NL2015362B1

NL2015362B1 - A method for a system tracking a multitude of textile products, an RFID-reading device and a central server.

Info

Publication number: NL2015362B1
Application number: NL2015362A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Manuel Morales Jose; Vilabella José
Original assignee: Lossless Group B V
Priority date: 2015-08-28
Filing date: 2015-08-28
Publication date: 2017-03-20

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for a system tracking a multitude of textile products. The textile products provided with an RFID-tag run through a loop comprising at least four locations (102,104, 106,108) with different activities. At each of the four locations the method comprises an arrival reading action (2, 4, 6, 8), applying the activity of the specific location and a depart reading action (1, 3, 5, 7). A reading action comprises assigning to an RFID-reading device a unique status code; detecting the unique identification codes in a batch of textile products; sending by the RFID-reading device a message to the central computing device, the message comprises the unique status code and data to determine the detected unique identification codes in the batch of textile products. The central computing device updates in a database a loop status fields of the detected unique identification codes defined by the data in the message.

Description

A METHOD FOR A SYSTEM TRACKING A MULTITUDE OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS, AN RFID-READING DEVICE AND A CENTRAL SERVER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a method for a system tracking a multitude of textile products. The invention further relates to an RFID reading device and a central server.

BACKGROUND A permanent RFID garment tracking system is known from US5785181. An RFID tag having a unique number is applied to the garment. Each time the garment is deposited with a dry cleaner the RFID tag is automatically read by a tag reader near the garment conveyor and information related to the current visit is input to the computer. The computer maintains a history record related to each garment that is keyed to the identification number in the RFID tag. US2012/0249307A1 discloses a method and system of tracking hotel linen products. The system for tracking hotel linen includes a tracking control, a plurality of check points setting at different key locations in a hotel respectively to communicatively link with the tracking control, and a plurality of identification tags arranged for permanently affixing at a plurality of hotel linen products respectively. When each of the hotel linen products is moved to one of the check points, the corresponding identification tag is registered thereat. A tracking record is generated in the tracking control for the hotel linen products in responsive to each of the check points to monitor and manage the hotel linen products so as to greatly improve linen utilization in the hotel. US2010/0066497A1 discloses a system for tracking generic items in a closed loop. The system comprises a plurality of clients, each client associated with a container for containing items. Each client automatically generates and transmits item information relating to the items within its associated container. A server receives the item information from the plurality of clients and aggregates the circulation of the items in the closed loop. The item information comprises information identifying the client, information identifying each item obtained from a RFID tag attached to the item and the time each item was placed or removed from the container and information identifying a user which placed or removed an item from the container. A disadvantage of the known systems is that the RFID readers are at predefined fixed physical locations, e.g. a room or container. To enable tracking the products must pass said physical locations. There is a need for a tracking system which detection of products is not limited to fixed physical locations. Furthermore, there is need for an improved tracking system enabling to reduce theft of products.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for a system tracking a multitude of textile products which overcomes at least one disadvantage of the systems described above. The textile products run through a loop comprising at least four locations (e.g. hotel, van, laundry, van) with different activities (usage, transport from hotel to laundry, cleaning, transport from laundry to hotel). Each textile product is provided with an RFID-tag having a unique identification code.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method having the features of Claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further ways of carrying out the invention may be attained by the measures mentioned in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method which stores the unique identification codes in a database linked to a central computing device. The database comprises a linkage for each identification code with a loop status field representing the last detected event of the identification code. At each of the at least four locations the method performs an arrival reading action, performing an activity on textile products and a depart reading action. A unique status code identifies the arrival reading action of each of the at least four locations. A unique status code identifies the depart reading action of each of the at least four locations. During a reading action a status code associated with the reading action at a specific location in the loop is assigned to an RFID-reading device. Unique identification codes in a batch of textile products are detected with the RFID-reading device. The RFID-reading device sends a message to the central computing device. The message comprises the status code and data to determine the detected unique identification codes in the batch of textile products. The central computing device updates in the database the loop status fields of the detected unique identification codes defined by the data in the message with a value uniquely associated with the status code in the message.

