Tracing of transponder-tagged objects

• US 6,750,765 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cross Point Rfapp B.V.
• Original Assignee: Cross Point Rfapp B.V.
• Inventors: van Wijk, Wouter Uco
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US10/307,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20040104817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/539.1, 340/539-2-5, 340/539-3-5, 340/10.1, 340/286.07
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

For tracing objects distributed transmitter stations are provided, each transmitting an activation signal. Tags are attached to objects. The tags receive the activation signals when in an operating area of one of the transmitter stations. The received activation signal causes the tag to transmit a reaction signal. A receiver station receives the reaction signals. Data representing positions of tags in accordance with the received reaction signals are registered. The activation signals each also include a transmitter station code associated to the transmitter station transmitting that signal. The transmitter station codes transmitted by different transmitter stations are mutually different. The reaction signals transmitted by the tags each include the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the tag to transmit that reaction signal. Data representing positions of tags are registered in accordance with transmitter station codes received from the tags by the receiver station.

Claims

1. A method for tracing objects, comprising:

providing a plurality of distributed transmitter stations, each of said transmitter stations transmitting an activation signal;

attaching a tag to each object to be monitored, each of said tags receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in an operating area of said one of said transmitter stations, the received activation signal causing the tag to transmit a reaction signal and the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

providing at least one receiver station, said receiver station receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein the activation signal transmitted by each of said transmitter stations includes a predetermined transmitter station code associated to that transmitter station, the transmitter station codes transmitted by at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said reaction signals transmitted by activated ones of said tags each including the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the tag to transmit said reaction signal; and

the registration of data representing positions of tags being carried out in accordance with different transmitter station codes received from said tags by said receiver station or each of said receiver stations.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, in a monitored area, the transmitter station codes are unique codes each identifying one of said transmitter stations.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the or each receiver station has an operating area which includes the operating areas of a plurality of the transmitter stations.

4. A method according to claim 1, further including transmitting an activation signal receivable by any tag in a monitoring area, registering reaction signals received in response to said activation signal, comparing said registered reaction signals with registered data representing tags in said monitoring area and generating a warning signal in response to data representing tags in said monitoring area not matched by any of said registered reaction signals.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the or each receiver station has an operating range within which the receiver station is capable of receiving reaction signals from the tags, said operating range being at least three times as large as the operating range of the transmitter stations(2-6) within which the tags are activated by the transmitter stations.

6. A method for tracing objects, comprising:

providing a plurality of distributed transmitter stations, each of said transmitter stations transmitting an activation signal;

attaching a tag to each object to be monitored, each of said tags receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in an operating area of said one of said transmitter stations, the received activation signal causing the tag to transmit a reaction signal and the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

providing at least one receiver station, said receiver station receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein the activation signal transmitted by each of said transmitter stations includes a predetermined transmitter station code associated to that transmitter station, the transmitter station codes transmitted by at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said reaction signals transmitted by activated ones of said tags each including the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the tag to transmit said reaction signal;

the registration of data representing positions of tags being carried out in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station; and

said receiver station receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags located in said operating area of said one of said transmitter stations being located outside said operating area of said transmitter station.

7. A method for tracing objects, comprising:

providing a plurality of distributed transmitter stations, each of said transmitter stations transmitting an activation signal;

attaching a tag to each object to be monitored, each of said tags receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in an operating area of said one of said transmitter stations, the received activation signal causing the tag to transmit a reaction signal and the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

providing at least one receiver station, said receiver station receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein the activation signal transmitted by each of said transmitter stations includes a predetermined transmitter station code associated to that transmitter station, the transmitter station codes transmitted by at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said reaction signals transmitted by activated ones of said tags each including the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the tag to transmit said reaction signal;

the registration of data representing positions of tags being carried out in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station;

the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially separated from each other; and

at least one of said objects being located in an enclosed area, the enclosure of said area having at least one passage allowing entry and exit of said objects, the operating areas of said transmitter stations each including at least one of said passages.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the operating area of each transmitter station includes at most one of said passages.

9. A method for tracing objects, comprising:

providing a plurality of distributed transmitter stations, each of said transmitter stations transmitting an activation signal;

attaching a tag to each object to be monitored, each of said tags receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in an operating area of said one of said transmitter stations, the received activation signal causing the tag to transmit a reaction signal and the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

providing at least one personal tag carried by a person, the or each personal tag receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations being activated to transmit a reaction signal when in an operating area of said one of said transmitter stations;

providing at least one receiver station, said receiver station receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein the activation signal transmitted by each of said transmitter stations includes a predetermined transmitter station code associated to that transmitter station, the transmitter station codes transmitted by at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said reaction signals transmitted by activated ones of said tags each including the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the tag to transmit said reaction signal;

the registration of data representing positions of tags being carried out in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station; and

a warning signal being generated if the reaction signal received by said at least one receiver station matches a predetermined warning condition;

wherein, in response to receipt within a common period of time of a reaction signal matching a warning condition and a reaction signal including a predetermined personal tag code and the same transmitter station code as the transmitter station code in the reaction signal matching the warning condition, said warning signal is not generated or generated in modified form.

10. A method for tracing objects, comprising:

providing a plurality of distributed transmitter stations, each of said transmitter stations transmitting an activation signal;

attaching a tag to each object to be monitored, each of said tags receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in an operating area of said one of said transmitter stations, the received activation signal causing the tag to transmit a reaction signal, at least one protected one of said tags further including a motion and/or tamper detector, said protected tag being adapted for transmitting a reaction signal including a warning code in reaction to motion and/or tampering of the tag detected by said motion and/or tamper detector, the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

providing at least one receiver station, said receiver station receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein the activation signal transmitted by each of said transmitter stations includes a predetermined transmitter station code associated to that transmitter station, the transmitter station codes transmitted by at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said reaction signals transmitted by activated ones of said tags each including the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the tag to transmit said reaction signal;

the registration of data representing positions of tags is carried out in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station; and

a warning signal being generated in response to a reaction signal including said warning code.

11. A system for tracing objects, comprising:

a plurality of distributed transmitter stations for transmitting activation signals;

a plurality of tags for attachment to objects to be monitored, each of said tags including a receiver for receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in the operating area of said one of said transmitter stations and a transmitter communicating with the receiver for activation of the transmitter to transmit a reaction signal in response to receipt of an activation signal by the receiver, the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

at least one receiver station for receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

a data registration structure communicating with said at least one receiver station for registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein said transmitter stations are each adapted for including a predetermined transmitter station code in the activation signal, the transmitter station codes of at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and mutually distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said tags each being adapted for receiving transmitter station codes in the received activation signal and for including the transmitter station code of the activation signal that caused the reaction signal to be transmitted in the reaction signal transmitted by that tag; and

said data registration structure being adapted for registration of data representing different positions of activated ones of tags in accordance with different transmitter station codes received from said tags by said receiver station or each of said receiver stations.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein each of said transmitter stations in a monitored area is adapted for transmitting a different transmitter station code identifying the transmitter station.

13. A system for tracing objects, comprising:

a plurality of distributed transmitter stations for transmitting activation signals;

a plurality of tags for attachment to objects to be monitored, each of said tags including a receiver for receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in the operating area of said one of said transmitter stations and a transmitter communicating with the receiver for activation of the transmitter to transmit a reaction signal in response to receipt of an activation signal by the receiver, the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

at least one receiver station for receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

a data registration structure communicating with said at least one receiver station for registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein said transmitter stations are each adapted for including a predetermined transmitter station code in the activation signal, the transmitter station codes of at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and mutually distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said tags each being adapted for receiving transmitter station codes in the received activation signal and for including the transmitter station code of the activation signal that caused the reaction signal to be transmitted in the reaction signal transmitted by that tag; and

said data registration structure being adapted for registration of data representing positions of tags in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station, further including at least one tag including a motion and/or tamper detector and a control member communicating with the motion and/or tamper detector and for activating the transmitter for transmitting a reaction signal in reaction to at least motion or tampering of the tag detected by said motion and/or tamper detector.

