Location sensing for analytical applications

• US 10,423,809 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berge, Layne A., Dangler, John R., Doyle, Matthew S., Liang, Thomas W., Orozco, Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US15/783,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10099 the directional field being used for pinpointing the location of the record carrier, e.g. for finding or locating an RFID tag amongst a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with an object, e.g. for physically locating the RFID tagged object in a warehouse
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10217 parameter settings controlling the transmission power of the interrogator

Abstract

Embodiments herein describe RFID systems that include multiple RFID tag readers that each use a different frequency to communicate with an RFID tag. For example, each of the tag readers may transmit a tag query command using different modulated frequencies. In one embodiment, the RFID tag includes multiple receivers each tuned to one of the different frequencies generated by the tag readers. For example, one receiver in the tag is tuned to receive 200 MHz signals while another receiver is tuned to receive 900 MHz signals. To provide location information, the RFID tag compares power values associated with the received signals to determine which of the RFID tag readers is closest to the tag. The RFID tag conveys this location information to the tag readers by selecting one of the frequencies of the tag readers to use when generating a reply message.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive a first RFID signal comprising a first frequency and a second RFID signal comprising a second frequency; and

logic configured to;

select, in response to receiving the first and second RFID signals, one of the first and second frequencies by determining which of the first or second RFID signal has the greater signal strength, and

output a reply message comprising a tag ID using the selected frequency.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the selected frequency is the first frequency, and wherein the reply message is not modulated using the second frequency.

3. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the first RFID signal is a tag query command transmitted by a first tag reader and the second RFID signal is a tag query command transmitted by a second tag reader.

4. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the first RFID signal comprises a frequency range that does not overlap with a frequency range of the second RFID signal.

5. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein outputting the reply message comprises:

modulating the selected frequency to include an ID corresponding to the RFID tag.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver comprises at least one power supply.

7. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is a passive tag.

8. The RFID tag of claim 1, further comprising:

a first receiver of the at least one receiver tuned to the first frequency; and

a second receiver of the at least one receiver tuned to the second frequency, wherein the first receiver cannot detect the second RFID signal and the second receiver cannot detect the first RFID signal.

9. A method of operating a RFID tag, the method comprising:

receiving a first RFID signal at the RFID tag at a first frequency;

receiving a second RFID signal at the RFID tag at a second frequency;

selecting one of the first and second RFID signals based on which has a greater signal strength; and

transmitting a reply message from the RFID tag using a frequency corresponding to the selected RFID signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first RFID signal is a tag query command transmitted by a first tag reader and the second RFID signal is a tag query command transmitted by a second tag reader.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first RFID signal comprises a frequency range that does not overlap with a frequency range of the second RFID signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the reply message comprises:

modulating the selected RFID signal to include an ID corresponding to the RFID tag.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID tag includes at least one receiver configured to receive the first and second RFID signals, wherein the receiver comprises at least one power supply.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

powering a component in the RFID tag using a power supply.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID tag includes a first receiver tuned to the first frequency and a second receiver tuned to a second frequency, wherein the first receiver cannot detect the second RFID signal and the second receiver cannot detect the first RFID signal.

16. An RFID tag, comprising:

a first receiver tuned to receive a first RFID signal;

a second receiver tuned to receive a second RFID signal, wherein the first and second receivers are tuned to different frequencies;

a comparator configured to determine which of the first and second RFID signals has a greater signal strength; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a reply message using a frequency corresponding to the first or second RFID signal with the greater signal strength.

17. The RFID tag of claim 16, wherein the first RFID signal is a tag query command transmitted by a first tag reader and the second RFID signal is a tag query command transmitted by a second tag reader.

18. The RFID tag of claim 16, wherein the first RFID signal comprises a frequency range that does not overlap with a frequency range of the second RFID signal.

19. The RFID tag of claim 16, further comprising:

a modulator configured to modulate the first or second RFID signal with the greater signal strength to include an ID corresponding to the RFID tag.

20. The RFID tag of claim 16, wherein the first and second receivers each comprises a power supply that generates respective power values which the comparator uses to determine which of the first and second RFID signals has the greater signal strength.