Apparatus and method for locating, tracking, controlling and recognizing tagged objects using active RFID technology.

• US 20120242481A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jamie Robinette, Tassilo Gernandt
• Original Assignee: Jamie Robinette, Tassilo Gernandt
• Inventors: Gernandt, Tassilo, Robinette, Jamie
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0705 the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/071 the source being a field other than an interrogation field, e.g. WLAN, cellular phone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0711 the source being mechanical or acoustical
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0219 Circuit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0255 System arrangements wherein the parent unit emits, i.e. the parent unit incorporates the emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a miniaturized apparatus to locate, track, recognize and control objects using miniature RF circuits that are programmed as an active tag or as one of several embodiments of a controller, including one small enough to be incorporated into a personal object, like a ring. In its simplest embodiment, a portable or wearable controller communicates wirelessly with a tag secured to a surface, analogously to a car remote—push button, receive a signal from tag or back at the controller, to locate tagged object. In more complex forms, the tag can be integrated into objects or connected to a network. One controller can manage a plurality of tags. The basic platform of tag and controller can be built up to create a sophisticated area control with environmental sensors, inventory functions, tracking individuals and allowing or denying access, operating objects like doors and lights, and creating supporting ambient security with checks and balances between tags and controllers on people and their possessions, such as baggage at an airport. Arrays of tag or controllers extend the wireless range to accommodate large structures and areas. This novel system is self-contained, with a low power protocol to give long battery life time and does not require internet or GPS to perform its functions.

Claims

1. A RFID system, comprising:

a controller; and

at least one RFID tag configured to be intermittently active so as to be locatably and controllably tracked by the controller, wherein

the at least one RFID tag includes a miniature circuit device that includes a transceiver and a microcontroller configured to intermittently awaken and power down the miniature circuit so as to conserve power usage, and

the controller includes a transceiver circuit that at least transmits a coded inquiry signal detectable and recognizable by the at least one RFID tag such that the microcontroller of the at least one RFID tag takes action in response to a recognized inquiry signal from the controller.

2. A RFID system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one area tag configured to intermediate communication between the controller and the at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one area tag is fixedly located and includes a miniature circuit device that includes a transceiver and a microcontroller configured to intermittently awaken and power down the miniature circuit so as to conserve power usage, and

wherein the at least one area tag is further configured to transmit a coded inquiry signal detectable and recognizable by the at least one RFID tag such that the microcontroller of the at least one RFID tag takes action in response to a recognized inquiry signal from the at least one area tag.

3. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a control signal detectable by the at least one RFID tag such that the at least one RFID tag operates in accordance with commands in the control signal.

4. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID tag is at least one of mounted in and integrated into a device to be attached to a subject to be tracked.

5. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is at least one of mounted in and integrated into a device to be at least one of worn by and carried by the user.

6. A RFID system according to claim 5, wherein the device includes at least one of a cellular telephone, a pager, a key chain, a ring, a necklace, a bracelet, a watch, a bag, a purse, a luggage tag, a name tag and a belt.

7. A RFID system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of RFID tags.

8. A RFID system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one area tag configured to intermediate communication between the controller and the at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one area tag is fixedly located and includes a miniature circuit device that includes a transceiver and a microcontroller configured to intermittently awaken and power down the miniature circuit so as to conserve power usage.

9. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the reply signal generated by the at least one RFID tag in response to the controller inquiry includes at least one of a visible, audible, tactile and electromagnetically detectable response.

10. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a distance between the controller and a RFID tag being queried based on a time delay in RF signals transmitted and received between the controller and the RFID tag being queried.

11. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tag further includes an attachment sensor to monitor whether the RFID tag is securely attached to an object to be monitored, and the microcontroller is configured to output a signal in response to the attachment sensor determining that the RFID has at least one of attached to the object to be monitored and detached from the object to be monitored.

12. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tag further includes an environmental sensor to monitor environmental conditions local to the RFID tag.

13. A RFID system according to claim 8, wherein the area tag further includes an environmental sensor to monitor environmental conditions local to the area tag.

14. A RFID system according to claim 12, wherein the RFID tag is further configured to output a signal in response to predetermined environmental conditions local to the RFID tag.

15. A RFID system according to claim 13, wherein the area tag is further configured to output a signal in response to predetermined environmental conditions local to the area tag.

16. A RFID system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is further configured such that, while the RFID tag is in an awakened state, the at least one RFID tag at least one of remains silent and generates and outputs a reply signal in response to the recognized inquiry signal from the controller.

17. A RFID system according to claim 16, wherein the RFID tag is further configured to receive a predeterminedly recognizable inquiry signal during the awakened state such that, while the RFID tag is in the awakened state and if the RFID tag does not receive the predeterminedly recognizable inquiry signal during the awakened state, the RFID at least one of logs, counts, stores data, and signals to the controller or user upon reaching or exceeding a predefined limit.

18. A method for operating a RFID system, wherein the system includes a controller;

and at least one RFID tag configured to be intermittently active so as to be locatably and controllably tracked by the controller, the method comprising the steps of;

the at least one RFID tag intermittently activating so as to be locatably and controllably tracked by the controller, including intermittently awakening and powering down so as to conserve power usage;

the controller transmitting a coded inquiry signal to the at least one RFID tag;

the at least one RFID tag detecting and recognizing the coded inquiry signal while the at least one RFID tag is in an awakened powered up state; and

the at least one RFID tag takes action in response to the recognized inquiry signal from the controller.

19. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, wherein said step of the at least one RFID tag taking action in response to the recognized inquiry signal from the controller includes the at least one RFID tag at least one of remaining silent and signaling in response to the recognized inquiry signal from the controller.

20. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 19, wherein said step of the at least one RFID tag taking action in response to the recognized inquiry signal from the controller further includes the RFID tag being configured to receive a predeterminedly recognizable inquiry signal during the awakened state, and

while the RFID tag is in the awakened state and if the RFID tag does not receive the predeterminedly recognizable inquiry signal during the awakened state, the RFID tag signals so as to notify at least one of the controller and the user.

21. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

providing the at least one RFID tag so as to be at least one of mounted in and integrated into an object to be monitored.

22. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, wherein said step of the at least one RFID tag intermittently activating further includes providing the at least one RFID tag with an attachment sensor to monitor whether the RFID tag is attached to the object to be monitored, and the RFID tag signalling the user in response to the attachment sensor determining that the RFID tag has at least one of securely/attached to and detached from the object to be monitored.

23. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 21, wherein the step of transmitting a coded inquiry signal to the at least one RFID tag further includes transmitting a control signal detectable by the at least one RFID tag such that the at least one RFID tag operates in accordance with commands in the control signal.

24. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, further comprises:

providing at least one fixedly located area tag; and

the area tag intermediating communication between the controller and the at least one RFID tag or a further controller.

25. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, wherein the step of the at least one RFID tag generating the reply signal in response to the controller inquiry includes the at least one RFID tag generating at least one of a visible, audible, tactile and electromagnetically detectable response.

26. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

the controller determining a distance between the controller and the at least one RFID tag being queried based on a time delay in RF signals transmitted and received between the controller and the RFID tag being queried.

27. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, wherein the step of the at least one RFID tag intermittently activating further includes providing the at least one RFID tag with an environmental sensor to monitor environmental conditions local to the RFID tag.

28. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, wherein the step of providing the at least one fixedly located area tag further includes providing an environmental sensor to monitor environmental conditions local to the area tag.

29. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 27, wherein the RFID tag outputs a signal in response to predetermined environmental conditions local to the RFID tag.

30. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 28, wherein the area tag outputs a signal in response to predetermined environmental conditions local to the area tag.

31. A method for operating a RFID system according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

initializing the at least one RFID tag by activating the at least one RFID tag in a teach-in mode that identifies the at least one RFID tag to the controller; and

storing the identification of the at least one RFID tag with the controller.