The basic idea of the present application is based on the insight that in existing tracking systems when a batch of products is handed over from one party to another party in the loop, for example from hotel organisation to common carrier, there is no check that the deposited products by the delivering party are received by the receiving party. Consequently, if textile was stolen, it could not be made clear where the textile was removed from the loop. Furthermore, the common carrier could not prove that the batch of textile products he received at the hotel was delivered at the laundry. By the present application, each party (location) checks in the products it receives and checks out the products it deposits en submits the information to a central computing device. The central computing device could subsequently verify if the handing over from one party to another was correctly and if the party forwards in the loop the products it has received. By monitoring this information, people will be discouraged to remove textile from a deposited batch of textile or during transport.

In an embodiment, the reading action further comprises: generating by the central computing device an information package comprising information about the batch of textile products based on detected codes; receiving at the RFID-reading device from the central computing device the information package generated for a previous reading action in the loop; and, using at the RDIF-reading device the data in the information package to determine the quality of the current reading action. Assuming that the reading device is capable of reading substantially all tags in a batch of textile products, these features enable to detect at reading the batch that there is something wrong with the batch. The driver of the van could complain that too much products were missing in the batch or that he received a batch of products that differs from the batch of products presented by the hotel/laundry. Another advantage is that particularly when using a hand held reader, the person scanning the batch could get an indication when all products are found in that batch and that he could stop scanning. This reduces the handing time and reduces the risks of missing too much products in a detection action.

In a further embodiment, in the database to each unique identification code is linked a type of textile and the information package comprises at least one of the following: a summary of the types of textile in the batch, the detected unique identification codes in the batch. These features enable a reading device to display to the person performing a reading action the number of products that are missing in the batch and/or the number of products that are detected during this reading and not in the previous reading action. In this way he could verify that he is taking a correct batch of products.

In a further embodiment, the reading device comprises a database with unique identification codes of textile products and a type of textile linked to each unique identification codes... These features improve the usage of the reader enabling to display a summary of type of detected products in the batch allowing the person to verify visually roughly the correctness of the reading action.

In an embodiment, the RFID-reading device generates a user perceptible signal when the quality of the current reading action exceeds a predefined quality level. This feature improves user experience by signalling the user when he could stop reading the batch. This could especially be very useful when using a hand held reader.

In an embodiment, the loop is divided in a laundry part and a usage part and each reading action in the loop is assigned to the laundry part or the usage part. The central computing device determines textile products that passes the laundry part and generates an invoice based on the textile products that passes the laundry part and that are subsequently detected at the usage part. In a further embodiment, the amount of textile products that passes the laundry part is based on the unique identification codes that were subsequently detected by a reading action in the usage part of the loop, detected by at least one reading action in the laundry part of the loop and detected by a reading action in the usage part of the loop. Thus, passing the laundry part in the context of the present embodiment means that a textile product is detected at least one time in a reading action of the laundry part. Even when a textile product is missed during one or more, but not all, reading actions in the laundry part, these features will result in a correct billing.

According to a second aspect, a RFID-reading device for reading a batch of textile products in a loop comprising at least four locations is provided. The device comprises a processor, an Input/Output device to connect to a central computing device, and a data storage comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the RFID-reading device: to assign a status code associated with a reading action at a specific location in the loop; to detect the unique identification codes in the batch of textile product; and to send a message to the central computing device. The message comprises the status code and the detected unique identification codes in the batch of textile products. The ability to assign a status code enables to use an RFID-reading device at more than one reading action in the loop. This is especially advantageous for hand-held reading devices used during transport of the textile products from the hotel to the laundry and back.

In an embodiment, the instructions further cause the RFID-reading device to receive from the central computing device an information package generated for a previous reading action in the loop; and, to determine the quality of the current reading using data in the information package. In a further embodiment, the device is configured to generate a user perceptible signal when the quality of the current reading exceeds a predefined quality level. By receiving information about the batch of textile products that has to be read, it is possible to determine during scanning the batch of textile products that everything is ok or that something is wrong with the batch. For example, one could read an incorrect batch or too much textile products are not detected in the batch.

