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

• US 20180003813A1
• Filed: 07/03/2017
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucomm Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lucomm Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cristache, Lucian
• Application Number:
  US15/641,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20180003813A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: 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 system comprising:

a first RF tag comprising a radio frequency transmitter logic coupled to a first antenna having a first set of radiating elements forming a radiation pattern;

a second RF tag comprising a radio frequency receiver logic coupled to a second antenna having a second set of radiating elements forming a radiation pattern;

a sensor;

a computer system coupled with the first and the second RF tags;

a plurality of semantic attributes stored in the computer system;

the computer system being configured to determine a location for the second RF tag based on a signal received by the second RF tag from the first RF tag;

the computer system further being configured to infer a first semantic attribute from among a plurality of semantic attributes based on an input from sensor and the determined location for the second RF tag; and

wherein the computer system instructs at least one of the first RF tag and the second RF tag to adjust the radiation pattern of the first RF tag or the radiation pattern of the second RF tag based on the first semantic attribute.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured cause the first RF tag to adjust one or more parameters of the first RF tag, the one or more parameters selected from power level, antenna polarization, gain, radiation pattern and orientation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured to cause the second RF tag to tune one or more parameters of the second RF tag dynamically based on the angle of arrival, phase, signal strength and signal polarization.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured to cause the second RF device to orient the antenna of the second RF device dynamically based on the angle of arrival, phase, signal strength and signal polarization.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the semantic attribute expires after an interval of time and wherein the computer system is further configured to cause the at least one of the first RF tag and the second RF tag to re-adjust the radiation pattern based on the expiration of the first semantic attribute.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system further is configured with a plurality of time management rules, at least one of the time management rules associating a time interval and a presence of the second RF tag at one or more of the location based endpoints with the first semantic attribute, the computer system inferring the first semantic attribute based on the application of the at least one time management rule and a comparison of the time interval with a determined time associated with the second RF tag in relation to the determined location for the second RF tag.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured to infer a composite semantic attribute based on the first and a second semantic attribute.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first semantic attribute is a composite semantic attribute.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the time interval is defined as one of a plurality of predefined semantic intervals.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second RF tag includes an energy harvesting component.

11. A radio frequency system comprising:

a first radio frequency tag and a second radio frequency tag;

wherein the first radio frequency tag includes a radio frequency transmitter logic and a first antenna coupled to the radio frequency transmitter logic, wherein the first antenna comprises a first set of radiating elements;

wherein the second radio frequency tag includes a radio frequency receiver logic and a second antenna coupled to the radio frequency receiver logic, wherein the second antenna comprises a second set of radiating elements;

a sensor;

a computer system coupled with the first and the second radio frequency tags;

the computer system storing a plurality of semantic attributes;

the computer system being configured to determine a location for the second radio frequency tag based on a signal received by the second radio frequency tag from the first radio frequency tag;

wherein the computer system is configured to infer a first semantic attribute from among a plurality of semantic attributes based on an input from sensor and the determined location for the second radio frequency tag; and

wherein the computer system instructs at least one of the first and second radio frequency tags to tune specific radiating elements from among the first antenna or the second antenna based on the first semantic attribute.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tuning includes adjusting parameters selected from power level, polarization, gain, radiation pattern and orientation.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second radio frequency tag tunes the second antenna radiating elements dynamically based on the angle of arrival, phase, signal strength and signal polarization.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second radio frequency tag orients the second antenna dynamically based on the angle of arrival, phase, signal strength and signal polarization.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the semantic attribute expires after an interval of time and the at least one of the first and second radio frequency tags re-tunes the first or the second radiating elements based on the expiration of the first semantic attribute.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the interval of time is defined as one of a plurality of predefined semantic intervals.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer system further is configured with a plurality of time management rules, at least one of the time management rules associating a predefined time interval and a presence of the second radio frequency tag at one or more of the location based endpoints with the first semantic attribute, the computer system inferring the first semantic attribute based on the application of the at least one time management rule and a comparison of the predefined time interval with a determined time associated with the second radio frequency tag in relation to the determined location for the second radio frequency tag.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer system infers a composite semantic attribute based on the first semantic attribute and a second semantic attribute.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the first semantic attribute is a composite semantic attribute.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the second radio frequency tag includes an energy harvesting component.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the RF tag comprises a card.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the RF tag comprises a module.

23. The system of claim 11, wherein the RF tag comprises an electronic device.

24. The system of claim 11, wherein the RF tag comprises a non-passive RF device.

25. The system of claim 11, wherein the RF tag is embedded within an electronic device.