Mobile locator system and method

• US 20060176177A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RF Technologies, Inc. (Microwave Techniques LLC)
• Original Assignee: RF Technologies, Inc. (Microwave Techniques LLC)
• Inventors: Haensgen, Gregg J., Heinze, Eric T., Hofmeister, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols

Abstract

A locator system includes a handheld unit for providing an interrogation signal. The handheld unit can be a handheld computer or PDA including an RF module. The interrogation signal is received by an RF tag. The RF tag can include a power source and a memory. The memory can store an indication of the date of installation of the battery. The tag unit can provide the indication to the handheld unit in response to the interrogation signal.

Claims

1. A locator system, comprising:

a hand held unit for providing an interrogation signal; and

a tag unit for responding to the interrogation signal, the tag unit including a power source, wherein the tag includes a memory, the memory storing an indication of time of the installation or manufacture of the power source or tag unit, wherein the tag unit is capable of transmitting the indication to the handheld unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand held unit is a PDA including a plug-in RF module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication is an approximate time of manufacture of the tag unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication is transmitted each time in response to the interrogation signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication is stored on the hand held unit, and the hand held unit provides a notification when the power source is expected to expire based upon the indication.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the notification is provided in response to a difference between the indication and current time.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a central computer capable of communication with the hand held unit, wherein the indication is provided from the hand held unit to the central computer, and the central computer provides a notification when the power source is expected to expire based upon the indication.

8. A method of locating an article, the method comprising:

providing an interrogation signal with a hand held computer equipped with an RF interface;

responding to the interrogation signal with a tag unit associated with the article; and

displaying on the hand held computer an indication of the presence of the article in response to the responding step.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the RF interface is a transceiver card module.

10. A locator system, comprising:

a hand held unit for providing an interrogation signal, the hand held unit capable of polling an area; and

a plurality of tag units, each tag unit for responding to the interrogation signal, each tag unit including a memory storing an identification of the tag unit and a department identifier, wherein the handheld unit is capable of polling the tags units in the area having a particular department identifier, the particular department identifier being selectable on the hand held unit, wherein only the tag units having the particular department identifier respond.

11. The locator system of claim 10, wherein the hand held unit displays an indication of the identification for each tag having the particular department identifier.

12. The locator system of claim 10, wherein the hand held unit download an indication of the identification for each tag having the particular department identifier to a central database.

13. A locator system, comprising:

a hand held unit for providing an interrogation signal, the hand held unit capable of polling an area; and

a plurality of tag units, each tag unit for responding to the interrogation signal, each tag unit including a memory storing an identification of the tag; and

an area tag associated with the area, the area tag providing an id associated with the area in response to the interrogation signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the area tag is powered by a non-battery source.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein each tag unit includes a memory a department identifier, wherein the handheld unit is capable of polling the tags in the area having a particular department identifier, the particular department identifier being selectable on the hand held unit, wherein the area tag and only the tag units having the particular department identifier respond and the hand held computer associates the responding tag units with the area.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the area is selectable from a pull down menu on the hand held unit.

17. A locator system, comprising:

a hand held unit for providing an interrogation signal; and

a tag unit for responding to the interrogation signal with a tag signal, the hand held unit displaying an indicator of signal strength for the tag signal.

18. The locator system of claim 17, wherein the hand held unit includes a directional antenna, the hand held unit being capable of being pointed to a direction, the user capable of using the indicator to determine location of the tag unit.

19. The locator system of claim 17, wherein the handheld unit is comprised of a handheld computer and an RF interface card.

20. The locator system of claim 17, wherein the indicator of signal strength is a bar graph.

21. A locator system, comprising:

a handheld unit for providing a interrogation signal, the handheld unit including a graphical user interface including a selection for a power level of the interrogation signal; and

a tag unit for responding to the interrogation signal.