According to a third aspect, central server for use in a system for tracking a multitude of textile products is provided. The central server comprises a processor, an Input/Output device to connect to a number of RFID-reading devices, a database and a data storage comprising instructions. The database comprises a linkage of each unique identification code of the multitude of textile products with a loop status field representing the last detected event of said unique identification code. The instructions when executed by the processor, cause the central server to receive from an RFID-reading device a message comprising a status code and data to determine the detected unique identification codes in a batch of textile products; and to update in the database the loop status fields of the detected unique identification codes defined by the data in the message with a value uniquely associated with the status code in the message.

Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, various features of embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, properties and advantages will be explained hereinafter based on the following description with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like or comparable parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a method for a system tracking a multitude of textile products according to the present application;

Fig. 2 illustrates the main components of a tracking system;

Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a flow diagram of a reading action;

Fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a RFID reading device; and,

Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a central server.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 illustrates a method 100 for a system tracking a multitude of textile products. A textile product could by any type of linen that is soiled by usage and cleaned at a laundry so that the product could be reused again. Textile products in the context of the present application are items of linen that are used in for example a hotel, hospital and industry and includes and is not limited to towels, bed linen, dishcloth and corporate clothing.

The textile products run through a loop comprising at least four locations: hotel 102, van 104, laundry 106 and van 108. At each location, an activity is performed with the textile products. The activity in the hotel 102 is changing clean products into soiled products. The activity in the van 104, 108 is to transport the products from A to B. The activity in the laundry is to subject the products to a cleaning process. Examples of other possible locations in the loop are collection centres where the products are temporarily stored when transported from the hotel to the laundry and back. In figure 1, hotel 102 is a location in the loop. It might be clear that this location could be replaced by for example a hospital, nursing home, factory, research centre, office building or detention house.

The loop comprises a usage part 120 and a laundry part 122. The laundry part 122 includes next to the location laundry 106 the locations 104, 108 corresponding to the transport of the products from the hotel to the laundry and the transport of the products from the laundry to the hotel.

Each textile products is provided with an RFID-tag having a unique identification code. The RFID tag is able to withstand heat and pressure from the washing process and chemicals such as washing detergents, repeatedly. By means of an RFID-reading device, the unique identification code could be retrieved from the RFID-tag. The unique identification code is used to determine where the associated textile product is in the loop. The unique identification codes are stored in a central database linked to a central computing device. The central computing device could be a cloud server.

According to the present application, at each of the four locations an arrival reading action is performed by an employee of the corresponding location when the textile products arrive at the location and a depart reading action is performed by an employee of the corresponding location when the textile products are ready to be sent to a subsequent location. In this way, the person responsible for the textile products at a particular location knows the products that come in and the products that left the location. Consequently, the loop comprises two subsequent reading actions when a batch of products moves from one location to a subsequent location. The reading actions are performed by two different employees, one from the first location and the other from the subsequent location. In this way, it is possible to detect theft of products from a batch that is transferred from one location to a subsequent location, for example, the removal of some products of a batch ready to be passed to a subsequent location after the depart reading action and before the next arrival reading action in the loop.

Similarly, theft can be detected that happens during transport from A to B with the van. The items in a batch of textile products are detected at loading the van (arrival reading action 2 and 6) and again detected when the items in the batch are detected at unloading the van (depart reading action 3 and 7). These reading actions are preferably performed by using hand-held RFID reading devices. It is very unlikely that the numbers of items at loading differ significantly from the numbers of items at unloading the van. So at these locations by having the arrival reading action and the depart reading action in the loop, it is possible to detect theft immediately. At the hotel 102 and at the laundry 106, theft cannot immediately be detected, but by aggregating the unique identification codes of the textile products that are detected by the arrival reading action and depart reading action and registering the time of detection, the central server could determine the stock of textile products at the hotel/laundry and determine which unique identification codes of items that arrived at the hotel did not leaf the hotel for a long time. If the stock determined by the central server is continuously growing and the space used in the storage of the hotel does not increase, this is an indication that textile products are removed from the loop.

