Inventory assistance device and method

Abstract

A device and system for assisting with inventory ordering and management. In an embodiment, a personal device may be used by a worker to assist with identifying and retrieving items in an inventory or warehouse setting. The device includes a communications module suited to interface with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that may be attached to the items to be selected or a bin that holds the items to be selected. If the worker has maneuvered the device close enough to a correct RFID tag, then the device can provide positive feedback to the worker indicating selection of a needed item. Similarly, if the worker has come into communicative proximity with an item not needed, then negative feedback at the device may be initiated.

1 . A device, comprising:
 a wireless communication module configured to detect wireless signals that correspond to items, respectively;   a controller coupled to the wireless communication module and configured to identify an item based on a detected wireless signal and configured to generate a feedback signal in response to the identification; and   a feedback module coupled to the controller and configured to provide feedback in response to the feedback signal;   wherein said device continuously scans for detection of wireless signals that correspond to items.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory coupled to the controller and configured to store data corresponding to items that correspond to wireless signals. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a wristband. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a glove. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback module further comprises a haptic feedback module configured to generate a haptic indication in response to the feedback signal. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the haptic indication comprises two vibrations with short durations to indicate a positive feedback signal and one vibration with a duration longer than the short duration to indicate a negative feedback signal. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the haptic feedback module further comprises a haptic vibration motor circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback module further comprises an aural feedback module configured to generate an aural indication in response to the feedback signal. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback module further comprises a visual feedback module configured to generate a visual indication in response to the feedback signal. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a network interface module coupled to the controller and configured to communicate with a switched packet network. 
     
     
         11 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 providing a device having personal device memory;   storing data in the personal device memory about one or more specific items, the one or more specific items a subset of a plurality of items;   selecting an item from the plurality of items;   determining an identification of the selected item by continuously scanning, with the device, to detect a wireless signal generated by a wireless communication tag disposed on the selected item;   generating a positive feedback signal, with the device, if the identified item is one of the one or more specific items; and   generating a negative feedback signal, with the device, if the identified item is not one of the one or more specific items.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the positive feedback and the negative feedback further comprises haptic, aural, or visual feedback. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 communicating the positive feedback signal to a remote computer system; and   updating a record stored in the remote computer system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising communicating data to the device from the remote computer system in response to the updating. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising communicating data to the device from a remote computer system having data about a plurality of items in response to the positive or negative feedback.