Systems and methods for object localization and path identification based on RFID sensing

• US 10,635,867 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucomm Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lucomm Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cristache, Lucian
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US13/921,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/876 Combination of several spaced transponders or reflectors of known location for determining the position of a receiver G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A networked radio frequency identification system includes a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers, a computer in signal communication with the RFID tag readers over a network, and a software module for storage on and operable by the computer that localizes RFID tags based on information received from the RFID tag readers using a network model having endpoints and oriented links. In an additional example, at least one of the RFID tag readers includes an adjustable configuration setting selected from RF signal strength, antenna gain, antenna polarization, and antenna orientation. In a further aspect, the system localizes RFID tags based on hierarchical threshold limit calculations. In an additional aspect, the system controls a locking device associated with an access point based on localization of an authorized RFID tag at the access point and reception of additional authorizing information from an input device.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system for localizing an RFID tag, the system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers;

a computer system communicatively coupled with the plurality of RFID tag readers over a network;

a memory associated with the computer system, the memory storing a network semantic model having a plurality of endpoints and oriented links between the endpoints, wherein the endpoints are associated with physical locations in space, each of the endpoints having associated with it one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers, the network semantic model further comprising at least one semantic attribute associated with at least one of the oriented links;

at least one sensor;

the computer system being configured to localize the RFID tag based on data received from the RFID tag readers;

the computer system further being configured to associate an RFID tag rating with the RFID tag;

the computer system further being configured to adjust the network semantic model as a function of a measured parameter from the sensor;

the computer system further being configured to determine that the RFID tag has traversed the oriented link and further to adjust the RFID tag rating associated with the RFID tag based on the determination that the RFID tag has traversed the oriented link, the adjusted RFID tag rating further being a function of the semantic attribute associated with the oriented link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is assigned to a semantic group and the computer system further adjusts the RFID tag rating associated with the RFID tag as a function of the semantic attribute associated with the oriented link and the semantic group.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the semantic group is associated with a group rating.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the semantic attribute associated with the at least one oriented link comprises a weight and wherein the adjustment of the network semantic model further comprises in the adjustment of the semantic attribute'"'"'s weight.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system further adjusts the network semantic model as a function of the RFID tag rating associated with the RFID tag.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system accepts an input from an external source and further wherein the computer system adjusts the network semantic model as a function of the input from the external source.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the semantic attribute by the computer system is based on an input from the sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system accepts an input from an external source and further wherein the determination of the semantic attribute by the computer system is based on the input from the external source.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system determines an incentive based on the adjusted network semantic model.