Patent ID: 7667603
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for tracking progress of products or components of products as to operations performed in a manufacturing process, comprising: attaching an RFID tag to each of a plurality of the products or components, the RFID tag being of the passive type without onboard battery and which derives power to operate from an interrogating RF signal from a reader, at each of a plurality of stations in the manufacturing process, sending an interrogating RF signal to a product or component bearing an RFID tag, the interrogating RF signal at a particular station containing a triggering signal that, when the RF signal powers up the tag, causes the tag to respond with the tag's unique ID and with a track count representing a number of stations which the tag has passed through up to that point prior to the particular station, and the RFID tag incrementing its track count to reflect presence at the particular station, and storing the incremented track count in a non-volatile memory before the tag discharges.