RFID-Based Data Collection, Correlation And Transmission System, And Method For Collecting Data And Correlating Same To System Participant Identities And Actions Thereof

• US 20110285502A1
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barcoding, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Barcoding, Inc.
• Inventors: Poulsen, William J., Steinmetz, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 8,581,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• 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 7/10227 loading programming parameters or programs into the interrogator, e.g. for configuring the interrogator

Abstract

An RFID-based data collection, correlation and transmission system and method carried out thereby is provided. The system, which comprises one or more RFID-readers, a radio frequency identification (RFID) recognition and control component. a storage device interface, a portable and/or internal data storage device in communication with the storage device interface, one or more antennas, and a configuration and command component, is operable to collect data of interest from detected RFID tags, and detect and identify system participants and data related thereto. In addition, the system is operable to correlate potential data of interest, such as product advertising information, to the detected system participants, and transmit the data of interest to the system participants via numerous methods of communication. Thus, the system provides a means of highly targeted information distribution, as well as providing user reports valuable in future planning.

Claims

1. An electronic data collection system comprising:

(a) one or more RFID readers operable to obtain/receive electronic data from passive and/or active RFID tags;

(b) a radio frequency identification (RFID) recognition and control component operable to control operation of the RFID readers, receive information transmitted from an RFID tag, selectively filter/convert said received information according to a preset configuration command set, and transmit the filtered/converted information, said RFID recognition component in communication with one or more of said RFID readers;

(c) a storage device interface in communication with the RFID recognition and control component;

(d) a portable and/or internal data storage device in communication with the storage device interface;

(e) one or more antennas in communication with the one or more RFID readers; and

(f) a configuration and command component operable to compile a configuration command set readable by the RFID recognition and control component, said configuration command set comprised of one or more RFID operation parameters and one or more data format types.

2. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, further comprising a data storage medium in communication with the RFID recognition and control component.

3. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, further comprising a geographic location determination means in communication with the RFID recognition and control component, said geographic location determination means operable to determine a location of the one or more RFID readers.

4. The electronic data collection system of claim 3, wherein the geographic location determination means is selected from the group consisting of a GPS, a triangulation device, an optical device, a magnetic compass interface, and a location input means.

5. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, wherein the RFID recognition component comprises an electronic control and data processing module operable to execute the configuration command set in conjunction with the RFID readers.

6. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, wherein the storage drive interface is a USB drive interface.

7. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, wherein the portable and/or internal storage device is one or more of a USB flash drive, SD card, memory stick, and portable hard drive.

8. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, wherein the configuration command set is a computer program product comprising computer usable program code embodied on the portable and/or internal data storage device for controlling operation of the RFID readers and processing of information obtained therefrom, the computer program product comprising computer usable program code operable to:

(a) enable establishment of one or more RFID reader operational parameters, said parameters comprised of RF (radio frequency) power level, read range, permitted interrogation sources, scan delay, desired data type, run state (auto or manual) and time zone;

(b) enable establishment of one or more data files;

(c) enable establishment of desired data types and/or formats to be stored in each data file; and

(d) communicate the RFID reader operation parameters to the RFID recognition and control component.

9. The electronic data collection system of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is further operable to:

enable establishment of data fields within each data file for organization of data therein.

10. The electronic data collection system of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is further operable to:

convert data received from the RFID recognition and control component into other data types and/or formats.

11. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user display in communication with the RFID recognition and control component.

12. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, wherein the portable and/or internal data storage device is operable to query the radio frequency identification (RFID) recognition and control component for a subset of the collected data.

13. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) one or more sensory detection means for collecting detected sensory information selected from the group consisting of a microphone, camera, temperature sensor, distance sensor (to detect distance of interrogation source from RFID reader), ocular detection and tracking means, and tactile sensors in communication with the RFID recognition and control component; and

(b) a user identity and presentation data correlation component comprising;

(v) computer usable program code operable to associate the detected sensory information with one or more detected RFID tags;

(vi) computer usable program code operable to associate the detected RFID tags with one or more assigned users thereof;

(vii) computer usable program code operable to correlate the detected sensory information with associated presentation data.

(viii) computer usable program code operable to correlate the one or more assigned users with the associated presentation data.

14. The electronic data collection system of claim 13, wherein the user identity and presentation data correlation component further comprises computer usable program code operable to compile a visitor report comprising the associated presentation data.

15. The electronic data collection system of claim 14, wherein the user identity and presentation data correlation component further comprises computer usable program code operable to transmit the visitor report to the one or more assigned users.

16. The electronic data collection system of claim 15, wherein transmission of the visitor report to the one or more assigned users is via E-mail, mobile device text message and/or hard copy.

17. The electronic data collection system of claim 13, wherein the one or more RFID readers is triggered by one or more of the sensory detection means.

18. The electronic data collection system of claim 13, wherein the one or more of the sensory detection means are triggered by the one or more RFID readers.

19. The electronic data collection system of claim 13, further comprising:

a video display means in communication with the radio frequency identification (RFID) recognition and control component; and

computer usable program code operable to compare the detected sensory information to a database file of stored graphic and audio data stored on the portable and/or internal data storage device, determine correlative graphic and audio data, and communicate the determined correlative graphic and audio data to the video display means.

20. The electronic data collection system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) one or more sensory detection means for collecting detected sensory information selected from the group consisting of a microphone, camera, temperature sensor, distance sensor (to detect distance of interrogation source from RFID reader), ocular detection and tracking means, and tactile sensors in communication with the RFID recognition and control component; and

(b) a user identity and presentation data correlation component comprising;

(i) computer usable program code operable to associate the detected sensory information with one or more detected RFID tags;

(ii) computer usable program code operable to associate the detected RFID tags with one or more assigned users thereof;

(iii) computer usable program code operable to compare the detected sensory information to a database file of stored graphic and audio data stored on the portable and/or internal data storage device, determine correlative graphic and audio data, and communicate the determined correlative graphic and/or audio data to the assigned user via video and/or audio means.

21. A data collection method comprising:

(a) establishing one or more data collector operational parameters, said parameters comprised of RF (radio frequency) power level, read range, permitted interrogation sources, scan delay, desired data type, run state (auto or manual) and time zone;

(b) establishing of one or more data files;

(c) establishing desired data types and/or formats to be stored in each data file;

(d) initiating one or more data collection reads corresponding to the one or more data collection reader operational parameters; and

(e) storing data collected in the one or more data collection reads.

22. The data collection method of claim 21, further comprising establishing data fields within each data file for organization of data therein.

23. The data collection method of claim 21, further comprising converting the stored data into other data types and/or formats.

24. The data collection method of claim 21, wherein the data collector is one or more of an RFID reader, wireless communication means, ethernet, zigbee, usb communication with an external computing device, and serial communication.

25. The data collection method of claim 21, further comprising:

collecting detected sensory information from an interrogation source selected from the group consisting of audio, video, temperature, distance of interrogation source from data reader, target ocular movement and direction characteristics, and tactile sensory data; and

associating the detected sensory information with one or more data sources.

26. The data collection method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining the geographic location of the one or more RFID readers via a manual or automatic geographic determination means.

27. The data collection method of claim 25, further comprising:

storing exhibit information and characteristics thereof, including location and subject matter thereof;

determining which stored exhibit information corresponds to detected sensory information; and

compiling a user report comprising exhibit information viewed and/or requested by the interrogation source.