RF tracking system and method

• US 20060125631A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Sharony, Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

Described is an RFID tracking system, an RFID tag and method. The tag includes a memory storing identification data and a radio frequency transceiver receiving a signal from a first wireless transceiver. The first wireless transceiver is part of a wireless wide area network WWAN). The radio frequency transceiver transmits a response signal including the identification data to at least one second wireless transceiver. The at least one second wireless transceiver being part of a wireless local area network WLAN). A location of the RFID tag is determined as a function of the response signal.

Claims

1. An RFID tag, comprising:

a memory storing identification data; and

a radio frequency transceiver receiving a signal from a first wireless transceiver, the first wireless transceiver being part of a wireless wide area network (WWAN),

wherein the radio frequency transceiver transmits a response signal including the identification data to at least one second wireless transceiver, the at least one second wireless transceiver being part of a wireless local area network (WLAN), and

wherein a location of the RFID tag is determined as a function of the response signal.

2. The RFID tag according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply.

3. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the response signal includes at least one of (I) a first reception time of the signal, (ii) a first signal strength of the signal and (iii) the identification data.

4. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the WWAN includes at least three transceivers.

5. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the WLAN is an IEEE 802.11 network.

6. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a high power, low bit rate signal.

7. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the response signal is a low power, high bit rate signal.

8. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the identification data includes at least one of a serial number, a MAC address and a BSSID.

9. An RFID tag, comprising:

a memory storing identification data; and

a radio frequency transceiver receiving a first signal from a first wireless transceiver, the first wireless transceiver being part of a wireless wide area network (WWAN),

wherein the radio frequency transceiver transmits a first response signal including the identification data to the first wireless transceiver,

wherein the radio frequency transceiver receives a second signal from a second wireless transceiver, the second wireless transceiver being part of a wireless local area network (WLAN),

wherein the radio frequency transceiver transmits a second response signal including identification data to the second wireless transceiver, and

wherein a location of the RFID tag is determined as a function of the second response signal.

10. The RFID tag according to claim 9, further comprising:

a power supply.

11. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein the second wireless transceiver is determined as a function of the first response signal.

12. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein the response signal includes at least one of (I) a first reception time of the signal, (ii) a first signal strength of the signal and (iii) the identification data.

13. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein the WWAN includes at least three transceivers.

14. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein the WLAN is an IEEE 802.11 network.

15. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein the signal is a high power, low bit rate signal.

16. The RFID tag according to claim 9, wherein the response signal is a low power, high bit rate signal.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instruction capable of being executed by a processor, the set of instructions performing the steps of:

initiating transmission of a signal to an RFID tag over a first transceiver of a wireless wide area network (WWAN);

receiving a response signal from the RFID tag via a second transceiver of a wireless local area network (WLAN); and

determining a location of the RFID tag as a function of the response signal.

18. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the response signal includes at least one of (I) a first reception time of the signal and (ii) a first signal strength of the signal.

19. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the signal is a high power, low bit rate signal.

20. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the response signal is a low power, high bit rate signal.

21. A computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor, the set of instructions performing the steps of:

initiating transmission of a first signal to an RFID tag over a first transceiver on a wireless wide area network (WWAN);

receiving a first response signal from the RFID tag via the first transceiver;

initiating transmission of a second signal to the RFID tag over a second transceiver on a wireless local area network (WLAN);

receiving a second response signal from the RFID tag via the second transceiver; and

determining a location of the RFID tag as a function of the second response signal.

22. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the instructions further include the step of:

selecting the second transceiver as a function of the first response signal.

23. An RFID tag, comprising:

a storage means for storing identification data; and

a communication means for receiving a signal from a first wireless transceiver, the first wireless transceiver being part of a wireless wide area network (WWAN),

wherein the radio frequency transceiver transmits a response signal including the identification data to at least one second wireless transceiver, the at least one second wireless transceiver being part of a wireless local area network (WLAN), and

wherein a location of the RFID tag is determined as a function of the response signal.