limited in its ability to read tags that are oriented parallel to the magnetic field lines created by the antenna. The read range may be extended and tag orientation limitations overcome by providing for an RF-powered antenna (antenna connected to a reader) and one or more passively coupled antennae that are not connected directly to the reader. These passively connected antennae are excited or powered through inductive coupling with the powered antenna. The passively coupled antenna will have a magnetic field, preferably, 1 80 degrees out of phase with the actively coupled antenna. Thus the orientation of the resulting magnetic field will oscillate, so that RFID tags in otherwise unfavorable orientations may still be read. In one embodiment, the passively coupled antennas could be provided in the shelf itself, for example, with actively powered antennas in the front of the shelf and passively coupled antennas in the back of the shelf, with all antennas being in the plane of the shelf. Other embodiments include having passively coupled antennae in the vertical plane at the ends of shelves or backs of shelves. Other embodiments include using at least one actively powered antenna within an enclosure such as a box, cabinet, or passageway, with one or more passively coupled antennae to provide better reading range or better flexibility in reading tags that are disposed in any orientation. Other embodiments include having passively coupled antennae in the vertical plane at the ends of shelves or backs of shelves. Other embodiments include for a given shelf having passively coupled antennae in the horizontal plane some distance above the shelf, preferably just under the next shelf up. ATTACHMENT A

[0075] In a preferred embodiment, the multiple antennae may be put on a self-supporting shelf or may be embedded into a thin mat that can be laid on existing store shelves.

[0076] For example, as shown in the block diagram of Figure 3A, independent shelf systems 501 a, 501 b ... 501 n and 502a, 502b...502n are each provided with multiple antennae 200 that are each connected to a reader unit 1 20 by a transmission cable 222. Each reader unit 1 20 has a controller or control unit 1 24 that uses a control cable 221 in selecting which antenna is active at any time. Between shelves, the cables 221 and 222 may be interconnected using connectors 526. While the embodiment disclosed in Figure 3A shows that each group of shelves has an RFID system with a reader unit 1 20 connected to multiple antennae 200, one skilled in the art would recognize that a single reader unit may be configured to connect to multiple antennae on more than one shelf that are located proximate to each other, or each shelf may be configured to have its own reader unit.

[0077] The block diagram of Figure 3B shows an alternate embodiment where each shelf 503a, 503b ... 503n is provided with multiple antennae 200. The multiple antennae 200 are each connected to a reader unit 1 20 by a transmission cable 222. Each reader unit 1 20 has a controller 1 24 to select which antenna is active at any time. This controller 1 24 may be a microprocessor. Furthermore, the shelves may have secondary controllers 1 25 that co-operate with the controller 1 24 to select antennae. The secondary controllers 1 25 may be microprocessors with sufficient outputs to control all the antennae within the associated shelf, as well as controlling output devices 510, such as shelf-edge displays, for displaying information such as pricing. The output devices 51 0 could display information using visible and audible signals as would be recognized by those skilled in the art. Using secondary controllers 1 25 ATTACHMENT A

may reduce the number of wires required in connectors 526 between shelves.

[0078] The control unit 1 24 may selectively operate any or all the switches by sending commands through a digital data communication cable 221 , for example by sending a unique address associated with each switch, as with would be possible, for example, by using a Dallas Semiconductor DS2405 "1 -Wire^® " addressable switch. Each such addressable switch provides a single output that may be used for switching a single antenna. Preferably the control unit 1 24 may selectively operate any or all the switches by utilizing one or more secondary control units 1 25. For example, the secondary control unit 1 25 may be a microprocessor such as a Microchip Technology Incorporated PICmicro^® Microcontroller, which can provide multiple outputs for switching more than one antenna, such as all the antennas in proximity to the secondary control unit 1 25. The control unit 1 24 may also be a microprocessor such as a Microchip Technology Incorporated PICmicro^® Microcontroller. Communications between the control unit 1 24 and the secondary control unit 1 25 can be implemented by using digital communication signals in accordance with well known communication protocols such as RS-232, RS-485 serial protocols, or Ethernet protocols or Token Ring networking protocols. Such communications through the secondary control unit 1 25 may, in addition to selecting the desired antennae, also include commands to operate additional features. Examples of such features include providing displays (for example, light LED's) proximate to the antennae, displaying alphanumeric text through appropriate visual displays, or outputting audible information in the proximity of the antennae.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment, the intelligent shelf system is controlled through the electronic network. A controlling system that controls the intelligent shelf system will send command data to the ATTACHMENT A

control unit 1 24 via RS-232 or similar protocol. These commands include but are not limited to instructions for operating reader unit 1 20, instructions for operating the antennae switches, and auxiliary information to be displayed by shelves for example with lights, visual displays, or sound. The control unit 1 24 is programmed to interpret these commands. If a command is intended for the reader unit 1 20, the control unit 1 24 passes that command to the reader unit 1 20. Other commands could be for selecting antennae or displaying information, and these commands will be processed if necessary by control unit 1 24 to determine what data should be passed through digital data communication cable 221 to the secondary control units 1 25. Likewise the secondary control units 1 25 can pass data back to the controller 1 24, as can the reader unit 1 20. The controller 1 24 then relays result data back to the controlling system through the electronic network. The inventory control processing unit 550, shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, is one example of such a controlling system. As discussed further herein with respect to the intelligent shelf system, the electronic network and controlling system are used interchangeably to depict that the intelligent shelf system may be controlled by the controlling system connected to the intelligent shelf system through an electronic network.

[0080] At a minimum, control unit 1 24 must decide whether a command from the electronic network should be sent to reader 1 20, or should be send on the digital communication cable 221 . Also, control unit 1 24 must relay data it receives from the digital communication cable 221 , and from reader unit 1 20, back to the electronic network. In the minimum configuration for example, the electronic network would for example issue a command to read a single antenna. The control unit 1 24 would a) set the proper switch for that antenna, b) activate the reader, c) receive data back from the reader, d) deactivate the reader, and e) send the data back to the electronic network. ATTACHMENT A

[0081] Figure 3C is a flowchart illustrating exemplary processing of a command signal from a host by the control unit 124. In step 330, the control unit 1 24 determines whether there is a command for the control unit 1 24 (it may do so by interrogating a memory location periodically). The control unit 124 then determines in step 332 whether the command was for the reader 1 20 and, if so, sends the command to the reader unit 1 20 in step 334. If not, in step 336, the control unit 1 24 decodes the command and sends appropriate instructions to the secondary controller 1 25. Thereafter, in step 338, the control unit 1 24 determines whether a response has been received from the reader unit 1 20 if a command had been sent to the reader in step 334. If a response has been received, then in step 340, the control unit 1 24 passes the response back to the host. Thereafter, in step 342, the control unit 1 24 determines whether a response has been received from the secondary control unit 1 25 in response to the instruction sent in step 336. If a response has been received from the secondary control unit 125 in step 342, the response is interpreted by the control unit 124 and sent to the host in step 344. Thereafter, the processing control returns to step 330 in which the control unit 124 determines whether there is another command from the host that needs to be processed.

[0082] The control unit 124 may also perform some management functions otherwise handled by the electronic network. For example, the electronic network might issue a command to find a certain article on the entire shelf system associated with control unit 1 24. In such a case, the control unit would manage a series of tasks such as a) determine how many antennae were in its system, b) set the proper switch for the first antenna, c) activate the reader, d) receive data back from the reader and save it, e) deactivate the reader, f) set the proper switch for the next antenna until all the antennae have been activated, g) activate the reader until all the antennae have been read. In the preferred embodiment, when ATTACHMENT A

all antennae had been read, the control unit 1 24 or the electronic network ("host" or the "controlling system") would analyze its accumulated data and report back only the location(s) of the desired item.

[0083] Figure 3D is a flowchart illustrating exemplary management function processing performed by control unit according to the present invention. In step 350, the control unit 1 24 receives a command from a host application that requests a count of the total number of antennae controlled by the control unit 1 24. Therefore, in step 352, the control unit 1 24 determines the number of antennae controlled directly by the control unit 1 24. Thereafter, in step 354, the control unit 1 24 issues a command to the secondary control units 1 25 to select the next antenna on their list and waits for a confirmation from the secondary control units 1 25 in step 356. In steps 358 and 360, a "read" command is sent to the reader 1 20 that awaits and reads the data from the selected antenna and sends the data to the host application in step 362. Thereafter, the control unit sends a "standby" command to the reader 1 20 in step 364 and determines in step 366 whether all the antennae have been read. If it is determined that all the antennae have been read in step 366, the processing is terminated. Otherwise, the process control returns to step 354 so that the control unit 1 24 can issue a command to the secondary control units to select the next antenna on the list that has not yet been selected.

[0084] An additional advantage of placing the control unit 1 24 between the electronic network and the reader units is that different types of readers 1 20 can be used as desired. The commands from the electronic network to the control unit may be generic and not reader- specific. For example the electronic network can send to the control unit a "read antennas" command. The control unit in turn can translate this command into the appropriate command syntax required by each reader unit. Likewise the control unit can receive the response syntax from the ATTACHMENT A

reader unit (which may differ based on the type of the reader unit), and parse it into a generic response back to the electronic network. The command and response syntax may differ for each type of reader unit 1 20, but the control unit 1 24 makes this transparent to the electronic network.

[0085] The block diagram of Figure 3E shows an alternate embodiment where the controller 1 24 and reader 1 20 are contained in shelf 504a. As would be recognized by those skilled in the art, it is also possible for the controller and reader to be apart from any shelf. A digital communication cable 221 connects the controller 124 to secondary controllers 1 25, and RF transmission cable 222 connects the reader 1 20 to the antennae 200. The controller 1 24 may operate a branch switch 527 that selects which of the groups of shelves (for example 504b-504n, or 505b-505n) will be selected. In Figure 3E, the branch switch 527 is used with a "parallel-series" connection method for the secondary controllers 1 25 and the antennae connected to the secondary controller 1 25. That is, instead of a controller 1 24 and reader 1 20 operating all of the shelves in single series arrangement, the RF and digital communication lines are branched (that is, each of the branches are parallel to each other) before continuing on through shelves 504b-504n in series, and 505b- 505n in series. The parallel-series configuration in Figure 3E may be advantageous for an aisle of shelves where typically there are approximately four levels of shelves (each of which may be connected in parallel), with each level having perhaps 1 0-20 shelf units connected in series. In certain situations a parallel-series configuration may also be desired from an RF transmission standpoint. For example, if an aisle has 4 levels of shelves each with 1 2 shelf units each having four antennae, the parallel-series configuration connects in parallel four groups of 48 antennae, while the series-only configuration would have to connect in series one group of 1 92 antennae. The RF transmission cable for the ATTACHMENT A

series-only configuration might thus become too long for efficient operation.

[0086] The block diagram of Figure 3F shows an alternate embodiment where the controller 1 24 and reader 1 20 are arranged apart from any shelf. Digital communication cable 221 connects controller 1 24 to the secondary controllers 1 25, and RF transmission cable 222 connects the reader 1 20 to the antennae 200. The controller 1 24 or secondary controller 1 25 may operate a tee switch 528 that selects which of the shelves or groups of shelves (for example 506a, or 507a- 507b) will be selected. The tee switch 528 may be separate from or part of a shelf as would be recognized by one skilled in the art. In Figure 3F, the tee switch 528 is used with another "parallel-series" connection arrangement. That is, instead of a controller 1 24 and reader 120 operating all shelves in series, the RF and digital communication lines are branched off (that is, connected with a multi-drop or "tee" arrangement with each of the branches arranged in parallel) to shelves or groups of shelves that are arranged in series. This configuration allows the RF signal to be switched by the tee switch 528 into a shelf or group of shelves, or to bypass the shelf or group of shelves. The tee or multi-drop configuration shown in Figure 3F may be used to reduce the number of switching elements through which the RF transmission cable passes.

[0087] In Figure 3F the portion 221 a of the control cable that extends beyond shelf 506a, and the portion 222a of the RF cable extends beyond shelf 506a, are outside of the shelf. However, as would be recognized by those skilled in the art, these extended portions of the cables may also be contained within the shelf. Additional extended control cable portions 221 b and additional extended RF cable portions 222b may be used to connect to more shelves or groups of shelves. Likewise, additional shelves (not shown) may be added to groups of ' ATTACHMENT A

shelves, for example to shelves 506a-506b as would be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0088] Figure 3G shows an example tee switch 528 on an example shelf 507a. The tee switch contains a switch, for example PIN diode 207c. A secondary controller 1 25 associated with shelf 507a may activate PIN diode 207c to allow the RF signal from RF cable 222a into shelf 507a, where it may be routed through switches 21 4 to antennae 200. The RF energy also may continue along RF cable 222b to optional additional tee switches, and finally to a terminator 21 5. Thus typically there may be two parallel loads on the RF cable 222a - the activated antenna and the terminator 21 5. A circuit 21 7, for example, an isolator circuit that is well known to those skilled in the art, may be used to match the impedance to reader 1 20.

[0089] Figure 3H shows an example inline switch 529 that may be used on an exemplary shelf 507a. The inline switch contains a switch, for example, a PIN diode 207d. A secondary controller 1 25 associated with shelf 507a may activate pin diode 207d to allow the RF signal from the RF cable 222a to continue along RF cable 222b, or deactivate PIN diode 207d to prevent the RF signal from continuing along RF cable 222b. Preferably, tee switch 528 and inline switch 229 may be used together to either route the RF signal to the shelf 507a or to RF cable 222b. With the use of one or more inline switches such as inline switch 529, isolator circuit 21 7 may not be necessary. However, the inline switch 529 may result in some RF energy loss.

[0090] Figure 31 shows an exemplary method of combining the RF and digital communication on a single cable. The primary controller 1 24 sends a digital command 250 intended for the intelligent stations. A converter 251 converts the digital data to a superimposed digital signal 252 that may be superimposed on the RF cable. For example, this superimposed digital signal may be at a different frequency than used by ATTACHMENT A

RFID reader 1 20. This superimposed digital signal may pass through a filter 253, such as the exemplary inductor 253 shown in Figure 31. It then is superimposed onto the RF cable. Another filter 254 may be used to block the superimposed signal from reaching the RFID reader 1 20.

[0091 ] The combined RF and digital signals pass down cable 222a to one or more intelligent stations 261 , 262, 263, etc. (only 261 and 262 shown in Figure 31). Upon reaching exemplary intelligent station 261 , the combined signal may pass through another filter 255, such as an inductor sized to block the RF signals from the RFID reader. The superimposed digital communication passes through filter 255 and into a receiver circuit 256 that retrieves the digital information and passes it to secondary controller 1 25, and optionally to additional secondary controllers 260.

[0092] The secondary controller 1 25 may send information back to the primary controller 1 24 through a transmitter circuit 257, for example operating at a frequency other than the RF frequency of reader 1 20, and optionally at a different frequency than used for communicating from the primary controller (or control unit) 1 24 to the secondary controller (or control unit) 1 25. Such information may be received by receiver circuitry 258, converted to appropriate digital signals 259 and returned to the primary controller 1 24.

[0093] A variation on the method for digital communication between the primary controller 1 24 and secondary controller 125 is to send digital communications from the primary controller 1 24 as a series of pulses at two or more DC voltages. Preferably, both voltages are high enough to power any circuitry associated with the secondary controller 1 25, peripherals 510, etc that require DC power. These voltages may be sent from digital transmitter circuit 251 , and received by receiver circuitry 256, which could be a simple voltage comparator circuit. Communication from the secondary controller 1 25 back to the primary controller may be ATTACHMENT A

provided by having the digital transmit circuitry 257 provide two different levels of current draw or load on the communications cable, for example by switching in and out a transistor feeding a resistor. Such variations in the current draw would then be sensed by the receiver circuit 258 and converted into digital data for the primary controller 1 24.

[0094] Figure 3J illustrates an exemplary method using switches to minimize the undesirable effects of an RF cable extending past a selected antenna. It will be understood from the preceding descriptions that switches may be controlled by the intelligent station system through use of secondary controllers (or control unit) . Figure 3J shows a reader unit 370 connected to a series of antennas 371 -377. The series of antennae are also denoted as 1 ^st, 2^nd, Nth, etc. . Each antenna has associated with it circuitry 380. The circuitry may include a coaxial cable 381 carrying the RF signal. An RF-carrying center conductor may be shorted to the coaxial shield by shunt switch 382, or connected to tuning circuitry and thereafter the antenna 371 through a select switch 383. The coaxial shield is electrically continuous as denoted by line 384. The coaxial shield would typically be grounded. The coaxial center conductor is likewise continuous.

[0095] The distance between successive antennae is, preferably, an integer submultiple of a quarter-wavelength of the RF signal. For example, an RF signal at 1 3.56 MHz travelling through standard coaxial cable with polyethylene dielectric has a quarter wavelength of approximately 1 2 feet. Thus, as shown in Figure 3J, a one-foot coaxial length between antennae could be used to provide a one-twelve submultiple of a quarter wavelength spacing. Other integer submultiples are possible, for example a 1 .5-foot coaxial length between antennae could be used to provide a one-eighth submultiple.

