Radio Frequency Environment Object Monitoring System and Methods of Use
First Claim
1. A radio frequency environment object monitoring system, comprising:
- a three dimensional radio environment monitoring system, comprising an RF transmitter-receiver coupled to an antenna, the antenna provided with an electronic steering circuit;
the antenna operative to launch a continuous wave signal, the continuous wave signal steerable by the electronic steering circuit;
a processor provided with a data matrix for storing a plurality of signal data records of a plurality response signal(s) received by the RF transmitter-receiver(s); and
a position logic operative upon the data record(s) to derive a three dimensional signal origin location of the plurality of response signals within a target area;
a baseline data set of the response signals associated with known object locations within the target area; and
a rules engine for comparing the signal data record(s) with the baseline data set to determine an object inventory.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring untagged objects in a target area including calibrating a radio environment monitoring system including a rules engine and a baseline data set for a target area by recording a set of changes to the RF environment fingerprint of the target area received by the radio environment monitoring system as the target area is filled with objects. During system operation, scanning the target area with the radio environment monitoring system for a current RF environment fingerprint, comparing the current RF environment fingerprint with the baseline data set by a rules engine and reporting an output of the rules engine.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A radio frequency environment object monitoring system, comprising:
-
a three dimensional radio environment monitoring system, comprising an RF transmitter-receiver coupled to an antenna, the antenna provided with an electronic steering circuit; the antenna operative to launch a continuous wave signal, the continuous wave signal steerable by the electronic steering circuit; a processor provided with a data matrix for storing a plurality of signal data records of a plurality response signal(s) received by the RF transmitter-receiver(s); and a position logic operative upon the data record(s) to derive a three dimensional signal origin location of the plurality of response signals within a target area; a baseline data set of the response signals associated with known object locations within the target area; and a rules engine for comparing the signal data record(s) with the baseline data set to determine an object inventory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A method for monitoring untagged objects in a target area, comprising the steps of:
-
calibrating a three dimensional radio environment monitoring system for a target area by recording a baseline data set of changes to the RF environment fingerprint of the target area received by the three dimensional radio environment monitoring system as the target area is filled with objects; scanning the target area with the three dimensional radio environment monitoring system for a current RF environment fingerprint; comparing the current RF environment fingerprint with the baseline data set by a rules engine; and reporting an output of the rules engine. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for monitoring untagged objects in a target area, comprising the steps of:
-
calibrating a three dimensional radio environment monitoring system for a target area by recording a baseline data set of changes to the RF environment fingerprint of the target area received by the three dimensional radio environment monitoring system as the target area is filled with objects; the baseline data set including changes to the RF environment fingerprint caused by filling the target area with multiple objects in multiple positions within the target area; scanning the target area with the three dimensional radio environment monitoring system for a current RF environment fingerprint; comparing the current RF environment fingerprint with the baseline data set by a rules engine; the rules engine including a line of sight parameter wherein a degradation of a signal response from a reference RFID in the target area indicates the presence of an object along a line of sight between the reference RFID and an antenna associated with the signal response; the rules engine including a dynamic pseudo emitter parameter wherein a pseudo emitter that appears and or disappears correlates to an object being positioned at a known location according to the baseline data set; the rules engine includes a static pseudo emitter parameter wherein a signal degradation of a static pseudo emitter correlates to an object being positioned at a known location according to the baseline data set; and reporting an output of the rules engine. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification