RFID System Description for Logistics & Inventory

RFID System Description for Logistics & Inventory

1. General The Vizbee platform is a flexible rule based solution for RFID based applications that can adapt to the customer s needs and evolve with them. Vizbee is hardware independent and allow mixing and matching any technology (Passive RFID, Active RFID Barcode or another location aware technology such as GPS, Wi-Fi etc ) from any vendor in the framework of a single project in order to best meet the customer requirements and optimize the solution. 2. Vizbee Advantages Vizbee is the most advanced RFID and RTLS software platform available today on the market. With its intuitive user interface, strong rule engine and open architecture, it enables the customer to deploy RFID projects in a very short time, and yet not being tied to a certain hardware manufacturer or technology both now and in the future. Vizbee platform is entirely rule based driven. Allowing adjusting the system to your exact needs without writing any specific code. Average implementation time reduces by 80% while cost remains low. Vizbee's unique Graphical User Interface is map driven and designed so that a non educated operator can use the system after less than 30 minutes of training. The Graphical User Interface can be customized for each project in order to best meet the habits and requirements. Vizbee includes a sophisticated intuitive and wizard driven Rule Engine enabling rule programming for every tracked item, Container, shipment or person in the system. Each rule includes various reactions to its violation such as: Display of the alert on the map, blinking, audio alarm, SMS, emails, opening or closing contacts, sending commands to third party systems, etc.

New releases of Vizbee Core and Application Packages are released every year. These releases include new functionalities, new hardware options and new optional modules, ensuring that the system remains state of the art over the years. The Vizbee Core provides services such as communicating with the tags, database management, 3rd party integration, user permission and more, and warrants for a robust performing infrastructure. The Vizbee core is highly scalable. It allows gradual implementation from a small partial project and up to large multi-site installations, thereby avoiding the risk implicitly involved in big-bang operations. Vizbee Core is an open system with exhaustive APIs to facilitate its integration within other systems in the organization like ERPs, Access control, Video surveillance, etc. in order to produce the overall the required processes.

3. Vizbee Platform 3.1. Components The Vizbee platform includes everything that is required for the Inventory and logistics system configuration and handling. No other middleware is required. Together with Vizbee s handheld application it offers a strong tool for managing Inventory, Retail and supply chain. The system allow working with multiple applications such as Inventory and logistics, Asset & Person tracking, Guard tour, Maintenance and workflow all on the same platform base. 3.2. System parts: 3.2.1. Administrator The Administrator is used for configuring the site, RFID readers, categories and for defining business rules for the tracked entities. 3.2.2. Web Client The Client application is used to monitor in real-time the status of all inventory and shipments, receive orders, update inventory locations, take inventory stock, handle system alerts and more. A strong configurable reporting engine enables retrieving aggregated data easily according to the customer s needs. 3.2.3. Handheld RFID Reader Application Vizbee s RFID handheld reader application is used to update the inventory locations, take inventory, find specific asset and tag items. \

4. Application 4.1. Setting zones and limits Each site can have unlimited amount of zones. A zone can combine multiple tracked areas (e.g. D.C, Warehouses, Shops etc ). For each zone you can set inventory minimal and maximal limits that will be managed by the system. 4.2. Adding new SKU to the system Stock Keeping Units and items can be added to the system in various ways. 4.2.1. Direct Import Import your existing information in the legacy system and Vizbee will populate the creation of the entities in the system. 4.2.2. Vizbee Interfaces Using an administrator interface you can create or edit SKU. Once an SKU is defined in the system any scanned item can be automatically added to its inventory. New SKU Screen Administrator interface

4.3. Incoming Orders Expected Incoming orders are received, and instantly inspected for completeness. Missing / superfluous items are automatically alerted. 4.3.1. Tagged /non tagged items The system allow receiving of EPC tags - not requiring any predefined data in the system, other format of tagged items allowing to assign them to the relevant SKU item or to tag the items as they enter your facilities. 4.3.2. Receiving method Receiving and tagging incoming order can be done using a fixed RFID reader and intuitive web user interface or using Vizbee logistics software on any RFID Hand held device. 4.4. Shipment 4.4.1. Preparation - picking order (1) RFID Hand Held device The RFID Hand Held software displays the required items to be picked, their amount and picking location. Missing and superfluous items are immediately displayed preventing human errors. Picking non tagged items, out of a container or into one is also part of the process. Picking order using RFID hand held device

(2) Web Interface Fixed reader Using the web interface and a fixed reader outgoing order can be prepared and scanned. The system displays required items and non required avoiding human mistakes. Non tagged items can be tagged as part of the process too. Picking order using web interface (3) Picking stations Picking station displays the required items for a container of an order. Place the container next to the reader and the system will automatically display what should be put in it at that station. This allows quick easy and error free picking while dividing the picking process to several picking stations.