[0096] To illustrate the method, the Nth antenna 373 could be selected by closing select switch 385 to direct the RF signal to antenna ATTACHMENT A

373. Also, shunt switch 386 is closed to short the RF signal to the coaxial shield at antenna 375, which is located a quarter wavelength further along the RF cable. A short circuit at one-quarter wavelength distance along the RF cable is seen as an infinite impedance, and minimizes the adverse effects of the RF cable extension past the selected antenna. At the end of the series of antennae, there may optionally be additional shunting switches as denoted by 378 and 379.

[0097] In the preferred embodiments, the intelligent station system is modular, using inexpensive components to handle data from the multiple antennae. Multiple antennae within a shelf may be activated in sequence or, optionally, with phase delays to enhance their effectiveness as is within the abilities of those skilled in the art.

[0098] With reference to the figures, Figure 4A is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention that shows an RFID system with multiple antennae 200, 210 (only two shown for convenience) connected to a reader unit 1 20. Therefore, the RFID system disclosed herein could be used to implement the intelligent stations 501 a- n or 502a-n shown in Figure 3A. Figure 4A is not intended to limit the present invention since those skilled in the art would recognize various modifications, alternatives, and variations thereof. Furthermore, one skilled in the art would recognize that the present invention, and its construction and method of operation would apply to transmissions and detection at other frequencies also as long as power and regulatory requirements are satisfied. The RFID system may comprise a single shelf or the multiple antennae may be arranged on proximate shelves and connected to a single reader unit using connectors, for e.g., co-axial or other connection means. As shown in Figure 4A, a single RF transmission cable 222 is used to connect to both the antennae 200 and 210. The transmission cable 222 terminates in a conventional terminator 21 5. The reader unit 1 20 is associated with a control unit 1 24 but does not have a ATTACHMENT A

multiplexer. Instead the controller 1 24 is designed to control switches 204 and 214 located at the antennae 200 and 21 0, respectively. The control unit 1 24 may also communicate with secondary control units 1 25, for example, located proximate to the antennae. The secondary control unit 1 25 may include microprocessors or addressable devices that may cooperate with control unit 1 24 in selecting the antennae.

[0099] In one embodiment, the switches 204 and 214 are connected to the control unit 1 24 by a separate cable 221 . Those skilled in the art would recognize that other means, including wireless means, or different frequency signals superimposed on the RF signal carried on the cable 222, may be used to connect the control unit 1 24 to the switches 204 and 214. The switches 204, 21 4 are controlled so that at any time, only one of the antennae 200, 21 0 is connected to the reader unit 1 20 through the cable 222.

[0100] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram showing a logical switch 204 that toggles between an open (dotted line) and a closed position, which powers the antenna. Such a logical switch may be used with the embodiment discussed with respect to Figure 4A.

[0101 ] Figure 5 is another embodiment of the present invention that is similar to the embodiment discussed above with respect to Figure 4A, except that the antennae 200 are all identical, as shown in Figure 5. Therefore, the tuning circuits 202 may all be identical, which simplifies antenna fabrication. Therefore, the reader unit 1 20 is connected by transmission cable 222 and switches 204 and 21 4 to respective multiple identical antennae 200.

[0102] Figure 6 is block diagram of an alternate embodiment that shows a benefit when the multiple antennae 200 are identical. Portions of the tuning circuitry 202 may be moved back to a common tuning circuit 21 3 at or proximate the reader unit 1 20 itself. Therefore, the reader unit 1 20 is connected to the multiple antennae 200 through a ATTACHMENT A

common tuning circuit 21 3 that is provided at the reader unit 1 20. As would be recognized by those skilled in the art, a main tuning circuit 202 or 21 2 may still be provided for each antenna 200.

[0103] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention in which two separate transmission cables 222 and 230 transmit modulated and unmodulated RF signals, respectively, to multiple antenna configurations each of which include antenna loops 201 and 231 . Associated with the reader unit 1 30 is a control unit 1 34. The reader unit 1 30 is designed so that a RF signal can be split to allow an unmodulated RF signal to be transmitted through a separate cable 230 and through a tuning circuit 232 into antenna loops 231 that are associated with the RF antennae 201 . Each of the RF antennae 201 is associated with respective antenna loops 231 . As before, the reader unit 1 30 also generates a modulated RF signal that is transmitted through the tuning circuit 21 2 and the transmission cable 222 to the multiple antennae 201 . Respective switches 204 and 214 connect the respective antennae 201 to the transmission cable 222 and also connect the respective antenna loops 231 to the transmission cable 230.

[0104] In one embodiment, the unmodulated RF system, including the tuning circuit 232, the cable 230, and the antenna loops 231 may all be powered continuously. In contrast, the reader antenna data loops 201 may only be turned on one at a time by suitably controlling the switches 204 and 214. Because the loops 231 can be powered continuously, there is no start-up time required for RFID tags to charge up during data transfer. Such a system could advantageously be used in situations where the RFID tags need to be frequently read. Furthermore, this embodiment also allows handheld reader units to read the tags at any time because the tags are always powered in view of the continuous powering of the unmodulated RF system. The unmodulated cable 230 has a terminator 21 6 at the end of the cable 230. In this ATTACHMENT A

context, it should be understood that the term "continuous" power may include a percentage duty cycle if required by legal or other limits. Alternatively, the unmodulated RF system can be activated just prior to activating the modulated RF system for each antenna.

[0105] Figure 8 is another embodiment that is similar to the embodiment discussed above with respect to Figure 7. In this embodiment, the modulated RF signal through cable 222 and the unmodulated RF signal through cable 230 are routed through the same antennae 201 . The switches 204 and 214 are preferably configured so that the modulated RF signal 222, or unmodulated RF signal 230, or neither signal, is routed into a given antenna 201 . That is, the switches

204 and 21 4 are designed so that they can only operate in three states: (I) a first state in which only the modulated RF signal is transmitted to an antenna 201 ; (II) a second state in which only the unmodulated RF signal is transmitted to the antenna 201 ; and (III) a third state in which both the modulated RF signal and the unmodulated RF signal bypass the antenna 201 .

[0106] Such a switching operation can be implemented with groups of single or multi-pole RF switches. In operation, this embodiment allows for an antenna 201 to be inactive until just before its turn to be polled. At that point, the unmodulated RF signal can be switched into the antenna 201 through the tuning circuit 232, the transmission cable 230 and the appropriate switch 204, 214 to "warm up" the nearby RFID tags. Thereafter, the modulated RF signal is switched into that antenna 201 through the tuning circuit 21 2, the cable 222, and the appropriate switch 204, 214 to efficiently acquire data from the RFID tags that have just been warmed up.

[0107] Figure 9A is a simplified schematic diagram of a switch

205 that may be used, for example, with the embodiment discussed with respect to Figure 8. Figure 9A is not intended to limit the present ATTACHMENT A

invention since those skilled in the art would recognize various modifications, variations, and alternatives thereon. When switch 205A is thrown to the left to connect one pole of antenna loop 201 onto the center conductor of modulated RF signal coaxial cable 222, with the other pole connected to the shield of the same cable, the modulated RF signal is transmitted to the antenna 201 . If switch 205A is thrown to the right, the signal in the modulated cable 222 continues on to another antenna. Switch 205 B is shown thrown to the right, so that the unmodulated RF signal continues on toward another antenna. If switch 205B is thrown to the left, the unmodulated RF signal will be passed through the antenna 201 . If both switches A and B are thrown to the right, both signals will bypass the antenna which will be completely inactive. Switch 205 is designed so that switches 205A and 205B cannot both be thrown to the left.

[0108] Figure 9B is a simplified schematic diagram of an alternative switch 205C that may be used, for example, with the embodiment discussed with respect to Figure 8. This diagram shows that the common (or ground) wire may not need to be switched, and that a switch may be branched off of the RF cable instead of being directly inline with the cable. When switch 205C is thrown to the left, it connects one pole of antenna loop 201 onto the center conductor of modulated RF signal coaxial cable 222, with the other pole connected to the shield of the same cable, so the modulated RF signal is transmitted to the antenna 201 . If switch 205C is thrown to the center, the unmodulated RF signal 230 will be passed through the antenna 201 . If switch 205C is thrown to the right, neither RF signal will enter the antenna which will be completely inactive. Note in the case of switch 205C that the RF signals also continue down their respective cables, past the antenna 201 , regardless of the switch 205C setting. ATTACHMENT A

[0109] Figure 10A shows a circuit diagram for a RF switch that may be used, for example, as switch 204 or 214 discussed earlier herein with respect to various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 0A is not intended to limit the present invention since those skilled in the art would recognize various modifications, variations, and alternatives thereof. As shown, the RF switch utilizes a PIN (P-type, l-type, N-type) diode 207 (for example, Microsemi part number 900-6228) which acts in a similar way to a regular PN diode except that it is able to block a RF signal when the switch contact is open. When the switch contact is closed, the PIN diode 207 becomes forward biased and conducts the RF signal. The control signal used to select the antenna may also be superimposed (not shown) on the RF signal that is used to read the RFID tags. Such a control signal could be separated from the RF signal by a band pass filter and then go on to an addressable switch, which selectively activates the RF switch utilizing a PIN diode. In Figure 1 0A, the control signal is provided on separate wiring instead of using the RF signal cable. While superimposing the control signal on the RF signal cable may require fewer conductors and/or connectors between antennae or between intelligent stations, it requires additional electronic components to separate the signals at each antenna. Thus it may be more efficient to have separate wiring for the control signal.

[01 10] Figure 1 0B illustrates a circuit diagram for detuning an antenna so that, if the antenna is not selected for activation, it will not resonate when a nearby antenna is selected. If the antenna is not selected, then the PIN diode 207a shorts out tuning capacitor 21 1 a, and thereby changes the frequency of the antenna so that it will not be active at the frequency used to operate the antenna to read the RFID tags.

[01 1 1] Using a PIN diode such as 207a to short out tuning capacitors and detune an antenna means that PIN diode 207a may be run under power for significant lengths of time. This may generate heat and ATTACHMENT A

waste power. Therefore the system may be designed to only detune antennae that are immediately adjacent to the antenna currently being read. Which antennae are adjacent may be determined by several methods. For example, this may be specified during design, or found by observation after assembly, or may be determined with the RFID reader during operation as described further herein.

[01 12] Figure 10C shows another circuit diagram where a PIN diode 207b is used to tune the loop. Here the loop is in tune when PIN diode 207b is energized. Therefore, the PIN diode 207b is not required to remain on while the loop is not being read. This may save power and reduce heat generation.

[01 13] While the examples here include use of PIN diodes for the switching and detuning functions, other electronic components such as, for example,FET (field effect transistor) or MESFET (metal-semiconductor FET) devices may also be used as would be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[01 14] Figure 10D shows another circuit diagram where a switch, for example field effect transistor (FET) 208, within the resonant part of the circuit is used to detune the loop. Here the loop is in tune when FET 208 is deenergized, and detuned when FET 208 is energized. In the energized state, the FET 208 draws little power. Furthermore, in this position within the circuit, when the FET 208 is energized it sufficiently detunes the loop antenna so that RF tends not to enter the tuning circuit. Therefore it may not be necessary to provide a separate FET or PIN diode to select the loop.

[01 15] Figure 10B illustrates one aspect of the present invention that variable capacitors (for example, variable capacitors 21 1 a-c shown in Figure 1 0B) may be used to tune the antenna, that is, to cause it to resonate at the same frequency as the RF signal from a reader unit. As the surroundings of the antenna may influence the tuning, any structure ATTACHMENT A

enclosing the tuning circuit is preferably designed to keep the adjustable components accessible from the outside, for example, by locating them at an edge of the structure (such as a shelf edge) or by providing access holes for tuning devices (such as servo-controlled screwdrivers).

[01 16] Furthermore, since tuning an antenna can be a trial and error process and time-consuming, it is desirable to permit the tuning to be done automatically. According to one aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing an automatic tuning unit (not shown) that would temporarily attach computer-controlled servo-driven screwdrivers to adjustment screws associated with the adjustable capacitors. To achieve optimal tuning, the automatic tuning unit (which may include a computer or other suitably programmed microprocessor) would receive feedback from a conductive connection to the antenna being tuned, or from an RFID reader that would detect which tags were identified from an array of tags in a predetermined or known spatial (preferably two or three-dimensional) arrangement. The tuning unit, based on a set of rules, experimentally developed or developed from experience, would manipulate the adjustment screws to achieve optimal tuning. Alternatively, the controller or secondary controller may adjust the tuning of each antenna by electronic adjustment, for example by remotely setting adjustable voltage-controlled capacitors within the tuning circuit. This method would minimize the need for using mechanical or servo controlled adjustments for tuning. Voltage-controlled capacitors in the tuning circuit could also be used to detune antennae so they would not resonate when they were not selected for reading.

[01 17] In one embodiment, RFID tags may be placed within the shelf itself, preferably one or more situated within the read range of each individual antenna. These RFID tags provide for each antenna a known response when that antenna is read during a self-test mode. Thus, whether or not the shelf supported any RFID-tagged items, there would ATTACHMENT A

always be at least one self-test RFID tag that should be found in range of the antenna. If such RFID tags were not found, the control unit 1 24 or secondary control unit 1 25 may institute a self-tuning process. If after self tuning the self-test RFID tags could still not be read, then a message could be sent to the electronic network indicating the need for shelf maintenance. Instead of placing the self-test RFID tags within the shelf, they could also be placed elsewhere in range of the antennae, for example on the rear or side wall of a shelf.

[01 18] Figure 1 1 A is diagram illustrating alternate antenna loop configurations within a single shelf unit. Shelf 300 contains a single antenna loop 301 . Shelf 310 contains antenna loops 31 1 and 31 2. With more than one loop within a shelf, there arise multiple operating modes. For example, loop 31 1 could be active, or loop 31 2 could be active, or both loops could be active or inactive at the same time. The present invention contemplates that both loops could be active simultaneously with a phase difference in their input RF signal. Such as phase difference can be introduced by various electronic means well known to those skilled in the art. For example, a phase difference can be introduced by using a different length coaxial cable to feed one antenna loop as compared with the other.

[01 19] As seen in Figure 1 1 A, shelf 320 contains four antenna loops 321 -324. This is shown as an example, since there may be more or less than four antenna loops, and other configurations may be used as would be recognized by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure herein. The four loops 321 -324 can be activated in different combinations, for instance loops 321 and 322, 321 and 323, or 321 and 324 can be simultaneously activated. In particular, if a pair of loops is active, with a phase difference between the active loops, the RF field vector may be shifted in order to better read antenna tags that are in different physical orientations. Therefore, use of phased antenna loops ATTACHMENT A

may provide better "coverage" for reading tags, when compared to non- phased loops.

[0120] Figure 1 1 B illustrates a top view of several shelves 400,41 0,420,430,440, and 450 supported upon a fixture 460. Each shelf has, by way of example, four antennae. For example shelf 41 0 contains antennae 41 1 -41 4. Furthermore within each shelf and proximate to each of the antennae are one or more RFID tags. In Figure 1 1 B there are four tags per antennae, the tags being designated a-d. Tags within the shelf are useful for a variety of functions. A smaller or greater number of tags may be used as would be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0121] For example, if antenna 41 1 is turned on at a relatively low power, it should be able to read tag 41 1 c, which is located, for example, approximately in the center of antenna 41 1 . Of course, one of skill in the art would recognize that depending on the antenna and tag design, at low power, tags at locations closer to the antenna conductor may be used since they would be read more readily. Thus tag 41 1 c may be used to test whether antenna 41 1 is functioning properly. If the power is increased antenna 41 1 should also be able to read tags 41 1 a, b, and d, which are located near the periphery of antenna 41 1 . By varying the power during a diagnostic or self-check mode, the system should be able to determine how much power is required for antenna 41 1 to function effectively. Shelf tags may be arranged at several distances from the center of each antenna in order to provide this information.

[0122] As the power to antenna 41 1 is increased, it may eventually be able to read shelf tag 41 2b associated with the adjacent antenna 41 2. The system may thus determine that antenna 41 1 and 41 2 are adjacent. This information may then be used by the system to determine which adjacent antenna may need to be detuned when a given antenna is operating. The fact that antennae 41 1 and 41 2 are adjacent ATTACHMENT A

could already have been established when shelf 41 0 was fabricated. However, when several shelves are placed adjacently in a retail store, it may not be possible or convenient to determine in advance which shelves are to be adjacent. The shelf tags may be used to establish which shelves or antennae are adjacent after the system is assembled.

[0123] For example, antenna 41 1 operated at normal power may also detect shelf tag 404d associated with adjacent antenna 404 on adjacent shelf 400, whose adjacent position may not have been established prior to shelf placement, and shelf tag 441 a associated with adjacent antenna 441 on the adjacent shelf 440 on the opposite side of the gondola (or a common support structure for shelves), whose adjacent position may not have been established prior to shelf placement.

[0124] It is may be designed that antenna 41 1 operated at normal power or slightly higher power may be able to read further into adjacent antenna areas, for example reading shelf tags 404c, 41 2c, and 441 c. Thus the functionality described herein may be achieved using only a single shelf tag in the center of each antenna.

