Ceiling-mounted RFID-enabled tracking
First Claim
1. An apparatus for tracking a subject using radio-frequency identification (RFID), the apparatus comprising:
- an antenna array comprising a plurality of articulating brackets and a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the plurality of articulating brackets is configured to rotate a corresponding one of the plurality of antennas into a plurality of orientations within at least a subset of a range of 0°
to 180°
around at least one axis, and wherein each of the plurality of antennas is configured to receive an RFID signal from an RFID tag; and
at least one processor thatdetects whether or not at least one tracking target is present, and,when the presence of at least one tracking target is detected,determines a distance between the at least one tracking target and the antenna array based on a strength of one or more signals received by the antenna array,determines a trajectory of the at least one tracking target based on the determined distance, wherein determining the trajectory of the at least one tracking target comprises determining the trajectory of the at least one tracking target based on one or more of a strength, sampling rate, direction, phase, and time span of the one or more signals received by the antenna array, and,based on the determined trajectory of the at least one tracking target, automatically controls a first articulating bracket of the antenna array to rotate a first antenna of the antenna array into a new orientation to continue tracking the at least one tracking target.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for tracking a subject using radio-frequency identification (RFID). In an embodiment, an antenna array comprising a plurality of articulating brackets and a plurality of antennas is provided. Each of the articulating brackets is configured to move one of the plurality of antennas into a plurality of positions, and each of the antennas is configured to receive a RFID signal. In addition, a processor receives RFID data based on RFID signals received by the antennas of the antenna array, and determines a trajectory of a subject based on the RFID data. Based on the determined trajectory of the subject, the processor controls one or more of the articulating brackets to move one or more of the antennas into a position to track the subject.
6 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tracking a subject using radio-frequency identification (RFID), the apparatus comprising:
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an antenna array comprising a plurality of articulating brackets and a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the plurality of articulating brackets is configured to rotate a corresponding one of the plurality of antennas into a plurality of orientations within at least a subset of a range of 0°
to 180°
around at least one axis, and wherein each of the plurality of antennas is configured to receive an RFID signal from an RFID tag; andat least one processor that detects whether or not at least one tracking target is present, and, when the presence of at least one tracking target is detected, determines a distance between the at least one tracking target and the antenna array based on a strength of one or more signals received by the antenna array, determines a trajectory of the at least one tracking target based on the determined distance, wherein determining the trajectory of the at least one tracking target comprises determining the trajectory of the at least one tracking target based on one or more of a strength, sampling rate, direction, phase, and time span of the one or more signals received by the antenna array, and, based on the determined trajectory of the at least one tracking target, automatically controls a first articulating bracket of the antenna array to rotate a first antenna of the antenna array into a new orientation to continue tracking the at least one tracking target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for tracking a subject using an antenna array comprising:
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detecting whether or not at least one tracking target is present; and
,when the presence of the at least one tracking target is detected, determining a distance between the at least one tracking target and the antenna array based on a strength of one or more signals received by the antenna array, determining a trajectory of the at least one tracking target based on the determined distance, and, based on the determined trajectory of the at least one tracking target, automatically controlling a first articulating bracket of the antenna array to rotate a first antenna of the antenna array into a new orientation, within at least a subset of a range of 0°
to 180°
around at least one axis, to continue tracking the at least one tracking target,wherein determining the trajectory of the at least one tracking target further comprises determining the trajectory of the at least one tracking target based on one or more of a strength, sampling rate, direction, phase, and time span of one or more signals received by the first antenna and a second antenna of the antenna array. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification