System and method for monitoring individuals and objects associated with wireless identification tags

• US 20030128100A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aero-Vision Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aero-Vision Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Burkhardt, Philip E., Ganz, Frederick M., Burkhardt, Donald P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,023,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0222 Message structure or message content, e.g. message protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions

Abstract

A monitoring system includes a wireless identification tag and interrogator. The tag includes memory that stores information associated with a person or object associated with the wireless identification tag. The interrogator wirelessly transmits an interrogation signal, which includes a sequence of interrogation codes, to the wireless identification tag. If one of the interrogation codes is associated with the wireless identification tag, the tag wirelessly transmits an acknowledgment signal associated with the tag. The interrogator receives the acknowledgment signal, which indicates that the wireless identification tag has been monitored within an area. A method of monitoring a person or object within a defined area includes the steps of storing information in a wireless identification tag; transmitting an interrogation signal; receiving the interrogation signal by the tag; determining whether an interrogation code in the received interrogation signal is associated with the tag and, if so, transmitting an acknowledgment signal.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area, the system comprising:

at least one wireless identification tag, the at least one wireless identification tag including memory, the memory having information stored therein, the information being associated with at least one of a person and object associated with the at least one wireless identification tag; and

an interrogator, the interrogator wirelessly transmitting an interrogation signal, the interrogation signal including a sequence of interrogation codes, at least one of the interrogation codes being associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the at least one wireless identification tag wirelessly transmitting an acknowledgment signal in response to receiving the at least one interrogation code associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the acknowledgment signal being associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the acknowledgment signal including at least a portion of the information, the interrogator receiving the acknowledgment signal, thereby monitoring at least one of the person and object.

2. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the sequence of interrogation codes is pseudo randomly ordered.

3. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the information associated with at least one of the person and object includes at least one of a visual image, flight information, physical characteristic, reservation information, and accommodation information.

4. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the interrogation signal and acknowledgment signal is encrypted.

5. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless identification tag includes a sleep mode and an active mode, the at least one wireless identification tag periodically entering the sleep mode to conserve power.

6. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one interrogation code associated with the at least one wireless identification tag is periodically modified.

7. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the information associated with the at least one person and object is modified.

8. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one interrogation code associated with the at least one wireless identification tag is pseudo randomly modified.

9. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless identification tag further comprises a squawk mode, the at least one wireless identification tag wirelessly transmitting a squawk signal while in the squawk mode, the squawk signal including information associated with at least one of the person and object associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the interrogator receiving the squawk signal, thereby monitoring at least one of the person and object.

10. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless identification tag further comprises a receiver, a transmitter, and a processor, the receiver receiving the interrogation signal, the processor being operatively coupled to the receiver and determining whether at least one of the interrogation codes of the interrogation signal is associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the transmitter being operatively coupled to the processor and transmitting the acknowledgment signal in response to the processor determining that at least one interrogation code is associated with the at least one wireless identification tag.

11. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 10, wherein the processor includes at least one of a microprocessor, microcontroller, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), gate array, and programmable logic device.

12. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the interrogator further comprises an interrogation sequence generator, a transmitter, an acknowledgment signal analyzer, a receiver, and a wireless network interface, the interrogation code generator generating the sequence of interrogation codes, the transmitter being operatively coupled to the interrogation code generator and transmitting the sequence of interrogation codes, the receiver being operatively coupled to the acknowledgment signal analyzer and receiving the acknowledgment signal, the interrogation code generator and the acknowledgment signal analyzer being operatively coupled to the wireless network interface.

13. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 12, wherein the wireless network interface interfaces to a wireless network, the wireless network providing a wireless communication link between the at least one wireless identification tag and the interrogator.

14. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 13, wherein the wireless network includes a MicroNode network.

15. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 12, wherein the interrogator further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to at least one of the receiver and transmitter, the at least two antennas including at least one of spatial diversity, polarization diversity, and directionality.

16. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 12, wherein the interrogator further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas having different ranges.

17. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a control station, the control station including a wireless network interface, a receiver, and at least one of a keyboard, display, camera, printer, and audio interface/speaker, the wireless network interface being operatively coupled to at least one of the keyboard, display, camera, printer, and audio interface/speaker, the wireless network interface being operatively coupled to the receiver, the receiver receiving the acknowledgment signal from the at least one wireless identification tag, the control station being accessible to authorized persons.

18. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 17, wherein the wireless network interface interfaces to a wireless network, the wireless network providing a wireless communication link between the control station and at least one of the at least one wireless identification tag and interrogator.

19. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 18, wherein the wireless network includes a MicroNode network.

20. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 17, wherein the control station further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas including at least one of spatial diversity, polarization diversity, and directionality.

21. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 17, wherein the control station further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas having different ranges.

22. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a display station, the display station including a wireless network interface, a receiver, and at least one of a keyboard, display, printer, and audio interface/speaker, the wireless network interface being operatively coupled to at least one of the keyboard, display, printer, and audio interface/speaker, the wireless network interface being operatively coupled to the receiver, the receiver receiving the acknowledgment signal from the at least one wireless identification tag, the display station being accessible to the person associated with the at least one wireless identification tag.

23. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 22, wherein the wireless network interface interfaces to a wireless network, the wireless network providing a wireless communication link between the display station and at least one of the at least one wireless identification tag and interrogator.

24. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 23, wherein the wireless network includes a MicroNode network.

25. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 22, wherein the display station further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas including at least one of spatial diversity, polarization diversity, and directionality.

26. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 22, wherein the display station further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas having different ranges.

27. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a database station, the database station including a wireless network interface, a receiver, and at least one of a keyboard, display, printer, and audio interface/speaker, the wireless network interface being operatively coupled to at least one of the keyboard, display, printer, and audio interface/speaker, the wireless network interface being operatively coupled to the receiver, the database station storing the information associated with at least one of the person and object associated with the at least one electronic identification tag.

28. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 27, wherein the wireless network interface interfaces to a wireless network, the wireless network providing a wireless communication link between the database station and at least one of the at least one wireless identification tag and interrogator.

29. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 28, wherein the wireless network includes a MicroNode network.

30. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 27, wherein the database station further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas including at least one of spatial diversity, polarization diversity, and directionality.

31. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 27, wherein the database station further comprises at least two antennas operatively coupled to the receiver, the at least two antennas having different ranges.

32. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the interrogation signal and acknowledgment signal further comprises a radio frequency signal.

33. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the object further comprises at least one of luggage, goods, and possessions.

34. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the system monitors at least one of persons and objects in an area including at least one of a hotel, airport, park, facility, office, home, business, building, school, day care center, and apartment.

35. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 1, wherein the interrogator includes a first mode and a second mode, the interrogator transmitting two or more interrogation codes without waiting for the acknowledgment signal in response to the interrogator being in the first mode, the interrogator transmitting one of the interrogation codes and waiting for the acknowledgment signal in response to the interrogator being in the second mode.

36. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 35, wherein the interrogator selectively enters one of the first mode and the second mode in response to the quantity of persons and objects to be monitored.

37. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area, the system comprising:

at least one wireless identification tag, the at least one wireless identification tag including memory, the memory having information stored therein, the information being associated with at least one of a person and object associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the at least one wireless identification tag wirelessly transmitting a squawk signal associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the squawk signal including at least a portion of the information; and

an interrogator, the interrogator receiving the squawk signal, thereby monitoring at least one of the person and object.

38. A system for monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 37, wherein the information associated with at least one of the person and object includes at least one of a visual image, flight information, physical characteristic, reservation information, and accommodation information.

