Method and system for monitoring present location and/or present status of
a target inventory item, where the inventory items are located on one or
more inventory shelves or other inventory receptacles that communicate
with an inventory base station through use of responders such as RFIDs. A
user operates a hand held interrogation and display (IAD) module that
communicates with, or is part of, the base station, to provide an initial
inquiry. Information on location(s) of the target inventory item is also
indicated visibly and/or audibly on the receptacle(s) for the user.
Status information includes an assessment of operation readiness and a
time, if known, that the specified inventory item or class was last
removed or examined or modified. Presentation of a user access level may
be required for access to the target inventory item. Another embodiment
provides inventory information for a stack as a sight-impaired or
hearing-impaired person passes adjacent to that stack.