Maximizing Efficiency with RFID-Enabled Component Tracking

Introduction

Managing and tracking components within devices is a challenge faced by many industries, from healthcare and aerospace to manufacturing and logistics. The ability to accurately monitor the use, lifespan, and condition of components can drastically reduce operational inefficiencies, increase product longevity, and prevent costly failures. This patented RFID-based tracking system provides an innovative solution to these challenges, offering an automated method to track the use of components embedded in devices—bringing precision and efficiency to industries that rely on managing high-value assets.

The Problem with Manual Tracking

Traditional methods of tracking components, such as manual logs or barcode scanning, are often time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to scale. Human error, lost records, or missed inspections can lead to maintenance oversights, increased downtime, and costly equipment failures. In industries where precision and regular maintenance are critical, such as aerospace, healthcare, and high-value electronics, the stakes are even higher. Companies need an automated solution that provides real-time insights into component usage and conditions.

A Smarter, Automated Solution

This RFID-enabled tracking system is designed to automate the monitoring process by embedding RFID tags in components and devices. These tags store valuable data on component usage, enabling companies to track and monitor parts throughout their entire lifecycle. Whether it’s tracking how long a specific part has been in use, ensuring compliance with maintenance schedules, or managing warranty claims, this system offers a smart, hands-free solution to optimize operations.

With RFID’s real-time capabilities, companies can automate maintenance alerts and gain full visibility into their assets, ensuring that critical components are inspected or replaced at the right time. This level of transparency ensures compliance with regulatory standards while enhancing the reliability and performance of essential devices.

Key Advantages

  1. Reduced Operational Costs: Automating the tracking of components helps minimize labor costs, reduce downtime, and prevent equipment failures by ensuring timely maintenance.
  2. Increased Accuracy: RFID eliminates the risk of human error in tracking, ensuring more accurate data and reducing the likelihood of missed maintenance or replacements.
  3. Improved Asset Management: Gain real-time visibility into the lifespan and condition of high-value components, allowing for better planning and reduced unexpected costs.
  4. Scalable and Adaptable: Whether you are managing a large fleet of medical devices, aerospace components, or high-tech equipment, this system can easily scale to fit any industry’s needs.

A Step Toward Optimized Operations

Licensing this RFID-enabled component tracking system offers industries the chance to streamline operations, enhance equipment reliability, and reduce costs through automated tracking. It is a smart investment in the future of asset management, ensuring that components perform optimally while lowering the risk of costly equipment failures.

RFID circuitry is used in an endoscopic light source unit to track cumulative light bulb use information. An inductively powered RFID tag is affixed to the light bulb assembly, and communicates wirelessly with an RF transceiver within the light source unit via a low-frequency modulation wave. The RFID tag includes memory which stores a value representing cumulative duration of use of the light bulb. The transceiver reads the value from the RFID tag and communicates the value to control circuitry in the light source unit, which tracks use of the light bulb within the light source unit. Based on such tracking, the transceiver periodically updates the value in the RFID tag via the wireless link. Cumulative bulb usage hours is displayed on the light source unit. The RFID tag also may store a custom password and/or other information.

1. A method of operating a device including a removable component, the method comprising the steps of:

using a wireless link within the device to store a password in a memory attached to the removable component; and
utilizing the password to selectively enable or disable operation of the device.
2. A method as recited in claim 1, further including utilizing the password for controlling access to the device.
3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is designed for use in an endoscopic medical procedure.
4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a light source unit for use in an endoscopic medical procedure.
5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the component is a light source within the light source unit.

6. A method of operating a device including a removable component, the method comprising the steps of:

using a wireless link within the device to store a password in a memory incorporated into the removable component; and
controlling access to the device using the stored password.
7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the device is designed for use in an endoscopic medical procedure.
8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the device is a light source unit for use in an endoscopic medical procedure.
9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the component is a light source within the light source unit.

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Title

Apparatus and method for using RFID to track use of a component within a device

Inventor(s)

Hasan Ertas, Brannon P. Wells, Rajeshwari Srinivasan

Assignee(s)

Stryker Corp

Patent #

7154378

Patent Date

December 26, 2006

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