WO2014210570A1

WO2014210570A1 - Rf-tag based wardrobe inventory system

Info

Publication number: WO2014210570A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/044748
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Seiler; Aaron Jones; Hector ORTIZ; Tao PORTUGAL
Original assignee: Pathway Engineering Lp
Priority date: 2013-06-29
Filing date: 2014-06-27
Publication date: 2014-12-31

Abstract

A process for a user to coordinate articles that each have a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier. A database about multiple of the articles is provided, wherein the articles are wardrobe or wardrobe related and for each article the database includes the unique identifier associated with identifying data that includes details about color or pattern. The user selects a selected article. The unique identifier is read from the tag of the selected article with a handheld electronics device. The identifying data is retrieved from the database for the selected article. And the identifying data is played with the electronics device to the user, thereby permitting them to know the at least one attribute and to thereby identify the selected article.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

RF-TAG BASED WARDROBE INVENTORY SYSTEM

By inventors:

Peter SEILER, Aaron JONES, Hector ORTIZ, and Tao PORTUGAL

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. US

61/841,313, filed 06/29/2013, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED

RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL

SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND PERMISSION

This document contains some material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction with proper attribution of authorship and ownership and without alteration by anyone of this material as it appears in the files or records of the Patent and Trademark Office, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to systems controlled by data bearing records, and more particularly to radio frequency tag based inventory systems.

BACKGROUND ART

The present invention is particularly suitable for use by people who are visually impaired, although others may also use it for their own purposes, or work with it such as visually normal people who assist the visually impaired. Heretofore, there have basically been two ways that a visually impaired person could coordinate a wardrobe. First, they could ask a visually normal person to assist them in selecting wardrobe articles (e.g. , blouse and skirt to match) and wardrobe related articles (e.g. , purse and watch to match and to also match the blouse and skirt). Second, they could, with the help of a visually normal person, encode articles in some manner. For example by affixing tactile tags to each article that contain brail descriptions of attributes of the articles (e.g. , color, shade, style, pattern, etc.)

Accordingly, there is a need for better system for people, especially including the visually impaired, to coordinate a wardrobe.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a RF-tag based audio- inventory system to manage and coordinate wardrobe and wardrobe related items.

Briefly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is a process for a user to coordinate articles. A database about the articles is provided, wherein the articles are wardrobe or wardrobe related and each has a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier, for each member, the database includes the unique identifier associated with identifying data, the identifying data includes details about at least one attribute of that member, and the identifying data is suitable for playback to the user. The user selects an article to be a selected article. The unique identifier is read from the tag of the selected article with a handheld electronics device. The identifying data is retrieved from the database for the selected article. And the identifying data is played with the electronics device to the user, thereby permitting them to know the at least one attribute of the member and to thereby identify the selected article.

Briefly, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a process for a user to coordinate articles that each have a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier. A database about the articles is provided, wherein the articles are wardrobe or wardrobe related and, for each member, the database includes the unique identifier associated with identifying data including details about color or pattern. The user selects the article to be a selected article. The unique identifier is read from the tag of the selected article with a handheld electronics device. The identifying data is retrieved from the database for the selected article. And the identifying data is played with the electronics device to the user, thereby permitting them to know the at least one attribute of the member and to thereby identify the selected article. Briefly, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is an electronics device for a user to coordinate articles each having a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier. A provided micro controller includes a program memory. A provided storage stores a database of at least one unique identifier associated with identifying data for the article, wherein the identifying data includes details about at least one attribute of the article. Provided user-operable controls permit the user to control the electronics device. Provided radio frequency circuitry reads the tags. Provided playback circuitry plays the identifying data to the user. A provided power source powers this. A provided housing contains this. And the program memory includes a logic that monitors the operable controls to control the electronics device responsive to the user, a logic that operates the radio frequency circuitry to read a tag, a logic that retrieves the identifying data from the database for the selected article, and a logic that plays the identifying data to the user, thereby permitting them to know the at least one attribute of the member and to thereby identify the selected article.

Briefly, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is an electronics device for a user to coordinate articles each having a radio frequency tag that includes identifying data that includes details about at least one attribute of the article. An included micro controller includes a program memory. Included user-operable controls permits the user to control the electronics device. Included radio frequency circuitry read the tags.

