RFID material tracking method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
- a tuned circuit comprising an inductor and a capacitor tuned to a tuned frequency;
a resistor; and
a light emitting diode connected in series with the resistor, wherein the series connection of the resistor and the light emitting diode is connected across the tuned circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for tracking items automatically is described. A passive RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag is used with a material tracking system capable of real-time pinpoint location and identification of thousands of items in production and storage areas. Passive RFID tags are attached to the item to be tracked, remote sensing antennas are placed at each remote location to be monitored, interrogators with several antenna inputs are connected to the sensing antennas to multiplex the antenna signals, and a host computer communicates with the interrogators to determine item locations to an exacting measure.
35 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a tuned circuit comprising an inductor and a capacitor tuned to a tuned frequency;
a resistor; and
a light emitting diode connected in series with the resistor, wherein the series connection of the resistor and the light emitting diode is connected across the tuned circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system having a tuned circuit, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a second tuned circuit, connected across the input to the RFID system tuned circuit, the second tuned circuit tuned to a different frequency than the RFID system tuned circuit, the second tuned circuit comprising;
a capacitor; and
an inductor and an indicator connected in parallel, the inductor and indicator parallel connection connected in series with the capacitor. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a tuned circuit including a sensing antenna and having a tuned frequency; and
an alphanumeric display operatively coupled across an input to the tuned circuit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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12. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system having a plurality of sensing antennas, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a coordinate mapping system coupled to the RFID tracking system; and
a computer coupled to the coordinate mapping system, the computer system configured with a graphics display representative of the RFID tracking system to provide a visual indication of a sensing antenna scanning a location identified by the coordinate mapping system.
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16. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a tuned circuit including a sensing antenna and having a tuned frequency;
a resistor;
a light emitting diode connected in series with the resistor, the series connection of the resistor and the light emitting diode connected across the tuned circuit;
a computer coupled to an interrogator of the RFID tracking system, the interrogator driving the tuned circuit, the computer system configured with a graphics display representative of the RFID tracking system; and
a coordinate mapping system operatively coupled to the computer, wherein the coordinate mapping system is configured to provide location information of the sensing antenna.
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22. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a second tuned circuit connected across an input to a tuned circuit of the RFID tracking system, the tuned circuit of the RFID tracking system including a sensing antenna, the second tuned circuit tuned to a different frequency than the tuned circuit of the RFID tracking system, the second tuned circuit including a capacitor and inductor;
an indicator connected in series with the second tuned circuit, the series connection of the indicator and the second tuned circuit connected across the tuned circuit of the RFID tracking system;
a computer coupled to an interrogator of the RFID tracking system, the interrogator driving the tuned circuit of the RFID tracking system, the computer system configured with a graphics display representative of the RFID tracking system; and
a coordinate mapping system operatively coupled to the computer, wherein the coordinate mapping system is configured to provide location information of the sensing antenna. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38)
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28. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a tuned circuit including a sensing antenna and having a tuned frequency;
an alphanumeric display operatively coupled across an input to the tuned circuit. a computer coupled to an interrogator of the RFID tracking system, the interrogator driving the tuned circuit, the computer system configured with a graphics display representative of the RFID tracking system; and
a coordinate mapping system operatively coupled to the computer, wherein the coordinate mapping system is configured to provide location information of the sensing antenna.
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35. An alert apparatus for an RFID tracking system, the alert apparatus comprising:
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a tuned circuit including a sensing antenna, the tuned circuit responsive to a signal from a bipolar driver circuit;
a resistor; and
a light emitting diode connected in series with the resistor, the series combination of the resistor and the light emitting diode coupled across the tuned circuit, wherein the light emitting diode is configured with reverse polarity with respect to the tuned circuit.
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Specification