Overhead RFID antenna

• US 10,565,410 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shmulevich, Roman, Kantor, Oleg, Lui, Tak Keung Joseph, McCalib, Jr., David Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/687,155
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/008 Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items pile receivers in general B65H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/10 Apparatus characterised by the means used for detection ofthe destination methods or arrangements for reading and recognising printed or written characters or geometric figures G06V30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/12 using electric or electronic detecting means B07C3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 7/005 Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07777 the antenna being of the inductive type
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10445 the record carriers being fixed to further objects, e.g. RFIDs fixed to packages, luggage, mail-pieces or work-pieces transported on a conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment

Abstract

Embodiments herein describe a package management system that uses two operation modes of RFID readers (i.e., an inventory mode and a search mode) to provide feedback to an associate when a package has been mis-sorted. In one embodiment, the RFID readers are attached to one or more RFID antennas which each are disposed overhead a respective container or storage location in a warehouse. For example, each of the antennas may have a beam pattern or read region that covers the container. Using the RFID antennas, the RFID reader can query the RFID tags in the container to identify the packages stored in the container. In one embodiment, the RFID reader switches to the search mode after a new package is identified. Using the search mode, the RFID reader can quickly identify when the package is stored in the container and provide prompt feedback to the associate.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading a first ID from a first RFID tag disposed on a first package using a first RFID antenna and a RFID reader operating in an inventory mode, wherein the first RFID antenna has a read region covering a first container, and wherein, when in the inventory mode, the RFID reader identifies IDs for a plurality of packages in the read region;

in response to determining that the first package is new to the read region when operating in the inventory mode, repeatedly switching, using an RFID controller, between the inventory mode and a search mode, wherein, when in the search mode, the RFID reader uses the first ID to search for only the first package within the read region;

determining, using the RFID controller, that the first package is stored in the first container based on the repeated switching;

determining that a user incorrectly placed the first package in the first container; and

providing a corrective action to the user via a feedback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein repeatedly switching between the inventory mode and the search mode comprises:

determining, during a first read cycle, that the first package remains in the read region when operating in the search mode;

reading, during a second read cycle, a second ID from a second RFID tag disposed on a second package when operating in the inventory mode;

determining that the second package is new to the read region; and

determining, during multiple read cycles, that the first package and the second package remain in the read region when operating in the search mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the second package is stored in the first container based on the repeated switching;

determining that the user correctly placed the second package in the first container; and

providing positive feedback to the user via the feedback device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first package is stored in the first container comprises:

determining that the first package is in the read region each time the RFID reader is in the search mode during the repeated switching; and

determining that the repeated switching has been performed a threshold number of times.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first package is stored in the first container comprises:

reading the first ID of the first package using a second RFID antenna, wherein the second RFID antenna has a read region covering a second container that neighbors the first container; and

determining a location of the first package in the read region using information obtained when reading the first ID using the first RFID antenna and the second RFID antenna.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first RFID antenna is disposed overhead the first container and the second RFID antenna is disposed overhead the second container, wherein the first and second containers each comprises a form factor for storing multiple packages.

7. A method, comprising:

determining, using a RFID reader that transmits RFID signals when operating in an inventory mode, that a first package is new to a read region established by a first RFID antenna, wherein the read region covers a first package storage region, and wherein, when in the inventory mode, the RFID reader identifies IDs for a plurality of packages in the read region;

in response to determining that the first package is new to the read region, determining that the first package remains in the read region using the RFID reader to transmit RFID signals when operating in a search mode, wherein the search mode uses a first ID of an RFID tag on the first package to search for the first package within the read region;

determining that the first package is stationary in the read region based on information obtained while operating in the search mode; and

storing data indicating that a location of the first package corresponds to a location of the first package storage region.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that a second package is new to the read region using the RFID reader operating in the inventory mode;

determining that the second package is moving in the read region using information obtained when the RFID reader operates in the search mode; and

determining that the second package is in transit and is not stored in the first package storage region.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

switching between the inventory mode and the search mode to detect the first package a plurality of times before determining that the first package is stationary in the read region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein switching between the inventory mode and the search mode comprises:

determining, during a first read cycle, that the first package remains in the read region when operating in the search mode;

determining, during a second read cycle, that a second package is new to the read region using the RFID reader operating in the inventory mode; and

determining, during multiple read cycles, that the first package and the second package remain in the read region when operating in the search mode.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the first package is stationary in the read region comprises:

detecting the first package using a second RFID antenna, wherein the second RFID antenna has a read region covering a second package storage region neighboring the first package storage region;

determining a location of the first package in the read region using information obtained when detecting the first package using the first RFID antenna and the second RFID antenna; and

determining that the location of the first package corresponds to a location of the first package storage region.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the first package is stationary in the read region comprises:

determining the first package remains in the read region of the first RFID antenna for a predetermined number of read cycles of the RFID reader when operating in the search mode.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

failing to detect the first package using a second RFID antenna, wherein the second RFID antenna has a read region covering a second package storage region neighboring the first package storage region; and

determining the first package is stored in the first package storage region in response to failing to detect that the first package within the read region of the second RFID antenna.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting the first package using a second RFID antenna, wherein the second RFID antenna has a read region covering a second package storage region neighboring the first package storage region; and

determining the first package is not stored in the first package storage region in response to detecting the first package using the second RFID antenna.

15. A system comprising:

a first RFID antenna comprising a read region covering a first package storage region;

a RFID reader configured to transmit RFID signals when operating in an inventory mode and a search mode, wherein, when in the inventory mode, the RFID reader is configured to identify IDs for a plurality of packages in the read region, and wherein, when in the search mode, the RFID reader is configured to use an ID of an RFID tag on a first package to search for the first package within the read region; and

a RFID controller configured to;

determine that the first package is new to the read region using the RFID reader operating in the inventory mode,

in response to determining the first package is new to the read region, determine that the first package remains in the read region using the RFID reader operating in the search mode,

determine that the first package is stationary in the read region based on information obtained while operating in the search mode, and

indicate that a location of the first package corresponds to a location of the first package storage region.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the RFID controller is configured to:

determine that a second package is new to the read region of the first RFID antenna using the RFID reader operating in the inventory mode;

determine that the second package is moving in the read region using information obtained when the RFID reader operates in the search mode; and

determine that the second package is in transit and is not stored in the first package storage region.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the RFID controller is configured to:

switch the RFID reader between the inventory mode and the search mode to detect the first package a plurality of times before determining that the first package is stationary in the read region.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, when switching the RFID reader between the inventory mode and the search mode, the RFID controller is configured to:

determine, during a first read cycle, that the first package remains in the read region when operating in the search mode;

determine, during a second read cycle, that a second package is new to the read region using the RFID reader operating in the inventory mode; and

determine, during multiple read cycles, that the first package and the second package remain in the read region when operating in the search mode.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a second RFID antenna comprising a read region covering a second package storage region neighboring the first package storage region,

wherein when determining that the first package is stationary in the read region, the RFID controller is configured to;

detect the first package using the second RFID antenna;

determine a location of the first package in the read region using information obtained when detecting the first package using the first RFID antenna and the second RFID antenna; and

determine that the location of the first package corresponds to a location of the first package storage region.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first RFID antenna is disposed overhead the first package storage region and the second RFID antenna is disposed overhead the second package storage region, wherein the first and second package storage regions each can store multiple packages.