Automated RFID Reader Detection

• US 20140341063A1
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Carraher, Theodore R., Hyre, Bruce H., Lavin, David K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,278,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2488 Timing issues, e.g. synchronising measures to avoid signal collision, with multiple emitters or a single emitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Carrying out a calibration cycle on one or more components in a local area network, the network including a plurality of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers and the calibration cycle including exchanging, between RFID readers or other components of the local area network, distances between RFID readers calculated by one or more other components of the local area network.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method of calibrating a local area network including a plurality of Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) Readers, the method comprising:

carrying out a calibration cycle on one or more components in a local area network, the network including a plurality of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers, the calibration cycle including exchanging, between RFID readers or other components of the local area network, distances between RFID readers calculated by one or more other components of the local area network, and

at a component receiving the distances in the exchange, verifying the accuracy of the exchanged calculated distances between RFID readers in the local area network.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the calibration cycle includes exchanging between two or more RFID readers distances between RFID readers calculated by other components of the local area network and wherein the one or more other components includes at least one different RFID reader.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the method further comprises:

an RFID reader in the local area network sending a radio signal to calibrate its position with each of the other RFID readers in the local area network.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the radio signal includes a personal identification and a list of other RFID readers seen by the sending RFID reader.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the calibration cycle is for the local area network and is repeated multiple times per second.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein each RFID reader in the local area network maintains a registry of other RFID readers in the local area network and updates this registry during or after the calibration cycle.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

one or more RFID readers in the local area network sensing that a new RFID reader has entered the local area network or an RFID reader has moved its position and sending a query to the new or moved RFID reader to identify itself.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the query also requests a MAC or IP address and a request that the new or moved RFID reader designate which RFID signal designates the new or moved RFID reader.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein upon receiving the responsive RFID signal designating the new or moved RFID reader, updating a registry of RFID readers for use by the RFID reader or other component of the local area network.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein the local area network comprises an RFID reader at an entrance of a warehouse.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprises updating a registry with the orientation of an RFID reader in the local area network.

30. A local area network component comprising:

a microcontroller having access to computer readable memory and computer readable storage, the microcontroller operating at a component of a local area network; and

,

an antenna in communication with the microcontroller, the antenna configured to at least transmit or receive radio frequency electro-magnetic waves,

wherein the microcontroller is configured to spatially locate one or more fiducial network components in the local area network in which the microcontroller is a member,

wherein the microcontroller is further configured to determine the spatial location of one or more fiducial network components by;

using a plurality of received wireless signal responses to a previously sent wireless signal, the received responses from two or more fiducial network components in the local area network, to determine, using radio frequency telemetry, the physical distance between each fiducial network component for which a response was received, and

wherein the microcontroller is further configured to exchange with other components of the local area network, distances between fiducial network components calculated by other components of the local area network, and verify the accuracy of these calculated distances between fiducial network components.

31. The network component of claim 30 wherein the first fiducial network component is an RFID reader added to the local area network after initially determining the physical distance between each fiducial network component for which a response was received.

32. The network component of claim 30 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to query known RFID readers in the local area network and, in response to this query, determine a physical distance between the network component and one or more newly added RFID readers.

33. The network component of claim 30 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to receive a unique identifier for an RFID reader from an active or passive RFID tag positioned on that RFID reader.

34. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a microprocessor cause the microprocessor to carryout steps comprising:

conducting a calibration cycle for a in a local area network, the network including a plurality of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers, the calibration cycle including exchanging, between RFID readers or other components of the local area network, distances between RFID readers calculated by one or more other components of the local area network, and

after receiving distances in the exchange, verifying the accuracy of the exchanged calculated distances between RFID readers in the local area network.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34 wherein the calibration cycle includes exchanging between two or more RFID readers distances between RFID readers calculated by other components of the local area network and wherein the one or more other components includes at least one different RFID reader.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34 wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the microprocessor to carry out steps comprising:

sending a radio signal to calibrate the position of the component in which the microprocessor resides with each of the other RFID readers in the local area network.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34 wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the microprocessor to carry out steps comprising:

updating a list of RFID readers visible by other RFID readers in the local area network.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34 wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the microprocessor to carry out steps comprising:

upon receiving a responsive RFID signal designating a new or moved RFID reader, updating a registry of RFID readers for use by an RFID reader or other component of the local area network.