received by the International Bureau on 2 June 2020 (02.06.2020)

1. A method for carrying out a stocktake on a stock of objects, the objects being distributedly located in a multiplicity of spaces, the spaces being physically separated from each other, and each of the objects being provided with a tag which is configured for generating a wireless

identification signal associated with the tag,

wherein the method comprises carrying out in each space of the multiplicity of spaces the steps of:

a. receiving with a reader one or more identification signals associated with one or more tags; and

b. for each of the one or more received identification signals, recording signal strength information in a signal strength record, the signal strength information being indicative of a reception strength of the respective identification signal as received by the reader, and wherein the signal strength information is furthermore linked to space information indicative of the space in which the reader has received the identification signal; and

wherein, following the carrying out of the steps a. and b. in each space of the multiplicity of spaces, the method further comprises the steps of, for each tag of the multiphcity of tags:

c. determining, for the respective tag, on the basis of the signal strength records for all spaces of the multiphcity of spaces, the signal strength record that indicates the greatest reception strength; and

d. storing, for the respective tag, the space information which has been linked to the signal strength record determined in step c. 2. The method according to 1, further comprising a step of:

e. on the basis of the space information stored for each tag in step d, for each space of the plurality of spaces, generating a count of all tags that have been linked to the respective space, the count being indicative of an amount of the objects that are located in the respective space.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein for recording the signal strength information in the signal strength record in step b., the method comprises the step of:

sending of the signal strength information by the reader to a server, with the signal strength record being generated by the server; or the reader generating the signal strength record for each tag and storing the same in a memory unit.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising the step of the sending of the signal strength information by the reader to the server, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

prior to the sending of the signal strength information, causing it to be established by the reader for each of the one or more received

identification signals whether the identification signal is associated with a tag in respect of which already at least one signal strength recording has taken place, wherein the signal strength information of the respective received identification signal is only sent to the server when the reception strength of the received identification signal is greater than the reception strength of the identification signal associated with the signal strength record for the tag.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein for providing the space information the method comprises the step of, for 36

each space in which the steps a. and b. are carried out, causing the space information to be inputted by a user.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising a step of determining of the space information in each space by the reader on the basis of at least one of: a positioning system, detection of Wi-Fi signals associated with the respective space, or triangulation of beacon signals from a multiphcity of transmitters based on time of flight of the beacon signals.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein one or more spaces of the multiplicity of spaces is provided with a reference tag, the reference tag being configured for generating a wireless reference signal associated with the reference tag, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving, by the reader, of one or more reference signals; determining, by the reader, of signal strength information for each of the one or more reference signals; and

identifying from the signal strength information of the received reference signals one reference signal having the greatest signal strength, for determining the space which the reader is in, for providing the space information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the reference tag is furnished by the tag of one of the objects of which it is known which space the object is in.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the steps a. and b. are carried out by a multiplicity of readers, and wherein for carrying out steps c. and d. the signal strength records are sent by one or 37

more of the readers, for combining of the signal strength records either by a server or by at least one other one of the multiplicity of readers.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining, by each reader of the multiplicity of readers, on the basis of all identification signals received by the reader, of a greatest reception strength; and

dividing each of the reception strengths of all identification signals received by the reader by the determined greatest reception strength, for normalizing the signal strength information for each reader.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises carrying out in each space of the multiplicity of spaces the steps of:

following step a. or b., estabhshing by the reader of one of the following parameters:

a direction, with respect to the reader, from which the respective identification signal has been transmitted;

a reception point of time of the identification signal; and

a time of flight of a transmission of the identification signal from the tag to the reader.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal strength information comprises a received signal strength indicator. 38

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the multiplicity of spaces comprise one or more of the following spaces: a building space within a building, a cupboard space, a container, and a crate or box for storage or transport.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, for each received identification signal, identifying the tag, for identifying either the object or a type of object.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reader is at least one element from a group comprising: a portable reader device; a fixed reader device which is in one of the multiplicity of spaces; and a portable computer provided with a computer application for carrying out the method, such as a mobile phone or tablet computer.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spaces are physically separated from each other by a physical

separation, such as a partition or a wall.

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the physically separated spaces are formed by different spaces in a building; or

wherein the physically separated spaces are formed by different mutually separate cupboard spaces or containers provided with container walls, or a cold store.

19. A system for carrying out a stocktake on a stock of objects, the objects being distributedly located in a multiplicity of spaces, the spaces being physically separated from each other, and each of the objects being 39

provided with a tag which is configured for generating a wireless

identification signal associated with the tag;

the system comprising a server, at least one reader device, and a communication network, wherein the server is operatively connected with the communication network, and wherein the reader device is provided with communication means for exchanging data signals via the communication network with the server,

wherein the communication means comprise a receiver for receiving one or more identification signals associated with one or more tags, and wherein the reader device is provided with a processing unit for, for each of the one or more received identification signals, generating signal strength information, the signal strength information being indicative of a reception strength of the respective identification signal as received by the reader device;

wherein at least one of the reader device or the server is configured for:

recording the signal strength information for the respective identification signal in a signal strength record, wherein the signal strength information is furthermore linked to space information indicative of a space in which the reader device has received the identification signal;

and wherein at least one of the reader device or the server is furthermore configured for, for each tag of the multiphcity of tags:

determining, for the respective tag, on the basis of the signal strength records for all spaces of the multiplicity of spaces, of the signal strength record that indicates the greatest reception strength; and

storing, for the respective tag, of the space information that has been hnked to the determined signal strength record that indicates the greatest reception strength. 40

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the reader device or the server is furthermore configured for:

on the basis of the space information stored for each tag, for each space of the multiplicity of spaces, generating a count of all tags that have been hnked to the respective space, wherein the count is indicative of an amount of the objects that are located in the respective space.

21. The system according to any one of claims 19 or 20, wherein the reader device is configured for establishing for each of the one or more received identification signals whether the identification signal is associated with a tag in respect of which already at least one signal strength recording has taken place, and sending the signal strength information to the server when the reception strength of the received identification signal is greater than the reception strength of the identification signal associated with the signal strength record for the tag.

22. The system according to any one of claims 19-21, wherein the reader device comprises input means for causing space information to be inputted by a user.

23. The system according to any one of claims 19-22, wherein the system is provided with a multiplicity of reader devices.

24. The system according to any one of claims 19-23, wherein the tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit.

25. The system according to any one of claims 19-24, wherein the at least one reader device belongs to a group comprising: a portable reader device; a fixed reader device which is in one of the multiplicity of spaces; and 41

a portable computer provided with a computer application for carrying out the method, such as a mobile phone or tablet computer.

26. A reader device for use in a system according to any one of claims 19-25, or for use in a method according to any one of claims 1-18.

27. A server for use in a system according to any one of claims 19-25, or for use in a method according to any one of claims 1-18. 28. A computer readable medium provided with computer program product comprising instructions which, when loaded into a memory of a reader device, make the reader device suitable for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1-18. 29. A computer readable medium provided with computer program product comprising instructions which, when loaded into a memory of a server, make the server suitable for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1-18.