[0125] Although shelf tags may be useful for the purposes described above, they may slow the system response by increasing the number of tags to be read. It may therefore be a desirable option to use for the shelf tag unique ID serial numbers a specific range of serial numbers that may be directed by the system to a "quiet" mode, that is, not to respond during normal operation, but only to respond during diagnostic or setup operations.

[0126] One or more antennae may be contained or hidden within each shelf. The antenna loops may be made using conductive materials. These conductive materials may include metallic conductors such as metal wire or foil. The conductive material may also be strips of mesh or screen. In one embodiment, the antenna loops may be made of copper foil approximately 0.002" thick and 0.5" wide. These loops may be ATTACHMENT A

contained within a thin laminate material such as a decorative laminate that is applied to the surface of a supporting shelf material. The loops may also be laminated within glass. The loops may also be adhered to the exterior of a laminated material, glass, or other supporting structure. If additional load bearing support or stiffness is desired, such supporting shelf material may be any material capable of supporting the shelf contents, or providing structural rigidity, as would be recognized by those skilled in the art. Examples of such materials include wood, plastic, rigid plastic foam, glass, fiberglass, or paperboard that is corrugated or otherwise designed to provide stability. An RF-blocking material may be applied to or incorporated into the bottom surface of the shelf, if desired, to prevent detecting RFID tags that may be under instead of the target tags above the shelf. It is to be understood that the intelligent station herein described as a shelf could also be used in a vertical or other angular orientation and the RF blocking material would then be applied in an appropriate orientation to better isolate target tags intended to be read from other adjacent tags.

[0127] An RF-blocking material applied to or incorporated into the bottom surface of the shelf, or present in any underlying metal support such as an existing metal shelf, will substantially prevent RF energy from going "below" the shelf. Alternatively, an RF blocking material may also be incorporated within the interior of a shelf. This is an advantage if it is desired that the shelf sense only tagged items on (above) the shelf. However, a consequence of such an RF-blocking material (whether deliberately provided in the shelf construction, or coincidentally present as a pre-existing shelf structure) is that while nearly completely restricting the RF energy below the shelf, the RF-blocking material under the shelf also reduces the "read range" above the shelf. To compensate for this otherwise reduced read range, a layer of compensating material may be provided just below the antenna loops (that is near the top of the shelf ATTACHMENT A

structure). Such a material would be non-conductive and have a high magnetic permeability. Examples are Magnum Magnetics RubberSteel™ or a flexible ferrite magnetic sheet having a high in-plane magnetic permeability. Such an in-plane magnetic permeability is achieved by using an isotropic ferrite sheet, not a conventional anisotropic ferrite sheet whose permeability by design is normal to the sheet. The presence of a layer of this compensating material between the antenna and the RF- blocking material, enables higher flux density between the antenna and the RF-blocking material. Consequently the flux density can be higher above the shelf, thus giving better sensing range ("read range") for a given shelf thickness.

[0128] The antenna loops, laminated within or attached externally to thin supporting materials, may be disposed in a non-planar form, for example, as curved panels that may be used in certain display cases, beside some clothing racks, or for tunnel readers that may be used at a checkout stand, etc.

[0129] The examples herein discuss loop antennas, which are typically used for readers operating at RF frequencies such as 1 3.56 MHz. It is possible that items within the intelligent station may contain tags operating at other widely different frequencies, such as 91 5 MHz, 2.45 GHz, or 1 25 kHz. The intelligent station may be configured to read these or other frequencies, by providing suitable antennae, for example multiple loop antennae for 1 25 kHz, and dipole antennae for 91 5 MHz or 2.45 GHz. Antennae within the intelligent station may be provided for one or several of these frequencies. Each antenna would preferably have its own separate switch and tuning circuit. All intelligent stations would share a single common RF cable, and a single common control cable. Intelligent stations may be constructed so that all areas on each intelligent station may read all desired frequencies (that is each area is served by multiple antennae), or different areas on a given intelligent station may be provided ATTACHMENT A

with specific antennae for a specific frequency. Intelligent stations operating at different frequencies could all be interconnected. An intelligent station operating at more than one frequency would require a so-call "agile reader" unit that can be configured operate at more than one frequency.

[0130] In the preferred embodiments, the antenna loops discussed in present application may be placed, for example, upon shelves so they would be placed underneath products by being incorporated into mats that are placed on shelves. The loops are thus encapsulated in an appropriate rigid or flexible substrate well known to those skilled in the art. Examples of suitable substrate material include a laminated structural material, silicone rubber, urethane rubber, fiberglass, plastic, or other similar material that protect the antenna loops and provide some physical offset to prevent electromagnetic interference in case the antennae are placed on metal shelves, walls, or surfaces.

[0131 ] The encapsulation material or the shelves may be provided with holes or grommets for hanging on vertical surfaces such as the backs of shelves. In an alternate embodiment, the encapsulation material also may be provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive to help attach to a desired surface. The "front" or "shelf" edge of the encapsulation may also be provided with low power light emitting or other display devices that may be turned on by the reader unit or a sequencer unit such as a secondary controller unit within the shelf so that activity of particular display devices may be visually coordinated with the activities of correspondingly positioned reader antennae. Alternatively or in addition, the display devices may also be used to display additional information such as pricing or discounts.

[0132] Besides the ability to read RFID tags, the intelligent station may have additional "peripheral" devices that may communicate information through the digital data cable. For example, the intelligent ATTACHMENT A

station system would provide a digital data communication highway for add-on or peripheral attachment devices including but not limited to computer terminals, display devices, modems, bar code readers, temperature sensors, locking devices for enclosed or tethered merchandise, etc. The digital data communication highway may be incorporated into the wiring system that sends digital control and data information between controller 1 24 and secondary controllers 1 25, or it may be one or more separate digital data communication highways that are made up of wiring that runs through and connects between the stations, with the stations provided with ports through which to connect the add-on or peripheral devices. The digital data communication highway facilitates the transmission of data in both directions between the intelligent stations system (including the controller 1 24 and secondary controller 1 25) and the electronic network. Electrical power may also be provided for the add-on or peripheral devices through wires that run through the stations.

[0133] It should be understood that, whether or not add-on or peripheral devices are used, electrical power other than RF power may be used by the stations, for example direct current (DC) used by the secondary controller 1 25, and by the switches and tuning electronics. Such electrical power may be provided by one or more dedicated wires, or it may be incorporated into the digital communication highway or with an RF cable.

[0134] As an example, an RF cable may comprise two conductors, for example in a coaxial cable, the center conductor and the sheath conductor. The RF cable carries an RF signal. A DC voltage may be superimposed on the RF signal, in the same RF cable, to provide DC power to intelligent stations. If the DC voltage, for instance 1 8 volts DC, is higher than needed for some devices in the intelligent station (for ATTACHMENT A

instance 5 volts DC), a voltage regulator may be used to decrease the voltage to within usable limits.

[0135] As a further example, digital communications may be carried on the same RF cable. For instance, the DC voltage superimposed on the RF cable may be switched between two DC levels (for example 1 8 volts DC and 1 2 volts DC) to accomplish non-RF digital communications on the RF cable Therefore, a primary controller may send information to secondary controllers by using such digital communications.

[0136] As a further example, a secondary controller may send information to a primary controller in digital form over an RF cable by switching on and off an electrical load to thereby drain current from the RF cable. This in turn may be sensed at the primary controller. The use of voltage level and the use of load level may be done simultaneously to achieve two-way digital non-RF communication through the RF cable.

[0137] As another example, in the shelf embodiment, another device that may advantageously be incorporated into the shelf is a plug-in bar code reader that could interface to the secondary control unit 1 25. When the shelf was being stocked, the bar code reader could be used to scan the packages being placed on the shelf. The bar code data would then be sent back to the electronic network along with the unique RFID tag serial number. If the product identity defined by the bar code was not previously associated with the unique RFID tag serial number, the association would now be completed within the data store. Otherwise the bar code scan could serve as a verification of the data store information. The use of the bar code device would further enable the shelf to provide benefits even during staged introduction of RFID tagged merchandise. By comparing the number of items stocked onto the shelf (as identified by the bar code scanner in conjunction with a simple numeric keypad), against the number of same items sold (as determined by existing scanners at the checkout line) it could be determined

no ATTACHMENT A

approximately how much merchandise remained on the shelf, and whether restocking was necessary. Likewise barcode scanning at the shelf itself could be utilized to provide current pricing information retrieved from the electronic network and displayed through alphanumeric displays at the shelf.

[0138] In another embodiment, the shelf or intelligent station may be provided with environmental sensors, to monitor or measure, for example, temperature, humidity, light, or other environmental parameters or factors. Since the system is able to determine what items are on the shelf, the system could keep track of the environment for each item and provide a warning if environmental conditions were out of limits for specific types of items. Separate limits could be defined for each group of items.

[0139] One or more proximity sensors, for example, infrared sensors or capacitive sensors, may be located on the shelf to detect the presence of a shopper and determine whether to increase the reading frequency at that shelf in order to give the shopper rapid feedback when an item is moved from the shelf. The means of detecting a shopper would be located at the front edge of the shelf, where they would not be obstructed by merchandise. Infrared or capacitive sensors could sense the presence of a shopper by detecting body heat from the shopper, or a change in local capacitance due to the shopper being in front of the shelf, or the shopper's hand or arm, or merchandise, moving near the front of the shelf. Other means of detecting the presence of a shopper could include visible or infrared light sensors along the front edge of the shelf to detect the shadow of a hand or arm reaching for merchandise on the shelf. The light source in this case could be ambient visible light, or visible or IR light from sources located below the next higher shelf, or from sources overhead or on the ceiling of the store. Store security cameras could also be used to detect the presence of shoppers and to

in ATTACHMENT A

direct the intelligent station to increase reading frequency. Likewise, audible/visual signals or displays or can be activated when a shopper is sensed and for some time thereafter rather than being activated at all times in order to conserve power and component life. Likewise information regarding the proximity of a shopper to the shelf could be relayed back to the electronic network to help analyze shopper traffic patterns, or length of time spent at a particular shelf. The shopper location data could also be fed to store security systems for use in conjunction with scanning patterns of store surveillance cameras.

[0140] Likewise the shelf data relayed back to the electronic network can be used to determine if an unusually large number of items are suddenly removed from the shelf. If this occurs, a security camera can be directed at the shelf to take a picture of the shopper who removed the items. If the items are not paid for when the shopper leaves the store, appropriate action can be taken to stop the theft.

[0141] Another device that may be incorporated into the shelf is a Hall effect or other similar proximity type sensor to detect movement of tags or presence of a shopper. This information may be used similarly to that described in the preceding description regarding an infrared sensor.

[0142] Another use of the shelf would be to detect the presence of "customer tags" associated with shoppers, that could be used to help shoppers find predetermined merchandise items, such as the correct size of clothing items, whereby visual or audible indicators on the shelf could be activated to direct the shopper toward the desired items. Also the "customer tag" when placed on a shelf where a desired item was out of stock, could be used to give the customer a "rain check" and or discount on the item when it came back into stock, or information about the item being in the stock room, at another store, or on order. This could be useful to track when a shopper did not purchase an item because it was out of stock. ATTACHMENT A

[0143] Another use of the shelf would be to provide "feedforward" information to predict when more cashiers would be required at the checkout lanes, or when more stockers were required. This could, for example, be done by monitoring the amount of merchandise being removed from shelves, and thereby deducing the volume of merchandise that would be arriving at the checkout lanes. The storekeeper or store manager thereby could schedule the checkout or restocking personnel to optimize how their time is spent, help schedule break time, etc.

[0144] Another use of the shelf could be to detect the presence of a "stocking tag" or "employee tag," or a pushbutton or keyed input sequence, to alert the system that the shelf is stocked completely and the database is made aware that the current stock level is the full or target level. This method could be used when item stocking patterns were changed, to update the target level.

[0145] The shelf system could be used to suggest, for all shelves covered by the system, based on the price, traffic, and shelf space, the most optimal stocking pattern, which may involve changing the target inventory for all items. Calculating such a stocking pattern would require knowledge of how many of each SKU item would fit on a given shelf area, and how much shelf area was covered by each shelf antenna.

[0146] In one aspect of the present invention, it would be advantageous for the shelf system to know the physical location of each shelf, which may not necessarily be obvious even from unique Ethernet or RS-485 addresses or other networking addresses. Therefore, the present invention contemplates incorporating a GPS transducer into each shelf. A more practical solution may be to, instead, provide a portable GPS unit that could be plugged into a USB port (or other similar compatible port) on each shelf, when the shelf was assembled, to identify its location. For ATTACHMENT A

example, a GPS unit could be combined with the servomechanical tuning unit used to set up the shelf after its installation.

[0147] Alternately, a GPS unit with a programmable RFID tag could be placed upon a shelf and communicate back to the main controller, through the RFID system, what the coordinates of the shelf are. One way of accomplishing this would to use a GPS system connected to a specialized RFID tag having additional storage blocks for information besides its unique serial number. Such a tag would use an integrated circuit with connections to its tag antenna also to communication circuitry to receive data from an outside source, such as the GPS system. The GPS system could be configured to write the spatial coordinates in the additional storage blocks. A known serial number or numbers could be used in the specialized RFID tag, and the RFID system, upon detecting such a specialized RFID tag could interrogate the tag to determine the stored spatial coordinates and associate then with the shelf and antenna that was being read.

[0148] The antenna shape need not be confined to single-loop antennae. A single loop antenna is a form factor that may typically be used with high RFID frequencies such as 1 3.56 MHz. A multi-loop antenna 1 21 5 may be used at a lower frequency such as 1 25 kHz, or to permit lower current operation at high frequencies such as 1 3.56 MHz. The use of lower current antennae may permit using lower power switching components. Forming multi-loop antenna may require antenna components such as the wire in the loops to be in close proximity to one another, and therefore the wire may preferably be insulated.

[0149] Tuning components associated with the RFID antennae, for example, rotary trim capacitors or capacitor banks, may require access during use. Suitable access may be provided, for example in a shelf embodiment, by providing removable cover devices, or holes in the shelf ATTACHMENT A

[0150] For attaching conductive antenna materials onto supporting laminate or other structures, a variety of methods may be utilized. For example, a metal foil may be laid down onto a substrate in web form (such as a web of paperboard) or planar form (such as a sheet of paperboard, sheet of laminate, wood or plastic board, etc.) by an automated machine using two or three dimension positioning mechanisms to feed the foil from a reel onto the substrate in the desired antenna pattern.

[0151] If the supporting material is wood, a milling machine may be used to form grooves into which conductive wire may be secured in order to form antenna loops. The same method may be used if the supporting material is plastic, or, a heated pattern may be pressed into the plastic to form grooves in which conductive wire may be secured. A plastic substrate may be molded with grooves to hold wire conductors, or the plastic substrate may be molded with a repeating rectilinear pattern of perpendicular grooves that permit forming antenna loops in a large number of patterns. In any of these methods, holes may be drilled, punched, or molded for securing the ends of the antenna wires. These holes may extend through the substrate to become accessible for connection or insertion into tuning circuits used to tune the antenna loops.

[0152] Another method of forming antenna loops is to wrap the conductive wire around a series of pins similar to a loom, then invert the loom and press the conductors onto a substrate. The substrate may be precoated with adhesive to hold the conductors when the loom is removed. Alternately the substrate may be soft enough to allow the conductors to be pressed into the surface of the substrate. Alternately the substrate may be a thermoplastic and the conductors may be preheated so that they partly melt the substrate on contact and become embedded in it's the surface of the substrate. The pins used on the loom ATTACHMENT A

to form the antenna loops may optionally be spring-loaded so that when the loom is pressing the conductors onto the substrate, the pins may optionally retract into the loom.

[0153] In more detail, Figure 1 2 shows one method of making a wire antenna. Figure 1 2 is not intended to limit the present invention since one skilled in the art would recognize various modifications, alternatives, and variations. A substrate 1 100 is provided, such as a wood, plastic, rubber, high density foam, or similar material. Grooves 1 1 1 0 are provided in the substrate, typically in a grid pattern. These grooves may be made by machining, molding such as by hot or cold- pressing or injecting molding, casting, hot branding (for example with wood), etc. Pressing methods may use platen (stamping) or rotary devices. Preferably holes 1 130 are provided at intersection points in the grooves, by the same methods or by drilling or punching. A large part of the area on substrate 1 100 is still occupied by the areas 1 1 20 between grooves. Thus the substrate 1 100 still has an essentially planar upper surface, so that loads may be borne by the surface and a covering, film, laminate, or veneer may be applied to provide a planar finished surface. The areas 1 1 20 are also known to be unoccupied by antenna wires, and these areas may be provided by casting, drilling, punching, etc. with holes to accommodate screws or bolts to attach to other structures. The holes may also be used for attachments such as pegboard or display hooks, or through holes for wiring, ventilation, sound from loudspeakers, placement of small lights, etc.

[0154] Antenna loop 1 200 is shown that has been formed by placing or pressing wire of a suitable diameter into some of the grooves 1 1 1 0. The ends 1 201 of the antenna loop are held in place by securing them into holes 1 1 30. The holes can be entirely through substrate 1 1 00, so that they may be connected to circuitry on the other side of the substrate. Likewise antenna loop 1 21 0 is shown being formed, with wire ATTACHMENT A

end 1 21 1 already secured in one hole and wire end 1 21 2 shown ready to be secured into another hole.

