System for RF detection and location determination of merchandising materials in retail environments
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An improved system for monitoring objects in a facility comprising:
- a plurality of RF tags dispersed in predetermined zones in a selected facility, each of the RF tags being associated with a particular object;
at least one main electronic unit (MEU) associated with the selected facility for enabling monitoring of the RF tags in all of the given zones;
a plurality of antenna ports electronically coupled to the MEU;
at least one first] transmit/receive (TRX) unit for transmitting RF signals to at last a portion of the RF tags located in at least one given zone;
at least one second TRX unit located in each given zone for receiving at least some of the RF tag responses to the transmitted RF signals;
each TRX unit being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of MEU antenna ports; and
programmable selection means associated with the MEU to command only one TRX unit to transmit interrogation signals to RF tags in one of the given zones of the selected facility and to command only one TRX unit to receive responses to the transmitted interrogation signals from the RF tags at any given instant in time and to couple the tag responses to the MEU thereby determining whether the tagged object is in the given zone in the facility.
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Abstract
A system and method for using a plurality of spaced receiver/transmitters controlled by a centralized BRT that includes a programmable device for selecting successive pairs of receiver/transmitters for interrogating at least some RF tags associated with respective objects in a given area, receiving responses from the interrogated RF tags, and sending the received response data to the centralized BRT for analysis.
90 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An improved system for monitoring objects in a facility comprising:
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a plurality of RF tags dispersed in predetermined zones in a selected facility, each of the RF tags being associated with a particular object;
at least one main electronic unit (MEU) associated with the selected facility for enabling monitoring of the RF tags in all of the given zones;
a plurality of antenna ports electronically coupled to the MEU;
at least one first] transmit/receive (TRX) unit for transmitting RF signals to at last a portion of the RF tags located in at least one given zone;
at least one second TRX unit located in each given zone for receiving at least some of the RF tag responses to the transmitted RF signals;
each TRX unit being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of MEU antenna ports; and
programmable selection means associated with the MEU to command only one TRX unit to transmit interrogation signals to RF tags in one of the given zones of the selected facility and to command only one TRX unit to receive responses to the transmitted interrogation signals from the RF tags at any given instant in time and to couple the tag responses to the MEU thereby determining whether the tagged object is in the given zone in the facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved method of monitoring object location in a facility comprising the steps of:
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associating one of a plurality of RF backscatter tags with a corresponding one of a like plurality of particular objects in each of a number of given zones in a selected facility;
associating a transmitter/receiver unit (TRX) with each of the given zones;
providing command signals to only a selected one of the transmit/receive units in a selected given zone over a coaxial cable to cause transmission of interrogation signals to at least some RF tags in another given zone; and
determining the presence of each particular object in the other given zone by commanding only a selected one of the transmit/receive units in the other given zone to receive RF tag signals generated in response to the interrogation signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of using a plurality of RF backscatter tags, each of which is associated with one of a like plurality of objects in a selected facility, to determine the presence and location of the objects in the facility comprising the steps of:
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placing a sufficient number of TRX (transmit/receive) units in the facility to interrogate all RF tags in the facility and to receive responses from all RF tags in the facility;
selecting only one pair of TRX units at a time, one to interrogate at least some RF tags in the facility and one to receive responses from the interrogated tags; and
successively selecting predetermined pairs of TRX units until all RF tags in the selected facility have been interrogated and a response received. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A system for using a plurality of RF backscatter tags, each of which is associated with one of a like plurality of objects in a selected facility, to determine the presence and location of the objects comprising:
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combined transmit/receive units spaced within a facility and being of sufficient number to interrogate, and to receive responses from, all RF tags located within the facility;
a programmable device for selecting only one pair of transmit/receive units at any one time, one to interrogate at least some of the RF tags within the facility and one to receive a response from at least some of the interrogated RF tags; and
the programmable device successively selecting predetermined pairs of transmit/receive units to interrogate all RF tags within the facility and receive responses from all of the interrogated RF tags.
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Specification