An Intelligent Warehouse Stock Management and Tracking System Based on Silicon Identification Technology and 1-Wire Network Communication

This paper presents a novel electronic system for stock control and container tracking in a storage warehouse environment. The system is based on the use of advanced electronic identification tags and 1-Wire communication tools. Each warehouse container is affixed with a small electronic ID tag (called iButton). The tag is an electronic chip housed in a durable 16mm button-shaped stainless steel package (micro-can). The chip provides a unique ID number, read-write memory and 1-Wire interface communication circuitry. It is powered by a long lasting internal battery. The tag keeps information on storage loading/unloading history, goods contents, ownership, etc. Another iButton identified as location tag is placed at each and every storage cell. Once a container is placed into an available storage cell, the pair of ID tags (on the container and in the cell) appeared immediately on the 1-Wire communication network, hence allowing the central controller (PC) to update the latest space utilization and the container/stock associated with it. This intelligent way of tagging the containers with their particular contents to any available storage cells, offers a new alternative to the conventional storage and stock management system where a particular container must be placed into its pre-specified storage space.