[0155] Besides simply pressing bare wire through the holes to secure the ends, the wire may be precut to the needed length, and the ends fitted with grommets 1 140, buttons, or other mechanical devices that fit into holes 1 130. These grommets may be soldered onto the wire for better conductivity. As an alternative to inserting them into holes 1 1 30, the grommets may be slightly larger diameter than the width of the grooves 1 1 10, so that the grommets will only fit at points where two grooves intersect, as shown in Figure 1 2A. Alternately during forming of the groove pattern, the intersection points may be made larger than the groove widths as shown in Figure 1 2B, to hold a larger grommet 1 141 . The grommets may be bar shaped (1 142) or tee shaped (1 143) to fit in the intersection points as shown in Figure 1 2C. They may also be cross- shaped. They may be fitted with pins to protrude down into or through substrate 1 100, or to extend upward out of substrate 1 100. The pins may fit into sockets on, or holes in, the circuit boards. The grommets (e.g. 1 1 40 or 1 141 ) may be hollow to accept other wiring or pins. They may incorporate externally threaded pins or internally threaded holes. The grommets likewise may incorporate internal or external barbs or spring- loaded parts to hold them in place or to assist in connecting to external circuitry. The antenna wires attached to the grommets may also be secured by barbs.

[0156] The substrate 1 1 00 may be provided with recesses (not shown) in which to position circuitry (not shown), and such circuitry installed before or after the wires, and the wires attached to the circuitry by soldering or use of grommets, barbs, etc.

[0157] Instead of the grooves 1 1 10 forming a regular grid or criss-cross pattern, which allows for multiple antenna patterns to be created, the grooves can instead be provided in "custom" form to ATTACHMENT A

comprise only the grooves desired for the actual antennae to be produced. Figure 1 3 shows such an embodiment. The grooves, for example 1 220 and 1 230, can be formed by the same methods described above, as can the holes 1 221 and 1 231 .

[0158] Since the grooves and holes hold the wire securely, the wire may be easily inserted by hand into the substrate, or the process may be mechanized. After all desired antennae have been formed in the substrate, any open grooves may be filled with plastic or any other suitable material. A covering laminate, film, or other layer may then be applied on top of the substrate. This covering may be an injection-molded layer of material, or melt-cast layer, or liquid cast layer that cures by chemical reaction or heat (such as an epoxy material or silicone compound), or evaporation (such as a latex material) .

[0159] The combined substrate and covering then comprise an antenna mat. Depending on the materials, the antenna mat may be flexible or rigid. The antenna mat may also be attached to a planar or non-planar supporting material such as a wood, plastic, fiberglass, etc. board.

[0160] The antenna shape need not be confined to single-loop antennae. Figure 1 3A shows single loop antennae 1 200 and 1 210, a form factor that might typically be used with mid range RFID frequencies such as 1 3.56 MHz. Also shown is a multi-loop antenna 1 21 5 that might typically be used with a lower frequency such as 1 25 kHz. Forming multi-loop antenna 1 21 5 may require the wire loops to be in close proximity to one another, and therefore the wire may preferably be insulated. It may be desired to have a wire crossover 1 21 6 as shown, or no crossover as denoted by dotted line 1 21 7. The distance between grooves may have to be narrower for multi-loop antennae. Also shown is the shape of a dipole antenna 1 21 8 that might typically be used with higher frequencies such as 91 5 MHz or 2.45 GHz. The ends 1 21 9 shown ATTACHMENT A

for the dipole antenna are bent to denote a method for holding these otherwise loose ends by inserting the ends into holes in the substrate during fabrication.

[0161] In the embodiment of Figures 12 and 1 3, the grooves are created before the antenna wires are set in place. A different embodiment is shown in Figure 14. An upper plate 1300 is provided which has a pattern of holes 1301 for holding pins 1 302. The pins may be threaded and the holes tapped so that the pins may be secured by screwing them into the holes. Thus the number and placement of the pins may be varied.

[0162] A lower plate 1310 is provided with matching holes 1 31 1 . When the plates 1300 and 1 310 are brought together as shown at arrow "A", pins 1302 protrude through holes 1 31 1 . Pins 1302 may then be used to define the corners of wire antennae that are wound around the pins under the lower plate 1310. For example antenna 1 240 is formed using pins to hold the wire at three corners. At the fourth corner, the two wire ends 1241 are inserted up through open holes 1 31 1 in the lower plate 1 310. Another example antenna 1 250 is formed using pins at all four corners. Grommets 1 251 attached to the ends of the wire loop are held over two additional pins. Instead of securing the wire ends within the plate area, they may also extend beyond the plate as shown by the dotted lines at 1 252. In this case the wire ends would be secured by other means (not shown).

[0163] The combined assembly 1330 of upper plate 1300 and lower plate 1 310 with attached pins, wires, grommets, etc. is then inverted over substrate 1 320 as shown by arrow "B". The antennae 1 240 and 1 250 are transferred onto the substrate 1 320 by one or more of the following or similar methods.

[0164] a) An adhesive coating or film is applied to the substrate 1 320. The combined assembly 1 330 is lowered onto the substrate 1 320, ATTACHMENT A

and lower plate 1 31 0 is pressed against the substrate. The antennae 1 240 and 1 250 adhere to the adhesive. If upper plate 1 300 is lifted slightly during the pressing step, the pins 1 302 will not penetrate the substrate 1 320. If upper plate 1 300 is also kept under downward pressure, the pins 1 302 will make holes in the substrate 1 320. Any grommets 1 251 will be pressed into the substrate. After the adhesive set, the combined assembly 1 330 is lifted, leaving the antenna pattern attached to substrate 1 320.

[0165] b) Method (a) may be used, with sufficient pressure to force the antenna wires partly or completely below the surface of the substrate 1 320. This method could be used, for example, with a high density foam substrate 1320 which requires minimal force to press the wires below the surface.

[0166] c) Method (b) may be used, with the wires 1 240 and 1 250 and grommets 1 251 heated to a temperature above the softening point of substrate 1 320, so that on contact and pressure, the substrate is softened or melted slightly to accept the wires and grommets. One method of heating the wires is to pass an electric current through them before or during pressing against the substrate. The upper plate 1 300 may be released during the pressing step so that the pins 1302 retract and do not penetrate into substrate 1 320.

[0167] d) The substrate instead of being a solid material 1 320 may at this point be cast onto the wires by liquid casting of chemical, thermal, evaporative or otherwise setting material, or by injection molding, of a material to the lower surface of lower plate 1 31 0.

[0168] Lower plate 1 31 0 and pins 1 302 may be precoated with a release agent to prevent sticking. Such a release agent would be applied before the wires are attached, so that release agent is not applied to the wires. Also, lower plate 1 31 0 may be a non-stick material, for example Teflon or coated with Teflon or a similar non-stick material. If an ATTACHMENT A

injection molding is used, lower plate 1 310 may be cooled by intemal passageways to speed up cooling of the injection-molded material.

[0169] After these steps, the antennae 1 240 and 1 250 may be attached to circuitry using wire ends 1 241 or 1 252, or grommets 1 251 .

[0170] In all embodiments, it is understood that the wires may be bare (except at crossovers) or insulated. The cross section of the wires may be a solid cylinder as is typically the case with wire, but it may also be square, rectangular, oval, U shaped or channel shaped, vee-shaped, etc. The main requirement of the wire is that regardless of shape it must be conductive and must have a shape and cross-sectional stiffness that promotes its being held in the grooves. The wire may be single conductor (typically known as "solid" conductor), or multistrand. It may be twisted or woven. It may be coaxial cable, in which case the external braid would be used as the active conductor for the RF signal.

[0171] Figure 1 5 is a diagram that illustrates a device and method of applying foil tape ribbons to a web or planar substrate to form foil antennas according to the present invention. Such foil antennae have several uses, for example, they may be used as transceivers or readers for communicating with RFID tags in RFID systems that may be used for inventory control. Figure 1 5 is not intended to limit the present invention since one skilled in the art would recognize various modifications, alternatives, and variations. A substrate 2100 is provided. This may be in web form, as shown, in which case traction rollers 21 1 0 or other means may be provided to move the web. In the example shown in Figure 1 5, such movement would be discontinuous. The web 2100 would be indexed forward a distance, then stopped while one or more conductive pathways were deposited onto substrate 2100. Once the conductive pathways had been deposited on substrate 2100, the web would be indexed forward again and the cycle repeated. ATTACHMENT A

[0172] A support plate 21 20 is provided under the substrate. This support plate 21 20 may incorporate a vacuum hold-down system (not shown) to temporarily fix the substrate 2100 to the support plate 21 20. The support plate 21 20 itself may also be movable in the X and Y directions to assist in the process of depositing conductive pathways.

[0173] An applicator means 2200 is provided for depositing the conductive pathways 2300. This applicator 2200 will be described in more detail later. An x-y stage 2400 is provided for moving applicator 2200. The x-y stage may include a frame 2401 , a positioning means

2402 that moves in the principal substrate axis ("x" or "machine" direction), and a second positioning means 2403 that moves in a perpendicular axis ("y" or "cross" direction.) A rotational positioning means 2404 may be provided to turn the applicator 2200 in any angle relative to substrate 2100, to facilitate the operation of applicator 2200. It is anticipated that the substrate 21 00 movement and the applicator 2200 movement will be automated by computer means that control motors driving traction rollers 21 10, and positioning means 2402, 2403, and 2404, in addition to more controls within applicator 2200.

[0174] In Figure 1 5 the x and y positioning means 2402 and

2403 are shown as rack and pinion gearing, but could include other means such as cables, linear motors, stepping motors, or other means that can achieve fairly repeatable positioning.

[0175] Figure 1 6 shows another method of depositing conductive pathways on a substrate to a form foil antenna. Support member 2500 extends across the substrate and holds two or more stationary positioning means 2501 that in turn support applicators 2200. The stationary positioning means 2501 can be moved by hand across the support member 2500, then fixed in place for example with a thumbscrew. Enough stationary positioning means 2501 with applicators 2200 are provided to lay down along the machine direction (x) as many lengthwise ATTACHMENT A

conductive pathways 2301 , 2302 as needed. In the example shown, lengthwise conductive pathway 2302 is provided with a skipped area 2303 that will be used for connection to external circuitry.

[0176] Support member 2510 extends across the substrate and holds a traversing means 251 1 that in turns supports another applicator 2200. Traversing means 251 1 can move on demand across the substrate in the cross direction (y) to deposit crossways conductive pathways 2304 and 2305 that connect the lengthwise conductive pathways 2301 , 2302.

[0177] Operation according to Figure 1 6 is therefore as follows: The substrate 2100 is moved forward by traction rollers 21 10 (or by movement of support plate 21 20). Meanwhile the applicators 2200 attached to stationary positioning means 2501 deposit on demand lengthwise conductive pathways 2301 , 2302 that may contain skipped areas 2303.

[0178] At the appropriate times, the substrate 21 00 movement is paused so that the applicator 2200 attached to traversing means 251 1 can deposit crosswise conductive pathways 2304, 2305. The pause in the X direction movement of substrate 2100 may occur in the middle of the process of depositing one or more of the lengthwise conductive pathways 2301 , 2302. Alternately, for depositing the crosswise conductive pathways 2304, 2305, applicator 2200 may be fixed in position and the Y direction movement provided by movement of support plate 21 20.

[0179] The decision of whether to move substrate 2100 in web form or in sheet form will depend on several factors. The substrate may be available in roll form advantageous to web handling, or in cut form advantageous to sheet handling. Some substrates may not be flexible enough for handling in web form, for example thick sheet substrates or substrates that have been partly or completely laminated and are no longer flexible. ATTACHMENT A

[0180] The decision of which applicator system to use will also be made based on several factors. The single head applicator design of Figure 1 5 minimizes the number of applicators, but slightly complicates the applicator positioning. It may be slightly slower than a multiple applicator design. However, it is quite flexible in terms of making customized products, since every conductive pathway may be customized. The multiple applicator system of Figure 1 6 simplifies the positioning of the applicators, and may improve speed for long production runs of single designs.

[0181 ] Instead of moving the applicators as in Figures 1 5 and 1 6, the substrate itself could be moved in the x-y plane to help create the conductive pathways. This would typically require more floor space than when moving the applicators, and it would be complex if the substrate was in roll form.

[0182] Figure 1 7 shows a cross section of an applicator 2200 for depositing conductive pathways. Figure 1 7 is not intended to limit the invention since one skilled in the art would recognize various modifications, alternatives, and variations. As shown in the embodiment of Figure 1 7, the applicator 2200 would move to the right relative to substrate 21 00. A supply roll 221 0 provides a continuous conductive strip 221 1 through a pair of feed rolls 221 2 that are computer controlled to provide the continuous strip 221 1 only when demanded. The strip 221 1 goes into a chute 221 3 and past a cutter 221 4 that is computer controlled and may be turned at any angle to provide angled cuts if desired. The strip 221 1 continues forward and out of the applicator 2200, at which point an optional release liner 221 5 can be removed and wound around roller 221 6 to be taken up onto tension winding roll 221 7.

[0183] A second, optional supply roll 2220 provides a continuous insulating strip 2221 through a pair of feed rolls 2222 that are computer controlled to provide the insulating strip 2221 only when demanded. The ATTACHMENT A

strip 2221 goes into a chute 2223 and past a cutter 2224 that is computer controlled. The strip 2221 continues forward and out of the applicator 2200, at which point an optional release liner 2225 can be removed and wound around roller 2226 to be taken up onto tension winding roll 2227.

[0184] A pressure device 2230 is provided to push the strips 221 1 and /or 2221 onto the substrate 2100. The pressure device may be a wheel or roll as shown, or a sliding member, or a reciprocating clamping means. The pressure device 2230 may be heated to help set an adhesive integral to strips 221 1 or 2221 , or provided externally as described later. The pressure device 2230 may be patterned or knurled, for example to help press the strips 221 1 or 2221 onto the substrate 2100, or even to slightly crimp the strips 221 1 or 2221 into the material of the substrate 21 00. This might remove the need for adhesive, at least in sheet-fed operations. It is also envisioned that strip 221 1 may be perforated with holes to improve the adhesion of resin between layers of substrate in the final laminate, even in the areas where the strip 221 1 exists.

[0185] A hole punch 2240 is provided to perforate the substrate 21 00 on demand to create openings through which electrical connections may be made to the conductive strip 221 1 . Preferably the hole punch 2240 is provided with an internal vacuum connection to remove the waste substrate material created during a hole punching operation.

[0186] An adhesive dispenser 2250 is provided to dispense glue 2252 through needle 2251 , in order to hold strip 221 1 or 2221 to the substrate. Preferably the adhesive is a rapid set material such as a hot melt glue, heat set glue, or epoxy. This adhesive is deposited on demand under computer control to be present under the strip 221 1 or 2221 , but not deposited if no strip is deposited in a given area. Any adhesive that may be used should not degas when pressed at high temperature, otherwise the integrity of the laminate may be compromised. ATTACHMENT A

[0187] The conductive strip 221 1 or insulating strip 2221 may also be provided with their own adhesive layers to attach it to the substrate 21 00.

[0188] The adhesive used to attach the strips 221 1 and 2221 to substrate 2100 would typically be non-conductive, since conductive adhesives are more expensive. However, it will be necessary in some places to electrically join parts of the conductive pathway 2300, and for this a conductive adhesive or material would be required. For simplicity it might be decided to use conductive strip 221 1 with an integral conductive adhesive, but this would be expensive. Another solution is to provide within the applicator 2200 a reservoir 2260 of conductive adhesive to be applied through needle 2261 in droplet form 2262. A drop 2262 of the conductive adhesive could be applied on top of a previous segment of conductive trace 2300, just before starting the next segment on top of the previous segment. The action of pressing means 2230, with heat and pressure, would then electrically join the two segments. The conductive adhesive drop 2262 could be a drop of metal solder in either a low melting form, or in suspension (either form would be remelted by the pressure means 2230).

[0189] Figure 1 8 illustrates a method using the apparatus shown in Figure 1 5 to lay down a simple rectangular conductive pathway. The steps are as follows

[0190] Substrate 2100 is indexed forward in the x direction by rollers 21 1 0.

[0191] Using X positioning means 2402 and y positioning means 2403, the applicator 2200 is moved to point "a" and "h" where the hole punch 2240 makes two holes in the substrate 21 00.

[0192] Using X positioning means 2402, the applicator 2200 is positioned to point "b". ATTACHMENT A

[0193] The applicator 2200 moved by X positioning means

2402, uses internal devices 2210-221 7 to lay down a conductive pathway 2300 from points "b" to "c." During this operation, cutter 2214 cuts the strip 221 1 at a precisely determined moment so that the conductive pathway 2300 ends at point "c." Note that the beginning of the conductive strip 2300, at point "b," slightly overlaps the hole punched at "a."

[0194] X positioning means 2402 is used to move the conductive adhesive applicator 2261 to point "c", where a drop of conductive adhesive 2262 is placed on the end of the conductive pathway 2300.

[0195] Rotational positioning means 2404 rotates the applicator 2200 by 90 degrees so that it can run in the cross direction Y.

