Entry and exit confirmation system and method

• US 7,764,176 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Xu, Jichuang, Zhang, Kailai, Qin, Wenhao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/957,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/505
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• 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 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A method for confirming entry and/or exit state of a mobile object relative to all entrance of an underground passageway by utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. At least one RFID tag is physically attached to the mobile object. At least a first RFID reader and a second RFID reader, each having a monitoring range and being in communication with the RFID tag, are disposed at the entrance and a relatively inner position of the passageway respectively. The method comprises generating a first entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the first RFID reader and a first exiting-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the first RFID reader, generating a second entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the second RFID reader and a second exiting-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the second RFID reader, and processing the first entering-state and exiting-state data and the second entering-state and exiting-state data to generate an output data indicating the entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway.

Claims

1. A method for confirming entry and/or exit state of a mobile object relative to an entrance of an underground passageway by utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, wherein at least one RFID tag is physically attached to the mobile object and at least a first RFID reader and a second RFD reader, each having a monitoring range and being in communication with the RFID tag, are disposed at the entrance and an relatively inner position of the passageway respectively, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a first entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the first RFID reader and a first exiting-state data if the RFID tag exists the monitoring range of the first RFID reader;

generating a second entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the second RFID reader and a second exiting-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the second RFID reader; and

processing the first entering-state and exiting-state date and the second entering-state and exiting-state data to generate an output data indicating the entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway, wherein;

generating a first entering-state data and a first exiting-state data comprises generating a first entering time if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the first RFID reader and generating a first exiting time if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the first RFID reader; and

generating a second entering-state data and a second exiting-state data comprises generating a second entering time if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the second RFID reader and generating a second exiting time if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the second RFID reader.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first backup RFID reader associated with the first RFID reader and in communication with the RFID tag, and a second backup RFID reader associated with the second RFID reader and in communication with the RFID tag.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching an alarm device to the mobile object;

obtaining an comparable data from an database indicating a desirable entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway;

comparing the output data with the comparable data;

transmitting a signal to activate the alarm device if the output data is not compatible with the comparable data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the first entering-state and exiting-state data and the second entering-state and exiting-state data comprises comparing the time sequences of the first entering time, the first exiting time, the second entering time and the second exiting time.

5. A method for confirming entry and/or exit state of a mobile object relative to an entrance of an underground passageway by utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, wherein at least one RFID tag is physically attached to the mobile object and at least a first RFID reader and a second RFID reader, each having a monitoring range and being in communication with the RFID tag, are disposed at the entrance and an relatively inner position of the passageway respectively, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a first entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the first RFID reader and a first exiting-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the first RFID reader;

generating a second entering-stage date if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the second RFID reader and a second existing-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the second RFID reader;

processing the first entering-state and exiting-state data and the second entering-state and exiting-state date to generate an output data indicating the entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway, and;

transmitting the output data to a display for displaying the entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway.

6. A computer readable medium having computer readable program for operating on a computer for confirming entry and/or exit state of at least one mobile object relative to an entrance of an underground passageway by utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, wherein at least one RFID tag is physically attached to the mobile object and at least a first RFID reader and a second RFID reader, each having a monitoring range and being in communication with the RFID tag, are disposed at the entrance and an relatively inner position of the passageway respectively, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a first entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the first RFID reader and a first exiting-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the first RFID reader;

generating a second entering-state data if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the second RFID reader and a second exiting-state data if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the second RFID reader; and

processing the first entering-state and exiting-state data and the second entering-state and exiting-state data to generate an output data indicating the entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway, wherein;

generating a first entering-state data and a first exiting-state data comprises generating a first entering time if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the first RFID reader and generating a first exiting time if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the first RFID reader; and

generating a second entering-state data and a second exiting-state data comprises generating a second entering time if the RFID tag enters the monitoring range of the second RFID reader and generating a second exiting time if the RFID tag exits the monitoring range of the second RFID reader.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises providing a first backup RFID reader associated with the first RFID reader and in communication with the RFID tag, and a second backup RFID reader associated with the second RFID reader and in communication with the RFID tag.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

attaching an alarm device to the mobile object;

obtaining an comparable data from an database indicating a desirable entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway;

comparing the output data with the comparable data;

transmitting a signal to activate the alarm device if the output data is not compatible with the comparable data.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein processing the first entering-state and exiting-state data and the second entering-state and exiting-state data comprises comparing the time sequences of the first entering time, the first exiting time, the second entering time and the second exiting time.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprising transmitting the output data to a display for displaying the entry and/or exit state of the mobile object relative to the entrance of the passageway.