Method and apparatus for tracking objects and people

• US 20070085681A1
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automated Tracking Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Automated Tracking Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Sawyer, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child

Abstract

An object locating, identifying, and tracking system is provided for managing physical objects and people in environments such as police departments, law offices, the Courts, hospitals, warehouses, and department stores. The system employs RFID technology, computer programming and database applications, networking technologies, and hardware elements. Employing its algorithmic decision machine to develop RFID tag operational state data, the system may provide item-level visibility in locating and tracking physical evidence, merchandise, valued items, people and supply chain items in near-real time. The system may be configured as part of a local area network, a wide area network, or the Internet. It may employ exemplary components such as RFID transponders or tags, scanners, antennas and computers to facilitate tracking of objects and people as needed. Any number of users having access privileges and connected to the network may access the system directly or remotely via the Internet to locate and track objects.

Claims

1. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signals;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said RF signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

a computer program for;

interrupting at least one of said scanners; and

polling said interrupted scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner,

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having a transponder affixed to the object or person, and said system being configured such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable, and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one application server for processing said data and being logically connectable to said scanners, at least one user terminal and workstation for inputting said data into said system, and at least one database server for managing and storing said data in an enterprise database.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one server for processing, managing and storing said data and being logically connectable to said scanners.

5. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

at least one network operatively connecting said scanners, workstation, application server and user terminal for thereby transmitting said data and providing access to the Internet.

6. A system according to claim 5, said network being an enterprise network.

7. A system according to claim 1, said antennas being affixed at least one of at:

an entrance of the facility;

an exit of the facility;

a wall of the facility;

a ceiling of the facility; and

furniture within the facility.

9. A system according to claim 1, if one of said scanners is an entrance/exit scanner and detects a transponder ID, said computer program including code for:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as entering or exiting the facility.

10. A system according to claim 1, if one of said scanners is a wall scanner and detects a transponder ID, said computer program including code for:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording movement of said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and recording movement of said detected transponder ID.

11. A system according to claim 1, for each unit scanner, said computer program including code for:

determining a number of active antennas operationally connected to said unit scanner;

cycling through said active antennas and listing all corresponding transponder IDs for transponders in a field of view of said active antennas;

reporting said transponder IDs found by each active antenna; and

after all unit scanners have been evaluated, comparing a number of said reported transponder IDs with a number of all transponder IDs for transponders known to be in the storage unit.

12. A system according to claim 11, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is greater than said number of reported transponder IDs, said computer program including code for:

comparing each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit does not correspond to each of said reported transponder IDs, then at least one of designating said one known transponder ID as a missing transponder ID, and indicating the object having the missing transponder ID as being removed from said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

13. A system according to claim 11, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is equal to said number of reported transponder IDs, said computer program including code for:

comparing each said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being unknown and new to said system;

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

14. A system according to claim 11, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is less than said number of reported transponder IDs, said computer program including code for:

comparing each of said reported transponder IDs with each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being at least one of unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said reported transponder IDs corresponds to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

22. A system according to claim 1, said system being operable via the Internet.

50. A system according to claim 1, wherein said scanners further includes a computer program including code for handling deterministic or stochastic polling requests to include stochastic polling requests generated by said scanner based on a random event.

51. A system according to claim 50, further including a computer program for:

receiving and processing requests for polling from said scanners based on event data; and

polling said scanners reporting the event data.

52. A system according to claim 1, wherein said scanners further includes means for:

handling deterministic or stochastic polling requests to include stochastic polling requests generated by said scanners based on a random event.

53. A system according to claim 52, further including means for:

receiving and processing requests for polling from said scanners based on event data; and

polling said scanners reporting the event data.

2. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

15. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signals;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said RF signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

means for;

interrupting at least one of said scanners; and

polling said interrupted scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner,

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having a transponder affixed to the object or person, and said system being configured such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable, and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person.

16. A system according to claim 15, if one of said scanners is an entrance/exit scanner and detects a transponder ID, said system further comprising means for:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as entering or exiting the facility.

17. A system according to claim 15, if one of said scanners is a wall scanner and detects a transponder ID, said system further comprising means for:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording movement of said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and recording movement of said detected transponder ID.

18. A system according to claim 15, for each unit scanner, said system further comprising means for:

determining a number of active antennas operationally connected to said unit scanner;

cycling through said active antennas and listing all corresponding transponder IDs for transponders in a field of view of said active antennas;

reporting said transponder IDs found by each active antenna; and

after all unit scanners have been evaluated, comparing a number of said reported transponder IDs with a number of all transponder IDs for transponders known to be in the storage unit.

19. A system according to claim 18, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is greater than said number of reported transponder IDs, said system further comprising means for:

comparing each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit does not correspond to each of said reported transponder IDs, then at least one of designating said one known transponder ID as a missing transponder ID, and indicating the object having the missing transponder ID as being removed from said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

20. A system according to claim 18, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is equal to said number of reported transponder IDs, said system further comprising means for:

comparing each said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

21. A system according to claim 18, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is less than said number of reported transponder IDs, said system further comprising means for:

comparing each of said reported transponder IDs with each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being at least one of unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said reported transponder IDs corresponds to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

23. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving at least one of a laser and an infrared signal;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said at least one of laser and infrared signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

a computer program for;

interrupting at least one of said scanners; and

polling said interrupted scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner,

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having a transponder affixed to the object or person, and said system being configured such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person.

24. A method of locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person by means of a system, said method comprising:

affixing at least one active or passive transponder to the object or person;

providing scanners;

providing antennas;

if said transponder is passive, transmitting a time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signal by means of said scanners, energizing said transponder by said RF signal, and transmitting information stored in said transponder back to said scanners;

if said transponder is active, automatically transmitting said information stored in said transponder back to said scanners;

processing said transmitted information to enable locating, identifying and tracking of the object or person;

configuring the system such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person;

interrupting at least one of said scanners; and

polling said interrupted scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanne;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of a facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner.

27. A method according to claim 24, if one of said scanners is an entrance/exit scanner and detects a transponder ID, said method further comprising:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as entering or exiting the facility.

28. A method according to claim 24, if one of said scanners is a wall scanner and detects a transponder ID, said method further comprising:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording movement of said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and recording movement of said detected transponder ID.

29. A method according to claim 24, for each unit scanner, said method further comprising:

determining a number of active antennas operationally connected to said unit scanner;

cycling through said active antennas and listing all corresponding transponder IDs for transponders in a field of view of said active antennas;

reporting said transponder IDs found by each active antenna; and

after all unit scanners have been evaluated, comparing a number of said reported transponder IDs with a number of all transponder IDs for transponders known to be in the storage unit.

30. A method according to claim 29, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is greater than said number of reported transponder IDs, said method further comprising:

comparing each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit does not correspond to each of said reported transponder IDs, then at least one of designating said one known transponder ID as a missing transponder ID, and indicating the object having the missing transponder ID as being removed from said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

31. A method according to claim 29, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is equal to said number of reported transponder IDs, said method further comprising:

comparing each said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

32. A method according to claim 29, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is less than said number of reported transponder IDs, said method further comprising:

comparing each of said reported transponder IDs with each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being at least one of unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said reported transponder IDs corresponds to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

33. A method according to claim 24, said system being operable via a network browser.

34. A method according to claim 24, said system being operable via the Internet.

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

35. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signals;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said RF signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

a computer program for;

polling at least one scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner,

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having a transponder affixed to the object or person, and said system being configured such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable, and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person.

36. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signals;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said RF signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

means for;

polling at least one scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner,

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having a transponder affixed to the object or person, and said system being configured such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable, and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person.

37. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving at least one of a laser and an infrared signal;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said at least one of laser and infrared signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

a computer program for;

polling at least one scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner,

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having a transponder affixed to the object or person, and said system being configured such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person.

38. A method of locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person by means of a system, said method comprising:

affixing at least one active or passive transponder to the object or person;

providing scanners;

providing antennas;

if said transponder is passive, transmitting a time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signal by means of said scanners, energizing said transponder by said RF signal, and transmitting information stored in said transponder back to said scanners;

if said transponder is active, automatically transmitting said information stored in said transponder back to said scanners;

processing said transmitted information to enable locating, identifying and tracking of the object or person;

configuring the system such that said locating determines a position of the object or person, said identifying determines a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable and said tracking monitors the course of a moving object or person; and

polling at least one scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of a facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner.

