Real time total asset visibility system

• US 6,804,578 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Touraj Ghaffari
• Original Assignee: Touraj Ghaffari
• Inventors: Ghaffari, Touraj
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US10/253,254
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/215, 700/225, 700/229, 700/115, 700/116, 700/224
• US Class Current: 700/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• 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 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system and method for tracking articles and controlling inventory thereof on a real time basis comprising the use of a tag assembly including a plurality of tags including both active tags and passive tags distinguishable from one another by the provision of a self contained power source in the active tags. One or more readers are disposed within a locale being monitored and are structured to communicate received data transmission from a host controller, for additional administrative processing in terms of determining the existence, location and/or movement of various articles with which the plurality of tags are directly associated. Depending on their category the tags may be activated by either entering an electric field of a predetermined first frequency or by receiving an activation signal from the reader assembly also transmitted at the first predetermined frequency. Communication between the tags and the reader occurs at a second frequency being different from the first frequency.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a plurality of objects on a real time basis, said system comprising:

a) at least one host controller,

b) a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of objects and movable therewith,

c) a reader assembly structured to receive transmitted data from said plurality of tags at least when said plurality of tags are within a predetermined locale, and

d) at least some of said plurality of tags including multi frequency capabilities at least partially defined by activation of said tags at a first frequency and transmission of data from said tags to said reader assembly at a second frequency,

e) said reader assembly communicative with said host controller to facilitate determination of a status of individual ones of said plurality of tags within said predetermined locale, and

f) at least some of said plurality of tags structured to repeatedly transmit status data to said reader assembly for a predetermined time while activated.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are structured to be operative in an active mode.

3. A system as recited in claim 2 wherein said some of said plurality of tags are structured to be operative in a passive mode.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are structured to be operative in a passive mode.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are structured for a asynchronous transmission to said reader assembly.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are structured to be operative in at an active mode.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein said active mode is at least partially defined by operation of said tag utilizing a self contained power source.

8. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are structured to be operative in a passive mode.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein said passive mode is at least partially defined by operation without utilization of a self contained power source.

10. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said reader assembly comprises at least one tracking reader structured to transmit data received from at least some of said plurality of tags to said host controller, said host controller and said tracking assembly responsive to the tag transmitted data and at least said host controller determinative of position parameters of said plurality of tags.

11. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said tag transmitted data comprises tag identification data.

12. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said position parameters comprise location of at least some of said plurality of tags.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said position parameters comprise a current direction of movement of at least some of said plurality of tags.

14. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein said position parameters comprise a current direction of movement of at least some of said plurality of tags.

15. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of tags are exposed to said first frequency at a substantially continuous, high field strength and said transmission to said reader assembly at said second frequency occurs on a periodic pulse basis.

16. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein said first frequency is within a frequency range of 13.56 megahertz to 433 megahertz and said second frequency is within a frequency range of 433 megahertz to 915 megahertz.

17. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a multi tag anti collision protocol comprising said plurality of tags and said reader assembly cooperatively structured to allow concurrent reading of multiple transmissions from said plurality of tags.

18. A system for tracking a plurality of objects on a real time basis, said system comprising:

a) at least one host controller,

b) a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of objects and movable therewith,

c) a reader assembly communicative with said host controller and structured to transmit an activating signal to at least some of said plurality of tags at a first frequency and receive data therefrom transmitted at a second frequency,

d) said plurality of tags structured for at least uni-directional transmission to said reader assembly upon receipt of said activating signal,

e) said reader assembly structured to determine a status of individual ones of at least some of said plurality of tags independently of said host controller or in communication therewith and

f) said activating signal being at least partially defined by an activating field having a predetermined range, and

g) at least of some of plurality of said tags being structured to be activated upon entering said activation field and being further structured to repeatedly transmit status data to said reader assembly for a predetermined time while present within said activating field.

19. A system as recited in claim 18 wherein at least some of said plurality of tags are further structured to cease transmission of said status data upon expiration of said predetermined time and subsequently repeat transmission of said status data upon remaining within said activating field after a second predetermined time has elapsed.

20. A system as recited in claim 18 wherein said reader assembly comprises at least one tracking reader structured to transmit data received from at least some of said plurality of tags to said host controller, said host controller and said tracking assembly responsive to the tag transmitted data and at least said host controller determinative of position parameters of said plurality of tags.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein said tag transmitted data comprises tag identification data.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein said position parameters comprise location of at least some of said plurality of tags.

23. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein said position parameters comprise a current direction of movement of at least some of said plurality of tags.