System and method for object tracking via tag readings

• US 20070241901A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Yu-Gene, Cage, James
• Application Number:
  US11/394,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241901A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

A system for tracking an object associated with a mobile tag reader includes a first identification tag capable of providing a first set of location information associated with the first identification tag. The system also includes a second identification tag capable of providing a second set of location information associated with the first identification tag. In addition, the system includes a controller capable of correlating the first set of location information and the second set of location information to predict a current location of the object.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an object associated with a mobile tag reader, comprising:

a first identification tag capable of providing a first set of location information associated with the first identification tag;

a second identification tag capable of providing a second set of location information associated with the second identification tag; and

a controller capable of correlating the first set of location information and the second set of location information to predict a current location of the object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;

and wherein the mobile tag reader comprises a RFID reader.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise a bar code;

and wherein the mobile tag reader comprises a bar code reader.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise at least one of:

an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a passive RFID tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag are compatible with at least one of:

a global positioning system (GPS) and a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first identification tag and the second identification tag is a fixed tag.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of location information comprises at least one of:

a known location of the first identification tag and time stamp information associated with the collection of the first set of location information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of location information comprises at least one of:

a known location of the second identification tag and time stamp information associated with the collection of the second set of location information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the object comprises at least one of:

a person, an animal, and a product.

10. A method for tracking an object associated with a mobile tag reader, comprising:

receiving a first set of location information associated with a first identification tag from the mobile tag reader;

receiving a second set of location information associated with a second identification tag from the mobile tag reader; and

correlating the first set of location information and the second set of location information to predict a current location of the object.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;

and wherein the mobile tag reader comprises a RFID reader.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprises a bar code;

and wherein the mobile tag reader comprises a bar code reader.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise at least one of:

an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a passive RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag is compatible with at least one of:

a global positioning system (GPS) and a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first identification tag and the second identification tag is a fixed tag.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of location information comprises at least one of:

a known location of the first tag and time stamp information associated with the collection of the first set of location information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the second set of location information comprises at least one of:

a known location of the second tag and time stamp information associated with the collection of the second set of location information.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the object comprises at least one of:

a person, an animal, and a product.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium and capable of being executed by a processor, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

receiving a first set of location information associated with a first identification tag from a mobile tag reader, where the mobile tag reader is associated with an object;

receiving a second set of location information associated with a second identification tag from the mobile tag reader; and

correlating the first set of location information and the second set of location information to predict a current location of the object.

20. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

21. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag comprise a bar code.

22. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the first identification tag and the second identification tag are compatible with at least one of:

a global positioning system (GPS) and a voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) system.

23. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the computer readable program code for correlating the first set of location information and the second set of location information comprises computer readable program code for predicting the current location of an employee.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first tag reader and the second tag reader is mobile.

24. A system for tracking an object associated with an identification tag, comprising:

a first tag reader capable of generating a first set of location information associated with the identification tag;

a second tag reader capable of generating a second set of location information associated with the identification tag; and

a controller capable of correlating the first set of location information and the second set of location information to predict a current location of the object.