PORTAL WITH RFID TAG READER AND OBJECT RECOGNITION FUNCTIONALITY, AND METHOD OF UTILIZING SAME

• US 20130063567A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eAgile, Inc.
• Original Assignee: eAgile, Inc.
• Inventors: Burns, Gary P., Phaneuf, Peter, Isabell, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,096,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system

Abstract

An RFID/object recognition system monitors the passage of an object through a portal into a space. An RFID reader adjacent the portal communicates with an RFID tag within a preselected distance from the RFID reader. A data processor processes data from the RFID reader. A 3-dimensional scanner has an RGB camera and a depth sensor with an infrared laser projector and a monochrome CMOS sensor. An infrared laser controller is electronically coupled with the infrared laser projector, and a monochrome CMOS processor is electronically coupled with the monochrome CMOS sensor. The infrared laser controller, monochrome CMOS processor, and RGB camera are electronically coupled with a processor. The RFID reader receives data from an RFID tag when an RFID-tagged object passes within the preselected distance from the RFID reader through the portal. The 3-dimensional object recognition assembly identifies where the RFID-tagged object is located within the defined space.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An RFID/object recognition system for monitoring movement of an object through a portal into a defined space and identifying the configuration of the object, the system comprising:

an RFID reader system associated with a portal into a defined space comprising an RFID reader for communicating with an RFID tag locatable within a preselected distance from the RFID reader, and at least one data processor electronically coupled with the RFID reader for processing data from the RFID reader; and

a 3-dimensional object recognition system associated with at least one of the portal and the defined space, and comprising a 3-dimensional scanner including an RGB camera and a depth sensor, the depth sensor including an infrared laser projector and a monochrome CMOS sensor, an infrared laser controller electronically coupled with the infrared laser projector, a monochrome CMOS processor electronically coupled with the monochrome CMOS sensor, a 3-dimensional image processor electronically coupled with the infrared laser controller, the monochrome CMOS processor, and the RGB camera;

wherein the presence of an object within the preselected distance from the RFID reader can be determined from the receipt of data by the RFID reader from an RFID tag associated with an object;

wherein data from the monochrome CMOS sensor and the RGB camera can be processed into a 3-dimensional image of an object by the 3-dimensional image processor; and

wherein data encoded on the RFID tag can be processed and compared with the 3-dimensional image to confirm that the encoded data pertains to the imaged object.

3. An RFID/object recognition system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the system can identify the location of the RFID-tagged object within the defined space.

4. An RFID/object recognition system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the infrared laser controller can control the transmission of an infrared laser beam from the infrared laser projector to intercept a moving object.

5. An RFID/object recognition system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the infrared laser beam can be reflected from an object to the monochrome CMOS sensor.

6. An RFID/object recognition system in accordance with claim 5 wherein the RGB camera can capture an image of an object concurrently with the transmission of the infrared laser beam from the infrared laser projector.

7. An RFID/object recognition system in accordance with claim 6 wherein the reflected infrared laser beam captured by the CMOS sensor can be correlatively processed with the image from the RGB camera to produce an image having a 3-dimensional perspective, thereby enabling an object to be accurately identified.

8. An RFID/object recognition system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the 3-dimensional object recognition system comprises at least three spaced-apart 3-dimensional scanners for enhancing the 3-dimensional perspective of an image of an object.

9. A method of identifying a subject associated with an RFID tag that is encoded with data concerning the subject, the method comprising:

providing an RFID reader for communicating with an encoded RFID tag located within a preselected distance from the RFID reader;

electronically coupling at least one data processor with the RFID reader for processing data received from the encoded RFID tag;

electronically coupling an RGB camera with a 3-dimensional image processor;

electronically coupling an infrared laser projector with an infrared laser controller;

electronically coupling a monochrome CMOS sensor with a monochrome CMOS processor;

electronically coupling the infrared laser controller with the 3-dimensional image processor;

electronically coupling the monochrome CMOS processor with the 3-dimensional image processor;

reading data from the encoded RFID tag by the RFID reader concerning the location and identity of the subject;

obtaining an image of the subject with the RGB camera;

transmitting a laser light beam for reflection from the subject to the monochrome CMOS sensor;

processing data from the monochrome CMOS sensor and the RGB camera by the 3-dimensional image processor into a 3-dimensional image of the subject;

processing data encoded on the RFID tag by the at least one data processor; and

comparing the processed data from the RFID tag with the 3-dimensional image of the subject.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, and further confirming that the processed data from the RFID tag pertains to the 3-dimensional image of the subject.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, and further undertaking corrective action associated with the subject if the processed data from the RFID tag does not pertain to the 3-dimensional image of the subject.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the subject is one of an inanimate subject, a person, an animal, and a plant.