Method And System For Storing, Retrieving, And Managing Data For Tags

What is this patent about?

’118 is related to the field of data management and object tracking , specifically concerning the use of electronic tags (like RFID) attached to physical or abstract objects. The background involves the increasing need to efficiently store, retrieve, and manage data associated with these tags across various applications, such as authentication, inventory management, healthcare monitoring, and supply chain tracking. Traditional methods lack a unified approach for accessing and organizing tag data from diverse sources.

The underlying idea behind ’118 is to create a system where data associated with electronic tags can be accessed and organized in a structured manner. This involves using a central authority to receive data from tags, generate alerts based on sensor data and tag identifiers, store the data in a repository, and then efficiently retrieve and rank relevant tag identifiers based on user queries or keyword searches. The key insight is to leverage tag references to improve the relevance of search results.

The claims of ’118 focus on a method and system for accessing and organizing tag-related data. Specifically, the independent claims cover a tag equipped with a wireless transceiver, control software, a sensor, and memory that transmits data to a central authority. The central authority then generates alerts, stores the data, and retrieves/ranks tag identifiers based on queries, using tag references to improve the ranking. A web interface facilitates user interaction with the system.

In practice, the invention envisions a scenario where tags attached to objects transmit data (including sensor readings) to a central server. This server acts as a central authority, processing the incoming data, generating alerts based on predefined rules, and storing the data in a structured repository. When a user submits a query, the system identifies relevant tag identifiers and then ranks them based on their 'tag references' – essentially, links to other related tags. This ranking mechanism ensures that the most relevant results are presented first.

The differentiation from prior approaches lies in the centralized data management and the use of tag references for ranking . While prior art may have involved individual tag systems or basic data storage, ’118 aims to create a more intelligent and interconnected system. By leveraging the relationships between tags (tag references), the system can provide more relevant and insightful search results compared to simple keyword-based searches or isolated tag tracking systems. The alert generation based on sensor data also adds a layer of real-time monitoring and response capabilities.