READING RFID TAGS IN DEFINED SPATIAL LOCATIONS

• US 20140159869A1
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zumsteg, Philip, Qu, Huyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,892,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10089 the interrogation device using at least one directional antenna or directional interrogation field to resolve the collision direction or location finding, such as triangulation techniques, G01S13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

Devices, methods, and software are disclosed for reading RFID tags located in defined spatial locations. In one illustrative embodiment, a system can comprise a processor, a memory, and an RFID reading device including at least one radio frequency (RF) antenna. The system can be configured to read a first plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a first spatial zone and read a second plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a second spatial zone. The system can be further configured to produce a list of identifiers of RFID tags which belong to the second plurality of RFID tags and do not belong to the first plurality of RFID tags. In some embodiments, the system can be further configured, responsive to successfully decoding decodable indicia attached to an item, to match the item to an RFID tag belonging to the list.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

an RFID reading device including at least one radio frequency (RF) antenna;

wherein said system is configured to read a first plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a first spatial zone;

wherein said system is further configured to read a second plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a second spatial zone; and

wherein said system is further configured to produce a list of identifiers of RFID tags which belong to said second plurality of RFID tags and do not belong to said first plurality of RFID tags.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a decodable indicia reading device;

wherein said system is further configured, responsive to successfully decoding decodable indicia attached to an item, to match said item to an RFID tag belonging to said list.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a decodable indicia reading device;

wherein said system is further configured, responsive to successfully decoding decodable indicia attached to an item, to match said item to an RFID tag belonging to said list; and

wherein said system is further configured to transmit an identifier of said matched RFID tag to an external computer.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a decodable indicia reading device;

wherein said system is further configured, responsive to successfully decoding decodable indicia attached to an item, to match said item to an RFID tag belonging to said list; and

wherein said system is further configured to modify a memory of said matched RFID tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RF antenna is provided by two or more RF antennas;

wherein said system is configured to read said first plurality of RFID tags using a first RF antenna; and

wherein said system is configured to read said second plurality of RFID tags using a second RF antenna.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RF antenna is equipped with at least one of:

a ground plane spatially oriented according to a spatial location of at least one of said first spatial zone or said second spatial zone, or a conductive shield spatially oriented according to a spatial location of at least one of said first spatial zone or said second spatial zone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured to associate RFID tags with one of said first spatial zone or said second spatial zone by performing at least one of:

selecting an antenna from one or more antennas communicatively coupled to said RFID reading device, varying a transmit power of said RFID reading device and measuring RFID tag response rates at a given transmit power level.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is incorporated into one of:

a portable device, a point-of-sale (POS) checkout register.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first spatial zone and said second spatial zone intersect by at least one spatial point.

10. A method, performed using one or more processors, comprising:

reading, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a first plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a first spatial zone;

reading, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a second plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a second spatial zone; and

matching, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, an item to an RFID tag belonging to said second plurality of RFID tags but not to said first plurality of RFID tags.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

decoding, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, optical decodable indicia attached to said item,

preceding said step of matching.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, an identifier of said matched RFID tag to an external computer.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

modifying, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a memory of said matched RFID tag.

14. A method, performed using one or more processors, comprising:

varying, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a transmit power of an RFID reading device;

measuring, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, response rates by a plurality of RFID tags at a given transmit power level;

associating, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, each RFID tag of said plurality of RFID tags with one of;

a first spatial zone or a second spatial zone;

decoding, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, optical decodable indicia attached to an item; and

matching, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, an item to an RFID tag belonging to said second plurality of RFID tags but not to said first plurality of RFID tags.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

decoding, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, optical decodable indicia attached to said item,

preceding said step of matching.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, an identifier of said matched RFID tag to an external computer.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions capable of configuring one or more processors for:

reading, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a first plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a first spatial zone;

reading, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a second plurality of RFID tags attached to items disposed within a second spatial zone;

decoding, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, optical decodable indicia attached to an item; and

matching, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, said item to an RFID tag belonging to said second plurality of RFID tags but not to said first plurality of RFID tags.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, in which said executable instructions are further capable of configuring one or more processors for:

transmitting, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, an identifier of said matched RFID tag to an external computer.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, in which said executable instructions are further capable of configuring one or more processors for:

modifying, using at least one processor of said one or more processors, a memory of said matched RFID tag.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, in which said executable instructions are further capable of configuring one or more processors so that:

said step of reading said first plurality of RFID tags is performed using a first RF antenna; and

wherein said step of reading said second plurality of RFID tags is performed using a second RF antenna.