[0196] X and Y positioning means 2402 and 2403 are used to place the applicator 2200 to point "c."

[0197] The applicator 2200 moved by Y positioning means

2403, uses internal devices 2210-221 7 to lay down a conductive pathway 2300 from points "c" to "d." During this operation, cutter 221 4 cuts the strip 221 1 at a precisely determined moment so that the conductive pathway 2300 ends at point "d."

[0198] Y positioning means 2403 is used to move the conductive adhesive applicator 2261 to point "ά" , where a drop of conductive adhesive 2262 is placed on the new end of the conductive pathway 2300.

[0199] Rotational positioning means 2404 rotates the applicator 2200 by 90 degrees so that it can run in the machine direction X.

[0200] X and Y positioning means 2402 and 2403 are used to place the applicator 2200 to point "d."

[0201 ] The applicator 2200 moved by x positioning means 2402, uses internal devices 221 0-221 7 to lay down a conductive pathway 2300 ATTACHMENT A

from points "d" to "e." During this operation, cutter 221 4 cuts the strip 221 1 at a precisely determined moment so that the conductive pathway 2300 ends at point "e."

[0202] X positioning means 2403 is used to move the conductive adhesive applicator 2261 to point "e", where a drop of conductive adhesive 2262 is placed on the new end of the conductive pathway 2300.

[0203] Rotational positioning means 2404 rotates the applicator 2200 by 90 degrees so that it can run in the cross direction Y.

[0204] X and Y positioning means 2402 and 2403 are used to place the applicator 2200 to point "e"

[0205] The applicator 2200 moved by y positioning means 2403, uses internal devices 2210-2217 to lay down a conductive pathway 2300 from points "e" to "f." During this operation, cutter 2214 cuts the strip 221 1 at a precisely determined moment so that the conductive pathway 2300 ends at point "f."

[0206] Y positioning means 2403 is used to move the conductive adhesive applicator 2261 to point "f", where a drop of conductive adhesive 2262 is placed on the new end of the conductive pathway 2300.

[0207] Rotational positioning means 2404 rotates the applicator 2200 by 90 degrees so that it can run in the machine direction X.

[0208] X and Y positioning means 2402 and 2403 are used to place the applicator 2200 to point "f."

[0209] The applicator 2200 moved by x positioning means 2402, uses internal devices 221 0-221 7 to lay down a conductive pathway 2300 from points "f" to "g." This last portion of the pathway 2300 is not yet completed in Figure 1 8. During this operation, cutter 221 4 cuts the strip 221 1 at a precisely determined moment so that the conductive pathway 2300 will end at point "g." Note that the end of the conductive pathway ATTACHMENT A

2300, at point "g", will slightly overlap the second hole punched at point "h."

[0210] Steps 2-20 are repeated for each conductive trace 2300 to be applied to substrate 2100 on the exposed area of the substrate. Then the substrate is indexed forward again starting with step 1 .

[021 1] Instead of forming the conductive trace 2300 by connecting separate pieces of the foil strip 221 1 , the conductive trace 2300 may be formed from a continuous strip 221 1 . Instead of using cutter 2214 to cut the foil 221 1 between segments at each corner, the strip 221 1 may be automatically folded over. For example, this may be done by turning rotary positioning means 2404 through a 90 degree turn and pressing down on the folded corner so that the trace 2300 lays flat at the corner.

[0212] Figure 1 8A shows the result. The folded corner will have a maximum of three overlapping thicknesses of foil. Figure 1 8B shows the result if the foil is at the same time twisted 1 80 degrees to invert the tape. (This would require another positioning means, not shown. Inverting the tape may be undesirable if the tape has an adhesive coating, since the adhesive will now be facing away from the substrate). The folded corner will have a maximum of two overlapping thicknesses of foil.

[0213] Figure 1 9 shows an embodiment where a conductive trace 2300 being laid down overlaps a previous conductive trace.

[0214] Before the overlapping segments of the second conductive trace 2300 are laid down, strips "I" and "J" of non-conductive film are laid down over the first trace, using applicator 2200. These insulating strips "\" and "J" prevent electrical contact between the separate conductive loops that are formed by the conductive trace 2300. In similar manner, "cross-over" circuitry can be laid down.

[0215] It is anticipated that the substrate 21 00 with conductive traces 2300, whether in sheet or web form, may be incorporated into a ATTACHMENT A

laminated structure that may be used in a shelf, panel, enclosure, spaces, or other form. An example of such a laminated structure is shown in Figure 20. The substrate 21 00, which may be a paper or paperboard material, is joined with additional plies 2600 and 2601 of similar or dissimilar materials, for example saturating Kraft paperboard soaked in resin, and formed under heat and pressure into a laminate 261 0. Usually the outer ply or plies 2601 on the first surface opposite from the substrate 21 00 would be a decorative material that would for the "outside" of the resulting product. Depending on the orientation of the outer substrate layer 21 00, this laminate 261 0 contains on its second surface, or just inside that surface, the conductive traces 2300 already described. The laminate 261 0 may then be glued onto a heavier supporting member 2620, such as a board made of wood, plastic, particle board, corrugated cardboard, Westvaco Core-board, or similar. The surface of laminate 2610 that is proximal to the conductive traces 2300 is preferably glued to the supporting member 2620. Thus the full thickness of the laminate 261 0 protects the conductive traces 2300 from abrasion during use of the resulting combined structure 2630, formed of laminate 261 0 and supporting member 2620.

[0216] A conductive or metallic backplane 2625 may optionally be applied to the bottom of the shelf to block RF energy from going below the shelf, thus making the shelf operate with approximately the same RF behavior regardless whether or not it was supported by metal brackets or placed upon an existing metal shelf.

[0217] Figure 21 shows how, before the supporting member 2620 is glued to the laminate 261 0, it is preferable to place inside the supporting member 2620 one or more electronic circuits that communicate with the conductive traces 2300, either by the latter being directly exposed, or through the perforations already described. To accommodate electronic circuits recesses may be milled into the surface ATTACHMENT A

of the supporting member 2620. A numerically controlled milling machine head 2700 could be used in a positioning system similar in design to the system shown in Figure 1 5 for laying down the conductive traces 2300, and could be run by a same or similar computer control system that would control the location and depth of recesses. For example, at the edge of the supporting member 2620 is shown recess 2631 for accommodating an external connector 2632. Within supporting member 2620 is shown recess 2633 for containing electronic circuitry 2634 such as switching and tuning circuitry. Spanning supporting member 2620 is shown recess 2635 for containing wires or cables to connect the circuitry components. The electronic circuitry 2634 may incorporate spring loaded coils 2637 or fingers 2638 to make contact with the conductive traces 2300 on substrate 2100 that is part of laminate 2610 to be attached to support member 2620. Said electrical contact could be by pressure, by conductive adhesive or paste, or by solder melted during the lamination process. The milling head 2700 may be used to make grooves 2639 for access of tuning tools such as small screwdrivers for adjusting trim capacitors within circuitry 2634.

[0218] Tuning components within circuitry 2634, for example rotary trim capacitors (not shown) may require access after assembly, which can be provided through openings such as holes 261 1 drilled through laminate 2610 in Figure 20 , or holes 261 2 drilled through supporting member 2620 in Figs. 20 and 21 .

[0219] Figs. 3A and 3B are block diagrams illustrating a preferred embodiment of an inventory control system that uses intelligent shelves in accordance with the present invention. As shown in Figure 3A, each of the several intelligent shelves 501 a-501 n and 502a-502n provided according to the present invention have multiple antennae 200 connected to a reader unit 1 20 through a single transmission cable 222. The reader units 1 20 controls the activation of the connected antennae 200 either ATTACHMENT A

sequentially, or simultaneously with a phase difference, to determine item information from RFID tags associated with respective items being inventoried. Therefore, the reader units 1 20 are able to extract inventory related information for each of the RFID tagged items stored in the respective shelves. For simplicity, Figure 3A shows only two groups of shelves, each group having its own reader unit, the groups being 501 a- 501 n and 502a-502n respectively. However, one skilled in the art would recognize that many such groups of shelves could be a part of an inventory control system provided by the present invention. For example, all the shelves in one or more warehouses could be grouped to provide hundreds or even thousands of groups of shelves that could be connected together to form an inventory control system as provided by the present invention.

[0220] It should be understood that while the preferred embodiment of the inventory control system and method utilizes a multiple antenna RFID detection system with a single transmission cable 222 corresponding to the embodiment of Figure 6, all the other embodiments of the multiple antenna RFID system disclosed herein may also be used with the inventory control system and method according to the present invention. Therefore, for example, the RFID detection systems disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8 may also be used with the inventory control system and method of the present invention. In such embodiments, for example, the unmodulated RF system may be used first to warm up the tags before the modulated RF system is used to extract the inventory related data from the RFID tags.

[0221 ] As shown in Figure 3A, the item information data collected by the reader units 1 20 from each of the intelligent shelves 501 a-501 n and 502a-502n is transmitted to an inventory control processing unit 550. The inventory control processing unit 550 is typically configured to receive item information from the intelligent ATTACHMENT A

shelves 501 a-501 n and 502a-502n. The inventory control processing unit 550 is typically connected to the intelligent shelves over an electronic network 525 and is also associated with an appropriate data store 555 that stores inventory related data including reference tables and also program code and configuration information relevant to inventory control or warehousing. The inventory control processing unit 550 is also programmed and configured to perform inventory control functions that well known to those skilled in the art. For example, some of the functions performed by an inventory control (or warehousing) unit include: storing and tracking quantities of inventoried items on hand, daily movements or sales of various items, tracking positions or locations of various items, etc.

[0222] In operation, the inventory control system would determine item information from the intelligent shelves 501 a-501 n and 502a-502n that are connected to the inventory control processing unit 550 through an electronic network 525. In one embodiment, the various intelligent shelves 501 a-501 n and 502a-502n would be under the control of inventory control processing unit 550 that would determine when the reader units 1 20 would poll the antennae 200 to determine item information of items to be inventoried. In an alternate embodiment, the reader units 1 20 may be programmed to periodically poll the connected multiple antennae for item information and then transmit the determined item information to the inventory control processing unit using a reverse "push" model of data transmission. In a further embodiment, the polling and data transmission of item information by the reader units 1 20 may be event driven, for example, triggered by a periodic replenishment of inventoried items on the intelligent shelves. In each case, the reader unit 1 20 would selectively energize the multiple antennae connected to it to determine item information from the RFID tags associated with the items to be inventoried. ATTACHMENT A

[0223] Once the item information is received from the reader units 1 20 of the intelligent shelves 501 a-501 n and 502a-502n of the present invention, the inventory control processing unit 550 processes the received item information using programmed logic, code, and data at the inventory control processing unit 550 and at the associated data store 555. The processed item information is then typically stored at the data store 555 for future use in the inventory control system and method of the present invention.

[0224] One skilled in the art would recognize that inventory control processing unit 550 could be implemented on a general purpose computer system connected to an electronic network 525, such as a computer network. The computer network can also be a public network, such as the Internet or Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), or other private network, such as a corporate Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN), or even a virtual private network. A computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU) connected to a system memory. The system memory typically contains an operating system, a BIOS driver, and application programs. In addition, the computer system contains input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and output devices such as a printer and a display monitor.

[0225] The computer system generally includes a communications interface, such as an Ethernet card, to communicate to the electronic network 525. Other computer systems may also be connected to the electronic network 525. One skilled in the art would recognize that the above system describes the typical components of a computer system connected to an electronic network. It should be appreciated that many other similar configurations are within the abilities of one skilled in the art and all of these configurations could be used with the methods and systems of the present invention. Furthermore, it should be recognized that the computer system and network disclosed herein can ATTACHMENT A

be programmed and configured as an inventory control processing unit to perform inventory control related functions that are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0226] In addition, one skilled in the art would recognize that the "computer" implemented invention described herein may include components that are not computers per se but also include devices such as Internet appliances and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) that may be used to provide one or more of the functionalities discussed herein. Furthermore, while "electronic" networks are generically used to refer to the communications network connecting the processing sites of the present invention, one skilled in the art would recognize that such networks could be implemented using optical or other equivalent technologies. Likewise, it is also to be understood that the present invention utilizes known security measures for transmission of electronic data across networks. Therefore, encryption, authentication, verification, and other security measures for transmission of electronic data across both public and private networks are provided, where necessary, using techniques that are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0227] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification and the practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

ATTACHMENT A

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for managing an inventory of items, each item being positioned in a respective location within an environment and being associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, the method comprising: providing item information associated with each item to each corresponding wireless identification device; and performing an inventory management process based on the item information to provide real time information associated with the inventory of items, the inventory management process including at least one of: an out of stock control process; a shrinkage recognition process, a rapid product recall process, an alert monitor process, and a sales optimization process.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inventory of items includes items of one or more types and the out of stock control process includes at least one of:

(i) determining a current inventory count of the items of any type located in the environment based on information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(ii) determining whether any items of any type are misplaced within the environment based on information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(iii) determining when a number of items of any type in the inventory falls below a first threshold value based on information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices, ATTACHMENT A

(iii) determining a loss value reflecting an amount of lost revenue based on a condition where items of a certain type are no longer included in the inventory of items,

(iv) determining one or more factors that influence previous sales of each type of item included in the inventory of items,

(v) determining an alternate location within the environment to position items of a certain type that have a history of sales below a second threshold value,

(vi) determining an alternate location outside the environment to position items of a certain type that have been located in their respective locations within the environment for more than a predetermined amount of time,

(vii) providing an out of stock message to a display device when items of a certain type are no longer located in their respective locations, and

(viii) determining an inventory characteristic associated with each type of item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a current inventory count includes: retrieving item information from one or more wireless identification devices corresponding to one or more items; and determining a count of each item of one or more types based on the retrieved item information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a current inventory count includes: retrieving the item information associated with each item from a database; and determining a count of each item of each type based on the retrieved item information, wherein the database periodically receives the item information from a process that collects the item information from each wireless identification device. ATTACHMENT A

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether any items are misplaced includes: accessing one or more wireless identification devices corresponding to one or more items to determine a location of the one or more items within the environment; and determining that an item of a first type is misplaced based on a determination that the first type item is located in a position other than its designated location.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: providing an indication of the misplaced item to a user interface.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first threshold value is provided by one of a user and a threshold determination process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the threshold determination process includes: for each type of item, determining the first threshold value based on a number of items of a respective type that have been removed from their respective locations within the environment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold determination process includes: for each type of item, adjusting the first threshold value based on at least one of a seasonality factor that is associated with a time of year the items of the respective type are in their respective locations and an event factor that is associated with an event that is occurring, will occur, or has occurred. ATTACHMENT A

10. The method of claim 3, wherein determining when a count of any type of item falls below a first threshold value includes: identifying any types of items that have a number of items located within the environment below the first threshold value based on the determined inventory count; and prioritizing the item types based on one of: a determined lost profit value based on the respective item type having a number of items below the first threshold value, whether additional items of the respective item type are available in another location within the environment, and whether a reason for the item type has fallen below the first threshold value is based on short-term demand for the item type.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a loss value includes: for each type of item that is no longer located in the environment, determining an amount of revenue that was generated by previous sales of items of the respective type over a previous time period; and determining the loss value for the type of item no longer located in the environment based on the determined generated revenue.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein determining one or more factors that influence previous sales of each type of item includes: identifying one or more external factors that were present during a time period that the previous sales of each type of item occurred; and comparing the identified one or more external factors with the previous sales to determine how each of the external factors influenced the previous sales.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more external factors includes at least one of pricing of the items of each type, seasonality factors, and concurrent sales of other types of items. ATTACHMENT A

14. The method of claim 2, wherein determining when a number of any type of item falls below the first threshold value includes: adjusting at least one of a cycle time for ordering items and a quantity of items ordered from a supplier that provides the items of the type that has fallen below the first threshold value.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein determining an alternate location within the environment includes: determining whether a specified type of item has a history of sales below the second threshold value in the environment; and determining an alternate location within the environment to reposition items of the specified item type included in the inventory based on a history of sales of items associated with the alternate location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the history of sales associated with the alternate location includes a history of sales of a different type of item located in the alternate location.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein determining an alternate location outside the environment includes: determining whether a type of item has a history of sales below the second threshold value; and determining an alternate location outside the environment to reposition the items of the item type based on a history of sales associated with other items of the same item type that were positioned at the alternate location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing an out of stock message includes: determining whether items of the certain type are no longer located in their respective locations based on the inventory count; and generating the out of stock message that includes at least one of an indication that the item type is out of stock, an offer for a discounted sale price on an item of the certain item type, a rain check for an item of the certain type, ATTACHMENT A

and an indication of an alternate location outside the environment where an item of the certain type may be located.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the display device is located on a structure that previously supported the items of the certain type.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the inventory characteristic is a mathematical relationship between previous sales of a type of item over a predetermined time period.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the relationship represents whether the previous sales of the type of item have been sporadic or uniform over the predetermined time period.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shrinkage recognition process includes: determining when a number of items of a certain type positioned in a first location is reduced by a determined value within a set time period; and performing a shrinkage response process based on the determination of the reduction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the shrinkage response process includes: providing an indication of the first location to at least one of a user and a security monitoring process.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the indication further includes an indication of the certain type of items and the determined value.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the shrinkage response process includes at least one of: storing a log record reflecting when the number of items were reduced by the determined value, the certain type of items, and the determined value; ATTACHMENT A

providing an interrupt signal to a security device; and providing to an interface device a message identifying the first location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the security device is at least one of: an alarm system; a light emitting device positioned near the first location; a video surveillance system that is activated by the interrupt signal to record video of an area associated with the first location; and a camera surveillance system that is activated by the interrupt signal to record photographs of the area associated with the first location.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the message includes information directing a user to the first location.

28. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rapid product recall process includes: determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved from its current location based on at least one of a shelf life associated with the item, an ambient temperature surrounding the item, and an identification number associated with the item.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein rapid recall process includes: associating a begin date with the item corresponding to a time when the item is placed in its current location in the environment; determining the shelf life for the item; providing an indication that the shelf life for the item has expired or will soon expire based on a comparison between the begin date and the shelf life.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein determining the shelf life includes: determining the shelf life based on an expiration date associated with the item. ATTACHMENT A

31. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: reading a temperature value from a temperature measuring device located in proximity to the current location of the item; and determining that the item must be moved from the current location based on the temperature value.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: determining whether the identification number is associated with a recall order reflecting that the item must be moved from its current location.

33. The method of claim 28, further including: providing an indication reflecting that the item should be moved from the inventory of items when the item is being purchased at a point of sale terminal.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the indication includes a message displayed at the point of sale terminal that the item has exceeded its shelf life.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the item has a first characteristic and the method further includes: determining that the item should be moved form its current location based on a determination that new items similar to the item and provided by a same supplier have a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first and second characteristics are at least one of a new package style, a size of the respective item, a color of the respective item, a flavor associated with the respective item, and a price of the respective item. ATTACHMENT A

37. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: providing an indication that the item is defective based on a determination that the identification number is included in a list of identification numbers associated with defective items provided by a supplier.

38. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alert monitor process includes: providing an indication to a user based on at least one of:

(i) information reflecting that one or more items of a type that is the same as a type of item that is no longer positioned in its respective location, are located in an alternate location within the environment;

(ii) information reflecting that an item that is no longer positioned in its respective location is not available in the environment;

(iii) information reflecting that a number of items of a certain type is within a predetermined range of values of a stock threshold value; and

(iv) a malfunction of a component that receives data from one or more wireless identification devices.

39. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inventory of items includes items of one or more types and the sales optimization process includes at least one of: determining a number of times one or more items of a particular type are moved from, and positioned back, into their respective location; determining a number of times an item of any type is purchased with an item of another type; determining a number of times an item of any type is purchased with one or more items of the same type; determining any items of type that have not moved from their respective location for a predetermined period of time; and ATTACHMENT A

determining any type of item that includes items that have a sale price change with a determined previous period of time.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein determining a number of times one or more items of one or more types are moved from and positioned back into their respective locations includes: for each type of item: periodically performing an inventory count of each item to determine whether any items have been removed from their respective locations.

41. The method of claim 40, further including: determining a relationship between the number of times an item has been moved and positioned back into its respective location and the location of the item.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the location of the item may be one of a location that is at eye level on a support unit, a location near an entrance of the environment, a location in a high user traffic area within the environment, and a location in a low user traffic area within the environment.

43. A system for providing intelligent inventory management information associated with an item included in an inventory of items that each include an RFID tag that includes item information associated with the corresponding item, the system comprising: a memory device including a data structure comprising: a universal price code associated with the item, an electronic pricing code associated with the item, price information associated with the item, seasonality information reflecting a seasonal characteristic associated with the item, a shelf life indicator associated with the item, ATTACHMENT A

historical sale information reflecting previous sales associated with one or more other items similar to the item, out of stock information reflecting conditions when the location includes a number of items similar to the item located below a predetermined threshold value, historical information reflecting a number of times the item is removed and returned to the location, shelf volume size information reflecting a physical size of the item in relation to the location, first location information reflecting a physical location of the item, second location information reflecting a preferable physical location of the item, shrinkage information associated with the item and the other similar items, cost information associated with the item, timestamp information reflecting a time when the item was placed in the location, expiration date information reflecting a date when the item should be removed from the location, sale information reflecting a date and time of an item similar to the item was sold and a sale price of the sold item, and a customer number associated with an individual that purchased the sold item; and a processor for accessing the memory device to perform an inventory management process associated with the item.

44. A method of providing inventory information in an environment including an inventory of items each positioned within a respective location within an environment and is associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, and an inventory monitoring process that periodically performs an inventory count of the items in the environment by retrieving item ATTACHMENT A

information from each wireless identification device associated with each item and storing the retrieved information in a database, the method comprising: receiving from a user a request for an availability of an item within the environment; searching the item information within the database to determine whether the requested item is available in the environment; and providing an indication reflecting a result of the search.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving the request includes: receiving the request at a first processing device associated with the environment, wherein a user interfaces with a second processing device to create the request.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the second processing device is a computer system operated by the user.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the request is received from a network connected to the first and second processing devices.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the request is sent to the first processing device over the Internet.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the second processing device is a kiosk computer device located within the environment.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the first processing device is located within the environment.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the first processing device is located outside the environment. ATTACHMENT A

52. The method of claim 51 , wherein the first processing device forwards the request to a third processing device located in the environment that performs the searching step.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein the indication includes at least one of an indication that the item is available in the environment, an indication that the item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the item, an offer for a discount on a sale price of an alternative item, and an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the item is available.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the indication reflecting one or more alternative environments includes directions to the one or more alternative environments.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein providing the indication includes providing a message displayed on a display device mounted in proximity of the item's respective location in the environment.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the item, an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the item is available, and directions to the one or more alternative environments.

57. A method for providing inventory management for an inventory of items that are each tagged with an RFID tag that includes item information identifying each respective item and at least one item characteristic, the method comprising: storing an electronic document received from a customer including a list of one or more desired items the customer is interested in purchasing in the environment; determining the presence of the customer within the environment; ATTACHMENT A

determining whether the customer is located in proximity to a location in the environment that includes a first item that is included in the list of one or more desired items based on the stored electronic document; and presenting on a display device positioned at or near the location, item information associated with the first item based on the determination.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein storing includes: providing from the customer to the environment the electronic document through the Internet.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein storing includes: providing, by the customer, the electronic document to the environment through a computing device located within the environment.

60. A system for managing an inventory of items , each item being positioned in a respective location within an environment and being associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, the system comprising: means for providing item information associated with each item to each corresponding wireless identification device; and means for performing an inventory management process based on the item information to provide real time information associated with the inventory of items, the means for performing the inventory management process including at least one of: means for performing an out of stock control process; means for performing a shrinkage recognition process, means for performing a rapid product recall process, means for performing an alert monitor process, and means for performing a sales optimization process.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the inventory of items includes items of one or more types and the means for performing the out of stock control process includes at least one of: ATTACHMENT A

(i) means for determining a current inventory count of the items of any type located in the environment based on information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(ii) means for determining whether any items of any type are misplaced within the environment based on information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(iii) means for determining when a number of items of any type in the inventory falls below a first threshold value based on information retrieved from one or more of the wireless identification devices,

(iii) means for determining a loss value reflecting an amount of lost revenue based on a condition where items of a certain type are no longer included in the inventory of items,

(iv) means for determining one or more factors that influence previous sales of each type of item included in the inventory of items,

(v) means for determining an alternate location within the environment to position items of a certain type that have a history of sales below a second threshold value,

(vi) means for determining an alternate location outside the environment to position items of a certain type that have been located in their respective locations within the environment for more than a predetermined amount of time,

(vii) means for providing an out of stock message to a display device when items of a certain type are no longer located in their respective locations, and

(viii) means for determining an inventory characteristic associated with each type of item.

62. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining a current inventory count includes: means for retrieving item information from one or more wireless identification devices corresponding to one or more items; and ATTACHMENT A

means for determining a count of each item of one or more types based on the retrieved item information.

63. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining a current inventory count includes: means for retrieving the item information associated with each item from a database; and means for determining a count of each item of each type based on the retrieved item information, wherein the database periodically receives the item information from a process that collects the item information from each wireless identification device.

64. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining whether any items are misplaced includes: means for accessing one or more wireless identification devices corresponding to one or more items to determine a location of the one or more items within the environment; and means for determining that an item of a first type is misplaced based on a determination that the first type item is located in a position other than its designated location.

65. The system of claim 64, further comprising: means for providing an indication of the misplaced item to a user interface.

66. The system of claim 61 , wherein the first threshold value is provided by one of a user and a means for performing a threshold determination process.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the means for performing the threshold determination process includes: ATTACHMENT A

means for determining, for each type of item, the first threshold value based on a number of items of a respective type that have been removed from their respective locations within the environment.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the means for performing the threshold determination process includes: means for adjusting, for each type of item, the first threshold value based on at least one of a seasonality factor that is associated with a time of year the items of the respective type are in their respective locations and an event factor that is associated with an event that is occurring, will occur, or has occurred.

69. The system of claim 63, wherein the means for determining when a count of any type of item falls below a first threshold value includes: means for identifying any types of items that have a number of items located within the environment below the first threshold value based on the determined inventory count; and means for prioritizing the item types based on one of: a determined lost profit value based on the respective item type having a number of items below the first threshold value, whether additional items of the respective item type are available in another location within the environment, and whether a reason for the item type has fallen below the first threshold value is based on short-term demand for the item type.

70. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining a loss value includes: means for determining, for each type of item that is no longer located in the environment, an amount of revenue that was generated by previous sales of items of the respective type over a previous time period; and means for determining, for each type of item that is no longer located in the environment, the loss value for the type of item no longer ATTACHMENT A

located in the environment based on the determined generated revenue.

71. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining one or more factors that influence previous sales of each type of item includes: means for identifying one or more external factors that were present during a time period that the previous sales of each type of item occurred; and means for comparing the identified one or more external factors with the previous sales to determine how each of the external factors influenced the previous sales.

72. The system of claim 71 , wherein the one or more external factors includes at least one of pricing of the items of each type, seasonality factors, and concurrent sales of other types of items.

73. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining when a number of any type of item falls below the first threshold value includes: means for adjusting at least one of a cycle time for ordering items and a quantity of items ordered from a supplier that provides the items of the type that has fallen below the first threshold value.

74. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining an alternate location within the environment includes: means for determining whether a specified type of item has a history of sales below the second threshold value in the environment; and means for determining an alternate location within the environment to reposition items of the specified item type included in the inventory based on a history of sales of items associated with the alternate location.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the history of sales associated with the alternate location includes a history of sales of a different type of item located in the alternate location. ATTACHMENT A

76. The system of claim 61 , wherein the means for determining an alternate location outside the environment includes: means for determining whether a type of item has a history of sales below the second threshold value; and means for determining an alternate location outside the environment to reposition the items of the item type based on a history of sales associated with other items of the same item type that were positioned at the alternate location.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the means for providing an out of .stock message includes: means for determining whether items of the certain type are no longer located in their respective locations based on the inventory count; and means for generating the out of stock message that includes at least one of an indication that the item type is out of stock, an offer for a discounted sale price on an item of the certain item type, a rain check for an item of the certain type, and an indication of an alternate location outside the environment where an item of the certain type may be located.

78. The system of claim 61 , wherein the display device is located on a structure that previously supported the items of the certain type.

79. The system of claim 61 , wherein the inventory characteristic is a mathematical relationship between previous sales of a type of item over a predetermined time period.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein the relationship represents whether the previous sales of the type of item have been sporadic or uniform over the predetermined time period.

81. The system of claim 60, wherein the means for performing the shrinkage recognition process includes: ATTACHMENT A

means for determining when a number of items of a certain type positioned in a first location is reduced by a determined value within a set time period; and means for performing a shrinkage response process based on the determination of the reduction.

82. The system of claim 81 , wherein the means for performing the shrinkage response process includes: means for providing an indication of the first location to at least one of a user and a security monitoring process.

83. The system of claim 82, wherein the indication further includes an indication of the certain type of items and the determined value.

84. The system of claim 81 , wherein the means for performing the shrinkage response process includes at least one of: means for storing a log record reflecting when the number of items were reduced by the determined value, the certain type of items, and the determined value; means for providing an interrupt signal to a security device; and means for providing to an interface device a message identifying the first location.

85. The system of claim 84, wherein the security device is at least one of: an alarm system; a light emitting device positioned near the first location; a video surveillance system that is activated by the interrupt signal to record video of an area associated with the first location; and a camera surveillance system that is activated by the interrupt signal to record photographs of the area associated with the first location. ATTACHMENT A

86. The system of claim 84, wherein the message includes information directing a user to the first location.

87. The system of claim 60, wherein the means for performing the rapid product recall process includes: means for determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved from its current location based on at least one of a shelf life associated with the item, an ambient temperature surrounding the item, and an identification number associated with the item.

88. The system of claim 87, wherein the means for performing the rapid recall process includes: means for associating a begin date with the item corresponding to a time when the item is placed in its current location in the environment; means for determining the shelf life for the item; means for providing an indication that the shelf life for the item has expired or will soon expire based on a comparison between the begin date and the shelf life.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein the means for determining the shelf life includes: means for determining the shelf life based on an expiration date associated with the item.

90. The system of claim 87, wherein the means for determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: means for reading a temperature value from a temperature measuring device located in proximity to the current location of the item; and means for determining that the item must be moved from the current location based on the temperature value.

91. The system of claim 87, wherein the means for determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: ATTACHMENT A

means for determining whether the identification number is associated with a recall order reflecting that the item must be moved from its current location.

92. The system of claim 87, further including: means for providing an indication reflecting that the item should be moved from the inventory of items when the item is being purchased at a point of sale terminal.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein the indication includes a message displayed at the point of sale terminal that the item has exceeded its shelf life.

94. The system of claim 87, wherein the item has a first characteristic and the system further includes: means for determining that the item should be moved form its current location based on a determination that new items similar to the item and provided by a same supplier have a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein the first and second characteristics are at least one of a new package style, a size of the respective item, a color of the respective item, a flavor associated with the respective item, and a price of the respective item.

96. The system of claim 87, wherein the means for determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: means for providing an indication that the item is defective based on a determination that the identification number is included in a list of identification numbers associated with defective items provided by a supplier.

97. The system of claim 60, wherein the means for performing the alert monitor process includes: ATTACHMENT A

means for providing an indication to a user based on at least one of:

98. The system of claim 60, wherein the inventory of items includes items of one or more types and the means for performing the sales optimization process includes at least one of: means for determining a number of times one or more items of a particular type are moved from, and positioned back, into their respective location; means for determining a number of times an item of any type is purchased with an item of another type; means for determining a number of times an item of any type is purchased with one or more items of the same type; means for determining items of any type items that have not moved from their respective location for a predetermined period of time; and means for determining any type of item that includes items that have a sale price change with a determined previous period of time.

99. The system of claim 98, wherein the means for determining a number of times one or more items of one or more types are moved from and positioned back into their respective locations includes: ATTACHMENT A

means for periodically performing, for each type of item, an inventory count of each item to determine whether any items have been removed from their respective locations.

100. The system of claim 99, further including: means for determining a relationship between the number of times an item has been moved and positioned back into its respective location and the location of the item.

101. The system of claim 99, wherein the location of the item may be one of a location that is at eye level on a support unit, a location near an entrance of the environment, a location in a high user traffic area within the environment, and a location in a low user traffic area within the environment.

102. A system for providing inventory information in an environment including an inventory of items each positioned within a respective location within an environment and is associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, and an inventory monitoring process that periodically performs an inventory count of the items in the environment by retrieving item information from each wireless identification device associated with each item and storing the retrieved information in a database, the system comprising: means for receiving from a user a request for an availability of an item within the environment; means for searching the item information within the database to determine whether the requested item is available in the environment; and means for providing an indication reflecting a result of the search.

103. The system of claim 102, wherein the means for receiving the request includes: means for receiving the request at a first processing device associated with the environment, wherein a user interfaces with a second processing device to create the request. ATTACHMENT A

104. The system of claim 103, wherein the second processing device is a computer system operated by the user.

105. The system of claim 104, wherein the request is received from a network connected to the first and second processing devices.

106. The system of claim 104, wherein the request is sent to the first processing device over the Internet.

107. The system of claim 104, wherein the second processing device is a kiosk computer device located within the environment.

108. The system of claim 104, wherein the first processing device is located within the environment.

109. The system of claim 104, wherein the first processing device is located outside the environment.

110. The system of claim 109, wherein the first processing device forwards the request to a third processing device located in the environment that performs the searching step.

111. The system of claim 104, wherein the indication includes at least one of an indication that the item is available in the environment, an indication that the item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the item, an offer for a discount on a sale price of an alternative item, and an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the item is available.

112. The system of claim 111 , wherein the indication reflecting one or more alternative environments includes directions to the one or more alternative environments. ATTACHMENT A

113. The system of claim 104, wherein the means for providing the indication includes providing a message displayed on a display device mounted in proximity of the item's respective location in the environment.

114. The system of claim 113, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the item, an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the item is available, and a directions to the one or more alternative environments.

115. A system for providing inventory management for an inventory of items that are each tagged with an RFID tag that includes item information identifying each respective item and at least one item characteristic, the system comprising: means for storing an electronic document received from a customer including a list of one or more desired items the customer is interested in purchasing in the environment; means for determining the presence of the customer within the environment; means for determining whether the customer is located in proximity to a location in the environment that includes a first item that is included in the list of one or more desired items based on the stored electronic document; and means for presenting on a display device positioned at or near the location, item information associated with the first item based on the determination.

116. The system of claim 115, wherein the means for storing includes: means for providing from the customer to the environment the electronic document through the Internet. ATTACHMENT A

117. The system of claim 115, wherein the means for storing includes: means for providing, by the customer, the electronic document to the environment through a computing device located within the environment.

118. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for managing an inventory of items, each item being positioned in a respective location within an environment and being associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, the method comprising: providing item information associated with each item to each corresponding wireless identification device; and performing an inventory management process based on the item information to provide real time information associated with the inventory of items, the inventory management process including at least one of: an out of stock control process; a shrinkage recognition process, a rapid product recall process, an alert monitor process, and a sales optimization process.

119. The computer-readable medium of claim 118, wherein the inventory of items includes items of one or more types and the out of stock control process includes at least one of:

determining a loss value reflecting an amount of lost revenue based on a condition where items of a certain type are no longer included in the inventory of items,

120. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining a current inventory count includes: retrieving item information from one or more wireless identification devices corresponding to one or more items; and determining a count of each item of one or more types based on the retrieved item information.

121. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining a current inventory count includes: retrieving the item information associated with each item from a database; and determining a count of each item of each type based on the retrieved item information, wherein the database periodically receives the item information from a process that collects the item information from each wireless identification device. ATTACHMENT A

122. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining whether any items are misplaced includes: accessing one or more wireless identification devices corresponding to one or more items to determine a location of the one or more items within the environment; and determining that an item of a first type is misplaced based on a determination that the first type item is located in a position other than its designated location.

123. The computer-readable medium of claim 121 , wherein the method further comprises: providing an indication of the misplaced item to a user interface.

124. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein the first threshold value is provided by one of a user and a threshold determination process.

125. The computer-readable medium of claim 124, wherein the threshold determination process includes: for each type of item, determining the first threshold value based on a number of items of a respective type that have been removed from their respective locations within the environment.

126. The computer-readable medium of claim 125, wherein the threshold determination process includes: for each type of item, adjusting the first threshold value based on at least one of a seasonality factor that is associated with a time of year the items of the respective type are in their respective locations and an event factor that is associated with an event that is occurring, will occur, or has occurred. ATTACHMENT A

127. The computer-readable medium of claim 120, wherein determining when a count of any type of item falls below a first threshold value includes: identifying any types of items that have a number of items located within the environment below the first threshold value based on the determined inventory count; and prioritizing the item types based on one of: a determined lost profit value based on the respective item type having a number of items below the first threshold value, whether additional items of the respective item type are available in another location within the environment, and whether a reason that the item type has fallen below the first threshold value is based on short-term demand for the item type.

128. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining a loss value includes: for each type of item that is no longer located in the environment, determining an amount of revenue that was generated by previous sales of items of the respective type over a previous time period; and determining the loss value for the type of item no longer located in the environment based on the determined generated revenue.

129. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining one or more factors that influence previous sales of each type of item includes: identifying one or more external factors that were present during a time period that the previous sales of each type of item occurred; and comparing the identified one or more external factors with the previous sales to determine how each of the external factors influenced the previous sales. ATTACHMENT A

130. The computer-readable medium of claim 129, wherein the one or more external factors includes at least one of pricing of the items of each type, seasonality factors, and concurrent sales of other types of items.

131. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining when a number of any type of item falls below the first threshold value includes: adjusting at least one of a cycle time for ordering items and a quantity of items ordered from a supplier that provides the items of the type that has fallen below the first threshold value.

132. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining an alternate location within the environment includes: determining whether a specified type of item has a history of sales below the second threshold value in the environment; and determining an alternate location within the environment to reposition items of the specified item type included in the inventory based on a history of sales of items associated with the alternate location.

133. The computer-readable medium of claim 132, wherein the history of sales associated with the alternate location includes a history of sales of a different type of item located in the alternate location.

134. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein determining an alternate location outside the environment includes: determining whether a type of item has a history of sales below the second threshold value; and determining an alternate location outside the environment to reposition the items of the item type based on a history of sales associated with other items of the same item type that were positioned at the alternate location.

135. The computer-readable medium of claim 134, wherein providing an out of stock message includes: ATTACHMENT A

determining whether items of the certain type are no longer located in their respective locations based on the inventory count; and generating the out of stock message that includes at least one of an indication that the item type is out of stock, an offer for a discounted sale price on an item of the certain item type, a rain check for an item of the certain type, and an indication of an alternate location outside the environment where an item of the certain type may be located.

136. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein the display device is located on a structure that previously supported the items of the certain type.

137. The computer-readable medium of claim 119, wherein the inventory characteristic is a mathematical relationship between previous sales of a type of item over a predetermined time period.

138. The computer-readable medium of claim 137, wherein the relationship represents whether the previous sales of the type of item have been sporadic or uniform over the predetermined time period.

139. The computer-readable medium of claim 118, wherein the shrinkage recognition process includes: determining when a number of items of a certain type positioned in a first location is reduced by a determined value within a set time period; and performing a shrinkage response process based on the determination of the reduction.

140. The computer-readable medium of claim 139, wherein the shrinkage response process includes: providing an indication of the first location to at least one of a user and a security monitoring process. ATTACHMENT A

141. The computer-readable medium of claim 140, wherein the indication further includes an indication of the certain type of items and the determined value.

142. The computer-readable medium of claim 139, wherein the shrinkage response process includes at least one of: storing a log record reflecting when the number of items were reduced by the determined value, the certain type of items, and the determined value; providing an interrupt signal to a security device; and providing to an interface device a message identifying the first location.

143. The computer-readable medium of claim 142, wherein the security device is at least one of: an alarm system; a light emitting device positioned near the first location; a video surveillance system that is activated by the interrupt signal to record video of an area associated with the first location; and a camera surveillance system that is activated by the interrupt signal to record photographs of the area associated with the first location.

144. The computer-readable medium of claim 142, wherein the message includes information directing a user to the first location.

145. The computer-readable medium of claim 118, wherein the rapid product recall process includes: determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved from its current location based on at least one of a shelf life associated with the item, an ambient temperature surrounding the item, and an identification number associated with the item.

146. The computer-readable medium of claim 145, wherein rapid recall process includes: ATTACHMENT A

associating a begin date with the item corresponding to a time when the item is placed in its current location in the environment; determining the shelf life for the item; providing an indication that the shelf life for the item has expired or will soon expire based on a comparison between the begin date and the shelf life.

147. The computer-readable medium of claim 146, wherein determining the shelf life includes: determining the shelf life based on an expiration date associated with the item.

148. The computer-readable medium of claim 145, wherein determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: reading a temperature value from a temperature measuring device located in proximity to the current location of the item; and determining that the item must be moved from the current location based on the temperature value.

149. The computer-readable medium of claim 145, wherein determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: determining whether the identification number is associated with a recall order reflecting that the item must be moved from its current location.

150. The computer-readable medium of claim 145, wherein the method further includes: providing an indication reflecting that the item should be moved from the inventory of items when the item is being purchased at a point of sale terminal.

151. The computer-readable medium of claim 150, wherein the indication includes a message displayed at the point of sale terminal that the item has exceeded its shelf life. ATTACHMENT A

152. The computer-readable medium of claim 145, wherein the item has a first characteristic and the method further includes: determining that the item should be moved form its current location based on a determination that new items similar to the item and provided by a same supplier have a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

153. The computer-readable medium of claim 152, wherein the first and second characteristics are at least one of a new package style, a size of the respective item, a color of the respective item, a flavor associated with the respective item, and a price of the respective item.

154. The computer-readable medium of claim 145, wherein determining whether an item in the environment needs to be moved includes: providing an indication that the item is defective based on a determination that the identification number is included in a list of identification numbers associated with defective items provided by a supplier.

155. The computer-readable medium of claim 118, wherein the alert monitor process includes: providing an indication to a user based on at least one of:

(iv) a malfunction of a component that receives data from one or more wireless identification devices. ATTACHMENT A

156. The computer-readable medium of claim 118, wherein the inventory of items includes items of one or more types and the sales optimization process includes at least one of: determining a number of times one or more items of a particular type are moved from, and positioned back, into their respective location; determining a number of times an item of any type is purchased with an item of another type; determining a number of times an item of any type is purchased with one or more items of the same type; determining items of any type that have not moved from their respective location for a predetermined period of time; and determining any type of item that includes items that have a sale price change with a determined previous period of time.

157. The computer-readable medium of claim 156, wherein determining a number of times one or more items of one or more types are moved from and positioned back into their respective locations includes: for each type of item: periodically performing an inventory count of each item to determine whether any items have been removed from their respective locations.

158. The computer-readable medium of claim 157, further including: determining a relationship between the number of times an item has been moved and positioned back into its respective location and the location of the item.

159. The computer-readable medium of claim 157, wherein the location of the item may be one of a location that is at eye level on a support unit, a location near an entrance of the environment, a location in a high user traffic area within the environment, and a location in a low user traffic area within the environment. ATTACHMENT A

160. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for providing inventory information in an environment including an inventory of items each positioned within a respective location within an environment and is associated with a corresponding wireless identification device, and an inventory monitoring process that periodically performs an inventory count of the items in the environment by retrieving item information from each wireless identification device associated with each item and storing the retrieved information in a database, the method comprising: receiving from a user a request for an availability of an item within the environment; searching the item information within the database to determine whether the requested item is available in the environment; and providing an indication reflecting a result of the search.

161. The computer-readable medium of claim 160, wherein receiving the request includes: receiving the request at a first processing device associated with the environment, wherein a user interfaces with a second processing device to create the request.

162. The computer-readable medium of claim 161 , wherein the second processing device is a computer system operated by the user.

163. The computer-readable medium of claim 162, wherein the request is received from a network connected to the first and second processing devices.

164. The computer-readable medium of claim 162, wherein the request is sent to the first processing device over the Internet. ATTACHMENT A

165. The computer-readable medium of claim 162, wherein the second processing device is a kiosk computer device located within the environment.

166. The computer-readable medium of claim 162, wherein the first processing device is located within the environment.

167. The computer-readable medium of claim 162, wherein the first processing device is located outside the environment.

168. The computer-readable medium of claim 167, wherein the first processing device forwards the request to a third processing device located in the environment that performs the searching step.

169. The computer-readable medium of claim 160, wherein the indication includes at least one of an indication that the item is available in the environment, an indication that the item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the item, an offer for a discount on a sale price of an alternative item, and an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the item is available.

170. The computer-readable medium of claim 169, wherein the indication reflecting one or more alternative environments includes directions to the one or more alternative environments.

171. The computer-readable medium of claim 160, wherein providing the indication includes providing a message displayed on a display device mounted in proximity of the item's respective location in the environment.

172. The computer-readable medium of claim 171, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the item is not available in the environment, an offer for a discount on a sale price of the item, an indication reflecting one or more alternative environments that the item is available, and directions to the one or more alternative environments. ATTACHMENT A

173. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing a method, when executed by a processor, for providing inventory management for an inventory of items that are each tagged with an RFID tag that includes item information identifying each respective item and at least one item characteristic, the method comprising: storing an electronic document received from a customer including a list of one or more desired items the customer is interested in purchasing in the environment; determining the presence of the customer within the environment; determining whether the customer is located in proximity to a location in the environment that includes a first item that is included in the list of one or more desired items based on the stored electronic document; and presenting on a display device positioned at or near the location, item information associated with the first item based on the determination.

174. The computer-readable medium of claim 173, wherein storing includes: providing from the customer to the environment the electronic document through the Internet.

175. The computer-readable medium of claim 173, wherein storing includes: providing, by the customer, the electronic document to the environment through a computing device located within the environment.

176. A system for managing an inventory of items of one or more item types, each item being positioned in a respective location within an environment and is associated with a corresponding wireless identification device that includes item information related to the respective item , the system comprising: ATTACHMENT A

a data collection system configured to retrieve the item information from one or more of the wireless identification devices in response to one or more read commands; and an intelligent inventory management system configured to generate the one or more read commands and receive the retrieved item information from the data collection system, the intelligent inventory management system comprising: a database that stores the received item information and characteristic information associated with each of the items; and at least one of stock control means for determining at least one of a current inventory count of items of any type based on the received item information, any items that are misplaced in the environment, items of any type that are approaching or have reached an out of stock condition, an alternate location within the environment to position items of any type that have a history of sales below a threshold value, shrinkage recognition means for determining when a number of items of a certain type positioned in a first location is reduced by a determined value within a set time period, rapid recall means for determining whether an item needs to be moved from its current located based on at least one of a temporal, a defect, and a temperature characteristic associated with the item, and alert monitoring means for generating and providing one or more indications based on at least one of an out of stock condition for an item type, a misplaced item condition for an item, and a malfunction condition.

177. The system of claim 176, wherein the data collection system includes: a primary controller for generating one or more controller commands based on the received one or more read commands; and ATTACHMENT A

a secondary controller for activating an antenna based on the one or more controller commands, wherein the antenna is configured to retrieve the item information from one or more items.

178. The system of claim 176, wherein the stock control means also generates an out of stock display message reflecting when an out of stock condition occurs or is approaching.

179. The system of claim 176, wherein the system includes a security device located near the first location, and the shrinkage recognition means also activates the security device when the number of items of a certain type positioned in a first location is reduced by the determined value within the set time period.

180. The system of claim 176, wherein the temporal characteristic is at least one of a shelf life and an expiration date associated with the item.

181. The system of claim 176, wherein the temperature characteristic is a temperature value of an area proximate to the current location of the item.

182. The system of claim 176, wherein the defect characteristic is associated with at least one of the item missing a part and the item including a defecting part.

183. The system of claim 176, wherein the system includes a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal and the rapid recall means also generates an alarm message at the POS terminal when the customer attempts to purchase an item that (i) has exceeded at least one of an expiration date and a shelf life, or (ii) is defective.

184. An environment including items each tagged with a wireless identification device and positioned in a designated location, the environment comprising: ATTACHMENT A

a database including information associated with each of the items; storage units each including at least one antenna and having a support means that supports one or more of the items; a computer system for providing commands to retrieve item information from the wireless identification devices and storing the item information in the database; a data collection system for activating a corresponding antenna within a particular storage unit, retrieving item information from an item supported by a support means in the particular storage unit, and providing the item information to the computer system, wherein the computer system includes a user interface that allows a user to request and receive real time inventory information associated with one or more of the items in the environment based on the item information stored in the database.

185. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system provides the user, based on a corresponding user request, at least one of: a current inventory count of one or more types of items in the environment, a location of an item that is misplaced in the environment, an alternate location in the environment to move an item that has a history of sales below a predetermined threshold value, an alternate location in the environment to move an item of a certain type that has been redesigned by a manufacturer, and a location of any item of interest.

186. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system provides to the user an alert message when an item is determined to have exceeded at least one of its shelf life and expiration date.

187. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system provides to the user an alert message when an item is determined to be defective. ATTACHMENT A

188. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system provides to the user an alert message when a number of items of a certain type is below a threshold value.

189. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system provides to the user an alert message when a certain number of items are removed from a certain location within a predetermined period of time.

190. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system collects information reflecting a condition when one or more of the items have been moved from and placed back to their designated locations.

191. The environment of claim 190, wherein the computer system provides to the user, based on a request, the information reflecting the condition.

192. The environment of claim 184, wherein the computer system determines a number of times an item of any type is purchased with an item of another type.

ATTACHMENT A

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0153] Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention collect item information from RFID tags attached to items in an inventory, and uses the collected item information to perform various inventory management processes. In one aspect, the inventory management processes may include determining, reporting, and/or providing corrective actions for one or more events associated with at least one of depletions of items in the inventory, changes in the design of items in the inventory, defects with one or more items, misplaced items, the movement of an unusual umber of items within a short period of time (i.e., shrinkage), and malfunctions of one or more components included in the environment.

Terminal

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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1 . An intelligent station that tracks RFID tags, the intelligent station comprising: a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals; a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through one or more respective additional switches.

2. The intelligent station according to claim 1 , further comprising: a control unit that is operatively connected to the reader unit and to the first and one or more additional switches, wherein the control unit generates a control signal that selectively operates the first and one or more additional switches.

3. The intelligent station according to claim 1 , further comprising: respective tuning circuits for the first and one or more additional RF antennae each tuning circuit operatively connected to a respective antennae through a switch in communication with the first transmission cable, and further operatively connected to the reader unit through the first transmission cable.

4. The intelligent station according to claim 3, further comprising: a control unit that is operatively connected to the reader unit and to first and one or more additional switches, wherein the control unit is configured to selectively operate the first and one or more additional

213 switches to connect the tuning circuits to the first and one or more additional RF antennae, respectively.

