Systems and methods for tagging and identification

• US 20050280535A1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RF Technologies (Actaris Capital SA), RF Technologies, Inc. (Microwave Techniques LLC)
• Original Assignee: RF Technologies (Actaris Capital SA)
• Inventors: Gary, Wyndham F. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A mother and infant matching and security system is disclosed. The mother and infant matching and security system comprises a first tag unit adapted to be secured to an infant. The first tag unit is operable to transmit a first signal having a low frequency and a second signal having a very high frequency. The mother and infant matching and security system also comprises a second tag unit adapted to be secured to a mother of the infant. The second tag unit has a radio communication link with the first tag unit. The mother and infant matching and security system further comprises a communications protocol used by the first tag unit to communicate via the radio communications link with the second tag unit. A match of the first tag unit and second tag unit is identified by both an audio indicator and a visual indicator on at least one of the first tag unit and the second tag unit.

Claims

1. A mother and infant matching and security system comprising:

a first tag unit adapted to be secured to an infant, the first tag unit being operable to transmit a first signal having a low frequency and a second signal having a very high frequency;

a second tag unit adapted to be secured to a mother of the infant, the second tag unit having a radio communication link with the first tag unit;

a communications protocol used by the first tag unit to communicate via the radio communications link with the second tag unit,

wherein a match of the first tag unit and second tag unit is identified by both an audio indicator and a visual indicator on at least one of the first tag unit and the second tag unit.

2. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the radio communications link is established over the low frequency.

3. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 2, wherein the low frequency is in the range of 50 to 300 kHz.

4. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the match is identified automatically.

5. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 4, wherein the automated match identification is provided within 2 seconds after the first and second tag units are within sense range.

6. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the match is identified upon manual initiation.

7. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 6, wherein the match identification is provided within 2 seconds after the manual initiation.

8. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the visual indication includes a light indication.

9. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the audio indication includes an audio beep.

10. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the visual indication may remain active after the audio indication ends and the first and second tag units are kept within a sense range.

11. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein an automatic matching sequence may be initiated if the first and second tag units have been out of a sense range for more than a predetermined amount of time and then brought back into the sense range.

12. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of receivers located within an enclosed area or room, said receivers capable of receiving signals from said first and said second tag unit, said receivers monitoring the presence of the infant.

13. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein an initial linking process is performed automatically when the first and second tags are first brought into a sense range.

14. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the second tag allows for more than one first tag unit to be matched with the second tag unit.

15. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, wherein the second tag unit is erased and deactivated after a predetermined time period after being removed from the mother.

16. The mother and infant matching and security system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer processing system, said computer processing system giving a report on the mother and infant system.

17. A method of identifying two matching persons or objects, the method comprising:

securing a first tag unit to a first person or object, the first tag unit being operable to transmit a first signal having a low frequency and a second signal having a very high frequency;

securing a second tag unit to a second person or object, the second tag unit having a radio communication link with the first tag unit;

communicating using a predefined communications protocol from the first tag unit to the second tag unit via a radio communications link; and

identifying a match of the first tag unit and the second tag unit by both an audio indicator and a visual indicator on at least one of the first tag unit and the second tag unit.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

bringing the first tag unit within a sense range of the second tag unit.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first object or person is a unit of blood.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first object or person is an infant.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second object or person is the mother of the infant.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

deactivating the audio indicator after a predetermined time and maintaining the visual indicator until the first and second tag are removed from a sense range.

23. A tagging and identification system comprising:

a first communications network;

a server coupled to the first communications network;

a tag unit receiver coupled to the first communications network;

a first tag unit adapted to be secured to an infant, the first tag unit being operable to transmit a first signal having a low frequency and a second signal having a very high frequency;

a second tag unit adapted to be secured to a mother of the infant, the second tag unit having a radio communication link with the first tag unit; and

a communications protocol used by the first tag unit to communicate via the radio communications link with the second tag unit,

wherein a match of the first tag unit and second tag unit is identified by both an audio indicator and a visual indicator on at least one of the first tag unit and the second tag unit.

24. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the radio communications link is established over the low frequency.

25. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the low frequency is in the range of 50 to 300 kHz.

26. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the match is identified automatically.

27. The tagging and identification system of claim 26, wherein the automated match identification is provided within 2 seconds after the first and second tag units are within sense range.

28. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the match is identified upon manual initiation.

29. The tagging and identification system of claim 28, wherein the match identification is provided within 2 seconds after the manual initiation.

30. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the visual indication includes a light indication.

31. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the audio indication includes an audio beep.

32. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the visual indication may remain active after the audio indication ends and the first and second tag units are kept within a sense range.

33. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein an automatic matching sequence may be initiated if the first and second tag units have been out of a sense range for more than a predetermined amount of time and then brought back into the sense range.

34. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, further comprising:

a plurality of receivers located within an enclosed area or room, said receivers capable of receiving signals from said first and said second tag unit, said receivers monitoring the presence of the infant.

36. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, further comprising:

a report generation system, capable of providing reports related to the first tag unit and the second tag unit.

37. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein an initial linking process is performed automatically when the first and second tags are first brought into a sense range.

38. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the second tag allows for more than one first tag unit to be matched with the second tag unit.

39. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, wherein the second tag unit is erased and deactivated after a predetermined time period after being removed from the mother.

40. The tagging and identification system of claim 23, further comprising:

a computer processing system, said computer processing system giving a report on the mother and infant system.