The reading actions at the hotel and laundry could be performed by any type of RFID-reading device. The RFID-reading device could be a cabin-reader, hand-held reader or cage reader. A batch of textile products on a trolley or in bags is scanned by the RFID reading device and the detected unique identification codes detected are stored in the reading device and wirelessly transmitted to the central server/cloud server.

In figure 1, there are eight reading events with corresponding statuses: 1 Soiled textile product ready at hotel, 2 Soiled textile product picked up at hotel, 3 soiled textile product dropped off at laundry, 4 soiled textile products received at laundry, 5 clean textile product ready at laundry, 6 clean textile product picked up at laundry, 7 clean textile product dropped off at hotel, 8 clean textile products received at hotel. In a database linked to the central computing device the unique identification codes of the tags attached to the textile products are stored. Furthermore, the database comprises a linkage for each identification code with a loop status field. The value stored in a loop status field linked to an identification code indicates the status in the loop corresponding to the last reading event wherein the identification code is read. For example, assume all textile products in the loop have status 8 (clean received at the hotel). All products that are soiled in the hotel will be collected to form a batch. The batch is subsequently scanned with an RFID-reading device with depart reading action 1. All detected identification codes are submitted in a message to the central server together with the status of the reading event, in the present case status 1 (soiled ready at hotel). The central server updates in the database the loop status field of all detected identification codes in the message with status 1.

The central server subsequently generates an information package comprising information about the batch of textile products that is ready at the hotel for transport to the laundry. The information package could be a summary of the textile products in the batch ready at the hotel, for example 95 towels, 50 shower mats, 25 bathrobes, 27 pillowcases and 28 sheets. Flowever, it might also be possible that it comprises all identification codes detected with the depart reading action 1 at the hotel. The information package is subsequently transmitted to the RFID-reading device of the driver of the van, informing him that there is a batch of textile products ready at the hotel for transport to the laundry. Thus when the drivers arrives at the hotel he, i.e. RFID reader, knows the number of cages and items that need to be picked up. At picking up the batch of products at the hotel, the driver performs an arrival reading action 2 with his hand-held RFID-reading device before he loads the batch in the van. The RFID-reading device generates a message corresponding to the arrival reading action with sufficient information to enable the central server to determine all detected unique identification codes during the reading action. So the message could comprise all detected unique identification codes. In another embodiment, the message comprises only the identification codes that are not detected during the arrival reacting action and the identification codes of products that were detected during the reading action but not assumed to be in the batch as these codes where not detected during the depart reading action at the hotel. In this case, the message comprises all differences in identification codes based on the information package received from the central server. As the central server knows the content of the information package send to the RFID-reading device, a message only comprising differences is sufficient to determine which identification codes has be detected during the reading action. It might be clear, that a message comprising all detected identification codes is much larger than a message that comprises only the differences. The message corresponding to the arrival reading action 2 is transmitted to the central server and the central server updates the loop status fields of the identification codes detected during the arrival reading action with a value uniquely associated with the arrival reading action 2 (soiled picked up at hotel). The central server generates an information package corresponding to the arrival reading action and submits the message to the RFID-reading device of the driver for performing the depart reading action 3. When arriving at the laundry, the driver scans again, depart reading action 3. The identification codes detected are compared with the identification codes of the previous arrival reading action 2. When the scanning is finished, the RFID-reading device could provide a difference report on a screen of the reading device and send an information package to the central server to enable the central server to update in the database the status field of the identification codes detected during the depart reading action. The method described above is also be used for transporting batches of textile products from the laundry to the hotel with the van 108.

As described before, the loop comprises a usage part 120 and a laundry part 122. The central computing device determines textile products that passes the laundry part and generates an invoice based on the textile products that passes the laundry part and that are subsequently detected at the usage part. The amount of textile products that passes the laundry part is based on the unique identification codes that were subsequently detected by a reading action in the usage part of the loop, detected by at least one reading action in the laundry part of the loop and detected by a reading action in the usage part of the loop. For example, when a textile product is subsequently detected in the reading actions: 2. Soiled picked up at hotel, 4. Soiled received at laundry, 8 clean received at hotel, the reading actions 2 and 4 indicate that the textile product is cleaned and reading action 8 indicates that the cleaned textile products arrived at the hotel for usage. The fact that the textile product is not read during reading actions 3. Soiled dropped off at laundry, 5. Clean ready at laundry, 6. Clean picked up at laundry and 7. Clean dropped off at hotel, does not make questionable whether or not the laundry should bill the cleaning of the textile product to the hotel.

