Systems and methods for permitting movement of an object outside a predetermined proximity distance threshold

• US 10,032,358 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Principals, Inc.
• Original Assignee: First Principals, Inc.
• Inventors: Raniere, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/050,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721, 3405727, 3405733, 3405734, 3406866, 340571, 34053932, 34053913, 342118-146
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method for managing a location of at least one object. The method includes affixing an RFID tag on an object, providing a communication structure on the RFID tag, providing a device capable of communicating with the communication structure of the RFID tag when the RFID tag is within a range of the device, determining, by the device, whether the object is in the range based on signal levels from the RFID tag and displaying, by the device, a signal strength indicator representing a proximity of the object to the device.

Claims

1. A method for managing a location of at least one object comprising:

affixing an RFID tag on the at least one object;

providing a communication structure on the RFID tag;

providing a device capable of communicating with the communication structure of the RFID tag when the RFID tag is within a range of the device, wherein a predetermined proximity distance threshold is defined at or within the range;

determining, by the device, whether the at least one object is in the range based on signal levels received by the device from the RFID tag;

displaying, by the device, a signal strength indicator representing a proximity of the at least one object to the device relative to the device; and

if, after having permission to not be detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold the at least one object is detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold, permission for the at least one object to not be detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold is revoked and a notification is sent to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of objects including the at least one object;

affixing an RFID tag on each of the plurality of objects;

maintaining a list, by the device, of each of the plurality of objects within the range.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a warning notification by the device when the at least one object is not within the predetermined proximity distance threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising notifying a user of the device, by the device, when the at least one object enters within the range.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using, by the device, the strength of a signal received from the RFID tag to determine a proximity of the RFID tag relative to the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the range defines a proximity distance threshold for the at least one object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one object includes a proximity distance threshold that is less than the range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the at least one object is in the range based on the signal levels received by the device further-comprises regularly transmitting an interrogation signal, by the device, to the RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of objects including the at least one object;

affixing an RFID tag on each of the plurality of objects;

maintaining a list, by the device, of each of the plurality of objects that should be detected within a predetermined proximity distance threshold.

10. A method for managing a location of at least one object comprising:

affixing an RFID tag on the at least one object;

providing a communication structure on the RFID tag;

providing a device capable of communicating with the communication structure of the RFID tag when the RFID tag is within a range of the device, wherein a predetermined proximity distance threshold is defined at or within the range;

using, by the device, a strength of a received signal from the RFID tag to determine a proximity of the RFID tag relative to the device;

displaying the proximity of the RFID tag on the device; and

if, after having permission to not be detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold the at least one object is detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold, permission for the at least one object to not be detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold is revoked and a notification is sent to a user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a plurality of objects including the at least one object;

affixing an RFID tag on each of the plurality of objects;

maintaining a list, by the device, each of the plurality of objects within the range.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a warning notification by the device when the at least one object is not within the predetermined proximity distance threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising notifying a user of the device, by the device, when the at least one object enters within the range.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, by the device, whether the at least one object is in the range of the device based on signal levels received by the device from the RFID tag;

and

displaying, by the device, a signal strength indicator representing a proximity of the at least one object to the device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one object includes a proximity distance threshold that is equal to a range of the device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one object includes a proximity distance threshold that is less than the range of the device.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a plurality of objects including the at least one object;

affixing an RFID tag on each of the plurality of objects;

maintaining a list, by the device, of each of the plurality of objects that should be detected within a predetermined proximity distance threshold.

18. A system comprising:

an object;

an RFID tag affixed to the object, the RFID tag including a communication structure; and

a device capable of communicating with the communication structure of the RFID tag when the RFID tag is within a range of the device, wherein a predetermined proximity distance threshold is defined at or within the range;

wherein the device is configured to determine whether the object is in the range based on signal levels received by the device from the RFID tag; and

wherein the device is configured to display a signal strength indicator representing a proximity of the object to the device, and

wherein the device is configured to revoke permission for the object to not be detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold and provide a notification if after having permission to not be detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold the object is detected within the predetermined proximity distance threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the device is configured to use a strength of a received signal from the RFID tag to determine a proximity of the RFID tag.