Abstract:
A method and apparatus of selectively applying a particular label from a plurality of different types of labels includes providing a label application apparatus that is adapted to selectively apply at least one of a plurality of different types of labels to an article. An article is identified. The label application apparatus is controlled to selectively apply at least one of a plurality of different labels to the article as a function of the identity of that article.

Description:
CROSS REFERENT TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/481,628, filed on Nov. 12, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to a material handling system and, in particular, to a label application and method for use with such material handing system. The invention is particularly adaptable for use in the application of a particular label selected from a plurality of different labels to articles being conveyed by a conveying surface of the material handling system. The invention is particularly adapted for use in the application of different labels, wherein at least one of the labels is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.  
         [0003]     RFID tags provide unique identification codes for articles or a group of articles, such as carried by a pallet, carton, or the like. The advantage of an RFID tag is that it may be read remotely using radio frequency signals emitted by an RF reader which then, in turn, receives RF signals sent by the RFID tag. One difficulty with RFID tags is that the product or article upon which the tag is placed, or the packaging material for the product, can affect the performance of the tag. For example, if the article is made up of a large quantity of a liquid, such as water, bleach, or the like, the article tends to absorb signals emitted by the RFID tag, thereby distorting the signals. In a similar fashion, if the article contains an appreciable amount of metal, such as pop cans, or the like, the metal may distort the RFID signals emitted by the RFID tag. In contrast, if the article is made from a material that does not significantly absorb or reflect RFID tags, such as paper, then the article does not affect the signals emitted by the RFID tag appreciably.  
         [0004]     RFID tags are provided by various suppliers. Some RFID tags are high performance tags that are capable of emitting relatively clear RFID signals even in the presence of distorting articles, such as articles containing a significant amount of liquid or metal. Such high quality RFID tags typically come at a premium price. Other RFID tags come at a low cost, but may be low performance tags that are not as capable of emitting clear radio frequency signals in the presence of liquids, metals, or the like. Therefore, if a supplier supplies articles having various characteristics, which differently affect the radio frequency signal generating capabilities of an RFID tag, the supplier will use the more expensive RFID tags in order to ensure that the tags will emit radio frequency signals when probed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a unique technology for applying tags or labels, such as RFID tags and barcode labels, to articles that is incorporated into a material handling system.  
         [0006]     A method and apparatus of selectively applying a particular label from a plurality of different types of labels, according to an aspect of the invention, includes providing a label application apparatus that is adapted to selectively apply at least one of a plurality of different types of labels to an article. An article is identified. The label application apparatus is controlled to selectively apply at least one of a plurality of different labels to the article as a function of the identity of that article.  
         [0007]     A method and apparatus of applying radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to an article, according to another aspect of the invention, includes providing a conveyor having a conveying surface for conveying articles and providing a plurality of different types of RFID tags, at least some of the RFID tags having different radio frequency emitting capabilities than other of the RFID tags. A characteristic of an article is determined on the conveying surface that may affect a radio frequency signal emitted by the RFID tag. One of the pluralities of different types of RFID tags are selected as a function of the characteristic of the article and the selected RFID tag is applied to the article on the conveying surface.  
         [0008]     These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a label application apparatus, according to the invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the apparatus in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation of the apparatus in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an end elevation of the apparatus in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a dispenser, according to the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of a label application apparatus;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the apparatus in  FIG. 6 ; and  
         [0016]      FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  are top plan views of a case of metal cans illustrating placement of RFID tags with respect to the case. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a label application system, or apparatus,  10  includes a label application apparatus  16  having a dispenser assembly  18  for dispensing a plurality of different types of labels and an applicator  20  for transporting a dispensed label and applying the label to an article A ( FIGS. 1-4 ). Article A is being conveyed by a conveying surface  14  of a conveyor  12 . A code reader, such as a barcode scanner  22 , reads any barcode label, which may be a one-dimensional line type barcode or a two-dimensional barcode, and conveys that information to a control (not shown). The code reader may alternatively optically recognize text and other characters. The control includes a database which, as is conventional, relates the barcode identified by barcode scanner  22  with a stock-keeping unit (SKU) as well as other information about the article, such as its weight, size, and the like. In addition, the database also relates a label type, such as an RFID tag type, with that SKU corresponding with the barcode. The database may be set up based upon the known electromagnetic characteristics of each particular SKU. In particular, certain SKUs may be identified as corresponding to articles which may interfere with the radio frequency emissions of an RFID tag. Such SKUs would be associated with an RFID tag of a particular type, such as a high performance RFID tag. Likewise, the articles corresponding to the SKU may have characteristics that do not substantially interfere with the transmission of radio frequency signals. The database may associate a different type of RFID tag with SKUs having such non-interfering materials. For example, the RFID tag associated with such non-interfering article may be of a lower performance RFID tag which may emit radio frequency signals which are more easily interfered with. Thus, the control reads the barcode information from barcode scanner  22 , applies that information to the database and looks up the type of RFID tag assigned to that article A. Other techniques for identifying the article may be used, such as having information in the control of the order in which articles are arranged in a queue on the conveying surface. The control may be part of a warehouse management system of the type supplied by Siemens Dematic Corp. of Grand Rapids, Mich.  