Fig. 2 illustrates the main components of a tracking system. The tracking system comprises a central computing device 206, RFID-reading devices 204 (only one shown in figure 2) and a multitude of RFID-tags 202. The central computing device could be in the in the form of a central server or cloud server. In figure 2 is further shown a trolley 200 with a batch of textile products. An RFID-tag 202 with a unique identification code is attached to each of the textile products. By means of the RFID-reading device 204, an employee 208 could perform a reading action wherein the trolley with the batch of textile is scanned for identification codes. The detected identification codes are subsequently transmitted to the central computing device 206 for updating the status field of the detected identification codes in the database linked to the central computing device 206. Prior to a reading action, the RFID-reading device could receive an information package comprising information about the textile products that are expected to be stacked on the trolley and thus expected to be scanned during the reading action.

Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a flow diagram of a reading action performed in an RFID-reading device. The reading action, could be an arrival reading action or a depart reading action as described above. At the start 300 of the method in the RFID-reading device to perform a reading action, a status code s-code is assigned 302 to the reading action. The status code should correspond to the reading event at the specific location in the loop. The user could assign the status code to the RFID-reading device by using input means on the RFID-reading device. In action 304, the RFID-reading device receives in an information package data about the textile products to be expected to be detected in the current reading action. The information packages could be downloaded from the central computing device or pushed from the central computing device to the RFID-reading device. It might be possible that the status code is present in the information package. Depending on the implementation, a status code in the information package could be used to assign the status code to the reading action. Flowever, the status code in the information package could also be used to check whether the employee has assigned the correct status to the RFID-reading device at the beginning of the reading action.

After receiving the information of the expected batch of textile products, the employee start scanning 306 with the RFID-reading device. The RFID-reading device will receive wirelessly identification codes of the RFID-tags 202 in the batch and stores the identification codes in a memory. In action 308, a quality check is performed. By comparing the data in the information package with the detected identification codes, the RFID-reading device could determine the differences between the expected textile products in the batch and the textile products actually detected during the scanning. In this way, the quality of the current reading action is determined. When the quality exceeds a predefined quality level, for example less than 2% of expected textile products not detected, in action 310 a user perceptible signal is generated by the RFID-reading device. A user perceptible signal could be any of or combination of: an audible signal, blinking light, vibration of the device and text on display of the reading device. The user perceptible signal is an indication for the employee that he may stop scanning. As long as, the desired quality of the scanning is not reached, the reading device could record the time it is scanning the batch. In optional action 312 is checked whether the total scanning time of the current reading exceed a predefined maximum scanning time. As soon as the scanning time is longer than the predefined maximum scanning time, the RFID-reading device could generate another user perceptible signal indicating that the scanning time has exceeded a predefined maximum scanning time.

After the current reading action has exceeded the desired quality level or the total scanning time has exceeded predefined maximum scanning time, the employee stops scanning the batch of textile products. The RFID-reading device will generate in action 314 a message comprising the status code of the current reading and data to determine the detected unique identification codes in the batch of textile products. The message could also comprise the date and time of the current reading action. This message is sent (uploaded) to the central server to enable the server to update the loop status field and date and time field of the identification codes detected in the current reading action in the central database.

In a first embodiment, the message comprises the unique identification codes of all RFID-tags detected. In a second embodiment, the message comprises the differences between the identification codes in the information package received from the central server and the detected identification codes during the scanning. In the second embodiment, the message comprises the missed/not detected identification codes in the batch and the identification codes in the scanned batch which were not present in the information package. It might be clear, that an RFID-reading device might be able to generate a message according to both embodiments. If the information package from the central server does not comprise the identification codes expected in the batch, a message according to the first embodiment has to be generated. In all other cases, it does not matter which embodiment of message is used.

