Patent ID: 7023344

Claim:
A tracking system, the system comprising: a first tracking tag, the first tracking tag being associated with an item to be tracked; a first tag tracker that is associated with an item container into which the item may be placed; a first processor configured to cause the first tag tracker to determine a location of the item to be tracked relative to the item container as item location information; a second tracking tag that is associated with the item container; a second tag tracker; a second processor configured to cause the second tag tracker to determine a location of the item container as container location information; a first memory to maintain item location information as determined by the first processor and container location information as determined by the second processor; and a second memory to maintain a database of associations between the first tracking tag and the item to be tracked and between the second tracking tag and the item container, wherein the second memory is distinct from the first memory, and wherein the first tag tracker and the second tag tracker are configured to communicate tag information to the tracking system.