         [0018]     The control controls dispenser assembly  18  in order to dispense the type of tag determined by the control to be applied to the particular article. In the illustrative embodiment, dispenser assembly  18  includes multiple dispensers  19 , each having a label reel  24  containing different types of RFID or barcode tags. Transporter  20  includes a head  21 , such as a suction head, which is known in the art, that may be selectively positioned adjacent the reel  24  having the selected RFID tag. Once the tag is received from the reel, transporter  20  moves head  21  vertically in order to apply the tag to article A. Thus, it is seen that transporter  20  is a two-dimensional transporter, utilizing a two-axis servo actuator  26 . Two-axis servo actuator  26  may be of the type used in automatic storage and retrieval systems of the type marketed by Siemens Dematic Corp. of Grand Rapids, Mich.  
         [0019]     In addition to selecting an RFID tag from the appropriate label reel  24 , two-axis servo  26  is capable of laterally positioning head  21  with respect to conveying surface  14 . This may be useful in positioning the label on a certain location on the article A, notwithstanding lateral uncertainty in the positioning of the article. This may be facilitated by a scanner (not shown) that identifies the lateral positioning of the article on conveying surface  14 , thereby identifying the lateral location required for the tag. In addition to accommodating uncertainty in article positioning, two-axis servo  26  allows placement at a position on the article to reduce interference with RFID performance due to liquids and metals. For example, an RFID tag  80  may be placed generally between metal cans, as illustrated in  FIG. 8   a,  rather than directly over the metal can, as illustrated in  FIG. 8   b.    
         [0020]     Each dispenser  19 , may have the capability of not only dispensing a label or tag, but also printing indicia on the tag. Thus, the dispenser  19  may print, by way of example, a barcode on the RFID tag, or a blank label, to be applied to the article. The printed tag or label may identify either the type of tag, or other information about the tag or the article. Likewise, the dispenser  19  may include an electronic writing device in order to write code to the selected RFID tag. For example, RFID tags may include an Electronic Product Code (EPC) which includes not only the information provided with a conventional Uniform Product Code (UPC) associated with barcodes, but also a unique serial number for the article. Dispenser  19  may include the capability of writing an EPC to the RFID tag.  
         [0021]     While dispenser assembly  18  is illustrated as having multiple dispensers  19 , in an alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , a single dispenser  18 ′ may be capable of dispensing multiple different types of labels. Such a dispenser may include two or more different reels that are dispensed with a single dispenser. Where dispenser assembly  18 ,  118 ′ is capable of dispensing multiple different types of tags from a single dispenser, transporter  20  may be a single axis, or dimension, transporter capable of vertical motion to transport the dispensed tag from the dispenser assembly to the article. While dispenser assembly  18 ,  118 ′ may be utilized solely to dispense different types of RFID tags, it may also be used to dispense different types of tags, such as an RFID tag, a barcode label, or both. Likewise, dispenser assembly  18  may dispense different types of RFID tags and a barcode label. A detail of dispenser assembly  14  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , wherein the head  21  of the transporter is seen being capable of lateral motion from juxtaposition with each of dispensers  19 .  
         [0022]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate a label application system  110  which is capable of applying labels and tags to the side of the article. System  110  includes a scanner  122  for scanning barcodes or performing optical character recognition on incoming articles. The articles are edge aligned using conventional rails  123 . A label application apparatus  116  may include a dispenser assembly  118  with a plurality of label dispensers  119 . Each label dispenser  119  may include a printer for applying indicia to the label and an RFID label reader/writer and/or verifier device  132  for reading, writing and or verifying data on RFID tags. Device  132  may also have the capability of collecting unreadable RFID tags. Label applicator  10  may include a combination transporter and application  120  for vertically positioning and applying a particular type of RFID tag. By suitable controls, the tag or label can be positioned with respect to both the vertical as well as the horizontal location on the article. A reader/verifier  134  may be used to verify the label or tag on the article.  
         [0023]     Thus, it is seen that the present invention provides the ability to select a specific type of RFID and selectively position the tag on the article or carton. A plane optical label, such as a barcode label, can also be applied either alone or in combination with an RFID tag. The present invention is capable of achieving a high level of read rate at a low cost basis for the user.  
         [0024]     Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.