RFID tag system for an item between two locations

• US 20060219783A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apsrfid LLC
• Original Assignee: Apsrfid LLC
• Inventors: Willis, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US11/098,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20060219783A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• 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 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, apparatuses, and methods for tracking an item between two locations. In one embodiment, a system for tracking and monitoring an item between two locations is comprised of an RF tag, an RF reader, and a central monitoring station. The RF tag is attached to an item and the RF reader is located in a controlled space. The RF tag transmits tag data and the RF reader receives the tag data. The RF reader transmits the tag data via a communication platform. A central monitoring station receives the tag data via the communication platform. The central monitoring station determines whether the item entered or exited the controlled space at a predetermined time and location based on the received tag data. Responsive to the item having not entered or exited the controlled space at the predetermined time and location, the central monitoring station transmits an alarm signal.

Claims

1. A system for tracking and monitoring an item between two locations, the system comprising:

an RF tag that is attached to an item and transmits tag data;

an RF reader that is receives the tag data from the RF tag, wherein the RF reader transmits the tag data via a communication platform; and

a central monitoring station that receives the tag data via the communication platform, the central monitoring station determines whether the item entered or exited the controlled space at a predetermined time and location based on the received tag data, wherein responsive to the item having not entered or exited the controlled space at the predetermined time and location, the central monitoring station transmits an alarm signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF tag is passive that is triggered by the RF reader to transmit the tag ID data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF tag is active that transmits tag ID data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF reader is capable of obtaining its global position on the surface of the earth, the RF reader associating the tag ID data with its global position and transmitting them via the communication platform.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF reader associates the tag data with one of time, date, inside temperature, received or not received flag, RF reader ID, vehicle ID or location ID data, and transmits the tag data and the associated data via the communication platform.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF reader activates the RF tag to transmit the tag ID data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication platform is one of bi-directional satellite communication, Internet protocol communication, cellular communication, and short message network communication.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled space is one of a vehicle and a facility building.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the central monitor system determines whether the item remained in the controlled space greater than a predetermined time period based on the tag data and the associated data, and responsive to the item remaining in the controlled space greater than a predetermined time period, the central monitor system transmits an alarm signal.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the central monitoring station, determines whether the item entered or exited the controlled space at a predetermined time and location based on the tag data and the associated data.

12. The RF reader of claim 11, wherein the computing device is capable of obtaining its global position on the surface of the earth via the transceiver, the antenna, and global positioning satellites, the computing device associating the tag data with its global position and transmitting them via communication platform to the central monitoring station.

16. The RF reader of claim 11, wherein the controlled space is one of a vehicle and a facility building.

11. An RF reader comprising:

an antenna that receives tag data in analog format from an RF tag that is attached to an item;

a transceiver that receives the tag data from the antenna and converts the tag ID data from analog to digital format; and

a computing device that receives the tag data in digital format from the transceiver;

wherein the computing device determines whether the RF reader is receiving tag data or stops receiving the tag data from the RF tag, the computing device being capable of communicating the determination of either the RF reader is receiving tag data or stops receiving the tag data from the RF tag, to a central monitoring station via that determines whether the item entered or exited the controlled space based on the tag data.

13. The RF reader of claim 11, wherein the computing device associates the tag data to one of time, date, inside temperature, received or not received flag, vehicle ID or location ID, and transmits them via communication platform.

14. The RF reader of claim 13, wherein the computing device is capable of communicating tag data and the associated data to the central monitoring station that determines whether the RF tag entered and exited the controlled space at a predetermined time and location based on the tag data and associated data.

15. The RF reader of claim 11, wherein the computing device is capable of activating the RF tag to transmit the tag data via the transceiver and the antenna.

17. A central monitoring station comprising:

a processing device; and

a memory having an operating system and a monitoring station manager, the processing device interacting with the memory to facilitate the operating system in controlling the execution of at least the monitoring station manager,

wherein monitoring station manager stored in a computer-readable medium, the manager comprising;

logic configured to receive data from an RF reader;

logic configured to store the reader data;

logic configured to determine whether the item has entered or exited at a predetermined time and location based on the reader data; and

logic configured to facilitate transmitting an alarm signal responsive to the item having not entered or exited the controlled space at the predetermined time and location.

18. The central monitoring station of claim 17, wherein the monitoring station manager further comprises logic configured to determine whether the item remained in the controlled space greater than a predetermined time period based on the reader data, and if the item remains in the controlled space greater than a predetermined time period, the monitoring station manager facilitates transmitting an alarm signal.

19. The central monitoring station of claim 17, wherein the reader data comprises a tag data from an RF tag, time, date, inside temperature, received or not received flag, vehicle ID, and location ID.

20. A method for tracking and monitoring an item between two locations, the method comprising:

transmitting tag data from an RF tag that is attached to an item;

receiving the tag data;

determining whether the RF tag entered a controlled space based on the received tag data;

determining whether the RF tag exited a controlled space based on the not receiving the tag data;

transmitting the tag data via a communication platform;

receiving the tag data via the communication platform;

determining whether the item entered or exited the controlled space; and

responsive to the item having not entered or exited the controlled space, transmitting an alarm signal.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising activating the RF tag to transmit the tag data.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising obtaining a global position of the controlled space on the surface of the earth, associating the tag data to the global position, and transmitting them via the communication platform.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising associating the tag data to one of time, date, inside temperature, received or not received flag, vehicle ID, and location ID data and transmitting them via communication platform.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining whether the item entered or exited the controlled space at predetermined time and location based on the tag data and the associated data; and

responsive to the item having not entered or exited the controlled space at a predetermined time and location, transmitting an alarm signal.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining whether the item stayed in the controlled space greater than a predetermined time period based on the tag data and the associated data; and

responsive to the item staying in the controlled space greater than the predetermined time period, transmitting an alarm signal.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising detecting an item entering or exiting the controlled space via a motion detector, the motion detector being capable of activating the RF reader to receive data from the RF tag when an item enters the controlled space.