SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RFID-BASED RETAIL MANAGEMENT

• US 20150199890A1
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
• Inventors: Hewett, Spencer
• Granted Patent: US 10,013,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2428 Tag details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2451 Specific applications combined with EAS

Abstract

A system for RFID-based retail management that includes a set of antennas, an RFID transceiver connected to the set of antennas; and a microprocessor-based system manager that controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data according to read probability methods.

Claims

1. A system for RFID-based retail management comprising:

A plurality of antennas;

An RFID transceiver electrically coupled to the plurality of antennas; and

A system manager, comprising a microprocessor, that controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data;

wherein the system manager controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data according to a read probability method.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas emit isotropically.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a three-dimensional camera coupled to the system manager.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein visual data from the camera is used by the system manager to transform RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein visual data from the camera is used by the system manager to identify persons using image recognition techniques.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein visual data from the camera is used by the system manager to identify persons using gait analysis.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein visual data from the camera is also used by the system manager to identify and locate persons.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system manager associates a volume of interest with an identified person, locates a set of RFID tags within the volume of interest, and associates the set of RFID tags with the identified person.

9. A method for RFID-based retail management comprising:

Detecting a person present in a monitored region;

Identifying a volume of interest corresponding to the person;

Locating an RFID-tagged object within the volume of interest using read probability techniques; and

Associating the RFID-tagged object with the person.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting a person comprises detecting a person based on an associated electronic signature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the associated electronic signature comprises a response of an RFID tag uniquely linked to a person in a database.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting a person comprises detecting and locating a person based on both an associated electronic signature and an associated audiovisual signature.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying a volume of interest corresponding to the person comprises defining a rectangular prism in the vicinity of a location of the person.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein locating an RFID-tagged object within the volume of interest using read probability techniques comprises:

Transmitting a plurality of RFID activation signals from separate antennas;

Receiving response signals from RFID tags; and

Locating RFID tags based on the response signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein locating an RFID-tagged object within the volume of interest using read probability techniques further comprises modifying transmission signal properties.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein locating RFID tags based on the response signals preferably includes correlating RFID tag response data, sampled using a plurality of transmission signals at multiple power levels, to locations defined by read probability mappings.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein read probability mappings are adjusted to account for changes in permittivity.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising responding to an authorized removal of the RFID-tagged object from the monitored region by updating an inventory database and initiating payment processing for the RFID-tagged object.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising responding to an un-authorized removal of the RFID-tagged object from the monitored region by triggering an alarm.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising responding to an un-authorized removal of the RFID-tagged object from the monitored region by barring egress of the person.