System, apparatus and method for sequencing objects having RFID tags on a moving conveyor
First Claim
1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) based tracking system comprising:
- a conveyor system configured to move and transport a plurality of objects along a conveyance path, wherein each of the plurality of objects includes a near field only RFID tag associated therewith and identifying the object, wherein each near field only RFID tag is not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication;
a first RFID tag reader positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system and configured to attempt to read the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects; and
a control circuit configured to process reads of the plurality of near field only RFID tags by the first RFID reader to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to track objects on a moving conveyor system. In some embodiments, an RFID based tracking system comprises a conveyor system to move and transport objects along a conveyance path, wherein each object includes a near field only RFID tag associated therewith and identifying the object. Each near field only RFID tag is not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication. An RFID tag reader is positioned to attempt to read the near field only RFID tag of each object. And a control circuit processes reads of the near field only RFID tags by the first RFID reader to determine an order of the objects being conveyed.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) based tracking system comprising:
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a conveyor system configured to move and transport a plurality of objects along a conveyance path, wherein each of the plurality of objects includes a near field only RFID tag associated therewith and identifying the object, wherein each near field only RFID tag is not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication; a first RFID tag reader positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system and configured to attempt to read the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects; and a control circuit configured to process reads of the plurality of near field only RFID tags by the first RFID reader to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of tracking objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) communications, the method comprising:
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transporting a plurality of objects along a conveyance path of a conveyor system, wherein each of the plurality of objects includes a near field only RFID tag associated therewith and identifying the object, wherein each near field only RFID tag is not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication; sending, by a first RFID tag reader positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system, read signals to attempt to read the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects; receiving, by the first RFID reader, responses from the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects when the near field only RFID tag is within the near field of RFID communications of the first RFID reader; and processing, by a control circuit, the responses from the plurality of near field only RFID tags to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus comprising:
a networked control circuit coupled to a memory device and configured to; automatically receive a read response received at a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader from a near field only RFID tag of each of a plurality of objects being transported by a conveyor system along a conveyance path, each near field only RFID tag associated with and identifying a given one of the plurality of objects, and each near field only RFID tag being not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication, wherein the first RFID reader is positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system in order that the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects responds to a read signal from the first RFID reader when the near field only RFID tag is within the near field of RFID communication of the first RFID reader; and automatically process the read response of each of the plurality of objects to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed on the conveyor system. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method comprising:
by a networked control circuit coupled to a memory device, automatically receiving a read response received at a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader from a near field only RFID tag of each of a plurality of objects being transported by a conveyor system along a conveyance path, each near field only RFID tag associated with and identifying a given one of the plurality of objects, and each near field only RFID tag being not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication, wherein the first RFID reader is positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system in order that the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects responds to a read signal from the first RFID reader when the near field only RFID tag is within the near field of RFID communication of the first RFID reader; and automatically processing the read response of each of the plurality of objects to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed on the conveyor system.
Specification