LOW-POWER WIRELESSLY-LINKED RFID TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20110309931A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tunnel Radio of America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mark D. Rose
• Inventors: Rose, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,760,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/18 Special adaptations of signalling or alarm devices for mine lifts B66B; gas-sensitive devices per se G01N
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A wirelessly-linked RFID tracking system is disclosed herein. The system includes low-power wirelessly-linked RFID readers in communication with a mine radio network to detect and transmit information received from a plurality of RFID tags. The RFID readers transmit tag information to a local server for providing notification and/or alarm information to system users as required under the Miner Act of 2006. The RFID readers may further include environmental sensors to sense and communicate environmental conditions wirelessly. In addition, the optional capability of hi-intensity warning LEDs mounted on the reader devices, may be deployed to alert personnel of an emergency condition even when hundreds of feet away from the device, irrespective of background noise prevalent in mining operations. The disclosed system communicatively links a plurality of wireless RFID readers to each other and/or to the mine radio network to create a data path from an underground environment to a surface environment. It should be appreciated that the system may be applied in a number of environments, including, but not limited to mines, oil platforms, industrial surface complexes, such as petroleum refineries, ships, etc.

Claims

1. An RFID tracking system wirelessly interfaced with a radio communication network for tracking at least one self-contained RFID tag, comprising:

at least one self-contained RFID tag;

at least one wirelessly-linked RFID reader wirelessly linked to the RFID tag and further linked to the radio communication network; and

a server computing device configured to receive transmissions from the wirelessly-linked RFID reader via the radio communication network, the transmissions comprising tag information for the RFID tag, wherein the wireless reader is communicatively linked to create a data path from the RFID tag through the radio communications network to a surface environment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag information includes a time and a location of a user associated with the self-contained RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio communication network includes one or more devices selected from the group consisting of a radio network headend, a radio repeater, a leaky feeder cable, a coaxial cable, an amplifier, a splitter, a splice box, a termination unit, an antenna, a power source, and a surge protector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the self-contained RFID tag is coupled to an asset and the tag information associated with the asset includes a date, a time, and a location of the asset.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wirelessly-linked RFID reader includes a plurality of ports for communicating with one or more devices configured to sense environmental data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more devices includes a power source, one or more other wirelessly-linked RFID readers, and one or more environmental sensors, the one or more environmental sensors selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a methane sensor, and a carbon monoxide sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is wirelessly linked to a second reader in a multi-hop configuration.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the wirelessly-linked RFID reader is configured to further transmit environmental data measured by the one or more environmental sensors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the server computing device includes a user interface module configured to provide a graphical user interface for a user to view and control aspects of the RFID tracking system, the user interface module comprising:

a notification module configured to notify the user of a status of the RFID tag by displaying the associated tag information;

a map module configured to present one or more graphical map views of the underground environment and/or the surface environment, the map views including a location marker for the wirelessly-linked RFID reader and the RFID tag located within the associated map view;

a search module configured to allow the user to search for information about a person or an asset bearing the self-contained RFID tag;

a tag management module configured to provide an interface for managing data associated with the self-contained RFID tag;

a reader management module configured to manage the wirelessly-linked RFID reader deployed throughout the underground environment and the surface environment; and

a configuration module configured to provide an interface for controlling aspects of the user interface module.

10. A wirelessly-linked RFID computing device, comprising:

a power source;

a processor; and

a memory holding instructions executable by the processor to;

wirelessly receive tag information from a self-contained RFID tag; and

transmit the tag information from the RFID tag to a server computing device via an existing radio network;

a gas sensor card configured to send environmental sensor data through the existing radio network.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the gas sensor card is operatively linked to a methane sensor.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the gas sensor card includes integrated sensors for one or more of pressure, humidity and temperature.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the gas sensor card is configured to identify a change in an environmental condition within an immediate environment associated with the one or more environmental sensors and transmit environmental data to a second wirelessly-linked RFID computing device and/or the server computing device.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the RFID computing device is configured to indicate a status of an environmental condition.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the RFID computing device is communicatively linked to a server configured to display the tag information.

16. The device of claim 10, further comprising one or more indicators that indicate a status of the wirelessly-linked RFID computing device.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the process is configured to transmit the tag information to a second wirelessly-linked RFID computing device in a multi-hop mode.

18. A method of tracking RFID tags using a radio communication network, the method comprising:

deploying a plurality of self-contained RFID tags, each self-contained RFID tag configured to transmit tag information identifying the self-contained RFID tag;

deploying a plurality of wirelessly-linked RFID readers, each wirelessly-linked RFID reader interfaced to the radio communication network; and

at the wirelessly-linked RFID reader;

receiving a tag information transmission from one of the plurality of self-contained RFID tags;

receiving an environmental information transmission from one or more environmental sensors; and

sending a message to a server computing device, the message including the tag information, the environmental information, and identifying information for the wirelessly-linked RFID reader.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising at the server computing device:

receiving the message from the wirelessly-linked RFID reader;

comparing the tag information to a manifest; and

displaying a user interface including a location of each of the self-contained RFID tags.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the tag information includes a time and a location associated with the self-contained RFID tag.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the environmental information includes one or more of pressure data, temperature data, humidity data, methane data, and carbon monoxide data.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying information includes a location and a status of the wirelessly-linked RFID reader.