Location from RFID tag and RFID tuner interaction

• US 10,078,814 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graybill, Jules Cook, Phillips, Jonathan David, Lauka, Wesley Scott, Russell, Ryan Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/408,293
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 235385
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/12 using record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31319 Use data groups as inventory control value, adapt inventory need to new data
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10396 the interrogation device being wearable, e.g. as a glove, bracelet, or ring wearable aerials in general H01Q1/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/167 Circuits for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

An inventory system can include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and RFID tuners that can be brought into interacting proximity with one another to provide input or other information about the location or other condition of movable elements within the inventory system. For example, interactions of RFID tags and RFID tuners at different locations within an inventory system may be utilized to associate a container or other movable object with particular receiving surfaces at particular points in time to facilitate identification of the whereabouts of the container or other movable object.

Claims

1. An inventory system comprising:

a container configured to receive inventory items for transfer within the inventory system, the container comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;

a RFID reader configured to directly detect transmission conditions of the RFID tag;

a plurality of receiving surfaces, each receiving surface of the plurality of receiving surfaces configured to receive the container separately from the container being received by any other of the receiving surfaces of the plurality of receiving surfaces, each receiving surface of the plurality of receiving surfaces comprising a respective unique RFID tuner of a plurality of RFID tuners, each respective unique RFID tuner of the plurality of RFID tuners configured to interact with the RFID tag to cause the RFID tag to exhibit a respective unique transmission condition when proximally located with the respective unique RFID tuner and to not exhibit the respective unique transmission condition when not proximally located with the respective unique RFID tuner; and

a management module configured to;

access a unique transmission condition of the RFID tag detected by the RFID reader in response to the RFID tag being proximally located with a respective unique RFID tuner; and

associate the container as being proximally located with a receiving surface of the plurality of receiving surfaces that corresponds to the respective unique RFID tuner.

2. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein each respective unique RFID tuner of the plurality of RFID tuners is configured to interact with the RFID tag by forming a portion of a circuitry of the RFID tag to cause the RFID tag to exhibit a respective unique transmission condition by broadcasting in a unique frequency band different from any other of the unique transmission conditions caused by the plurality of RFID tuners.

3. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of receiving surfaces locations include at least one of:

a plurality of bins of an inventory holder;

a plurality of zones on a table or other surface for organizing containers;

or

a plurality of rollers of a conveyor system configured for movement of the container relative to the inventory system.

4. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the RFID reader comprises a plurality of RFID readers.

5. A method comprising:

detecting, by a radiofrequency identification (RFID) reader, a transmission condition of an RFID tag interacting with an RFID tuner, the RFID tag being associated with one of a mobile object or a receiving surface and the RFID tuner being associated with the other of the mobile object or the receiving surface, wherein the RFID tuner is configured to interact with the RFID tag by forming a portion of a circuitry of the RFID tag such that a first transmission condition is detected when the RFID tag is proximally located with the RFID tuner and a second transmission condition is detected when the RFID tag is not proximally located with the RFID tuner; and

associating the mobile object with the receiving surface based at least in part on the first transmission condition being detected as a result of the RFID tag being proximally located with the RFID tuner.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a third transmission condition of a second RFID tag, the second RFID tag attached to the mobile object and the third transmission condition of the second RFID tag identifying the mobile object.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the RFID tag is a first RFID tag associated with the mobile object and the RFID tuner is a first RFID tuner associated with the receiving surface, and wherein method further comprises:

detecting, by the RFID reader, a transmission condition of a second RFID tag interacting with a second RFID tuner, the second RFID tag being associated with the receiving surface, and the second RFID tuner being associated with the mobile object, wherein a third transmission condition is detected when the second RFID tag is proximally located with the second RFID tuner, and a fourth transmission condition is detected when the second RFID tag is not proximally located with the second RFID tuner;

