Apparatus and method of determining an open status of a container using RFID tag devices
First Claim
1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:
- a first portion of a container, the container being in a closed orientation and configured to be moved into an open orientation by a user;
a second portion of the container removably coupled to the first portion;
a first RFID tag fixed to the first portion and configured to communicate only in a near field of RFID communication;
a conductive element implemented at the second portion and located in proximity to the first RFID tag when the container is in the closed orientation and configured to function as a far field antenna for the first RFID tag such that the first RFID tag is readable by an RFID reader in a far field of RFID communication when the container is in the closed orientation; and
a second RFID tag fixed to the first portion such that the second RFID tag is shielded by the second portion and is not readable by the RFID reader when the container is in the closed orientation;
wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a first amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other decoupling the conductive element from the first RFID tag such that the first RFID tag is no longer readable in the far field indicating a first open status of the container; and
wherein the first portion and the second portion are further configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a second amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other such that the second RFID tag is no longer shielded and is readable by the RFID reader indicating a second open status of the container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are provided using RFID devices to assist in determining an open status of a container. For example, a first RFID tag is fixed to a first portion of the container and a second RFID tag is fixed to a second portion of the container. Upon a user action to at least partially open the container, the first and second portions will move relative to each other, such that one or more of the RFID tags will no longer be readable by the RFID-tag reader or will now be readable by the reader. The reading or cessation of reading of one or more RFID tags indicates at least one open status of the container. In some embodiments, the open status is at least one of an unsealing confirmation, an open motion initiation status, an open motion confirmation, a partial open status and a fully open status.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:
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a first portion of a container, the container being in a closed orientation and configured to be moved into an open orientation by a user; a second portion of the container removably coupled to the first portion; a first RFID tag fixed to the first portion and configured to communicate only in a near field of RFID communication; a conductive element implemented at the second portion and located in proximity to the first RFID tag when the container is in the closed orientation and configured to function as a far field antenna for the first RFID tag such that the first RFID tag is readable by an RFID reader in a far field of RFID communication when the container is in the closed orientation; and a second RFID tag fixed to the first portion such that the second RFID tag is shielded by the second portion and is not readable by the RFID reader when the container is in the closed orientation; wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a first amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other decoupling the conductive element from the first RFID tag such that the first RFID tag is no longer readable in the far field indicating a first open status of the container; and wherein the first portion and the second portion are further configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a second amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other such that the second RFID tag is no longer shielded and is readable by the RFID reader indicating a second open status of the container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader; and a control circuit operably coupled to the RFID reader, the control circuit being configured to; receive a first indication from the RFID reader that a first RFID tag was read in a far field of RFID communication by the RFID reader, the first RFID tag fixed to a first portion of a container and configured to communicate only in a near field of RFID communication, the container being in a closed orientation, the first RFID tag located in proximity to a conductive element implemented at a second portion of the container when the container is in the closed orientation, wherein the conductive element is configured to function as a far field antenna for the first RFID tag when the container is in the closed orientation, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a first amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other decoupling the conductive element from the first RFID tag such that the first RFID tag is no longer readable in the far field; determine, using information received via the RFID reader, a first open status of the container as indicated by a failed attempt to further read the first RFID tag in the far field of RFID communication by the RFID reader, receive a second indication from the RFID reader that a second RFID tag was read in the far field of RFID communication by the RFID reader, wherein the second RFID tag is fixed to the first portion of the container such that the second RFID tag is shielded by the second portion and is not readable by the RFID reader when the container is in the closed orientation, wherein the first portion and the second portion are further configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a second amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other such that the second RFID tag is no longer shielded and is readable in the far field by the RFID reader; and determine, from the second indication, a second open status of the container. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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by a control circuit that is operably coupled to a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader; receiving a first indication from the RFID reader that a first RFID tag was read in a far field of RFID communication by the RFID reader, the first RFID tag fixed to a first portion of a container and configured to communicate only in a near field of RFID communication, the container being in a closed orientation, the first RFID tag located in proximity to a conductive element implemented at a second portion of the container when the container is in the closed orientation, wherein the conductive element is configured to function as a far field antenna for the first RFID tag when the container is in the closed orientation, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a first amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other decoupling the conductive element from the first RFID tag such that the first RFID tag is no longer readable in the far field; determining, using information received via the RFID reader, a first open status of the container as indicated by a failed attempt to further read the first RFID tag in the far field of RFID communication by the RFID reader, receiving a second indication from the RFID reader that a second RFID tag was read in the far field of RFID communication by the RFID reader, wherein the second RFID tag is fixed to the first portion of the container such that the second RFID tag is shielded by the second portion and is not readable by the RFID reader when the container is in the closed orientation, wherein the first portion and the second portion are further configured such that upon a user action to open the container at least a second amount, the first portion and the second portion move relative to each other such that the second RFID tag is no longer shielded and is readable in the far field by the RFID reader; and determining, from the second indication, a second open status of the container. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:
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a substrate; a first near field RFID tag device fixed at a first portion of the substrate; a second near field RFID tag device fixed at a second portion of the substrate; and a conductive element fixed to the substrate having a first portion proximate and coupled to the first near field RFID tag device and having a second portion proximate and coupled to the second near field RFID tag device, wherein the conductive element is configured to function as a far field antenna and is shared by the first near field RFID tag device and the second near field RFID tag device and configured to allow the first near field RFID tag device and the second near field RFID tag device to be readable in a far field of RFID communication by an RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification