Locating an object based on charging/response time

• US 10,032,051 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fan, Si Bin, Gu, Yu, Liu, Su, Xu, Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US15/291,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 340 81
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10118 the sensing being preceded by at least one preliminary step
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

An approach is provided in which an RFID reader receives a response signal from an RFID tag affixed to an object. The RFID reader determines a tag charging time of the RFID tag based upon a first point in time that the RFID reader sent a request signal to the RFID tag and a second point in time that the response signal was received by the RFID reader. In turn, the RFID reader identifies a location of the object based on the tag charging time and generates a notification that includes the location of the object.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an information handling system that includes a memory and a processor, the method comprising:

calibrating an RFID reader in a vehicle in response to detecting a malicious RFID reader within the vehicle, wherein the calibrating comprises adjusting a power level of the RFID reader;

in response to calibrating the RFID reader, sending a request signal from the RFID reader to an RFID tag, wherein the RFID reader begins transmitting the request signal at a first point in time;

receiving, at the RFID reader, a response signal from the RFID tag at a second point in time;

determining a tag charging time of the RFID tag based upon the first point in time and the second point in time;

computing, by the RFID reader, a distance from the RFID reader to the RFID tag based on the tag charging time of the RFID tag;

identifying a location of the object based upon the computed distance; and

generating a notification that includes the location of the object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the object is within the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the calibrating further comprises:

transmitting a calibration request signal from the RFID reader at a third point in time;

receiving a calibration response signal from a pre-located RFID tag at a fourth point in time that is at a pre-located distance;

determining a calibration response time based upon the third point in time and the fourth point in time;

determining a calibration distance based on the calibration response time;

comparing the calibration distance with the pre-located distance; and

adjusting the power level of the RFID reader based upon the comparison.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the pre-located RFID tag is affixed to an adjustable seat, the method further comprising:

performing the calibrating in response to detecting that the adjustable seat moved from a first seat location to a second seat location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a different RFID reader is installed in the vehicle, the method further comprising:

determining, by the different RFID reader, a different distance from the different RFID reader to the RFID tag based on a different response time computed by the different RFID reader;

sending the different response time from the different RFID reader to the RFID reader; and

determining, by the RFID reader, a 3-dimensional space location of the object using the different distance and the distance determined by the RFID reader.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an object type of the object based upon object information extracted from the response signal.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an object type of the object based upon object information extracted from the response signal; and

sending the notification to one or more authorities based upon the object type and the location of the object.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to at least one of the processors; and

a set of computer program instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of;

calibrating the information handling system in a vehicle in response to detecting a malicious RFID reader within the vehicle, wherein the calibrating comprises adjusting a power level of the information handling system;

in response to calibrating the information handling system, beginning transmission of a request signal to an RFID tag at a first point in time;

receiving a response signal from the RFID tag at a second point in time;

determining a tag charging time of the RFID tag based upon the first point in time and the second point in time;

computing a distance from the information handling system to the RFID tag based on the tag charging time of the RFID tag;

identifying a location of the object based upon the computed distance; and

generating a notification that includes the location of the object.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the calibration results in at least one of the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

transmitting a calibration request signal from the information handling system at a third point in time;

receiving a calibration response signal from a pre-located RFID tag at a fourth point in time that is at a pre-located distance;

determining a calibration response time based upon the third point in time and the fourth point in time;

determining a calibration distance based on the calibration response time;

comparing the calibration distance with the pre-located distance; and

adjusting the power level of the information handling system based upon the comparison.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 wherein the pre-located RFID tag is affixed to an adjustable seat, wherein at least one of the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

performing the calibrating in response to detecting that the adjustable seat moved from a first seat location to a second seat location.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein a different information handling system is installed in the vehicle, wherein at least one of the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

determining, by the different information handling system, a different distance from the different information handling system to the RFID tag based on a different response time computed by the different information handling system;

sending the different response time from the different information handling system to the information handling system; and

determining, by the information handling system, a 3-dimensional space location of the object using the different distance and the distance determined by the information handling system.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

determining an object type of the object based upon object information extracted from the response signal; and

sending the notification to one or more authorities based upon the object type and the location of the object.

13. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer program code that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions comprising:

calibrating the information handling system in a vehicle in response to detecting a malicious RFID reader within the vehicle, wherein the calibrating comprises adjusting a power level of the information handling system;

in response to calibrating the information handling system, sending a request signal from the information handling system to an RFID tag,

wherein the information handling system begins transmitting the request signal at a first point in time;

receiving, at the information handling system, a response signal from the RFID tag at a second point in time;

determining a tag charging time of the RFID tag based upon the first point in time and the second point in time;

computing, by the information handling system, a distance from the information handling system to the RFID tag based on the tag charging time of the RFID tag;

identifying a location of the object based upon the computed distance; and

generating a notification that includes the location of the object.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the calibrating results in the information handling system performing additional actions comprising:

transmitting a calibration request signal from the information handling system at a third point in time;

receiving a calibration response signal from a pre-located RFID tag at a fourth point in time that is at a pre-located distance;

determining a calibration response time based upon the third point in time and the fourth point in time;

determining a calibration distance based on the calibration response time;

comparing the calibration distance with the pre-located distance; and

adjusting the power level of the information handling system based upon the comparison.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein a different information handling system is installed in the vehicle, and wherein the information handling system performs additional actions comprising:

determining, by the different information handling system, a different distance from the different information handling system to the RFID tag based on a different response time computed by the different information handling system;

sending the different response time from the different information handling system to the information handling system; and

determining, by the information handling system, a 3-dimensional space location of the object using the different distance and the distance determined by the information handling system.