(54) METHOD FOR MANAGING LIFE CYCLES AND SYSTEM FOR THE SAME
(75) Inventors: Takahiro Katayanagi, Cyofu;
Katsufumi Mihara; Naoki Takahashi,
both of Yokohama; Akira Ishibashi,
Bunkyo-ku; Shuji Soga, Kawasaki;
Tetsuo Kusuzaki, Yokohama, all of
(JP)
(73) Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/360,687
(22) Filed: Jul. 26, 1999
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Jul. 27, 1998 (JP) 10-211318
(51) Int. CI.7 G06K 5/00; G06K 17/00
(52) U.S. CI 235/380; 235/375; 235/376
(58) Field of Search 235/380, 381,
235/383, 385, 375, 376
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,667,291 * 5/1987 Weitzman et al 235/383
4,961,507 * 10/1990 Higgins 235/381
A method and system for managing the overall life cycle of a product from its manufacture to its destruction or recycling. To the product is affixed a storage medium storing a product identifier uniquely identifying the product and information about the parts that are contained in the product. At each site that the product passes through during its life cycle, product life cycle information is recorded in the storage medium affixed to the product. When the product is to be destroyed or recycled, the information stored in the recording medium is used to determine the method for destroying or recycling. The product is then destroyed or recycled according to this method.
17 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