Typical Picking station interface 4.5. Packing list Picking the order can be scan directly to specific containers. This creates a packing list for that order. The packing list can be exported as a file or through API to any legacy 3 rd party system. Packing list view - Web interface

4.7.2. Inventory taking Taking inventory is done using the RFID hand held device or an RFID fixed reader. Just scan the relevant area tag or choose it followed by scanning the present items. The inventory is now recorded. This report can be export to any legacy 3 rd party system or as a file. This quick and easy process 4.6. Verification allows performing this frequently and keeping inventory records up to date. Once the picking process is over a verification process allow performing an additional check for order completeness insuring zero mistakes. This is done using a fixed reader in a supervision station or with the RFID handheld device. 4.7. Inventory management 4.7.1. Min-Max level For each SKU a minimal and maximal amounts can be set for each zone. Deviation from it is reported and alerts can be set for it. This allows keeping accurate stock level in each zone avoiding missing / Superfluous stock. Items screen Web Interface

4.7.2. Inventory taking Taking inventory is done using the RFID hand held device or an RFID fixed reader. Just scan the relevant area tag or choose it followed by scanning the present items. The inventory is now recorded. This report can be export to any legacy 3 rd party system or as a file. This quick and easy process allows performing this frequently and keeping inventory records up to date. Inventory report Web interface 4.7.3. Inventory location Updating the location of the inventory is crucial for future finding and is easily done using the RFID Hand held device. Choose / Scan a location tag and the scan multiple items to place them there. Items that are placed in a wrong location will still be found in future queries. Items that are not allowed to be next to each other or in a specific location/condition will trigger and alert instantly. 4.7.4. Item search Searching for an items location can be done using the web interface or the handheld device. The Hand held device can physically guide you via audio instruction to find the required item.

4.8. Rule Engine Vizbee has a powerful rule engine, enabling quick and intuitive definition of business rules. 4.7.5. Check Use the check RFID hand held device process to verify that the inventory that is currently recorded in the system is really there. Just choose a zone and scan it. Superfluous / missing inventory will immediately be noticed. Check presence in Handheld Device 4.7.6. Environmental monitoring Zones and items can be monitored for specific environmental conditions. Deviation from the defined condition (e.g. specific temperature / Humidity) will trigger multiple alert reactions such as display for an operator, relay activation, SMS, email messages and more.

4.8. Rule Engine Vizbee has a powerful rule engine, enabling quick and intuitive definition of business rules. A rule is a set of condition that once they are met the system performs a set of predefined reactions. Rules are base on location, amounts and status information of inventory items as well as on sensorial data of active tags (like temperature, motion and more). A user can define simple rules, based on only one state of an entity, or complex rules, that depend on state of more than one entity. For each rule, the user can define the required reactions to be taken when the conditions of the rule are met. For example, one can define a rule based on the deviation of stock limit of an SKU at a given zone. When the system detects the stock deviation of that SKU, it will perform the reactions that were assigned to that rule. Rule Engine wizard deviation of stock limits

Close/Open doors by interfacing with an access control system An example of a more complex rule may be detection of a two chemicals that are not allowed to be in proximity. An exception can be added to this rule when temperature is below a certain degree. Violation of that rule may generate an alert in the warehouse and send SMS message to a security manager. Rule engine wizard complex rule 4.9. Reactions Multiple reactions can be defined for each rule. Once the condition of that rule will be met they will automatically take place. Rule reactions can be set as alerts, displayed to operator, or as simple events producing a set of automated processes. 4.9.1. Alerts An alert will usually be displayed on a screen allowing an operator to take care of it. In addition to that a set of automated action can be defined to take place by the system. Such actions are: Display on a screen, blinking SMS E-Mail Activate an audio siren

Close/Open doors by interfacing with an access control system Change status Remove pairing Show video and interfacing with Video Surveillance system Send a command to a 3rd party system Alert pop up on the web operator s screen 4.9.2. Events Events reactions to rules are very useful initiating automated processes without the need of a human intervention. Useful examples can be closing and opening gates due to proximity of assets / people, activating sirens or other devices and more.

4.10. Permissions Permissions are set to every group of users in the system. This allowing each user to access the exact processes and data he is allowed to and also prevent overflow of non relevant data. Permissions are applied on entity groups, specific actions, event handling, reports data and more. Defining permissions Administrator interface

4.11. Reports Vizbee Platform contains a report engine allowing easy creation and review of unlimited reports for any defined period. The reports can include multiple dimension and track visits, amounts, dwell times, limits, events, specific actions and more. All data can be also filtered to specific locations, categories and more - all that down to the specific item level. Reports generator

Example of a specific dwell report 5. Other Applications modules that are part of the Vizbee platform Asset & Person tracking Workflow Guard tour Management Maintenance management AB&R is a certified Vizbee Partner. For more information contact an AB&R Specialist. Call 800-281-3056 or visit www.abr.com About AB&R Since 1980, AB&R (American Barcode and RFID) has been a nationally-recognized integrator of proven solutions that drive efficiency and productivity in the supply chain. Those solutions include asset tracking, inventory management, work force mobilization, wireless networking, and the managed services to support them all.