Included playback circuitry plays the identifying data to the user. An included power source powers this. An included housing contain this. And the program memory includes a logic that monitors the operable controls to control the electronics device responsive to the user, a logic that operates the radio frequency circuitry to read the tag, a logic that retrieves the identifying data from the tag, and a logic that plays the identifying data to the user, thereby permitting them to know the at least one attribute and to thereby identify the article.

Briefly, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a radio frequency (RF) tag based audio-wardrobe inventory device. An RFID transceiver, capable of reading information from an RFID transponder which is affixed to clothing for the purpose of associating information stored on the RFID transponder to the article of clothing. An audio recording and playback module records the user's voice, or plays pre-recorded voice recordings. A color sensing module detects wavelengths of light reflected off of objects for association with audio files played for the user. A computational device interfaces to the other described components of the device for the purpose of routing information, initiating recordings, file calls, file saves, color value averaging, and other general computational functions. And an electronic storage module is capable of storing a library of files to include RFID transponder information, audio information, and program information.

And briefly, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a method for a visually-impaired person to create an inventory of a wardrobe of clothing articles or other items. With an audio-wardrobe inventory device, associating audio recordings with RFID tags, attached to the articles. With the device, locating the RFID tags, attached to the articles. With the device, determining the color of objects in the wardrobe to be inventoried. With the audio-wardrobe inventory device, managing a library of audio recordings, associated with the RFID tags. And organizing the wardrobe articles based on audio recordings associated with the RFID tags, attached to the articles, for the purpose of the user to independently identify the articles intended for daily use.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and the industrial applicability of the preferred embodiment as described herein and as illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The purposes and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended figures of drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a stylized block diagram of the inventive inventory system that shows a proposed usage model employing an electronics device in accord with the present invention.

FIGS. 2a-c are views of an exemplary physical embodiment of the handheld electronics devices in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2a shows a top plane view, FIG. 2b shows a bottom plane view, and FIG. 2c shows an angled part left side and part top view.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the exemplary physical embodiment of the electronics device of the inventory system of FIGS. 1 and 2a-c.

FIG. 4 is a generalized flow chart depicting a scan mode of operation in the electronics device.

FIG. 5 is a generalized flow chart depicting a color scan operation in the electronics device.

And FIG. 6 is a generalized flow chart depicting an inventory management mode of operation in the electronics device.

In the various figures of the drawings, like references are used to denote like or similar elements or steps. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a Radio Frequency (RF) audio wardrobe inventory system for the visually impaired. As illustrated in the various drawings herein, and particularly in the view of FIG. 1, an embodiment of the invention is depicted by the general reference character 100.

Briefly, the present invention is a Radio Frequency (RF) tag-based coordinating inventory system 100. The inventive inventory system 100 particularly allows visually impaired users themselves, or others assisting them, to create inventories to coordinate their wardrobes and wardrobe-related articles such as clothing, hats, shoes, belts, purses, briefcases, watches and other jewelry, etc. Optionally, the inventory created can be organized by categories of these personal articles. The inventory system 100 allows the users to associate RF tags with each of their various articles. The inventory system 100 allows the users to record identifying files describing each tagged article in the categories, as audio files, and to store these in a database. The inventory system 100 then allows the visually impaired users to identify the individual articles in their categories by scanning an RF tag associated with an article and playing back the associated identifying file to receive a description of the article as well as particular attributes of the article, such as size or color.

The inventory system 100 may particularly employ a handheld electronics device that allows a visually impaired user to independently and confidently identify an inventory of the articles in their categories by associating RF tags and audio recording files with each article. The inventory system 100 particularly allows the user to identify colors by utilizing an embedded color sensor. The combined capabilities of the electronics device thus allows a visually impaired user them self to create an audio description inventory of their articles (e.g. , clothing) which allows them to confidently understand the appearance of what they intend to wear.

