Systems and methods for identifying missing items

• US 7,755,490 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Elledge, Dennis D
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/847,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/539.32, 340/825.49, 340/10.1, 340 104- 1042, 340/691.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10059 transponder driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• 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 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A method and system for identifying a lost or stolen device is disclosed herein. The system includes: a transmitter, coupled to said device, for transmitting identification information; a receiver for receiving the identification information transmitted by the transmitter, when the transmitter is within a defined distance from the receiver; and a computer, coupled to the receiver for receiving the information from the receiver, and having a database for storing data associated with lost or stolen devices; wherein the computer compares the information with the data, and generates an alarm if the information indicates that the device is lost or stolen. The method includes: receiving information transmitted by a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, coupled to an item, when the item comes within a defined range of a receiver which receives the information; storing data associated with lost or stolen goods in a database coupled to the receiver; comparing the information to the data and determining if the information matches the data associated with the lost or stolen goods; and generating an alarm, if the information matches the data.

Claims

1. A system for identifying missing items, comprising:

an interrogator to transmit commands to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags secured to respective devices and to receive replies from the RFID tags within a defined area, the interrogator operable to extract identifier information from the replies; and

a processor coupled to the interrogator and to a database, the database storing identification information of a device to identify the device as missing, the identification information being associated with the device to identify the device independent of an RFID tag that is secured to the device, the processor operable to use the identifier information extracted by the interrogator and the identification information stored in the database to identify the missing device associated with the RFID tag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interrogator is configured to transmit signals to power the RFID tags.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag further comprises a battery.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area comprises locations within a specified distance of the interrogator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area comprises an airport checkpoint.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area comprises an area associated with a metal detector device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined area comprises an area associated with a baggage screening device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification information that identifies the device as missing is data that identifies the device as lost or stolen.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier information is a serial number of the device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the device when the device is manufactured.

12. A method of locating missing items, comprising:

storing, in a database, first identification information of a device to identify the device as missing, the first identification information being associated with the device to identify the device independent of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is secured to the device;

communicating, by a computer coupled with the database, with an interrogator configured to;

send commands to RFID tags secured to respective devices that pass through a defined area, the commands requiring each respective RFID tag of the RFID tags within the defined area to transmit a reply that includes second identification information of the respective RFID tag that transmits the reply;

receive the reply from each of the RFID tags within the defined area, and

extract the second identification information from the reply received from each of the RFID tags; and

issuing an alert by the computer when a missing device is identified based on the second identification information extracted by the interrogator and the first identification information stored in the database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the commands are sent as spread spectrum radio signals and the RFID tags authenticate the commands by successfully despreading spread spectrum radio signals.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising adding an entry to the database when a second device is identified as lost or stolen.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising deleting an entry from the database when the device is located.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the defined area is a baggage screening area.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second identification information extracted from the reply is a serial number of the device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag that uses radio frequency energy from the commands to provide power for sending replies.

19. A method for locating missing items, comprising:

transmitting commands from a plurality of readers via direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) radio frequency messages to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, wherein each of the plurality of readers is associated with a predetermined location;

receiving by the plurality of readers reply messages communicated from the RFID tags, wherein each of the reply messages includes an identifier;

extracting the identifier from each of the reply messages;

comparing the identifier with entries stored in a secure database, wherein the entries comprise identification information for RFID tags associated with devices that have been identified as lost or stolen; and

alerting an operator when the identifier of one of the reply messages corresponds to identification information in one of the entries stored in the secure database;

wherein the alerting further comprises one of;

identifying a reader that received a reply message comprising an identifier corresponding to identification information in one of the entries stored in the secure database; and

identifying the predetermined location from which a reader received a reply message comprising an identifier corresponding to identification information in one of the entries stored in the secure database.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the reply messages are communicated from the RFID tags via reflected energy using modulated backscatter.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the reply messages are communicated from RFID tags that have authenticated a command transmitted by one of the readers.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the RFID tags authenticate messages transmitted by one of the readers by successfully despreading the DSSS radio frequency messages.

23. A system to identify missing items, the system comprising:

a plurality of readers, each of the readers being positioned at a known location to interrogate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to obtain interrogation results;

a database to store first identification information of an RFID tag physically attached to an item being transported, the RFID tag configured to store the first identification information to represent the item to which the RFID tag is physically attached, and the RFID tag configured to transmit the first identification information to the readers when being positioned in vicinity of the readers and interrogated by the readers; and

a computer coupled to the database to identify the item as being missing, based on the first identification information stored in the database and the interrogation results obtained at the readers, and identify a location of a first reader of the plurality of readers where the RFID tag has transmitted the first identification information to the first reader.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a device coupled to the computer to provide an alarm signal for the item.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the alarm signal includes one of a visual signal and an audio signal.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the first reader is the last one of the readers to receive the first identification information from the RFID tag.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the item includes an electronic device capable of functioning independent of the RFID tag.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the location of the first reader is identified in response to matching the first identification information stored in the database with identification information transmitted from the RFID tag.

30. A method to identify missing items, the method comprising:

interrogating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags using a plurality of readers to generate interrogation results, wherein each of the readers being positioned at a known location;

storing by a computer in a database first identification information of an RFID tag physically attached to an item being transported, the RFID tag configured to store the first identification information to represent the item to which the RFID tag is physically attached, and the RFID tag configured to transmit the first identification information to each corresponding reader of the readers when being transported to vicinity of the corresponding reader and interrogated by the corresponding reader; and

identifying the item as being missing based on the first identification information stored in the database and the interrogation results from the readers and identifying a first reader, among the plurality of readers, to which the RFID tag has transmitted the first identification information, using the computer coupled to the database.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

providing an alarm signal for the item.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the alarm signal includes one of a visual signal and an audio signal.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the first reader is the last one of the readers to receive the first identification information from the RFID tag.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the item includes an electronic device capable of functioning independent of the RFID tag.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the first reader is identified in response to matching the first identification information stored in the database and identification information transmitted from the RFID tag.