39. A system for locating, identifying and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

active or passive transponders affixable to the object or person;

scanners for transmitting and receiving time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signals;

antennas for respectively transmitting and receiving said RF signals to and from said scanners and said transponders; and

a computer program for;

interrupting at least one of said scanners; and

polling said interrupted scanner to determine whether said scanner is at least one of;

an entrance/exit scanner;

a scanner affixed on a ceiling or wall of the facility, thereby designated a wall scanner; and

a scanner for locating and tracking objects within a storage unit within the facility, thereby designated a unit scanner

wherein said antennas being strategically affixable within a facility, and said system including locating, identifying and tracking means for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponders, scanners and antennas to locate, identify and track the object or person having said transponders transponder affixed to the object or person, said locating means enabling location of a position of the object or person, said identifying means enabling identification of a characteristic by which the object or person is recognizable and said tracking means enabling tracking of the course of a moving object or person.

41. A system according to claim 39, further comprising:

at least one application server for processing said data and being logically connectable to said scanners, at least one user terminal and workstation for inputting said data into said system, and at least one database server for managing and storing said data in an enterprise database.

42. A system according to claim 39, said antennas being affixed at least one of at:

an entrance of the facility;

an exit of the facility;

a wall of the facility;

a ceiling of the facility; and

furniture within the facility.

44. A system according to claim 39, if one of said scanners is an entrance/exit scanner and detects a transponder ID, said computer program including code for:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as entering or exiting the facility.

45. A system according to claim 39, if one of said scanners is a wall scanner and detects a transponder ID, said computer program including code for:

comparing known transponder IDs with said detected transponder ID;

if one of said known transponder IDs does not correspond to said detected transponder ID, then at least one of recording movement of said detected transponder ID and indicating said detected transponder ID as being unknown; and

if one of said known transponder IDs corresponds to one of said detected transponder IDs, then at least one of recording said detected transponder ID and recording movement of said detected transponder ID.

46. A system according to claim 39, for each unit scanner, said computer program including code for:

determining a number of active antennas operationally connected to said unit scanner;

cycling through said active antennas and listing all corresponding transponder IDs for transponders in a field of view of said active antennas;

reporting said transponder IDs found by each active antenna; and

after all unit scanners have been evaluated, comparing a number of said reported transponder IDs with a number of all transponder IDs for transponders known to be in the storage unit.

47. A system according to claim 46, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is greater than said number of reported transponder IDs, said computer program including code for:

comparing each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit does not correspond to each of said reported transponder IDs, then at least one of designating said one known transponder ID as a missing transponder ID, and indicating the object having the missing transponder ID as being removed from said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

48. A system according to claim 46, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is equal to said number of reported transponder IDs, said computer program including code for:

comparing each said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit with each of said reported transponder IDs;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit corresponds to one of said reported transponder IDs, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

49. A system according to claim 46, if said number of all transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit is less than said number of reported transponder IDs, said computer program including code for:

comparing each of said reported transponder IDs with each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit;

if one of said reported transponder IDs does not correspond to each of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then at least one of recording a location of said reported transponder ID, designating said one reported transponder ID as an unknown transponder ID, and indicating the object having the unknown transponder ID as being at least one of unknown and new to said system; and

if one of said reported transponder IDs corresponds to one of said transponder IDs known to be in the storage unit, then recording a location of the object relative to said field of view of said corresponding active antenna.

40. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

54. A system for locating, identifying, and tracking of at least one object or person, said system comprising:

an active or passive transponder or tag affixable to the object or person;

a scanner for transmitting and receiving time-varying electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) signals; and

an antenna for respectively transmitting and receiving said RF signals to and from said scanner and said transponder,

wherein said antenna being strategically affixable within a facility or confined open area for enabling the system to process data generated by said transponder, scanner, and antenna, and said system being configured with temporary and static data stores for raw and processed data, at least one algorithmic decision machine or method for converting raw data into tag operational state data, and methods and algorithms for locating, identifying, and tracking objects and people having said transponder affixed to the object or person, said raw data represents RFID data and other data that must be processed, said algorithmic decision machine determines the state of the tag, said tag operational state data provide characteristics about the current state of the tag, said temporary data stores are dynamically created and destroyed for holding raw data and tag operational state data, said static data stores hold more infrequently changing data, and said identifying, locating and tracking concatenate data generated by other methods and their own methods in carrying out functions.