FIG. 1 is a stylized block diagram of the inventory system 100 that shows a proposed usage model 102 employing an electronics device 110 in accord with present invention. A user 112, who is typically visually impaired, employs the electronics device 110 to receive input in order to get feedback in the form of file playback 114, or to perform other actions on a category 116 of articles 118. As few as one category 116 may be present, say of clothing, or multiple categories 116 may be present, say additional ones for jewelry or subcategories of clothing. Whether one or more categories are present is not a limitation of the invention, and is largely a mere conceptual matter of categorization subject to the preference of each user 112. In contrast, each category 116 typically will contain multiple articles 118. FIG. 1 shows three categories 116a-c that respectively contain N, M, and L articles 118.

Thus, the category 116, 116a here may be wardrobe comprised of N number of articles 118 that may have RF tags 120 affixed to (or embedded in) them. If the user 112 is looking for a particular article 118 in their wardrobe category 116a, for instance, then an electronics device 110 will only give feedback to the user 112 when the article is found in the wardrobe, which is done by the user 112 selecting an article 118 to search for first. Then the electronics device 110 constantly scans for the ID of the desired RF tag 120 associated with the selected article 118, ignoring IDs that do not match the desired ID. Furthermore, when the desired ID is successfully scanned, the electronics device 110 will alert the user 112 with an audio beep or other form of feedback. The user 112 may also initiate a color scan operation 500 (FIG. 5), where an electronics device 110 would give feedback to the user 112 if a desired color is detected on an article 118.

FIG. 1 shows three electronics devices 110, llOa-c present. Typically a single electronics device 110c is used by the user as a roaming handheld unit that is carried from category 116 to category 116. This is not necessary, however, and it may be desirable to associate particular electronics devices 110 with particular categories 116. Here an electronics device 110a is associated with the category 116a, say, attached to a tether in the closet containing the wardrobe. In this manner the visually impaired user 112 can consistently find the electronics device 110b. Here another electronics device 110b is associated with the category 116b, say, simply sitting in a recharging cradle at a wall outlet next to the jewelry box. In this manner the visually impaired user 112 can usually find the electronics device 110c quickly, at least if they consistently return the electronics device 110c after each use. Since the typical user 112 is expected to be visually impaired, an advanced feature of the electronics devices 110 can be to intercommunicate, say, wherein activating a control on one causes the other(s) to emit an audible tone(s) (e.g. , unique ones for each unit present). Other advanced features are discussed presently.

FIGS. 2a-c are views of an exemplary physical embodiment 210 of the handheld electronics devices 110, llOa-c in FIG. 1. FIG. 2a shows a top plane view, FIG. 2b shows a bottom plane view, and FIG. 2c shows an angled part left side and part top view. The exemplary physical embodiment 210 here is easily employed as a handheld electronics device 110c, as shown in FIG. 1. The exemplary physical embodiment 210 easily fits into the hand of a user 112 to permit access to controls and components.

The exemplary physical embodiment 210 here has controls that include an (up) UP button 212, a (select) SEL button 214, a (down) DN button 216, a volume control 218, and an ON-OFF-ON switch 220. The remaining components of the exemplary physical embodiment 210 seen here are a sensor unit 222 (discussed in detail presently), a transducer 224 for file playback 114 output and user 112 voice input, and a housing 226 to house the unit and protect its sensitive components.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram 300 of the exemplary physical embodiment 210 of the electronics device 110 of the inventory system 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2a-c. The major electronic hardware components and critical signal and power lines are depicted, and lesser elements are omitted for clarity. The electronics device 110 here may be handheld and housed inside the housing 226 (not shown), which can measure between five and seven inches in length (25-35 cm), two to three inches in width (5-7.5 cm), and 0.5 to one inch in depth (1.5-2.5 cm). The input and output components of the electronics device 110 are then accessible through cutouts in the housing 226.

Included again are the UP button 212, the SEL button 214, and the DN button 216. Here push buttons are used, but other embodiments may use other control components for equivalent inputs. These push buttons allow the user to navigate through menu options. The ON-OFF-ON switch 220, or Scan-OFF-Edit switch here, toggles the electronics device 110 between a scan mode 400 (FIG. 4), an OFF mode, and an inventory management mode 600 (FIG. 6).

An audio input, being the voice of the user 112, goes into a microphone 310 portion of the transducer 224 on the face of the electronics device 110. This analog audio input is connected to a microphone input of an audio CODEC 312. The signal is converted to a digital signal and then sent to a microcontroller 314 where it is processed and stored in an attached removable storage 316, if the recording is acceptable.

