SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBJECT LOCALIZATION AND PATH IDENTIFICATION BASED ON RFID SENSING

• US 20150130590A1
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucomm Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lucomm Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cristache, Lucian
• Granted Patent: US 10,565,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.65
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/876 Combination of several spaced transponders or reflectors of known location for determining the position of a receiver G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A networked radio frequency identification system includes a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers, a computer in signal communication with the RFID tag readers over a network, and a software module for storage on and operable by the computer that localizes RFID tags based on information received from the RFID tag readers using a network model having endpoints and oriented links. In an additional example, at least one of the RFID tag readers includes an adjustable configuration setting selected from RF signal strength, antenna gain, antenna polarization, and antenna orientation. In a further aspect, the system localizes RFID tags based on hierarchical threshold limit calculations. In an additional aspect, the system controls a locking device associated with an access point based on localization of an authorized RFID tag at the access point and reception of additional authorizing information from an input device.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system for localizing at least two RFID tags which have tag to tag communication capabilities, the system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers;

a computer in signal communication with the plurality of RFID tag readers over a network;

the computer being configured to operate a software module that localizes the RFID tag based on data received from the RFID tag readers;

the software module further being configured to identify a semantic group of RFID tags by;

issuing a first semantic group identification command to a first RFID tag;

conveying the group identification command from the first RFID tag to the second RFID tag via tag to tag communication;

issuing a second semantic group identification command;

receiving a response from at least one of the first RFID tag or second RFID tag; and

identifying a semantic group, the semantic group including the first and the second RFID tags based on the received response.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second RFID tag comprises an internal memory, and further wherein an indication of receiving the semantic group identification command is stored in the internal memory.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein further the first RFID tag comprises an internal memory, and further wherein a response to the semantic group identification command from the second RFID tag is stored in the internal memory.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein semantic rules are stored on at least one of the first and second RFID tags, and further wherein the step of identifying a semantic group is based on the stored semantic rules.