Abstract: A shielding grounded enclosure receives containers holding articles with UHF RFID tags with codes to be read out in a multi-read operation. The container can be a cart or bag trolley carrying garments, linens, cleaning items, floor mats other RFID coded items. The enclosure forms a tunnel leading into a reading zone where antennas are mounted in the back of niches, such as the back of a transverse channel extending up the sidewalls and over the top of the tunnel. The antenna arrangement is such that illumination/polling signals are applied strongly in the reading zone. The depth of the niches and the length of hallways or foyers leading into the reading zone are dimensioned to minimize or eliminate lines of sight from the antenna to the area outside of the enclosure. Additionally or alternatively, shielding enclosure such as a conductive door is movable across an opening leading into the reading zone.

Abstract: Commingled items are sorted down into groupings, such as textile items that are associated with distinct clients and/or groups of related clients, by employing a programmed computer to manage sorting destinations at plural levels of sorting. An RFID reader coupled to the computer senses an item's identification code. A human sorter responds to signaling from the computer to move successive items to a destination or along a path that determines a preliminary grouping or sorting stage. The number of destination sort positions is limited to a manually-manageable number, and also can be varied under program control to exploit all the sorting positions provided at the final sort stage. Provisions are made to handle outlier items that become separated from other members of their groups. Automated order fulfillment scanning at a final stage ensures accurate sorting results.

Abstract: An inventory tracking and management apparatus especially for drycleaning inventory control includes a flexible substrate such as a packet or sheet which houses an RF encoding device for automatic capture of an identifying code, and an optical encoding pattern or series of alphanumeric characters on an exposed surface. The RF encoding element can be captive within a flexible fabric packet that can survive repeated processing, or sewn into a hem of a single thickness sheet, etc. The optical pattern or characters preferably includes barcode for automatic or semiautomatic data capture as well as human readable characters, in each case cross referenced to the identifying code from the RF element and to inventory control records in a database. The packet has one or more openings, preferably defined by a grommet or open centered snap, which receive a fastener for temporary attachment to a trackable unit of inventory including one or more items, e.g., garments.

Abstract: Articles such as garments to be cleaned are associated in a group (e.g., one customer's order). After processing together with articles from other groups, the articles are to be reassembled in their original group units. Coded labels are attached to each of the articles and identify or are cross referenced to its group, e.g., with barcodes. If articles with permanent labels are processed, group codes are assigned and stored for such articles, indexed to the permanent label information. Other articles are each labelled as to their groups. The total count or number of articles in each group is recorded, preferably on the article labels but also possibly in a data memory accessible to a data processor coupled to a scanner. For manually regrouping the articles, a scanner is used and the group identification is determined as articles are encountered. The data processor assigns and indicates visually one of a number of assembly locations to be used temporarily to store the articles for each group.

Abstract: A multi-function terminal having a built-in microprocessor for use as a point of sale station in a retail goods or services facility. The terminal has a membrane keyboard with arrays of keys for data entry, arranged in key blocks. The individual key blocks preferably relate to particular attributes of the goods or services as well as processing costs. A particular designation of the keys can be changed by substituting a replaceable overlay. The overlays are sized to cover individual key blocks. The terminal also has a magnetic strip and bar code reader and decoder. The terminal can drive two printers through parallel ports. The terminal also has circuitry for driving an LED display and facilities for accepting various types of monitor drivers for driving a video monitor. The terminal interfaces with a host computer which controls operating parameters such as the mapping of characters to particular keys and the decoding convention used by the bar code and magnetic stripe decoders.