USING A RFID PAGING INFRASTRUCTURE

• US 20150137955A1
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Amador, Erick S., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Mullins, Philip K., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The “RFID Paging Infrastructure” uses RFID technology to provide a low-cost localized message paging system. When a stationary RFID transceiver detects a programmable RFID tag, the transceiver reads an identifier from the RFID tag. The RFID transceiver causes a computer to determine whether a message stored in a database is intended for the RFID tag, and in response to determining that a message is intended for the RFID tag, the RFID transceiver transmits the message to the RFID tag. The message is saved in a memory on the programmable RFID tag. The message in the memory on the RFID tag can be read with a hand-held display device or the RFID tag can be coupled with an integrated display device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented process for transmitting a text message for storage on an RFID tag, the computer implemented process comprising:

responsive to finding a particular RFID tag that is in a range of a particular RFID transceiver at a particular location, determining a location of one of a person and an object to which the particular RFID tag is attached as the particular location, reading the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier, querying an RFID tag database to determine whether a corresponding text message is pending for the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier, and in response to determining that a corresponding text message is pending for the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier, sending the corresponding text message to the particular RFID tag having the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier; and

responsive to the location of the one of the person and the object having changed from a first location associated with a first RFID transceiver to the particular location associated with the particular RFID transceiver, changing a content of the corresponding text message to a different message configured for a second location.

2. The computer implemented process of claim 1 wherein a display device is a hand-held RFID tag reader and further comprises a light emitting diode that indicates that the corresponding text message has been received and stored by the particular RFID tag.

3. The computer implemented process of claim 1 wherein a display device is coupled directly with the particular RFID tag.

4. The computer implemented process of claim 1 wherein the particular RFID tag is affixed to a particular piece of equipment, and wherein one or more corresponding text messages are assigned and routed to the particular RFID tag regarding an assigned location of the particular piece of equipment.

5. The computer implemented process of claim 4 wherein the corresponding text message intended for the particular RFID tag relates to a status of the particular piece of equipment and a maintenance schedule of the particular piece of equipment.

6. The computer implemented process of claim 1 wherein the corresponding text message is sent to a plurality of RFID tags, each of the plurality of RFID tags associated with an alias, the alias being one of a name of a location, an object description, an asset identification number, a person'"'"'s name, or a phone number.

7. The computer implemented process of claim 1 wherein the corresponding text message intended for the particular RFID tag is one of a personal and an official communication for the person carrying the particular RFID tag, and wherein a constraint associated with the particular location is included with the corresponding text message and prevents delivery to the particular RFID tag in response to the particular RFID tag being in the particular location, and wherein the corresponding text message is created by a voice recognition software transcription of a telephonic voice message.

8. An apparatus for transmitting a text message for storage on an RFID tag, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of RFID transceivers connected to a network;

a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag having a storage and display, and each RFID tag connected to the network;

a processor connected to the network; and

a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions, and wherein the processor executes the instructions, responsive to finding a particular RFID tag that is in a range of a particular RFID transceiver at a particular location, to determine a location of one of a person and an object to which the particular RFID tag is attached as the particular location, read the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier, query an RFID tag database to determine whether a corresponding text message is pending for the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier, and in response to determining that a corresponding text message is pending for the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier, send the corresponding text message to the particular RFID tag having the particular RFID tag'"'"'s identifier; and

responsive to the location of the one of the person and the object having changed from a first location associated with a first RFID transceiver to a second location associated with the particular RFID transceiver, change a content of the corresponding text message to a different message configured for the second location.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a display device is a hand-held RFID tag reader and further comprises a light emitting diode that indicates that the corresponding text message has been received and stored by the by the particular RFID tag.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a display device is coupled directly with the particular RFID tag.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the particular RFID tag is affixed to a particular piece of equipment, and wherein one or more corresponding text messages are assigned and routed to the particular RFID tag regarding an assigned location of the particular piece of equipment.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the corresponding text message intended for the particular RFID tag relates to a status of the particular piece of equipment and a maintenance schedule of the particular piece of equipment.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the corresponding text message is sent to an RFID tag based on an alias associated with the RFID tag, the alias being one of a name of a location, an object description, an asset identification number, a person'"'"'s name, or a phone number.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the corresponding text message intended for the particular RFID tag is one of a personal and an official communication for the person carrying the particular RFID tag, and wherein a constraint associated with the particular location is included with the corresponding text message and prevents delivery to the particular RFID tag in response to the particular RFID tag being in the particular location, and wherein the corresponding text message is created by a voice recognition software transcription of a telephonic voice message.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a paging program is operable to determine a location of an RFID tag and transmit a text message based on the determined location of the RFID tag.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the particular RFID tag is carried by a medical patient.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the corresponding text message intended for the particular RFID tag contains medical records for the medical patient carrying the particular RFID tag.

18. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the particular RFID tag is affixed to one or more of the following at a medical facility:

a room, a bed, a hallway, a medical monitor, a door, a nurse station telephone, and a computer terminal at the medical facility.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the corresponding text message intended for the particular RFID tag contains information related to contents and occupants of the room.

20. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a paging program is operable to identify a critically important text message in the RFID tag database intended for a first RFID tag, search for the intended first RFID tag, and in response to not locating the intended first RFID tag, transmit the critically important text message to a second RFID tag.