WIDE-AREA DYNAMIC RFID SYSTEM USING UWB

• US 20100148925A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sandlinks Systems Ltd.
• Inventors: Kaplan, Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/24 by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP

Abstract

A wide area radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes: a first RFID cell and a second RFID cell. The first RFID cell and the second RFID cell each include a reader and tags. The readers access the tags using ultra-wide band signaling. The RFID cells each include: a communications interface operable to communicate with a network operations center, and a communications gateway which supports direct communications between RFID cells. The method includes accessing the second RFID cell from the first RFID cell, and the accessing is performed using the communications gateway that can cover a range of at least five hundred meters.

Claims

1. A wide area radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprising:

(a) at least two RFID cells, wherein said at least two RFID cells each include at least one reader and a plurality of tags, wherein the at least one reader accesses the tags using ultra-wide band signaling;

(b) a network operations center;

wherein said at least two RFID cells each include;

(i) a communications interface operable to communicate with said network operations center, and

(ii) a communications gateway operable to support direct communications between said at least two RFID cells.

2. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein said direct communications is over a range of at least five hundred meters.

3. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least two RFID cells is located in a mobile vehicle.

4. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein said ultra-wide band signaling is operable to determine respective locations of the tags and to store said respective locations.

5. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein said communications gateway includes a cellular telephone communications interface.

6. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein said communications gateway includes a cellular telephone operatively attached to the at least one reader.

7. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein said communications gateway is operatively attached to a communications link selected from the group of communications technologies consisting of:

cellular communications, terrestrial radio communications, satellite communications, point-to-point microwave communications, infrared free space point-to-point communications, and free space point-to-point optical communications.

8. The wide area RFID system, according to claim 1, wherein the tags are attached to objects included in materiel of an organization, wherein said objects are managed by a materiel management application accessible through the network operations center.

9. In a wide area radio frequency identification (RFID) system including:

a first RFID cell and a second RFID cell wherein said first RFID cell and said second RFID cell each include at least one reader and a plurality of tags, wherein the at least one reader accesses the tags using ultra-wide band signaling;

a network operations center;

wherein said first and second RFID cells each include;

a communications interface operable to communicate with said network operations center, and a communications gateway supporting direct communications between said first RFID cell and said second RFID cell, a method comprising the step of;

(a) accessing the second RFID cell from the first RFID cell, wherein said accessing is performed using the communications gateway.

10. The method, according to claim 9, wherein said accessing is performed over a range of at least five hundred meters.

11. The method, according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said at least two RFID cells is located in a mobile vehicle.

12. The method, according to claim 9, wherein said accessing includes receiving a security alarm from the first RFID cell.

13. The method, according to claim 9, wherein said accessing includes a transmission from the first RFID cell, wherein said transmission is selected from the group consisting of unicast, multicast and broadcast transmissions.

14. The method, according to claim 9, wherein said accessing is performed by a reader in the first RFID cell to at least one tag of the second RFID cell.

15. The method, according to claim 14, wherein said accessing includes at least one action selected from the group consisting of:

(i) querying information from said at least one tag;

or

(ii) writing data to said at least one tag.

16. The method, according to claim 14, wherein said accessing is performed by said at least one reader in the first RFID cell to said at least one reader of the second RFID cell.

17. The method, according to claim 16, wherein said at least one reader of the second cell maintains in storage a plurality of respective locations of the tags of the second cell, wherein said accessing queries at least one of said locations.