PASSIVE RFID ASSISTED ACTIVE RFID TAG

• US 20140183261A1
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ung, Kevin Y., Battles, Craig Farris, Smith, Brian James, Kelsey, William David, Kumar, Anil, Caton, Lindsey M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/439
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A radiofrequency identification (RFID) device includes an active RFID tag that includes a power source and a passive RFID tag reader, the passive RFID tag reader electrically coupled to the power source of the active RFID tag.

Claims

1. A radiofrequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

an active RFID tag that includes a power source; and

a passive-RFID tag reader, the passive-RFID tag reader electrically coupled to the power source of the active RFID tag.

2. The RFID device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna electrically coupled to the passive-RFID tag reader, the antenna configured to directionally send and receive a signal from a passive RFID tag; and

an antenna orientation device configured to orient the direction of the signal.

3. The RFID device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a transmission power control device configured to adjust a transmission power of the signal.

4. The RFID device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a location engine, the location engine configured to receive data from the active RFID tag and data from the passive-RFID tag reader, the location engine calculating a present location based upon the received data from the active RFID tag and the passive-RFID tag reader.

5. The RFID device according to claim 4, further comprising:

at least one of a gyroscope and a proximity detector that outputs location data to the active RFID tag.

6. The RFID device according to claim 5, wherein the active RFID tag is configured to transmit tag identification (TID) data, the TID data including the location data.

7. The RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the passive-RFID tag reader is configured to interrogate a passive RFID tag within a predetermined distance of the passive-RFID tag reader, and receive electronic product code (EPC) data from the interrogated tag.

8. The RFID device according to claim 7, wherein the passive-RFID tag reader transmits the EPC data to the active tag, and the active tag transmits the EPC data to an active tag reader.

9. A method of determining the location of an object coupled to a radiofrequency identification device, the method comprising:

interrogating a passive tag using a passive-RFID tag reader and receiving electronic product code (EPC) data from the passive tag;

transmitting the EPC data to an active RFID tag that is coupled to the passive RFID tag reader;

transmitting the EPC data and active RFID tag data from the active RFID tag to an active RFID tag reader; and

determining the location of the object using the EPC data and active RFID tag data.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein interrogating the passive RFID tag includes orienting an antenna to a predetermined direction.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving at the active RFID tag supplemental location data from a gyroscope, and including the supplemental location data with the active RFID tag data.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

optically scanning a location marker to receive supplemental location and transmitting the supplemental location data to the active RFID tag, the active RFID tag including the supplemental location data with the active RFID tag data.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising interrogating a plurality of passive RFID tags.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising supplying power to the active RFID tag and the passive-RFID tag reader from the same power source.

15. A system for determining the location of an object using radiofrequency identification (RFID), comprising:

an RFID device, including an active RFID tag that includes a power source and a passive-RFID tag reader, the passive-RFID tag reader electrically coupled to the power source of the active RFID tag;

wherein the RFID device is configured to output electronic product code (EPC) data received from the passive-RFID tag reader and tag identification (TID) data of the active RFID tag; and

an active RFID reader configured to receive the outputted EPC data and TID data and determine a location of the RFID device based upon the received EPC data and active RFID data.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the RFID device further comprises:

an antenna electrically coupled to the passive-RFID tag reader, the antenna configured to directionally send and receive a signal from a passive RFID tag; and

an antenna orientation device configured to orient the direction of the signal.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the RFID device further comprises a transmission power control device configured to adjust a transmission power of the signal.

18. The system according to claim 15, the RFID device further comprising at least one of a gyroscope and a proximity detector that outputs location data to the active RFID tag.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the passive-RFID tag reader is configured to interrogate a passive RFID tag within a predetermined distance.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the passive-RFID tag reader is configured to receive EPC data from at least one passive RFID tag and transmits the received EPC data to the active RFID tag.