After uploading the message to the central server, the central server will respond to the RFID-reading device that the message is successfully received and is suitable to synchronize/update the loop status field in the database linked to the central server. The user of the RFID-reading device will be informed accordingly on the screen that the RFID-reading device could be used for a next reading action. The content of the message could now be deleted from the RFID- reading device. However, if the message could not be uploaded and a next reading action has to be performed, the RFID-reading device stores the message in a memory so that the message could be transmitted to the central server at a later time when there is a connection between RFID-reading device and central server. The reading action is completed 316.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is illustrated a block diagram of exemplary components of an RFID reading device 400. The RFID-reading device 400 can be in the form of a hand-held reader, cabin reader or cage reader. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the RFID-reading device 400 comprises a processor 410, data storage 420, an Input/Output unit 430 and a database 440. The data storage 420, which could be any suitable memory to store data, comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor 410 cause the RFID-reading device 400 to perform the actions of an RFDI-reading device corresponding to any of the methods described before. The I/O unit 430 is configured to provide an Ethernet connection. The I/O unit allows communicating with the central server of the tracking system to receive an information package and transmit a message as described above. The I/O unit 430 further comprises means to activate RFID-tags and to receive identification codes from the RFID-tags. The I/O unit 430 further comprises input means and a display, to enable a user to input data, e.g. status code, and to read information about a scanning action. This part of the I/O unit might be in the form of a touchscreen. The RFID-reading device further comprises a database 440 is configured to store identification codes used in the tracking system. In an embodiment, the database of a reading device comprises only the identification codes of the tags attached to textile products that are assigned (rented) to a particular hotel/laundry. For example, the RFID-reading device at a van normally transporting textile products between Hotel A and Laundry B comprises in its database the identification codes of Hotel A and not the identification codes of Hotel C.

Furthermore, the database comprises a linkage for each identification code with type of textile product. This linkage enables to the RFID-reading device to generate a summary of textile products in a batch detected in a reading action. This linkage further enables to perform a reading quality check, action 308 in Fig. 3, in case the information package from the central server comprises a summary of expected type of textile products in a batch to be scanned and not the individual identification codes. The database could further be used to store temporarily the read identification codes prior to submission to the central server.

Referring to Fig. 5, there is illustrated a block diagram of exemplary components of a central server or central computing device 500. The central server 500 can be any computer platform suitable to perform a network server function, for example a cloud server. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the central server comprises a processor 510, data storage 520, an Input/Output unit 530 and a database 540. The data storage 520, which could be any suitable memory to store data, comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor 510 cause the central server 500 to perform the actions in a central server corresponding to any of the methods described before. The I/O unit 530 is configured to provide an Ethernet connection. The I/O unit allows communicating with the RFID-reading device in the tracking system to transmit an information package and receive a message as described above. The central server further comprises a database 540 configured to store all identification codes used in the tracking system. Furthermore, the database comprises a linkage for each identification code with type of textile product. This linkage enables to the central server to generate a summary of textile products in a batch detected in a reading action or invoices with this kind of information. The database 540 further comprises a linkage for each unique identification code of the multitude of textile products with a loop status field and a date/time field. The value in the loop status field of an identification code represents the last position of the last reading action in the loop where the corresponding RFID-tag is detected. The value in the date/time field corresponds to the last time the RFID-tag is detected.

It should be noted that in the central database a time field is linked to each identification code. In the time field is stored the data and time of the last performed reading action. The time field could be used to determine products that have not been moving in the loop for a long time. This could be an indication that the product is stolen or has been thrown away. If a number of products has status code 8 (clean received at the hotel) for a long time, this could initiate a search action in the hotel to look for products that are unintentionally stored at hidden places. As the products comprise an RFID-tag, a hand-held RFID-reading device could be used to find the products.

