METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A DEPLOYABLE RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION PORTAL SYSTEM

• US 20150137950A1
• Filed: 02/02/2015
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quake Global, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quake Global, Inc.
• Inventors: Faroe, Kiely Per, Fennig, Christopher Lee, Fraser, Gordon Douglas, Sweeney, Patrick J. II, Vetter, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,699,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An apparatus for interrogating radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags within an enclosure. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises an RFID module, a first assembly comprising a processor, a second assembly comprising an RFID radiator operatively coupled to the RFID module, and a connection element coupled to the first assembly and second assembly such that the second assembly is movable relative to the first assembly between a first configuration and second configuration. The processor may be configured to interrogate RFID tags via the RFID module and RFID radiator when the second assembly is in the second configuration, and not interrogate RFID tags when the second assembly is in the first configuration. In addition, both the first assembly and the second assembly may comprise attachment components configured to removably couple its respective assembly to one or more surfaces of an enclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) radiator module;

a first assembly comprising a processor, wherein the processor is operatively coupled to the RFID radiator module;

a second assembly comprising an RFID radiator operatively coupled to the RFID radiator module;

a connection element coupled to the first assembly and the second assembly;

wherein the second assembly is movable relative to the first assembly about the connection element between a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein the processor is configured to

interrogate one or more RFID tags via the RFID radiator module and the RFID radiator when the second assembly is in the second configuration, and

not interrogate the one or more RFID tags via the RFID radiator module and the RFID radiator when the second assembly is in the first configuration;

wherein the first assembly comprises a first attachment component configured to removably couple the first assembly, in the second configuration, to one or more surfaces of an enclosure; and

wherein the second assembly comprises a second attachment component configured to removably couple the second assembly, in the second configuration, to one or more surfaces of the enclosure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an attachment component operatively coupled to the first assembly and configured to secure the second assembly in the first configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the attachment component configured to secure the second assembly in the first configuration comprises a strap.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID radiator is a first RFID radiator and the connection element is a first connection element, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a third assembly comprising a second RFID radiator operatively coupled to the RFID radiator module; and

a second connection element coupled to the first assembly and the third assembly;

wherein the third assembly is movable relative to the first assembly about the second connection element between a first configuration and a second configuration; and

wherein the processor is further configured to interrogate one or more RFID tags via the RFID radiator module and the second RFID radiator when the third assembly is in the second configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communications module operatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive an RFID interrogation command and send an RFID interrogation result, wherein the processor is further configured to interrogate the one or more RFID tags in response to the RFID interrogation command.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the communication module comprises a modem.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the modem is a satellite modem.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second assembly comprises a fabric material and one or more conductive portions configured to operate as the RFID radiator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an interrogation response from at least one of the one or more RFID tags via the RFID radiator module; and

store at least a portion of the interrogation response in the memory.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a request for access to the at least a portion of the interrogation response, wherein the request for access comprises a credential; and

determine whether or not the credential is authorized to access the at least a portion of the interrogation response based on an access permission.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to a determination that the credential is not authorized to access the at least a portion of the interrogation response, remove the at least a portion of the interrogation response from the memory.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection element comprises a dual hinge that is configured to move about two or more axes.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection element comprises a wire.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID radiator comprises one or more antennas.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first attachment component and the second attachment component comprise a magnet.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking component configured to fix the first assembly and the second assembly in the second configuration.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect at least one of a door opening, an amount of light, a temperature, and an oxygen level.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID radiator module is a first RFID radiator module, wherein the apparatus comprises a second RFID radiator module, and wherein the processor is further configured to triangulate a location of each of the one or more RFID tags based on an interrogation response received from the RFID tag via the first RFID radiator module and the second RFID radiator module, a location of the first RFID radiator module, and a location of the second RFID radiator module.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) module operatively coupled to the processor and configured to determine a geographic location of the apparatus, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether or not to perform an action based on the geographic location of the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically initiate an interrogation cycle of the RFID radiator module in response to an output from the one or more sensors.