39. A method of monitoring individuals and objects in an area, the method comprising the steps of:

storing information in a wireless identification tag, the information being associated with at least one of a person and object, at least one of the person and object being associated with the wireless identification tag;

transmitting an interrogation signal wirelessly, the interrogation signal including a sequence of interrogation codes, at least one of the interrogation codes being associated with the wireless identification tag;

receiving the interrogation signal by the wireless identification tag;

determining whether at least one of the interrogation codes of the received interrogation signal is associated with the wireless identification tag;

transmitting an acknowledgment signal in response to determining that at least one of the interrogation codes of the received interrogation signal is associated with the wireless identification tag, the acknowledgment signal including at least a portion of the information; and

receiving the acknowledgment signal, thereby monitoring at least one of the person and object.

40. A method of monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the step of ordering the sequence of interrogation codes pseudo randomly.

41. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, wherein the information associated with at least one of the person and object includes at least one of a visual image, flight information, physical characteristic, reservation information, and accommodation information.

42. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the step of encrypting at least one of the interrogation signal and acknowledgment signal.

43. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the step of entering a sleep mode periodically in the wireless identification tag to conserve power.

44. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the step of modifying the at least one interrogation code associated with the at least one wireless identification tag periodically.

45. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the step of modifying the at least one interrogation code associated with the at least one wireless identification tag pseudo randomly.

46. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

entering a squawk mode in the wireless identification tag;

transmitting a squawk signal wirelessly while the wireless identification tag is in the squawk mode, the squawk signal including information associated with at least one of the person and object associated with the wireless identification tag;

receiving the squawk signal, thereby monitoring at least one of the person and object.

47. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39 wherein an interrogator transmits the interrogation signal, the method further comprising the step of linking the interrogator with at least one of a control station, display station, database station, tag locator station, and tracking system using a wireless network, the control station providing an interface for authorized users, the display station providing an interface for the person associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the database station storing the information associated with at least one of the person and object associated with the at least one wireless identification tag, the tag locator station a facility for determining a location of the wireless identification tag, the tracking system providing an interface between the monitoring system and an existing control system.

48. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 39, further comprising the step of determining the distance of the wireless identification tag from a source of the interrogation signal.

49. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 48, wherein the step of determining the distance further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a first linear frequency modulated signal;

receiving the first linear frequency modulated signal by the electronic identification tag;

transmitting a second linear frequency modulated signal by the electronic identification tag until the step of receiving the first linear frequency modulated signal has terminated;

receiving the second linear frequency modulated signal; and

processing the received second linear frequency modulated signal using Fourier analysis.

50. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 48, wherein the step of determining the distance further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a first continuous wave signal;

receiving the first continuous wave signal by the electronic identification tag;

transmitting a second continuous wave signal by the electronic identification tag until the step of receiving the first continuous wave signal has terminated;

sampling the second continuous wave signal at at least one intermediate frequency; and

processing the sampled second continuous wave signal using the Chinese Remainder Theorem.

51. A method of monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 39, wherein the method includes a first mode and a second mode, the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting two or more interrogation codes without waiting for the acknowledgment signal while in the first mode; and

transmitting one of the interrogation codes and waiting for the acknowledgment signal while in the second mode.

52. A method of monitoring individuals and objects in an area as defined by claim 51, further comprising the step of entering one of the first mode and the second mode selectively in response to the quantity of persons and objects to be monitored.

53. A method of monitoring individuals and objects in an area, the method comprising the steps of:

storing information in a wireless identification tag, the information being associated with at least one of a person and object, at least one of the person and object being associated with the wireless identification tag;

transmitting a squawk signal, the squawk signal being associated with the wireless identification tag, the squawk signal including at least a portion of the information; and

receiving the squawk signal, thereby monitoring at least one of the person and object.

54. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 53, wherein the information associated with at least one of the person and object comprises at least one of a visual image, flight information, physical characteristic, reservation information, and accommodation information.

55. A method of monitoring persons and objects within an area as defined by claim 53, further comprising the step of encrypting the squawk signal.