While the invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications, permutations and equivalents thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification and upon study of the drawings. The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. *******

Claims

A method a system for following a plurality of textile products, the textile products pass through a loop comprising at least four locations (102, 104, 106, 108) with different activities; each textile product is provided with an RFID tag with a unique identification code, characterized in that the method further comprises: storing the unique identification codes in a database linked to a central computer device (206), the database comprising a link per identification code with a loop status field representing the last detected event of the identification code; the method further comprises at each of the at least four locations: - an arrival read operation (2, 4, 6, 8), a unique status code identifies the arrival read operation of each of the at least four locations; - applying the activity associated with the specific location; - a departure reading operation (1, 3, 5, 7), a unique status code identifies the departure reading operation of each of the at least four locations; a read operation comprises: - assigning (302) to an RFID reader (204) the unique status code associated with the read operation at a specific location in the loop; - detecting (306) the unique identification codes in a batch of textile products with the RFID reader; - sending (314) by the RFID reader a message to the central computer device, the message comprising the unique status code and data to determine the detected unique identification codes in the batch of textile products; - updating by the central computer device in database of the loop status fields of the detected unique identification codes determined by the data in the message with a value uniquely associated with the status code in the message.

The method of claim 1, wherein the reading operation further comprises: - generating by the central computing device an information packet with information about the batch of textile products based on detected identification codes, - receiving (304) on the RFID reading device from the central computer arrangement of the information package generated for a previous reading operation in the loop; and - using the data in the information packet in the RDIF reader to determine the quality of the current reading operation.

The method according to claim 2, wherein in the database a type of textile is linked to each unique identification code and the information package comprises at least one of the following: an overview of the types of textile in the batch, the detected unique identification codes in the batch.

The method of claim 3, wherein the reading device comprises a database with unique identification codes of textile products and a type of textile linked to each unique identification code.

The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the RFID reader generates (310) a user observable signal when the quality of the current reading operation exceeds a predefined quality level.

The method according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the loop is divided into a laundry part and a usage part and reading operation in the loop is assigned to the laundry part or use part, the method further comprising - determining textile products by the central computer device who passes the laundry section; and; - generating an invoice based on the textile products that the laundry part passes and which are detected in the usage part.

The method of claim 6, wherein the amount of textile products that passes through the laundry part is based on the unique identification codes that were later detected by a read operation in the loop usage part, detected by at least one read operation in the laundry laundry part of the loop and detected by a reading operation in the usage part of the loop.

An RFID reader (400) for reading a batch of textile products in a loop comprising at least four locations; each textile product is provided with an RFID tag with a unique identification code, the device comprises a processor (410), an input / output device (430) for connection to a central computer device and a data storage (420) comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, ensuring that the RFID reader: - assigns a status code associated with a read operation at a specific location in the loop; - detects the unique identification codes in the textile product batch; and - sending a message to the central computer device, the message comprising the status code and the detected unique identification codes in the batch of textile products.

The RFID reading device according to claim 8, wherein the instructions further ensure that the RFID reading device: - receives an information packet generated for a previous reading operation in the loop from the central computer device; and, - determine the quality of current reading with the aid of data in the information package.

The RFID reading device according to claim 9, wherein the device is arranged to generate a user observable signal when the quality of the current reading exceeds a predefined quality level.

The RFID reading device according to any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the reading device is a hand scanner.

A central server (500) for use in a system for tracking a plurality of textile products, the textile products pass through a loop comprising at least four locations with different activities; each textile product is provided with an RFID tag with a unique identification code, the central server comprises a processor (510), an input / output device (530) for connection to a number of RFID reading devices, a database (540) and a data storage (520) including instructions, the database includes a link of each unique identification code of the plurality of textile products with a loop status field representing the last detected event of the unique identification code, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the central server to: - receive from an RFID reader apparatus a message with a status code and data to determine the detected unique identification codes in a batch of textile products; and, in the database, updates the loop status fields of the detected unique identification codes determined by the data in the message with a value uniquely coupled to the status code in the message.

The central server according to claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the central server to: - generate an information packet with information about the batch of textile products based on the detected unique identification codes, and - send the information packet to an RFID reader assigned to perform another subsequent reading operation in the loop.

The central server according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the loop is divided into a laundry part and a usage part and a read operation in the loop is assigned to the laundry part or the usage part, the instructions further cause the central server to: on the central computer device an amount of textile products that the laundry part passes from the received messages; and; - generates an invoice based on the quantity of textile products. *******