The audio output of the electronics device 110 starts with the retrieval of an audio file from the removable storage 316, which is called upon by the microcontroller 314, and sent to the audio CODEC 312, which then converts the digital signal into an analog signal. This analog signal is then sent through an audio amplifier 318, where the output gain is controlled by a wheel potentiometer type instance of the volume control 218. This amplified audio output is then sent to a speaker 320 portion of the transducer 224, where it can be heard by the user 112.

The sensor unit 222 of the electronics device 110 includes a color sensor 322 input that is initiated by a scan color button 324 (integrated into the ON-OFF-ON switch 220, so that this can additionally be pressed). The color sensor 322 sends a signal to the

microcontroller 314 to trigger an interrupt to service this input. The color sensor 322 is light- sensitive and determines the most common wavelength components of light detected directly in front of it. This signal is sent to the microcontroller 314 where it is decoded and correlated to a color. A LED 326 (FIGS. 2b and 3) is used with the sensor unit 222 to illuminate the article 118 and reflect light back to the lens 328 to be focused onto the color sensor 322. This scenario may be performed by software multiple times to get an average value to use as the color. Dispersed light from the LED 326 will normally travel in a wide angle away from the electronics device 110, so a lens 328 (FIG. 2b) is further provided in the sensor unit 222 to ensure that reflected light is directed onto the color sensor 322. Each color detected is correlated to an audio description of the detected color, which has been stored in the removable storage 316. Once a color that has been detected is determined, an associated audio file is retrieved by the microcontroller 314 and sent to the audio output circuitry described above, and played for the user 112.

RF components allow the electronics device 110 to retrieve identification numbers from the RF tags 120. The microcontroller 314 enables an RF front end 330 to transmit a carrier signal at a specific operating frequency, according to the operating frequency of the RF tags 120 used. This radio frequency signal is propagated by an antenna 332, and if the RF tag 120 is in range of the electronics device 110, typically between three and five centimeters (1.25-2 in), then the RF tag 120 will resonate and propagate back its unique encoded identification number. This return signal is then sensed by the RF front end 330 and the identification number is sent to the microcontroller 314, where it is decoded to attain the unique identification number of the RF tag 120. This identification number is then used to correlate the RF tag 120 to an audio description of the article 118 which the RF tag 120 is affixed to. The audio description is stored on the removable storage 316 and correlated to the associated identification number by using a lookup table, which is also stored in the removable storage 316.

FIG. 3 also shows the power source of the electronics device 110. A rechargeable battery 334 supplies power to a DC voltage regulator 336, which in turn supplies power to the components requiring a DC power source. The rechargeable battery 334 is charged to capacity by a recharging circuit 338, when the device is plugged in to an AC/DC wall adapter 340 that is plugged in to a mains voltage AC wall outlet.

With continued reference to FIG. 3, and turning also to the flow chart of scan mode 400 operation in FIG. 4, in a step 402 the electronics device 110 is turned on. In a step 404 the microcontroller 314 senses whether the ON-OFF-ON switch 220 is set for the scan mode or the Inventory Management Mode of operation. If the electronics device 110 is in the scan mode 400, step 406 follows and the RF front end 330 will be enabled until an RF tag 120 is detected in step 408. The storage 316 particularly includes an RF tag lookup table and an audio description database of audio files. The audio files can correspond to individual articles 118 in the categories 116, or to other audio information, e.g., generic color statements. Once an RF tag 120 is detected, in step 410 its unique identification number is cross-referenced to the RF tag lookup table. If the number is found (step 412), in step 414 a corresponding audio file is retrieved from the audio description database and in step 416 is played for the user 112. After the audio file is played, the electronics device 110 then goes back to step 406, assuming scan mode 400 remains selected.

