TECHNIQUES FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT OBJECTS

• US 20130078968A1
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3241 particular used in keyless entry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Techniques for obtaining information about an object on which a radio-frequency transceiver device is mounted when in a space defined by a vehicular frame. A request is generated at a telecommunications device for the object'"'"'s location and received at an interrogator on the frame. In response to receipt of the request, the interrogator directs antennas to transmit RF signals into the space. The transceiver device returns a signal if and when it receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the antenna(s). Return signals from the transceiver device are received at each antenna and a processor, on the vehicle or the telecommunications device, derives information about the object based on the return signals. The derived information includes a location of the object in the space and/or an identification of the object, and may be displayed on a display of the telecommunications device.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining information about an object on which a radio-frequency transceiver device is mounted when the transceiver device is in a space defined by a frame of a vehicle, comprising:

generating a request at a portable telecommunications device for location of the object in the space, the portable telecommunications device being usable when separate and apart from the vehicle;

receiving at least one interrogator on the frame, the request generated at the telecommunications device and after and in response to receipt of the request, causing the at least one interrogator to direct at least one antenna on the frame to transmit radio frequency signals into the space, the transceiver device being an active transmitter device that includes a power source and returns a signal if and when the transceiver device receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the at least one antenna;

receiving, at the at least one antenna, any return signals from the transceiver device;

deriving, using a processor, information about the object on which the transceiver device is mounted based on the return signals, the derived information including at least one of a location of the object in the space defined by the frame and an identification of the object; and

displaying on a display of the telecommunications device, the information providing the at least one of the location of the object in the space defined by the frame and the identification of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is mounted on the frame in a position and orientation to enable transmission of the radio frequency signals into the space and reception of signals from the space.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications device is a smartphone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications device is configured to generate the request based on an identification of the object or an identification of the transceiver device mounted to the object, such that the at least one interrogator is caused to direct the at least one antenna to transmit radio frequency signals with the identification, the transceiver device returning a signal only when the transceiver device receives a signal having its identification.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is on the vehicle, further comprising wirelessly transmitting, using a communications device on the frame that is coupled to the processor, the information about the object on which the transmitter device is mounted to the telecommunications device.

7. An arrangement for obtaining information about an object on which a radio-frequency transceiver device is mounted when the transceiver device is in a space defined by a frame of a vehicle, comprising:

a frame defining an interior space of the vehicle;

at least one antenna arranged on said frame and enabling transmission of radio frequency signals into the space and reception of signals from the space;

a portable telecommunications device that generates a request for location of the object in the space, said telecommunications device being usable when separate and apart from the vehicle; and

at least one interrogator coupled to said at least one antenna and arranged to receive the request generated at said telecommunications device and after and in response to receipt of the request, control transmission of radio frequency signals by said at least one antenna into the space whereby when a transceiver device in the space, that is an active transmitter device having a power source, receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the at least one antenna, it generates a return signal, said at least one antenna being arranged to receive the return signals generated by any transceiver devices in the space; and

a processor coupled to said at least one antenna and deriving information about the object on which the transceiver device is mounted based on the return signals, the derived information including at least one of a location of the object in the space defined by the frame and an identification of the object;

said telecommunications device including a display on which the information providing the at least one of the location of the object in the space defined by the frame and the identification of the object is displayed.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas.

9. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said at least one antenna is mounted on said frame in a position and orientation to enable transmission of the radio frequency signals into the space and reception of signals from the space.

10. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said processor is arranged on said frame, further comprising a communications device arranged on said frame and coupled to said processor, said communications device wirelessly transmitting the information about the object on which the transmitter device is mounted to the telecommunications device.

11. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said telecommunications device is a smartphone.

12. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said telecommunications device is configured to generate the request based on an identification of the object or an identification of the transceiver device mounted to the object, such that said at least one interrogator is caused to direct said at least one antenna to transmit radio frequency signals with the identification, the transceiver device returning a signal only when the transceiver device receives a signal having its identification.

13. A method for enabling an individual to locate an object in a container of a vehicle, the object having a radio-frequency transceiver device arranged in connection therewith at least when the object is in a space defined by the container, comprising:

generating, by means of the individual using an user interface of a portable telecommunications device, a request for location of the object in the space defined by the container, the portable telecommunications device being usable when separate and apart from the vehicle;

receiving at least one interrogator on the container, the request generated at the telecommunications device and after and in response to receipt of the request, causing the at least one interrogator to direct at least one antenna on the container to transmit radio frequency signals into the space, the transceiver device being an active transmitter device that includes a power source and returns a signal if and when the transceiver device receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the at least one antenna;

receiving, at the at least one antenna, any return signals from the transceiver device;

deriving, using a processor, information about the object on which the transceiver device is mounted based on the return signals, the derived information including at least one of a location of the object in the space defined by the frame and an identification of the object; and

using the telecommunications device, providing the individual with the information about at least one of the location of the object in the space defined by the frame and the identification of the object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing the individual with the information using the telecommunications device comprises displaying on a display of the telecommunications device viewable to the individual, the information about at least one of the location of the object in the space defined by the frame and the identification of the object.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one antenna is mounted on the frame in a position and orientation to enable transmission of the radio frequency signals into the space and reception of signals from the space.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the processor is on the vehicle, further comprising wirelessly transmitting, using a communications device on the frame that is coupled to the processor, the information about the object on which the transmitter device is mounted to the telecommunications device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the telecommunications device is a smartphone.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the telecommunications device is configured to generate the request based on an identification of the object or an identification of the transceiver device mounted to the object, such that the at least one interrogator is caused to direct the at least one antenna to transmit radio frequency signals with the identification, the transceiver device returning a signal only when the transceiver device receives a signal having its identification.

20. A computer program resident on a telecommunications device that enables an individual to locate an object in a container of a vehicle, the object having a radio-frequency transceiver device arranged in connection therewith at least when the object is in a space defined by the container, the telecommunications device being usable when separate and apart from the vehicle, the computer program being resident on computer-readable storage media and being configured to:

generate, by means of the individual using a user interface of the telecommunications device, a request for location of the object in the space defined by the container,

cause at least one interrogator on the container to direct at least one antenna on the container to transmit radio frequency signals into the space after and in response to receipt of the generated request, the transceiver device being an active transmitter device that includes a power source and returns a signal if and when the transceiver device receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the at least one antenna;

derive information about the object on which the transceiver device is mounted based on return signals from the transceiver device received at the at least one antenna, the derived information including at least one of a location of the object in the space defined by the frame and an identification of the object; and

provide, using the telecommunications device, the individual with the information about at least one of the location of the object in the space defined by the frame and the identification of the object.