5. The intelligent station according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second transmission cable that connects the reader unit to one or more auxiliary RF antenna loops, arranged proximate to the first RF antenna and one or more additional RF antennae, respectively.

6. The intelligent station according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and one or more additional switches comprise one of a PIN type diode, a field effect transistor (FET) or a metal-semiconductor FET.

7. The intelligent station according to claim 2, wherein RF and control signals are transmitted along the same first transmission cable.

8. The intelligent station according to claim 2, wherein signals from the control unit to operate the first and one or more additional switches are sent along wiring other than the first transmission cable.

9. An intelligent station system that tracks RFID tags comprising: a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals; and a first intelligent station that comprises: a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more additional switches.

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1 0. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, further comprising a control unit that is operatively connected to the reader unit and to the first and one or more additional switches, wherein the control unit generates a control signal that selectively operates the first and one or more additional switches.

1 1 . The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the first intelligent station further comprises a control unit that is operatively connected to the reader unit and to the first and one or more additional switches, wherein the control unit generates a control signal that selectively operates the first and one or more additional switches.

1 2. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 1 , further comprising: a second or more additional intelligent stations, each of the second or more additional intelligent stations comprising a secondary control unit that communicates with and is controlled by said control unit.

1 3. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein said reader unit is arranged on said first intelligent station.

1 4. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, further comprising: a control unit that is operatively connected to the reader unit and to the first and one or more additional switches, wherein the control unit generates a control signal that selectively operates the first and one or more additional switches.

215

1 5. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 1 , wherein signals from the control unit are routed to distributed secondary control units that in turn operate the first and one or more additional switches.

1 6. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 2, wherein the one or more additional associated antennae with associated selector switches are connected in a series arrangement.

1 7. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 2, wherein the one or more additional associated antennae with associated selector switches are connected in a parallel-series arrangement.

1 8. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 2, wherein the first transmission cable comprises an RF cable, and wherein a bypass switch is provided between the RF cable and an intelligent station to either allow an RF signal to enter the intelligent station, or to prevent an RF signal from the entering the intelligent station.

1 9. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 2, wherein the first transmission cable comprises an RF cable, and wherein an inline switch is provided in the RF cable to either allow an RF signal to continue along the RF cable or to prevent the RF signal from continuing along the RF cable.

20. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 5, wherein signals from the control unit to distributed secondary control units include address information to determine which switches are selected.

21 . The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the switches of non-selected antennae alter their associated tuning thus

216 causing them to have a resonant frequency substantially different from the RF signal.

22. The intelligent station system according to claim 21 , wherein the switches of non-selected antennae are only used to alter their tuning when the non-selected antennae are adjacent to a selected antenna.

23. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein each antennae are associated with an adjustable tuning circuit that are arranged to be accessible for adjustment.

24. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, further comprising: a tuning circuit associated with each antenna; and a tuning adjustment system that automatically performs servo adjustments of variable tuning components, based on feedback information from an associated antenna, said feedback being provided through a conductive electrical connection to the antenna or through communication with the reader unit.

25. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, further comprising: a tuning circuit associated with each antenna; and a tuning adjustment system that automatically performs electronic adjustments of variable tuning components, based on feedback information from the associated antenna.

26. The intelligent station system according to claim 25, wherein the variable tuning components comprise one or more voltage controlled capacitors.

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27. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, further comprising a tuning adjustment system that automatically performs servo adjustments of variable tuning components, based on feedback information from a reader unit attached to the associated antenna, the feedback information indicative of how the associated antenna is able to read a plurality of RFID tags each positioned uniquely in a predetermined spatial pattern proximate to the associated antenna.

28. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, further comprising: one or more passive antennae associated with one or more of the RF antennae such that the passive antennae are powered through inductive coupling by the associated RF antennae when the associated RF antennae are powered.

29. The intelligent station system according to claim 28, wherein the passive antennae and the associated RF antennae are provided on a shelf.

30. The intelligent station system according to claim 29, wherein the passive antennae are provided at a back end of the shelf while the associated RF antennae are provided at a front end of the shelf.

31 . The intelligent station system according to claim 10, wherein the first intelligent station further comprises a self -test RFID tag within range of each of the RF antennae.

32. The intelligent station system according to claim 31 , wherein if any of the RF antennae do not detect the self-test RFID tag, the control unit performs a tuning process for that RF antennae,

218 wherein if the self-test RFID tag is still not detected after completing of the tuning process, the control unit generates a message to an electronic network.

33. The intelligent station system according to claim 31 , wherein each intelligent station comprises at least one self-test RFID tag within range of each RF antenna, and an RF antenna during a testing step detects the self-test RFID tags within adjacent RF antennae and thus determines which other RF antennae or which other intelligent stations are adjacent.

34. The intelligent station system according to claim 33, wherein the adjacency information is used to determine which other RF antennae are to be detuned when an RF antenna is selected for reading.

35. The intelligent station system according to claim 31 , wherein the self-test RFID tag is instructed to respond during a self-test and instructed not to respond during normal operation of the system.

36. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the first intelligent station further comprises: one or more second RF antennae that operate at frequencies different from the first and one or more additional RF antennae, the one or more second RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more second switches, wherein the reader unit is configured to selectively operate at different frequencies.

37. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the intelligent stations internally contain signal processing circuits to

219 perform at least a part of the signal processing otherwise performed by the reader unit.

38. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the first transmission cable comprises an RF cable having a RF amplifier device incorporated therein.

39. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the intelligent station and/or RF antennae are incorporated into doors, portals, floors, floor mats, or ceilings.

40. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the RF antennae is fabricated by running a conductor through thermoplastic tubing and heat-forming the tubing.

41 . The intelligent station system according to claim 26, wherein the voltage controlled capacitors are used to tune or detune the antennae.

42. The intelligent station system according to claim 9, wherein the first transmission cable comprises an RF bus and the reader unit is connected to the RF bus, wherein the intelligent station system further comprises: a plurality of RF antennae connected at spacings along the RF bus of approximately an integer sub-multiple of a quarter wavelength of the RF signal; respective select switches that selectably connect each of the RF antennae to the RF bus; respective shunting switches that selectably connect each of the RF antennae to the RF ground,

220 wherein each of the RF antennae can be activated on demand by closing its associated select switch to allow RF energy to enter the antenna while at the same time closing a shunting switch that is located a quarter-wavelength further along the RF bus.

43. The intelligent station system according to claim 42, wherein the select switches and the shunting switches comprise PIN diodes or MESFET diodes.

44. The intelligent station system according to claim 42, wherein the RF antennae are connected within the intelligent unit.

45. The intelligent station system according to claim 42, further comprising: a quarter wavelength of end cable extending beyond the last antenna on the RF bus; additional addressable shunt switches arranged along the end cable and spaced apart from each other by the same distance as the antennae are spaced apart on the RF bus.

46. The intelligent station system according to claim 42, further comprising: electronic components, arranged beyond the last antenna on the RF bus, to simulate a quarter wavelength of the RF bus.

47. The intelligent station system according to claim 1 5, wherein signals from the control unit to distributed secondary control units include information to be output visually or by sound in the immediate vicinity of selected antennae.

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48. An intelligent station system that tracks RFID tags comprising: a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals; a first intelligent station comprising: a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more additional switches, wherein the antennae are incorporated into structure associated with the intelligent station.

49. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure comprises a shelf or panel and an RF- blocking material is applied to an opposite face of the shelf or panel from the face proximate to the antennae.

50. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure further comprises individual shelf or panel units that are interconnected with connectors comprising an RF cable, a data cable, and a power cable.

51 . The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure further comprises individual shelf or panel units that are interconnected with connectors comprising an RF cable carrying RF signals with superimposed direct current (DC) power.

52. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure further comprises individual shelf or panel

222 units that are interconnected with connectors comprising an RF cable carrying RF signals with superimposed data other than the RFID signals.

53. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure comprises individual shelf or panel units that are interconnected with connectors comprising an RF cable carrying RF signals at the RFID reader frequency with superimposed data in a frequency range other than the RFID reader frequency.

54. The intelligent station system according to claim 52, wherein the superimposed non-RF digital communications are transmitted by varying a superimposed DC voltage.

55. The intelligent station system according to claim 52, wherein the superimposed non-RF digital communications are transmitted by varying a superimposed DC current drain.

56. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure comprises a shelf or panel and a non- conductive layer having high magnetic permeability is provided between the antennae and the shelf or panel to increase the magnetic flux for detecting target RFID tags.

57. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure comprises shelves, and wherein the intelligent station system further comprises passively coupled antennae that are located in a vertical plane at the end of the shelves or backs of the shelves.

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58. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the intelligent station structure comprises shelves, and wherein the intelligent station system further comprises passively coupled antennae that are located in a horizontal plane at a distance above the shelf.

59. The intelligent station system according to claim 48, wherein the antennae are incorporated into or on a thin and/or flexible mat associated with the intelligent station structure.

60. An intelligent shelf system that tracks RFID tags comprising: a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals; and a first intelligent station that comprises: a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more additional switches, wherein the antennae are incorporated into decorative laminate materials associated with the shelf.

61 . The intelligent shelf system according to claim 60, wherein the laminate materials containing antennae are applied to one face of a corrugated paperboard core to form the shelf or a panel for the shelf.

62. An inventory control system that tracks inventories of items with RFID tags, the inventory control system comprising: a) one or more reader units; b) one or more intelligent stations each of which is connected to at least one reader unit, each of the intelligent stations tracks RFID tags to

224 determine item information of items to be inventoried, each intelligent station comprising: a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through one or more additional switches, respectively, and c) an inventory control processing unit, connected to a data store, that receives item information from the intelligent stations to update inventory information regarding the items to be inventoried.

63. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein at least one of the intelligent stations is attached on a horizontal surface of a shelf.

64. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein at least one of the intelligent stations is on a vertical or angular surface of a shelf.

65. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the intelligent stations are provided on one or more of a shelf, a storage area, a chamber, a room, a warehouse, a trailer, a counter, a safe, a refrigerator, a freezer, or a rack.

66. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the intelligent stations are provided with locking devices for access control, said locking devices controlled by the inventory control system.

67. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the intelligent stations further comprise:

225 a plug-in bar code scanner to scan bar codes and provide bar coded item information that is correlated and stored with item information determined by the intelligent stations from RFID tags.

68. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the intelligent stations further comprise: a plug-in global positioning sensor (GPS) to provide information about the location of the intelligent station that is stored with information about items associated with the intelligent station.

69. The inventory control system according to claim 62, further comprising a proximity sensor to detect proximity of a person or an object, wherein the intelligent stations determine item information or activate auxiliary displays or perform other actions in response to the proximity sensor detecting the presence of a person or an object.

70. The inventory control system according to claim 62, further comprising an environmental sensor to measure temperature, humidity, or light at the intelligent station, wherein the inventory control system records with a merchandise item information comprising an environmental condition.

71 . The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein one or more antennae are selected in combination for reading.

72. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the removal of a large number of items, when detected by the intelligent stations, causes the inventory control system to generate an alert.

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73. The inventory control system according to claim 62, further comprising a customer RFID tag associated with a customer, wherein the inventory control system associates the customer RFID tag with the customer and when detecting the customer RFID tag generates an action responsive to detecting the customer RFID tag.

74. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the inventory control processing unit processes RFID tag activity to generate an alert to adjust staffing levels based on the processed RFID tag activity.

75. The inventory control system according to claim 62, further comprising an employee RFID tag associated with an employee, wherein the inventory control processing unit associates the employee RFID tag with the employee, and when detecting the employee RFID tag generates an action responsive to detecting the employee RFID tag.

76. The inventory control system according to claim 62, wherein the inventory control processing unit processes RFID tag activity to determine an optimal stocking pattern based on the processed RFID tag activity.

77. A method of inventory control for items tagged with RFID tags, the method comprising the steps of: providing one or more reader units and one or more intelligent stations each of which is connected to at least one reader unit, each of the intelligent stations tracks RFID tags to determine item information of items to be inventoried, each intelligent station comprising: a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and

227 one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through one or more additional switches, respectively; determining item information of items to be inventoried by selectively energizing the first and one or more additional RF antennae of each of the intelligent stations to determine item information of items that are located on the respective intelligent stations; and processing the determined item information to update inventory information of the items to be inventoried.

78. The method of inventory control according to claim 77, wherein more than one intelligent station is connected to a reader unit.

79. The method of inventory control according to claim 77, wherein the step of determining item information comprises selectively controlling the first and one or more additional switches to energize the first and one or more additional RF antennae, respectively, and detect item information of items with RFID tags that are within range of the respective energized first and one or more additional RF antennae.

80. The method of inventory control according to claim 77, wherein the step of processing the determined item information comprises updating the determined item information in a data store.

81 . The inventory control method according to claim 77, wherein the step of providing one or more intelligent stations further comprises, for each intelligent station, providing a second transmission cable that connects the reader unit to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through first and one or more additional switches, respectively,

228 (

wherein the reader unit transmits an unmodulated RF signal to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the second transmission cable, and transmits a modulated RF signal to the first and one or more additional RF antennae through the first transmission cable.

82. The inventory control method according to claim 81 , wherein the step of providing one or more intelligent stations comprises, for each intelligent station, configuring the first and one or more additional switches to operate in one of only three states, a first state that only transmits a modulated RF signal to a respective one of the first or one or more additional RF antennae, a second state that only transmits an unmodulated RF signal to the one of the respective first or one or more additional RF antennae, and a third state such that both the modulated RF signal and the unmodulated RF signal bypass the respective one of the first or one or more additional RF antennae.

83. An inventory control method according to claim 77, further comprising the steps of: for each reader unit, determining optimal RF power to be provided to read RF antennae connected to that reader unit; storing the determined optimal RF power for each reader unit in a data storage means; and using the stored optimal RF power for a reader unit when selectively energizing the RF antennae connected to that reader unit to determine item information of items located on the intelligent stations connected to that reader unit.

84. The inventory control method according to claim 83, wherein the data storage means comprise a look-up table.

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85. An intelligent shelf system that tracks RFID tags comprising: a reader unit that transmits and receives RF signals; and a first intelligent station that comprises: a first RF antenna connected to the reader unit by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more additional switches, wherein the intelligent station is arranged on a circular rack.

86. The intelligent shelf system according to claim 85, wherein two RF antennae are orthogonally disposed in two vertical planes within the center of the circular rack.

87. The intelligent shelf system according to claim 86, wherein the two RF antennae are connected to the reader unit with the length of the lead-in cables from the reader unit to the two RF antennae differing by ¹Λof the RF wavelength.

88. The intelligent shelf system according to claim 86, wherein the two RF antennae are connected through a two-way 90 degree power splitter.

89. The intelligent shelf system according to claim 85, wherein the RF antennae are designed as hangers and are arranged or provided on different portions of the circular rack.

90. An intelligent station system that tracks RFID tags comprising: two or more reader units that transmit and receive RF signals;

230 two or more intelligent stations each connected to one of the two or more reader units, the intelligent stations comprising: a first RF antenna connected to the one of the two or more reader units by a first transmission cable through a first switch; and one or more additional RF antennae connected to the reader unit by the same first transmission cable through respective one or more additional switches; and a control unit connected to the two or more reader units, wherein the control unit transmits command signals to the reader units in different formats that are recognizable by the respective reader units, and the control unit parses received data in different formats from the respective reader units.

91 . The intelligent station system according to claim 90, wherein the control unit is connected to an electronic network, and wherein the control unit receives a command signal in common format from the electronic network and translates the received command signal to the different formats recognizable by the respective reader units, and wherein the control unit translates the received data in different formats from the respective reader units into a common format for transmission to the electronic network.

92. A method of making a radio frequency antenna comprising the steps of: providing a substrate with grooves for receiving conductors and holes for receiving the end of the conductors, wherein the grooves are formed by molding or stamping; inserting wire conductors into some or all of the grooves to form loops, dipoles, or other antenna shapes; and

231 connecting the ends of the wire conductors to electronic circuits to form the radio frequency antenna.

93. The method of claim 92, wherein the grooves and holes are formed in a rectilinear grid pattern that allows a large variety of antenna patterns to be generated on the substrate.

94. The method of claim 92, wherein the grooves and holes are formed in a specific pattern that allows a specific antenna pattern to be generated on the antenna.

95. A method of making a radio frequency antenna comprising the steps of: providing a fixture having a plurality of holes, said holes arranged to receive pins that define the corners or endpoints of one or more antenna patterns, or to receive the ends of antenna wires; temporarily attaching a wire to the fixture by inserting wire ends into holes or attaching wire ends to devices that fit over the pins, and wrapping the wire between its ends around other pins to form an antenna shaped wire; transferring the antenna shaped wire onto a substrate material; and securing the antenna shaped wire on the substrate material.

96. An apparatus for depositing one or more conductive pathways onto a planar substrate to form foil antennas, comprising the steps of: a supply source of conductive strip or ribbon material; an applicator, connected to the supply source, that can be positioned and moved over the plane of the substrate and applies the conductive strip or ribbon material to the substrate; and

232 a controller that automatically moves and positions the applicator over the substrate and controls the feed of the conductive strip or ribbon material.

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