Still referring to FIG. 4, if an identification number for an RF tag 120 is not found (step 412), then the electronics device 110 proceeds as if that RF tag 120 has never been scanned before and merits a new audio file in the audio description database. In step 418 the electronics device 110 prompts the user 112 to record an audio description by playing a pre- recorded prompt stored in the removable storage 316. In step 420 the microcontroller 314 will wait until the SEL button 214 is pressed (step 422), after which, in step 424 the electronics device 110 will begin recording the voice of the user 112. The electronics device 110 will continue to record as long as the SEL button 214 is depressed, and in step 426 the recording is ended when the SEL button 214 is released. The initiation and ending of the recording can be announced by the electronics device 110 with a beep or other form of feedback to the user 112. Immediately afterwards, in step 428, the electronics device 110 will play back the recording and in step 430 prompt to ask the user 112 if the recording was acceptable. If not acceptable, indicated by the user 112 pressing the DN button 216, then the electronics device 110 will return to step 418 and prompts the user 112 to rerecord the audio description. If the recording was acceptable, indicated by the user 112 pressing the UP button 212, in step 432 the electronics device 110 will keep the recorded file in the database and update the lookup table to correlate it with the identification number of the RF tag 120.

FIG. 5 is a generalized flow chart depicting a color scan operation 500 that can be initiated at any point during operation of the electronics device 110. In a step 502 the electronics device 110 is in scan mode 400 or inventory management mode. In a step 504 the microcontroller 314 waits for an interrupt triggered by the user 112 pressing the scan color button 324. If this button is not pressed, then the electronics device 110 continues normal operation in either the scan mode 400 or inventory management mode in step 502. Once the interrupt is detected, however, in step 506 the LED 326 is triggered and the reflected light is captured by the color sensor 322. If a valid color is detected in step 508, then in step 510 it is cross referenced to the color database located in the removable storage 316. The audio file corresponding to the color sensed will then be played (step 512), in the manner described above. After the color has been described, the microcontroller 314 will return to where it was when interrupted (step 502).

FIG. 6 is a generalized flow chart depicting an inventory management mode 600 during operation of the electronics device 110. In step 602 the ON-OFF-ON switch 220 has been put in the "Edit" or inventory management mode 600. The electronics device 110 now will enable an audio-menu system, which will prompt the user 112 to select between various system operations. Some of the operations presented to the user 112 when first brought into the inventory management mode 600 are add articles (operation 604), delete articles from database (operation 606), manage categories in database (operation 608), and review articles in database (operation 610). All of these options, and other sub-options will be presented to the user 112 as audio files, which are kept on the removable storage 316 and played in the manner already described.

While the electronics device 110 is in the inventory management mode 600, the user 112 can navigate through a virtual menu system to access and control the operations by using the UP button 212, SEL button 214, and DN button 216. When the UP button 212 is pressed, the next menu option will be played for the user 112. When the DN button 216 is pressed, the previous menu option will be played for the user 112. Finally, when the user 112 wants to confirm a selected menu option, the SEL button 214 can be pressed, which will execute the sub-program selected.

Add articles (operation 604) allows the user 112 to quickly add articles to the database, in the manner described for step 418. Operation 604 has two options when adding each scanned article, those being that the article 118 can be added to an existing category 116 (option 612) or the article 118 can be added to the general database (option 614).

Delete articles from database (operation 606) allows the user 112 to quickly delete audio files for all of the articles 118 in the database. This option, when selected, will verify that the user 112 wishes to delete the entire database. If the user 112 confirms the deletion of the entire database be pressing the SEL button 214, then the wardrobe audio description database will be completely erased, along with the associated lookup table.

Manage categories in database (operation 608) allows the user to manage how the database is arranged by creating categories 116 (option 616), deleting categories 116 (option 620), or moving an article 118 to a category 116 (option 618). [Of course, the articles 118 and categories 116 are not literally moved, changed, or deleted. The term "move" here is a synonym for "associating". Similarly, an article 118 or category 116 of articles 118 is not physically created or deleted here. Rather, audio files for such are. This manner of describing the articles 118 and categories 116, however, may help some grasp the concepts being presented here.]

When a new category 116 is created, the user 112 is prompted to record a title for the category 116 in the manner already described. This then creates an empty list in which articles 118 can be added with the option move article to category (option 618) or the option add article to category (option 612). Delete category (option 620) will completely remove the category 116, along with the articles 118 contained in the category 116, from the audio description database and the associated lookup table entries.

Review articles in database (operation 610) allows the user 112 to replay the audio files for the articles 118 contained in the database either by category 116 (option 622) or playing all of the files for the articles 118 in the database without regard to category 116 (option 624). In these options, the UP button 212 will play the audio file for the next article 118 in the database or category 116, and the DN button 216 will play the audio file for the previous article 118 in the database or category 116. If the SEL button 214 is pressed, then the electronics device 110 will allow the user 112 to either replay for that article 118, or to select an option to delete the article 118, replace the audio description of the article 118, or search for the selected article 118 (option set 626).

The above describes the inventors' inventory system 100 and the presently preferred embodiment of the electronics device 110 it uses. Summarizing, the inventive inventory system 100 particularly permits visually impaired and other users 112 to color- identify and color-coordinate articles 118 in wardrobes and that are wardrobe-related. For example, Alice is visually impaired and uses the inventory system 100 to identify and select clothing items, such as a blouse and skirt, and to ensure that these selections are color-coordinated in the manner of current fashion. Alice also uses the inventory system 100 to identify and select a purse and jewelry (wardrobe-related articles 118). Thus, Alice uses the inventory system 100 to identify and select a blue blouse and a black skirt, and further to identify and select a black purse to match the skirt and blue neck pendant to match the blouse.

The inventory system 100 additionally permits its users 112 to more generally identify and coordinate such articles 118, since the audio files can contain any information that a user 112 wishes. For example, Bob is also visually impaired, and married to and lives together with Alice. One of Bob's concerns is to not select and wear any of Alice's sweaters or jackets. The audio files in the inventory system 100 in this household can therefore include owner ("Alice" or "Bob" or "common") as an attribute recited for each article 118. Taking this further, let us say that Alice has an extensive wardrobe. She may therefore want some of the audio files for her articles 118 to additionally recite attributes such as shade of color, type, style, size, etc.

The inventory system 100 additionally may be used by non- visually impaired users 112. For example, Alice and Bob have a son named Charlie who has normal eyesight but who is seriously fashion-challenged. To prevent Charlie from wearing a black belt, hat, or shoes with brown clothing items; or mixing checkers and stripes; or wearing purple trousers to a formal function, Alice programs an electronics device 110 for Charlie to use.

Of course, the electronics device 110 of the inventory system 100 can vary

considerably in the circuitry used. For instance, let us say that Alice and Bob rent a room to Dale, a visually impaired older gentleman who is going deaf but who can read brail. A social worker can assist Dale with programming an embodiment of the electronics device 110 that has a brail tactile readout rather than a speaker. Rather than use audio files associated with RF tag identifiers, as in the other embodiments so far discussed herein, the social worker can type text files (in standard alphabetic text or in brail characters on a computerized device that write to a removable instance of the storage 316 that is then loaded into Dale's brail-version electronics device 110.

Continuing with the theme of varying the electronics device 110, there is no reason that the electronics device 110 has to be specialized or is not integrated with another device. The exemplary physical embodiment is merely an example. As additional examples, many smart phones today are already capable of use as the hardware of the electronics device 110; or it is also conceivable that users 112 will want to wear their personal electronics device 110 in the form factor of a wrist watch.

Another area of variation can be in the type(s) of RF tags 120 used. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are widely known and can be used. RFID tags can be active, including an internal power source, or passive, receiving power parasitically from the outside. Passive RFID tags are small, inexpensive, and generally more suitable for use with the inventive inventory system 100.

As already noted, RFID tags have a range of three to five centimeters (when used with a handheld, low-power device such as the electronics devices 110 here). This make them excellent for general wardrobe management, since articles 118 can be distinguished without interference from other nearby RF tags 120. Near Field Communication (NFC) tags can also be used. These have a range more on the order of one to three centimeters (0.5-1.25 in). This make them suitable for general wardrobe management as well as excellent for managing small articles, such as watches in a jewelry box. Additionally, NFC tags can typically be programmed and contain considerable information beyond merely a unique ID number as is the case for many RFID tags. For example, most current NFC tags have a "data capacity" sufficient to each store the content of a brail file for use in Dale's electronics device 110, and thus to largely eliminate its need for the storage 316. While the "data capacity" of current NFC tags is not enough yet for audio files, it is reasonable to foresee that capacity increase will come and the respective audio files may then be "locally" stored, literally on the tagged article 118.

