LOCALIZED TRACKING OF ITEMS WITH ELECTRONIC LABELS

• US 20120322380A1
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Len Nannarone, Marcus Edward Wilson, Owen Nannarone, Timothy H. Linberg
• Original Assignee: Len Nannarone, Marcus Edward Wilson, Owen Nannarone, Timothy H. Linberg
• Inventors: Nannarone, Owen, Nannarone, Len, Wilson, Marcus Edward, Linberg, Timothy H.
• Application Number:
  US13/412,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322380A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0236 Threshold setting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0238 adding new units to the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• 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

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure describes a method that may include identifying, by a monitoring device, a transmission signal of an electronic label, where the monitoring device includes an antenna and a processor. The method may include determining a distance for monitoring the transmission signal of the electronic label, and calibrating a transmission strength for communication with the electronic label via the transmission signal, where the transmission strength is calibrated to approximately achieve the distance. The method may include configuring a communication link between the antenna and the electronic label at approximately the transmission strength, monitoring availability of the communication link, identifying a loss of connection with the communication link, and responsive to the loss of connection, causing, by the monitoring device, an alert to be issued.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by a monitoring device, a transmission signal of an electronic label, wherein the monitoring device comprises an antenna and a processor;

determining a distance for monitoring the transmission signal of the electronic label;

calibrating a transmission strength for communication with the electronic label via the transmission signal, wherein the transmission strength is calibrated to approximately achieve the distance;

configuring a communication link between the antenna and the electronic label at approximately the transmission strength;

monitoring availability of the communication link;

identifying a loss of connection with the communication link; and

responsive to the loss of connection, causing, by the monitoring device, an alert to be issued.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission signal comprises a short-range transmission signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein calibrating the transmission strength includes energizing the electronic label, through the antenna, at a first energy level.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, on a memory, information associated with the electronic label.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information comprises signal-identifying information.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the information comprises the distance.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the monitoring device is configured to access the memory via a network connection.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic label comprises a radio frequency (RF) antenna.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the RF antenna is designed to modulate an interrogating signal of the monitoring device to produce a backscatter signal.

3. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

14. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna;

a processor; and

memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

determine a transmission strength for communication with an electronic label at least up to a range,

establish a communication signal with the electronic label,

monitor availability of a transmission from the electronic label, and

identify a failure to detect the transmission.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the instructions further cause the processor to, prior to establishing the communication signal, energize, by the antenna, a passive transmitter of the electronic label; and

the transmission is a reflected transmission of an interrogating signal emitted from the antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to store, in a second memory, information associated with the electronic label.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, upon re-establishment of power following a power loss:

access a portion of the information, wherein the portion is useful for detection of the reflected transmission;

identify availability of the reflected transmission; and

return to monitoring availability of the reflected transmission.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to authenticate the electronic label prior to monitoring availability of the reflected transmission.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein

authenticating the electronic label comprises reading an electronically-readable code on the electronic label;

and

the instructions further cause the processor to compare data derived from the electronically-readable code to authentication data stored in the memory.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a pairing request via a user interface;

determine an energy level correlating to a range of transmission, wherein

the energy level, when applied to a passive radio frequency tag, is configured enable the passive radio frequency tag to reflect an interrogating signal from a monitoring antenna as a reflected signal, and

the reflected signal is configured to be detectable by the monitoring antenna up to and including the range of transmission;

energize the passive radio frequency tag at approximately the determined energy level; and

monitor availability of the reflected signal.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive the range of transmission via the user interface.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to trigger an alert mechanism responsive to loss of availability of the reflected signal.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a tracking request via the user interface; and

estimate a distance between the monitoring antenna and the passive radio frequency tag.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a tracking request via the user interface; and

estimate a direction of the passive radio frequency tag from the monitoring antenna.

28-38. -38. (canceled)