identifying the receiving surface based at least in part on the third transmission condition being detected as a result of the second RFID tag associated with the receiving surface being proximally located with the second RFID tuner associated with the mobile object; and

identifying the mobile object based on at least in part on the first transmission condition being detected as a result of the first RFID tag associated with the mobile object being proximally located with the first RFID tuner associated with the receiving surface;

wherein the associating the mobile object with the receiving surface is based at least in part on the receiving surface being identified and the mobile object being identified.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving surface is included in a plurality of receiving surfaces that are each configured to receive the mobile object independently of the mobile object being received at any of the others in the plurality and that each generate a unique broadcast condition when proximally located with the mobile object.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile object is a container configured to receive inventory items for transfer relative to an inventory system and the receiving surface is a loading location for receiving the container for receipt of inventory items.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile object is a container configured to receive inventory items for transfer relative to an inventory system and the receiving surface is a roller of a conveyor system configured for movement of the container relative to the inventory system.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the first transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting a signal and the second transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag not broadcasting the signal.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the first transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting a signal in a first frequency band and the second transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting a signal in a second frequency band, the first and second frequency bands being different.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:

detect, by a radiofrequency identification (RFID) reader, a transmission condition of an RFID tag interacting with an RFID tuner, the RFID tag being associated with one of a mobile object or a receiving surface and the RFID tuner being associated with the other of the mobile object or the receiving surface, wherein the RFID tuner is configured to interact with the RFID tag by altering a portion of a circuitry of the RFID tag such that a first transmission condition is detected when the RFID tag is proximally located with the RFID tuner and a second transmission condition is detected when the RFID tag is not proximally located with the RFID tuner; and

associate the mobile object with the receiving surface based at least in part on the first transmission condition being detected as a result of the RFID tag being proximally located with the RFID tuner;

wherein at least one of;

the instructions further cause the computer system to detect a third transmission condition of a second RFID tag, the second RFID tag attached to the mobile object and the third transmission condition of the second RFID tag identifying the mobile object;

the receiving surface comprises a surface of a roller of a conveyor system configured for movement of the mobile object relative to the inventory system;

or

the first transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting a signal in a first frequency band and the second transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting a signal in a second frequency band, the first and second frequency bands being different.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to detect the third transmission condition of the second RFID tag, the second RFID tag attached to the mobile object and the third transmission condition of the second RFID tag identifying the mobile object.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag is a first RFID tag associated with the receiving surface and the RFID tuner is a first RFID tuner associated with the mobile object, and wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

detect, by the RFID reader, a transmission condition of the second RFID tag interacting with a second RFID tuner, the second RFID tuner being associated with the receiving surface, wherein the third transmission condition is detected when the second RFID tag is proximally located with the second RFID tuner, and a fourth transmission condition is detected when the second RFID tag is not proximally located with the second RFID tuner;

identify the mobile object based at least in part on the third transmission condition being detected as a result of the second RFID tag associated with the mobile object being proximally located with the second RFID tuner associated with the receiving surface; and

identify the receiving surface based on at least in part on the first transmission condition being detected as a result of the first RFID tag associated with the receiving surface being proximally located with the first RFID tuner associated with the mobile object;

wherein the associate the mobile object with the receiving surface is based at least in part on the receiving surface being identified and the mobile object being identified.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the receiving surface is included in a plurality of receiving surfaces that each generate a unique broadcast condition when proximally located with the mobile object.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the mobile object is a container configured to receive inventory items for transfer relative to an inventory system and the receiving surface is a loading location for receiving the container for receipt of inventory items.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the mobile object comprises a container configured to receive inventory items for transfer relative to the inventory system and the receiving surface comprise the surface of the roller of the conveyor system configured for movement of the container relative to the inventory system.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting a signal and the second transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag not broadcasting the signal.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting the signal in the first frequency band and the second transmission condition corresponds to the RFID tag broadcasting the signal in the second frequency band, the first and second frequency bands being different.