In general, NFC tags are a subcategory of RFID tags and it is common in the industry to simply say "RFID" for both types. Herein we adopt this convention, except where saying NFC may impart additional meaning.

RFID, NFC, and presumably most yet to emerge forms of suitable RF tags are markedly inexpensive. This makes them candidates for manufacturers and/or vendors to add to conventional clothing labels, to replace such labels, or to otherwise embed in articles 118. Thus, a manufacturer or vendor might pre-tag an article 118 with a pre-programmed RF tag 120. The purchaser could then simply use the RF tag 120 as pre-programmed, or selectively modify the programming to specify what attributes of the article 118 are to be played back or to add playback for whom the owner is of the article 118.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and that the breadth and scope of the invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments. For the above, and other, reasons, it is expected that the inventive inventory system 100 and the electronics device 110 that it uses, such as the exemplary physical embodiment 210, will have widespread industrial applicability and it is therefore expected that the commercial utility of the present invention will be extensive and long lasting.

Claims

CLAIM OR CLAIMS We claim:

1. A process for a user to coordinate articles, the process comprising:

(a) providing a database about a plurality of said articles, wherein:

(i) said articles are wardrobe or wardrobe related and each said article has a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier,

(ii) for each member of said plurality, said database includes said unique identifier associated with identifying data,

(iii) said identifying data includes details about at least one attribute of a said member of said plurality, and

(iv) said identifying data is suitable for playback to the user;

(b) selecting by the user of a said article to be a selected article;

(c) reading said unique identifier from the said tag of said selected article with a handheld electronics device;

(d) retrieving said identifying data from said database for said selected article; and (e) playing said identifying data with said electronics device to the user, thereby permitting the user to know said at least one attribute of a said member of said plurality and to thereby identify said selected article.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the user is visually impaired.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said attribute is color.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein said playing in (e) includes audio or brail playback of said at least one attribute of said selected article.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said providing in (a) includes

choosing by the user of a said article to be a chosen article;

reading said unique identifier for said tag of said chosen article;

scanning said chosen article to determine a said at least one attribute; and

storing said at least one attribute with said unique identifier in said database, thereby creating or adding to said database.

6. The process of claim 5, further comprising affixing a said tag to said chosen article.

7. The process of claim 5, further comprising organizing said database into categories of subsets of said plurality of said articles.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said attribute is color or pattern and said database includes additional said identifying data describing colors or patterns, thereby permitting the user to know said color or pattern and to thereby identify said selected article.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said plurality is of multiple of said articles and said database is stored in said electronics device.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein said tag is a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) type tag.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein said plurality is of a single said article and said database is stored in said tag.

The process of claim 11, wherein said tag is a near field communications (NFC) type tag

13. A process for a user to coordinate articles that each have a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier, the process comprising:

(a) providing a database about a plurality of the articles, wherein the articles are wardrobe or wardrobe related and, for each member of said plurality, said database includes the unique identifier associated with identifying data including details about color or pattern;

(b) selecting by the user of a the article to be a selected article;

(c) reading said unique identifier from the tag of said selected article with a handheld electronics device;

(d) retrieving said identifying data from said database for said selected article; and

(e) playing said identifying data with said electronics device to the user, thereby permitting the user to know said at least one attribute of a said member of said plurality and to thereby identify said selected article.

14. An electronics device for a user to coordinate articles each having a radio frequency tag that includes a unique identifier, the electronics device comprising:

a micro controller including a program memory;

a storage storing a database of at least one said unique identifier associated with

identifying data for said article, wherein said identifying data includes details about at least one attribute of said article;

user operable controls permitting the user to control the electronics device;

radio frequency circuitry to read said tags;

playback circuitry to play said identifying data to the user;

a power source powering the above stated;

a housing containing the above recited;

and wherein said program memory includes:

a logic that monitors said operable controls to control the electronics device

responsive to the user;

a logic that operates said radio frequency circuitry to read a said tag;

a logic that retrieves said identifying data from said database for said selected article; and

a logic that plays said identifying data to the user, thereby permitting the user to know said at least one attribute of a said member of said plurality and to thereby identify said selected article.

15. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein said storage is removable from the electronics device.

16. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein said user operable controls include at least one member of the set consisting of an on-off control to turn the electronics device on or off, a mode choice control to select between different operating modes of the electronics device, an increment selection control, a decrement selection control, and a make selection control to select a current selection.

17. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein said radio frequency circuitry is further to write said tags.

18. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein said playback circuitry provides audio or brail playing of said identifying data.

19. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery.

20. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein said housing is sized such that the electronics device is hand hold able by a human.

21. The electronics device of claim 14, wherein the tag is a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) type tag or a near field communications (NFC) type tag.

22. An electronics device for a user to coordinate articles each having a radio frequency tag that includes identifying data that includes details about at least one attribute of said article, the electronics device comprising:

a micro controller including a program memory;

user operable controls to permit the user to control the electronics device;

radio frequency circuitry to read said tags;

playback circuitry to play said identifying data to the user;

a power source to power the above stated;

a housing to contain the above recited;

and wherein said program memory includes:

a logic that monitors said operable controls to control the electronics device

responsive to the user;

a logic that operates said radio frequency circuitry to read a said tag;

a logic that retrieves said identifying data from the tag; and

a logic that plays said identifying data to the user, thereby permitting the user to know said at least one attribute and to thereby identify the article.

23. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein said storage is removable from the electronics device.

24. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein said user operable controls include at least one member of the set consisting of an on-off control to turn the electronics device on or off, a mode choice control to select between different operating modes of the electronics device, an increment selection control, a decrement selection control, and a make selection control to select a current selection.

25. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein said radio frequency circuitry is further to write said tags.

26. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein said playback circuitry provides audio or brail playing of said identifying data.

27. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery.

28. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein said housing is sized such that the electronics device is hand hold able by a human.

29. The electronics device of claim 22, wherein the tag is a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) type tag or a near field communications (NFC) type tag.

30. A radio frequency (RF) tag based audio-wardrobe inventory device, comprising:

an RFID transceiver, capable of reading information from an RFID transponder which is affixed to clothing for the purpose of associating information stored on the RFID transponder to the article of clothing;

an audio recording and playback module to record the user's voice, or to play prerecorded voice recordings;

a color sensing module to detect wavelengths of light reflected off of objects for association with audio files played for the user;

a computational device to interface to the other described components of the device for the purpose of routing information, initiating recordings, file calls, file saves, color value averaging, and other general computational functions; and an electronic storage module capable of storing a library of files to include RFID transponder information, audio information, and program information.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein:

the RFID transceiver can read information from the RFID transponder from a distance determined by the size of an antenna in and characteristics of the RFID transponder, which can be of varying frequency and drive strength to achieve desirable read distances and radio frequency penetration.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein:

the RFID transceiver can be used to locate a unique RFID transponder based on the information stored in said transponder, which can be detected through material objects, such as clothing, thin plastic, and radio-frequency permeable materials.

33. The device of claim 30, wherein:

a color detection module can measure the intensity of red, green, and blue

wavelengths, which can be read multiple times and averaged to correlate to a numerical value associated with audio files describing the specific color determined by the sensor and computational device.

34. The device of claim 30, wherein.

audio recordings associated with information from RFID transponders as pre-recorded descriptions or descriptions recorded by the user and kept in a digital library for the purpose of being played back upon reading of the transponder information.

35. The device of claim 30, wherein:

an electronic storage module can be removed from the device and retain information contained therein, where the information does not require electrical potential to be permanently stored, and the electronic storage module can be interfaced to a computer for the purpose of backing up inventory files, uploading inventory files, uploading program information, or for playback on a device capable of replaying audio recordings.

36. A method for a visually-impaired person to create an inventory of a wardrobe of clothing articles or other items, comprising:

with an audio-wardrobe inventory device, associating audio recordings with RFID tags, attached to the articles;

with said device, locating said RFID tags, attached to the articles;

with said device, determining the color of objects in the wardrobe to be inventoried; with said device, managing a library of audio recordings, associated with said RFID tags; and

organizing the wardrobe based on audio recordings associated with said RFID tags, attached to the articles, for the purpose of the user to independently identify the articles intended for daily use.