Patent ID: 7504949
Filing Date: 2009-03-17
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A materials handling facility, comprising: a plurality of receptacles configured to receive one or more items of a plurality of items, wherein each receptacle is associated with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, wherein each RFID tag stores a unique identifier, and wherein each of the plurality of items possesses an item identifier, but does not possess an RFID; one or more indirect asset tracking devices, wherein each indirect asset tracking device comprises an RFID reader, and wherein each indirect asset tracking device is configured to be worn on or attached to an extremity of an agent of the materials handling facility; and one or more item-identifier readers for reading the item identifiers for the plurality of items; wherein, when in proximity to an RFID tag associated with a particular receptacle, the RFID reader of an indirect asset tracking device is configured to read the unique identifier of the RFID tag associated with the particular receptacle, and to communicate the unique identifier of the RFID tag to a control system; wherein, for one of the items being placed into or removed from the particular receptacle, one of the one or more item-identifier readers is configured to read the item identifier for that item, and to communicate the item identifier to the control system; wherein the control system is configured to use the unique identifier from the RFID reader and the item identifier from the item-identifier reader to associate the particular receptacle with the item being placed into or removed from the particular receptacle.