Systems and methods for RFID tag locating using constructive interference

• US 10,386,474 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
• Inventors: Hewett, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US15/493,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20170219700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/026 using moving transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/462 using multipath signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0215 Interference
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems

Abstract

A system and method for locating radio-frequency identification tags within a predetermined area. The method can incorporate sub-threshold superposition response mapping techniques, alone, or in combination with other methods for locating radio-frequency identification tags such as but not limited to time differential on arrival (TDOA), frequency domain phase difference on arrival (FD-PDOA), and radio signal strength indication (RSSI). The system can include a plurality of antennas dispersed in a predefined area; one or more radio-frequency identification tags; a radio-frequency transceiver in communication with said antennas; a phase modulator coupled to the ra-dio-frequency transceiver; and a system controller in communication with said transceiver and said phase modulator. Calibration techniques can be employed to map con-structive interference zones for improved accuracy.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first signal from a first antenna towards a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag; and

transmitting a second signal from a second antenna towards the RFID tag, the second signal constructively interfering with the first signal within a constructive interference region containing the RFID tag,

wherein the first signal has a first amplitude below an activation threshold of the RFID tag, the second signal has a second amplitude below the activation threshold of the RFID tag, and the first signal and the second signal constructively interfere to produce constructive interference having an amplitude above the activation threshold within the constructive interference region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recharging the RFID tag via the constructive interference.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response from the RFID tag at the first antenna in response to the constructive interference.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

estimating a location of the RFID tag based on a location of the constructive interference region and the response from the RFID tag.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering a transmission parameter of the first signal so as to change the constructive interference region.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

estimating a location of the RFID tag based on a change in the constructive interference region caused by altering the transmission parameter of the first signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein altering the transmission parameter of the first signal comprises changing a relative phase of the first signal with respect to the second signal so as to move the constructive interference region with respect to the RFID tag.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein altering the transmission parameter comprises selecting the relative phase so as to move the constructive interference region with respect to the RFID tag by less than a wavelength of the first signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring an image of the constructive interference region; and

associating an object and/or person in the image of the constructive interference region with the RFID tag.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a third signal from a third antenna towards the RFID tag, the third signal constructively interfering with the first signal and the second signal over at least a portion of the constructive interference region.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

estimating a three-dimensional location of the RFID tag based on a location of the at least a portion of the constructive interference region.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the first signal based on historical data representing a location of the RFID tag.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first response signal, in response to the first signal and the second signal, from a reference RFID tag located at a first known location within the constructive interference region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

moving the reference RFID tag to a second known location;

altering a transmission parameter of the first signal so as to change the constructive interference region to cover the second known location; and

receiving a second response signal from the reference RFID tag.

15. A system, comprising:

a first antenna configured to transmit a first signal from a first antenna towards a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag; and

a second antenna configured to transmit a second signal towards the RFID tag such that the second signal constructively interferes with the first signal within a constructive interference region containing the RFID tag,

wherein the first antenna is configured to transmit the first signal at a first amplitude below an activation threshold of the RFID tag, the second antenna is configured to transmit the second signal at a second amplitude below the activation threshold of the RFID tag, and the first signal and the second signal constructively interfere to produce constructive interference having an amplitude above the activation threshold over the constructive interference region.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to remotely recharge the RFID tag.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first antenna is further configured to receive a response from the RFID tag.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a controller, operably coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna, to estimate a location of the RFID tag based on a location of the constructive interference region and the response from the RFID tag.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to alter a transmission parameter of the first signal so as to change the constructive interference region.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to estimate the location of the RFID tag based on a change in the constructive interference region caused by altering the transmission parameter of the first signal.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a phase shifter, operably coupled to the controller and the first antenna, to change a relative phase of the first signal with respect to the second signal so as to move the constructive interference region with respect to the RFID tag.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the phase shifter is configured to change the relative phase by an amount selected to move the constructive interference region with respect to the RFID tag by less than a wavelength of the first signal.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a camera configured to acquire an image of the constructive interference region, and

wherein the processor is configured to associate an object and/or person in the image of the constructive interference region with the RFID tag.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a third antenna configured to transmit a third signal from towards the RFID tag, the third signal constructively interfering with the first signal and the second signal over at least a portion of the constructive interference region.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

a controller, operably coupled to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, to estimate a three-dimensional location of the RFID tag based on a location of the at least a portion of the constructive interference region.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the first signal is based on historical data representing a location of the RFID tag.

27. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a reference RFID tag, located at a first known location within the constructive interference region, to transmit a first response signal to the first antenna in response to constructive interference of the first signal and the second signal.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a robot configured to move the reference RFID tag from the first known location to a second known location.

29. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first signal from a first antenna towards a receiver; and

transmitting a second signal from a second antenna towards the receiver, the second signal constructively interfering with the first signal within a constructive interference region containing the receiver,

wherein the first signal has a first amplitude below an activation threshold of the receiver, the second signal has a second amplitude below the activation threshold of the receiver, and the first signal and the second signal constructively interfere to produce constructive interference having an amplitude above the activation threshold within the constructive interference region.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

recharging the receiver via the constructive interference.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a response from the receiver at the first antenna in response to the constructive interference.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

estimating a location of the receiver based on a location of the constructive interference region and the response from the receiver.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

altering a transmission parameter of the first signal so as to change the constructive interference region.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

estimating a location of the receiver based on a change in the constructive interference region caused by altering the transmission parameter of the first signal.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein altering the transmission parameter of the first signal comprises changing a relative phase of the first signal with respect to the second signal so as to move the constructive interference region with respect to the receiver.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein altering the transmission parameter comprises selecting the relative phase so as to move the constructive interference region with respect to the receiver by less than a wavelength of the first signal.

37. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

acquiring an image of the constructive interference region; and

associating an object and/or person in the image of the constructive interference region with the receiver.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

transmitting a third signal from a third antenna towards the receiver, the third signal constructively interfering with the first signal and the second signal over at least a portion of the constructive interference region.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

estimating a three-dimensional location of the receiver based on a location of the at least a portion of the constructive interference region.

40. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating the first signal based on historical data representing a location of the receiver.

41. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a first response signal, in response to the first signal and the second signal, from a reference receiver located at a first known location within the constructive interference region.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

moving the reference receiver to a second known location;

altering a transmission parameter of the first signal so as to change the constructive interference region to cover the second known location; and

receiving a second response signal from the reference receiver.

43. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first signal from a first antenna towards a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag;

transmitting a second signal from a second antenna towards the RFID tag, the second signal constructively interfering with the first signal within a constructive interference region containing the RFID tag;

acquiring an image of the constructive interference region with a camera, the image of the constructive interference region showing an object and/or a person; and

associating the object and/or the person in the image of the constructive interference region with the RFID tag.

44. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first signal from a first antenna towards a first known location;

transmitting a second signal from a second antenna towards the known location, the second signal constructively interfering with the first signal at the first known location;

receiving a first response signal, in response to the first signal and the second signal, from a reference RFID tag located at a first known location;

moving the reference RFID tag to a second known location;

altering a transmission parameter of the first signal so as to cause the first signal and the second signal to constructively interfere at the second known location; and

receiving a second response signal from the reference RFID tag in response to the first signal and the second signal.