WEARABLE RFID SYSTEM

• US 20100271187A1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrc, LLC
• Original Assignee: Franwell, Inc.
• Inventors: Wells, Jeffrey Lane, Uysal, Dilek Dagdelen, Altunbas, Ahmet Erdem
• Granted Patent: US 8,674,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.400
• 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• 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 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10396 the interrogation device being wearable, e.g. as a glove, bracelet, or ring wearable aerials in general H01Q1/27

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for automatically interrogating a tagged object using radio frequency identification (RFID) when the object is moved. In one embodiment, a worker is outfitted with a wearable RFID system including an RF antenna, an RFID reader, and a holder to hold the antenna and reader during operation. The system is worn by the worker while the worker moves objects from one place to another. When the worker moves an object with an attached RFID tag, the antenna automatically begins scanning for signals from the object'"'"'s RFID tag. When a RF signal is received by the antenna, the RFID reader collects the signal and transmits it to a host system which processes the signal to obtain information related to the object to which the RFID tag is attached.

Claims

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

an RFID reader;

a transmitting antenna capable of transmitting an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal when driven by the RFID reader;

a sensor, wherein the sensor senses a change in a physical environment and generates sensor information;

an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the sensor information to recognize a triggering event, wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced; and

a receiving antenna, wherein the receiving antenna receives the response RF signal, wherein the RFID reader receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna is the receiving antenna.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the event recognition module transmits the trigger event message to the RFID reader via a wireless or a wired interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the event recognition module transmits the trigger event message to the RFID reader via a backplane.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the event recognition module also processes the sensor information to recognize an application event, wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the application event, an application event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the application event message the RFID reader causes an adjustment of at least one system setting.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one system setting comprises a power output level used to drive the transmitting antenna.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one system setting comprises a band used to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a user input interface and the triggering event comprises receiving certain input via the user input interface.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the certain input comprises a voice command.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the change in the physical environment is selected from a group consisting of:

a change in temperature;

a change in humidity;

a change in lighting;

a change in acidity;

a change in proximity of an object to a part of the system;

a movement of an object; and

a movement of a user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is removeably attached to a user and the triggering event comprises a movement of the sensor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer and the triggering event comprises an acceleration of the sensor.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope and the triggering event comprises a change in orientation of the sensor.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the event recognition module comprises a movement pattern recognition module that processes the sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of the user moving an object, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of the user moving the object, the trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the movement pattern is determined during a training period wherein the movement pattern is indicated by a human being, and the movement pattern is recognized by comparing the movement of the sensor to the movement pattern.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the movement pattern is indicated by the user during the training period.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the movement pattern recognition module processes the sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of picking up, carrying, and/or putting down the object, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of picking up, carrying, and/or putting down the object, the trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the RFID tag is attached to the object and the receiving antenna is removeably attached to the user during receipt of the response RF signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the RFID reader is removeably attached to the user during receipt of the response RF signal.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a holder adapted to be removeably attached to the user and hold the receiving antenna during receipt of the response RF signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the holder is also adapted to hold the RFID reader during receipt of the response RF signal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the receiving antenna and the RFID reader are removeably attached to the holder.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the receiving antenna is flexible to conform to a shape of the user where the holder is attached.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the holder is also adapted to hold the transmitting antenna during transmission of the interrogating RF signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the holder comprises an RF shielding material positioned to reduce the amount of radiation to which the user is exposed during transmission of the interrogating RF signal and/or receipt of the RF signal.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the holder further comprises an insulating material positioned between the RF shielding material and the transmitting antenna when the transmitting antenna is attached to the holder.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the holder comprises a sleeve adapted to be removeably attached to an arm of the user and the receiving antenna is attached to the sleeve such that, when the sleeve is removeably attached to the arm, the receiving antenna is positioned along the inside of the arm.

29. The system of claim 15, wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information and a processing unit receives the response RF signal and decodes the response RF signal to obtain the signal information.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the signal information is stored on the RFID tag.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises a host system comprising a memory, and the host system identifies the object in the memory based on the signal information obtained from the response RF signal and loads more information about the object from the memory.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the host system further comprises an output interface, wherein the output interface is configured to present at least some of the more information about the object.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the RFID reader comprises the processing unit and the RFID reader transmits the signal information to the host system via a wireless interface, a wired interface, or a backplane.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the host system comprises the processing unit and the RFID reader transmits the response RF signal to the host system via a wireless interface, a wired interface, or a backplane.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the movement pattern recognition module also processes the sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of use of the system for a particular application, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of use of the system for the particular application, an application event message is transmitted to the host system, wherein upon receipt of the application event message the host system causes an adjustment of at least one system setting.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the at least one system setting comprises a power output level used to drive the transmitting antenna.

37. The system of claim 35, further comprising an additional antenna, wherein the additional antenna transmits an additional interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the additional interrogating RF signal on an additional RFID tag, an additional response RF signal is produced encoded with additional signal information, the additional antenna receives the additional response RF signal and transmits the additional response RF signal to the RFID reader, the processing unit receives the additional response RF signal and decodes the additional response RF signal to obtain the additional signal information.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the additional antenna is removeably attached to the user during transmission of the additional interrogating RF signal and receipt of the additional response RF signal.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the host system further comprises a read association module, wherein when the read association module recognizes that the response RF signal and the additional response RF signal are associated.

40. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

an additional RFID reader;

an additional antenna, wherein the additional antenna transmits an additional interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the additional interrogating RF signal on an additional RFID tag, an additional response RF signal is produced encoded with additional signal information, the additional antenna receives the additional response RF signal and transmits the additional response RF signal to the additional RFID reader, the processing unit receives the additional response RF signal and decodes the additional response RF signal to obtain the additional signal information; and

a read association module, wherein when the read association module recognizes that the response RF signal and the additional response RF signal were received by the RFID reader and the additional RFID reader, respectively, within a certain time period of each other, the read association module associates the signal information with the additional signal information in the memory.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna and the RFID reader are configured to transmit RF signals in a plurality of bands, wherein the plurality of bands comprises at least two of the bands selected from the group consisting of:

Ultra High Frequency (UHF);

High Frequency (HF);

Low Frequency (LF); and

Microwave.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the receiving antenna and the RFID reader are configured to receive RF signals in the plurality of bands.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the receiving antenna and the RFID reader are configured to receive RF signals from a plurality of RFID tag types, wherein the plurality of RFID tag types comprises tags complying with at least two of the standards selected from the group consisting of:

UHF Class 0;

UHF Class-1 Generation-2; and

UHF Class 3.

9. The system of claim, wherein the certain input comprises actuation of a control on the user input interface.

44. A method of identifying an object when the object is moved by a user, comprising:

providing a host system comprising a processing unit and a memory;

driving a transmitting antenna to transmit an interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag attached to an object, a response RF signal is produced, wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information;

positioning an RFID system on a user, wherein the RFID system comprises;

a receiving antenna that receives the response RF signal; and

an RFID reader that receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna and transmits the response RF signal to the host system; and

having the user move the object,

wherein the transmitting antenna is driven to transmit the interrogating RF signal automatically, and independent of any additional intentional movement by the user, when the user moves the object,

wherein the host system receives the response RF signal, the processing unit decodes the response RF signal to obtain the signal information, and the host system identifies the object in the memory based on the signal information obtained from the response RF signal.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the transmitting antenna is the receiving antenna.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

providing a sensor that senses a change in a physical environment and generates sensor information;

providing an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the sensor information to recognize a triggering event, wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising positioning an RF shielding material on the user between the transmitting antenna and the user.

49. One or more computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of interrogating an RFID tag, the method comprising:

determining that a triggering event has occurred;

driving a transmitting antenna to transmit an interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced; and

receiving via a receiving antenna the response RF signal.

50. The media of claim 49, wherein the triggering event comprises movement of an object and the movement of the object is sensed using one or more sensors.

51. The media of claim 50, wherein:

the RFID tag is attached to the object;

wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information; and

the method further comprises transmitting the signal information to a host system to obtain information about the object.

52. The media of claim 51, wherein the triggering event comprises recognition of a movement pattern indicative of a user moving the object.

53. The media of claim 52, wherein the indicative movement pattern is determined during a training period wherein the movement pattern is indicated by a human being, and the movement pattern is recognized by comparing the movement of the object to the movement pattern.

54. The media of claim 53, wherein the movement pattern is indicated by the user during the training period.

55. The media of claim 51, wherein sensing that the object has been moved further comprises selecting the RFID tag attached to the object from a plurality of RFID tags within a read range of the receiving antenna.

56. The media of claim 55, wherein the RFID tag is selected based on the RFID tag'"'"'s proximity to the transmitting antenna and/or the receiving antenna.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the RFID tag is selected based on the RFID tag'"'"'s orientation in relation to the transmitting antenna and/or the receiving antenna.

58. A method of interrogating one or more RFID tags, comprising:

driving a transmitting antenna at a first power level to transmit a first interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the first interrogating RF signal on zero or more of a set of RFID tags, a corresponding zero or more first response RF signals are produced;

receiving at least zero of the zero or more first response RF signals via a receiving RF antenna within a certain time period;

choosing a second power level to be used to drive the transmitting antenna based on the at least zero of the zero or more first response RF signals received within the certain time period;

driving the transmitting antenna at the second power level to transmit a second interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the second interrogating RF signal on one or more of the set of RFID tags, a corresponding one or more second response RF signals are produced; and

receiving at least one of the one or more second response RF signals via the receiving RF antenna.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the second power level is chosen to be higher than the first power level because a count of the at least zero of the zero or more first response RF signals received within the certain time period is too low.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the second power level is chosen to be lower than the first power level because a count of the at least zero of the zero or more first response RF signals received within the certain time period is too high.

61. A method of interrogating a plurality of RFID tags, comprising:

transmitting a first interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the first interrogating RF signal on a first RFID tag, a first response RF signal is produced;

receiving the first response RF signal, wherein the first response RF signal is encoded with first signal information;

transmitting a second interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the second interrogating RF signal on a second RFID tag, a second response RF signal is produced;

receiving the second response RF signal, wherein the second response RF signal is encoded with second signal information;

determining that the first response RF signal and the second response RF signal were received within a certain time period of each other;

associating the first signal information with the second signal information.