14. A system for tracing objects, comprising:

a plurality of distributed transmitter stations for transmitting activation signals;

a plurality of tags for attachment to objects to be monitored, each of said tags including a receiver for receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in the operating area of said one of said transmitter stations and a transmitter communicating with the receiver for activation of the transmitter to transmit a reaction signal in response to receipt of an activation signal by the receiver, the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

at least one receiver station for receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

a data registration structure communicating with said at least one receiver station for registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein said transmitter stations are each adapted for including a predetermined transmitter station code in the activation signal, the transmitter station codes of at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and mutually distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said tags each being adapted for receiving transmitter station codes in the received activation signal and for including the transmitter station code of the activation signal that caused the reaction signal to be transmitted in the reaction signal transmitted by that tag;

said data registration structure being adapted for registration of data representing positions of tags in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station;

wherein said receiver for receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags located in said operating area of said one of said transmitter stations is located outside said operating area of said transmitter station.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the or each receiver station has an operating area which includes the operating areas of a plurality of the transmitter stations.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the or each receiver station has an operating range within which the receiver station is capable of receiving reaction signals from the tags, said operating range being at least three times as large as the operating range of the transmitter stations(2-6) within which the tags are activated by the transmitter stations.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the or each receiver station has an operating range within which the receiver station is capable of receiving reaction signals from the tags, said operating range being at least three times as large as the operating range of the transmitter stations(2-6) within which the tags are activated by the transmitter stations.

18. A system for tracing objects, comprising:

a plurality of distributed transmitter stations for transmitting activation signals;

a plurality of tags for attachment to objects to be monitored, each of said tags including a receiver for receiving the activation signal from one of said transmitter stations when in the operating area of said one of said transmitter stations and a transmitter communicating with the receiver for activation of the transmitter to transmit a reaction signal in response to receipt of an activation signal by the receiver, the operating areas of said transmitter stations being spatially distributed;

at least one receiver station for receiving said reaction signals transmitted by said tags; and

a data registration structure communicating with said at least one receiver station for registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with said reaction signals received by said at least one receiver station;

wherein said transmitter stations are each adapted for including a predetermined transmitter station code in the activation signal, the transmitter station codes of at least two of said transmitter stations being mutually different and mutually distinguishing activation signals from at least one of said transmitter stations from activation signals from at least one other one of said transmitter stations;

said tags are each adapted for receiving transmitter station codes in the received activation signal and for including the transmitter station code of the activation signal that caused the reaction signal to be transmitted in the reaction signal transmitted by that tag; and

said data registration structure is adapted for registration of data representing positions of tags in accordance with transmitter station codes received from said tags by said at least one receiver station;

the operating areas of said transmitter stations are spatially separated from each other; and

at least one of said objects is located in an enclosed area, the enclosure of said area having at least one passage allowing entry and exit of said objects, the operating areas of said transmitter stations each including at least one of said passages.

19. A computer program for use in a system for tracing objects, comprising

instructions for causing a data registration structure to read reaction signals inputted from a receiver station and to register data representing positions of tags in accordance with said inputted reaction signals;

instructions for reading transmitter station codes included in said inputted reaction signals and instructions for registering data representing positions of tags in accordance with transmitter station codes included in said inputted reaction signals;

instructions for comparing inputted reaction signals with a predetermined warning condition, instructions for generating a warning signal if the inputted reaction signal matches the predetermined warning condition, and instructions for causing said comparing and generating instructions to be carried out in real-time;

instructions for registering data representing positions of personal tags in accordance with inputted reaction signals including the transmitter station code included in the received activation signal that caused the reaction signal to be transmitted;

instructions for combining said data representing positions of personal tags with data representing positions of tags that have been received by the receiver station in a common period of time; and

instructions causing said warning signal not to be generated or to be generated in modified form in response to data representing a combination of a reaction signal matching a warning condition and a reaction signal including a predetermined personal tag code and including the same transmitter station code as the transmitter station code included in the reaction code matching the warning condition.