PRE-NOTIFICATION WITH RFID DOCK DOOR PORTALS

• US 20180365542A1
• Filed: 06/16/2017
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: KANTOR, Oleg, MCCALIB, Jr., David Bruce, LUI, Tak Keung Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,157,337 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9017 using directory or table look-up use of a directory or look-up table in file systems G06F16/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003

Abstract

Embodiments presented herein describe an RFID system for detecting RFID tags in order to track inventory such as a pallet or individual packages. The RFID system includes at least one portal located in an inventory transport area. For example, the portal may be disposed at or near a dock door in a warehouse in order to detect when an RFID tag (and the corresponding inventory) passes through the door—e.g., when the inventory is loaded onto a truck. In one embodiment, the portal defines at least two RFID detection regions. For example, the portal may generate a RFID sensing region and a RFID read region. In one embodiment, a wide beam antenna generates the RFID sensing region while a narrow beam antenna generates the RFID read region.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an inventory tracking system storing a first assignment between a portal and RFID tags, wherein the inventory tracking system comprises a tag database, wherein each entry in the tag database indicates an RFID tag ID, a previous location of an RFID tag, and a second assignment of the RFID tag to at least one door in a building; and

at least two portals disposed opposite one another to form a passageway therebetween, wherein at least one of the portals comprises;

a wide beam antenna configured to emit RFID signals to establish a sensing region;

a narrow beam antenna configured to emit RFID signals to establish a read region;

an RFID reader; and

a portal controller configured to;

activate the sensing region;

upon detecting the RFID tag in the sensing region using the RFID reader, activate the read region;

upon detecting the RFID tag in the read region using the RFID reader, report to the inventory tracking system that the RFID tag is passing through the passageway; and

provide at least one of audio and visual feedback after receiving confirmation from the inventory tracking system that the RFID tag is assigned to the portal.

3. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein detecting that the RFID tag is in the sensing region comprises:

comparing a current location received from the portal controller to the previous location of the RFID tag stored in the tag database; and

determining that the RFID tag is in the sensing region when the current location is different from the previous location.

4. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein detecting that the RFID tag is in the sensing region comprises:

receiving multiple RFID responses from the RFID tag over a time period; and

determining whether a change in a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value corresponding to the multiple RFID responses has satisfied a threshold indicating the RFID tag has moved.

5. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is a passive tag, wherein the RFID tag comprises a modulator configured to use the RFID signals received from the portals to transmit a modulated RFID response comprising the RFID tag ID of the RFID tag.

2. (canceled)

6. A portal, comprising:

a first antenna;

a second antenna, wherein a beam width of the first antenna is wider than a beam width of the second antenna;

an RFID reader;

a visual indicator; and

a portal controller configured to;

activate a sensing region by emitting RFID signals from the first antenna, wherein the sensing region is activated in response to receiving a signal from a sensor indicating that a door at which the portal is located is open;

upon detecting an RFID tag is in the sensing region using the RFID reader, activate a read region by emitting RFID signals from the second antenna;

determine whether the RFID tag is in the read region based on receiving RFID signals from the RFID tag; and

operate the visual indicator to output feedback based on determining whether the RFID tag is assigned to the door.

7. The portal of claim 6, wherein the first antenna is arranged in the portal to have a first angle of offset relative to a reference axis and the second antenna is arranged in the portal to have a second angle of offset relative to the reference axis, wherein the first angle of offset is greater than the second angle of offset.

9. The portal of claim 6, wherein the visual indicator is configured to output a first color light when the RFID tag is assigned to the door and a second, different color of light when the RFID tag is not assigned to the door.

11. The portal of claim 6, further comprising:

a third antenna with a same beam width as the first antenna; and

a fourth antenna with a same beam width as the second antenna,

wherein the first and third antennas are configured to emit RFID signals in parallel to establish the sensing region and the second and fourth antennas are configured to emit RFID signals in parallel to establish the read region, wherein the sensing region is larger than the read region.

12. The portal of claim 6, wherein detecting the RFID tag is in the sensing region comprises:

determining that a current location of the RFID tag is different from a previously stored location of the RFID tag.

13. The portal of claim 6, detecting the RFID tag is in the sensing region comprises:

determining whether a change in a RSSI value corresponding to signals received from the RFID tag over a predefined time period satisfy a threshold.

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

14. A method, comprising:

activating a sensing region in response to determining that a door at which a portal is located is open by emitting RFID signals from a first antenna disposed in the portal;

upon detecting an RFID tag is moving in the sensing region, activating a read region by emitting RFID signals from a second antenna disposed in the portal, wherein a beam width of the first antenna is wider than a beam width of the second antenna;

determining whether the RFID tag is in the read region based on receiving RFID signals from the RFID tag; and

outputting a visual indicator based on determining whether the RFID tag is assigned to the door.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first antenna is arranged in the portal to have a first angle of offset relative to a reference axis and the second antenna is arranged in the portal to have a second angle of offset relative to the reference axis, wherein the first angle of offset is greater than the second angle of offset.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein outputting the visual indicator comprises:

outputting a first color light when the RFID tag is assigned to the door; and

outputting a second, different color of light when a different RFID tag detected by the portal is not assigned to the door.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the RFID tag is moving in the sensing region comprises:

determining that a current location of the RFID tag is different from a previously stored location of the RFID tag.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the RFID tag is in the sensing region comprises:

determining whether a change in a RSSI value corresponding to signals received from the RFID tag over a predefined time period satisfy a threshold.

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)