SYSTEM AND METHODS OF TRACKING USING RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tracking system comprising:
- at least one electronic device that includes a wireless transceiver and a memory configured to store a corresponding device identifier for the least one electronic device;
a plurality spatially distributed presence sensors, each presence sensor being configured to detect local presence of an object; and
a plurality of spatially distributed normally “
off”
wireless transmitters that are each electronically coupled to at least one of the plurality of presence sensors, the plurality of wireless transmitters being configured to turn “
on”
in response to detection of the local presence of an object by a respectively corresponding presence sensor and to wirelessly transmit a location identifier associated with that respective wireless transmitter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for tracking movement of assets or persons includes a presence sensor coupled to an RFID exciter or transmitter. Upon detection of object presence by a sensor, the exciter is turned on and caused to transmit an RFID tag exciting signal. The signal may be received by and activate a corresponding RFID tag that is within range of the exciter. The RFID tag may then transmit its ID, the ID of the exciter, and the sensed presence information to a remote RF receiver and back-end data processing system.
28 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A tracking system comprising:
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at least one electronic device that includes a wireless transceiver and a memory configured to store a corresponding device identifier for the least one electronic device; a plurality spatially distributed presence sensors, each presence sensor being configured to detect local presence of an object; and a plurality of spatially distributed normally “
off”
wireless transmitters that are each electronically coupled to at least one of the plurality of presence sensors, the plurality of wireless transmitters being configured to turn “
on”
in response to detection of the local presence of an object by a respectively corresponding presence sensor and to wirelessly transmit a location identifier associated with that respective wireless transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A movement tracking system comprising:
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at least one RFID tag exciter configured to be in a normally OFF state; at least one object presence sensor configured to detect presence and/or movement of an object within range of the at least one object presence sensor; and an electrical circuit coupled to the at least one RFID tag exciter and to the at least one object presence sensor, the electrical circuit being configured to cause activation of the at least one RFID tag exciter from the normally OFF state to a temporary ON state in response to a detected object by the least one object presence sensor, wherein, when the RFID tag exciter is in the ON state, an RF signal is emitted by the at least one RFID tag exciter to excite an RFID tag that is within excitation range. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A zone indicator unit (ZIU) comprising:
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computer readable storage configured to store at least a ZIU identifier for the ZIU; at least one object sensor configured to detect presence and/or movement of an object; a wireless transmitter configured to transmit an RF signal to a mobile electronic device that includes a transceiver; and a processing system that includes at least one processor circuit coupled to the computer readable storage, the at least one object sensor, and the wireless transmitter, the processing system being configured to; receive a signal from the at least one object sensor that object movement and/or presence has been detected; and in response to reception of the signal, cause the wireless transmitter to transmit an RF signal that carries the ZIU identifier. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of operating a plurality of spatially distributed zone indicators to track a plurality of mobile devices that each include a wireless transceiver, each zone indicator including (1) a presence sensor configured to detect object presence and/or movement, (2) a wireless transmitter configured to communicate with in-range mobile devices, and a memory configured to store a zone indicator identifier, the method comprising:
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maintaining the plurality of wireless transmitters in a normally OFF state such that the zone indicator identifier for the respective zone indicator is not being transmitted; detecting, via a presence sensor, movement or presence of an object; responsive to detection of the movement or presence of the object, switching the wireless transmitter of a corresponding zone indicator to a temporary ON state to thereby cause transmission of a wireless message that includes the zone indicator identifier stored in the memory of the corresponding zone indicator. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification