LOCATION LOCALIZATION METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20090315679A1
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Marmigere, Gerard, Clement, Jean-Yves, Bauchot, Frederic, Picon, Joaquin
• Granted Patent: US 8,207,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 21/00 Systems for transmitting the position of an object with respect to a predetermined reference system, e.g. tele-autographic system
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A location localization method and system. The method includes transmitting by an RFID tag reader, a request for locating a passive RFID tag in a facility. The RFID tag reader receives from a first group of active RFID tags, a first date/time associated with first data. The RFID tag reader transmits to the first group of active RFID tags, a request for retrieving the first data. The first data comprises distances between each active RFID tag of the first group and the passive RFID tag. The RFID tag reader receives the first data. The RFID tag reader receives a map of the facility and locations on the map for the first group of active RFID tags. The RFID tag reader determines a location within the facility for the passive RFID tag based on the first data, the map, and the locations on the map. The RFID tag reader transmits the first location to a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by an RFID tag reader, a first request for locating a first passive RFID tag in a first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a first group of active RFID tags in response to said first request, a first date/time associated with first data, wherein said first group of active RFID tags are located in said first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a second group of active RFID tags in response to said first request, a second date/time associated with second data, wherein said second group of active RFID tags are located in said first facility;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, that said first date/time comprises an earlier date/time than said second date/time with respect to a current date/time;

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said second group of active RFID tags in response to said determining that said first date/time comprises an earlier date/time than said second date/time, a second request for retrieving said second data, wherein said second data comprises an ID for said first passive RFID tag and distances between each active RFID tag of said second group and said first passive RFID tag;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from said second group of active RFID tags, said second data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, a map of said facility and first locations on said map for said second group of active RFID tags;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a first location within said facility for said first passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said first location is based on said second data, said map of said facility, and said first locations on said map for said second group of active RFID tags; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to a user, said first location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a third request for locating a second passive RFID tag in said first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a single active RFID tag in response to said third request, third data, wherein said single active RFID tag is located in said first facility, wherein said third data comprises an ID for said single active RFID tag and directions to a third group of active RFID tags associated with said second passive RFID tag, and wherein said third group of active RFID tags comprises fourth data;

processing, by said RFID tag reader, said third data;

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said third group of active RFID tags in response to said processing said third data, a fourth request for retrieving said fourth data, wherein said fourth data comprises an ID for said second passive RFID tag and distances between each active RFID tag of said third group and said second passive RFID tag;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from said third group of active RFID tags in response to said fourth request, said fourth data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, second locations on said map for said third group of active RFID tags;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a second location within said facility for said second passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said second location is based on said third data, said fourth data, said map of said facility, and said second locations on said map for said third group of active RFID tags; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said user, said second location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a third request for locating a second passive RFID tag in said first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a third passive RFID tag in response to said third request, third data, wherein said third passive RFID tag is located in said first facility, wherein said third data comprises an ID for said second passive RFID tag and a distances between said third passive RFID tag and said second passive RFID tag;

processing, by said RFID tag reader, said third data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, a second location on said map for said third passive RFID tag;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a third location within said facility for said second passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said third location is based on said third data, said map of said facility, and said second location on said map for said for said third passive RFID tag; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said user, said third location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said RFID tag reader, said first passive RFID tag, said first group of active RFID tags, and said second group of active RFID tags are located on a first floor of said facility, and wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a third request for locating a second passive RFID tag on a second floor of said first facility, wherein said second floor differs from said first floor;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a third group of active RFID tags in response to said third request, a first response comprising first location data associated with said third group of active RFID tags, wherein said third group of active RFID tags are located on said first floor;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a fourth group of active RFID tags in response to said third request, a second response comprising second location data associated with said fourth group of active RFID tags, wherein said fourth group of active RFID tags are located on said second floor;

determining, by said RFID tag reader based on said second location data, that said fourth group of active RFID tags are located on said second floor;

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said fourth group of active RFID tags in response to said determining that said fourth group of active RFID tags are located on said second floor, a fourth request for retrieving third data, wherein said third data comprises an ID for said second passive RFID tag and distances between each active RFID tag of said fourth group and said second passive RFID tag;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from said fourth group of active RFID tags, said third data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, second locations on said map for said fourth group of active RFID tags;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a second location on said second floor for said second passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said second location is based on said third data, said map of said facility, and said second locations on said map for said fourth group of active RFID tags; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said user, said second location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said first data by said RFID tag reader and said receiving said second data by said RFID tag reader occur simultaneously.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each RFID tag of said first group of active RFID tags and each RFID tag of said second group of active RFID tags comprises an internal power source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein internal power source is a battery.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said RFID tag reader is unable to receive a signal from said first passive RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first passive RFID tag is associated with a first group of items located in said first facility.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer storage medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to perform the method of claim 1 upon being executed by a processor of said RFID tag reader.

11. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the RFID tag reader is capable of performing the method of claim 1.

12. An RFID tag reader comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor implements a location localization method, said method comprising:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a first request for locating a first passive RFID tag in a first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a first group of active RFID tags in response to said first request, a first date/time associated with first data, wherein said first group of active RFID tags are located in said first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a second group of active RFID tags in response to said first request, a second date/time associated with second data, wherein said second group of active RFID tags are located in said first facility;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, that said first date/time comprises an earlier date/time than said second date/time with respect to a current date time;

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said second group of active RFID tags in response to said determining that said first date/time comprises an earlier date/time than said second date/time, a second request for retrieving said second data, wherein said second data comprises an ID for said first passive RFID tag and distances between each active RFID tag of said second group and said first passive RFID tag;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from said second group of active RFID tags, said second data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, a map of said facility and first locations on said map for said second group of active RFID tags;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a first location within said facility for said first passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said first location is based on said second data, said map of said facility, and said first locations on said map for said second group of active RFID tags; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to a user, said first location.

13. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a third request for locating a second passive RFID tag in said first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a single active RFID tag in response to said third request, third data, wherein said single active RFID tag is located in said first facility, wherein said third data comprises an ID for said single active RFID tag and directions to a third group of active RFID tags associated with said second passive RFID tag, and wherein said third group of active RFID tags comprises fourth data;

processing, by said RIGID tag reader, said third data;

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said third group of active RFID tags in response to said processing said third data, a fourth request for retrieving said fourth data, wherein said fourth data comprises an ID for said second passive RFID tag and distances between each active RFID tag of said third group and said second passive RFID tag;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from said third group of active RFID tags in response to said fourth request, said fourth data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, second locations on said map for said third group of active RFID tags;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a second location within said facility for said second passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said second location is based on said third data, said fourth data, said map of said facility, and said second locations on said map for said third group of active RFID tags; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said user, said second location.

14. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a third request for locating a second passive RFID tag in said first facility;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a third passive RFID tag in response to said third request, third data, wherein said third passive RFID tag is located in said first facility, wherein said third data comprises an ID for said second passive RFID tag and a distances between said third passive RFID tag and said second passive RFID tag;

processing, by said RFID tag reader, said third data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, a second location on said map for said third passive RFID tag;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a third location within said facility for said second passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said third location is based on said third data, said map of said facility, and said second location on said map for said for said third passive RFID tag; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said user, said third location.

15. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein said RFID tag reader, said first passive RFID tag, said first group of active RI-ID tags, and said second group of active RFID tags are located on a first floor of said facility, and wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader, a third request for locating a second passive RFID tag on a second floor of said first facility, wherein said second floor differs from said first floor;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a third group of active RFID tags in response to said third request, a first response comprising first location data associated with said third group of active RFID tags, wherein said third group of active RFID tags are located on said first floor;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a fourth group of active RFID tags in response to said third request, a second response comprising second location data associated with said fourth group of active RFID tags, wherein said fourth group of active RFID tags are located on said second floor;

determining, by said RFID tag reader based on said second location data, that said fourth group of active RFID tags are located on said second floor;

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said fourth group of active RFID tags in response to said determining that said fourth group of active RFID tags are located on said second floor, a fourth request for retrieving third data, wherein said third data comprises an ID for said second passive RFID tag and distances between each active RFID tag of said fourth group and said second passive RFID tag;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from said fourth group of active RFID tags, said third data;

receiving, by said RFID tag reader from a computing system, second locations on said map for said fourth group of active RFID tags;

determining, by said RFID tag reader, a second location on said second floor for said second passive RFID tag, wherein said determining said second location is based on said third data, said map of said facility, and said second locations on said map for said fourth group of active RFID tags; and

transmitting, by said RFID tag reader to said user, said second location.

16. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein said receiving said first data by said RFID tag reader and said receiving said second data by said RFID tag reader occur simultaneously.

17. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein each RFID tag of said first group of active RFID tags and each RFID tag of said second group of active RFID tags comprises an internal power source.

18. The RFID tag reader of claim 17, wherein internal power source is a battery.

19. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein said RFID tag reader is unable to receive a signal from said first passive RFID tag.

20. The RFID tag reader of claim 12, wherein said first passive RFID tag is associated with a first group of items located in said first facility.