Method and apparatus for tracking objects and people

• US 7,834,765 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automated Tracking Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Automated Tracking Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Sawyer, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US12/404,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 235/385, 705/22, 705/28, 700/215, 700/225
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• 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 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 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• 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: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child

Abstract

An object locating, identifying, tracking, and surveillance system, denoted the Assets Locating, Tracking, and Surveillance System (ALTSS), is provided for managing physical objects and evidence in environments such as police departments, law offices, and the Courts. ALTSS employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, computer programming and database applications, networking technologies, and hardware elements. ALTSS may locate and track physical evidence, merchandise, information carriers like files, folders or individual pieces of paper, and people, under certain conditions, in near-real time. It may be configured as part of a local area network, a wide area network, or the Internet. ALTSS may employ exemplary components such as RFID transponders, scanners, strategically located antennas and computers to facilitate tracking of objects and people as needed. Any number of users having access privileges and connected to the network may access ALTSS directly or remotely via the Internet to locate and track evidence or objects.

Claims

1. A system for locating, identifying, and/or tracking of a plurality of objects, each having a transponder attached thereto, said system comprising:

a reader configured to perform a continuous series of read cycles during a first period of time, wherein said reader is further configured to read one or more transponders in a first plurality of transponders in a first coverage area during a read cycle;

an antenna, coupled to said reader, for communicating radio frequency (RF) signals to and from the first plurality of transponders in said first coverage area; and

a processor that is configured to receive data from said reader, and responsive to said received data, to determine that a first transponder in said one or more transponders has entered said first coverage area, and to subsequently determine that said first transponder has exited said first coverage area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said reader is further coupled to a second antenna, wherein each antenna has a different antenna coverage area within said first coverage area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor transmits signals to said reader.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor determines that said reader has read said first transponder when said reader receives a first RF signal having a first identifier for said first transponder during a first read cycle and determines that said first transponder has left said first coverage area when said reader fails to receive an RF signal having said first identifier for said first transponder during a subsequent read cycle.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage device that is configured to store said data from said reader.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor is further configured to generate detection information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said detection information further includes a timestamp.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said detection information includes first sighting and last sighting of said first transponder.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said first sighting and last sighting of said first transponder in said one or more transponders include a timestamp.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said last sighting indicates that said first transponder left said first coverage area.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said last sighting indicates that said first transponder is dwelling in said first coverage area.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said first sighting includes a timestamp and said last sighting includes a timestamp.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said first sighting and last sighting are each represented by a single bit.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein said detection information is a single bit that indicates whether said first transponder is dwelling in said first coverage area.

15. The system of claim 5, wherein said storage device is further configured to store a table of transponders read by said reader during a first monitoring period.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said data further includes detection information for said transponders read by said reader during said first monitoring period.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said detection information further indicates whether a transponder in said table of transponders read by said reader during said first monitoring period has been previously read within said first coverage area.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to compare transponders in said table of transponders read by said reader during said first monitoring period with said first transponder.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said processor is further configured to determine that said first transponder is a known transponder if said first transponder is included in said table of transponders read by said reader during said first monitoring period.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said processor is further configured to determine that said first transponder has entered said first coverage area if said first transponder is not included in said table of transponders read by said reader during said first monitoring period.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said antenna is integrated with said reader.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second antenna.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said second antenna is configured to communicate RF signals to and from a second plurality of transponders.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said first coverage area includes an antenna coverage area of said second antenna.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said reader is further configured to read one or more transponders in said second plurality of transponders during a read cycle.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein said reader is configured to process data to locate, identify, and track an object in said plurality of objects.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is external to said reader.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is wirelessly coupled to said reader.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein said data includes detection information and said detection information includes a null value.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is coupled to a data communications network.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said data communications network is the Internet.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein a user terminal is coupled to said processor.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said user terminal includes an application configured to determine status and location information of an object in said plurality of objects.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said user terminal accesses an application configured to determine status and location information of an object in said plurality of objects.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein said first coverage area is within a facility, wherein said facility comprises a plurality of additional coverage areas, and wherein said processor is configured to generate detection information for said first plurality of transponders in said first coverage area.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said processor is further configured to generate detection information for a second plurality of transponders in a second coverage area.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said detection information for said second plurality of transponders comprises first sighting and last sighting of a first transponder in said second plurality of transponders.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising a storage device configured to store a table of transponders read in said first coverage area during a first monitoring period.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said storage device is configured to store a table of transponders read in said second coverage area during said first monitoring period.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said data further includes detection information for transponders in said table of transponders read in said second coverage area during said first monitoring period.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said detection information further indicates whether a transponder in said table of transponders read in said second coverage area during said first monitoring period has been previously read.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein said storage device is configured to store a table of transponders read in said second coverage area during a second monitoring period.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said data further includes detection information for transponders in said table of transponders read in said second coverage area during said second monitoring period.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein said detection information further indicates whether a transponder in said table of transponders read in said second coverage area during said second monitoring period has been previously read.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein said first sighting and last sighting of said first transponder in said second plurality of transponders include a timestamp.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein said facility is a department store, a warehouse, or a hospital.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein said antenna is situated at an entrance of said facility.

48. The system of claim 35, wherein said antenna is situated at an exit of said facility.

49. The system of claim 1, wherein an object in said plurality of objects is a person.

50. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to update said data for said first transponder of said one or more transponders each time said reader receives data from said first transponder.

51. The system of claim 1, wherein said reader is configured to perform a second continuous series of read cycles during said first period of time, wherein said reader is configured to read one or more transponders in a second coverage area during a read cycle in said second continuous series of read cycles.

52. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one transponder in said first plurality of transponders is an active tag.

53. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one transponder in said first plurality of transponders is a passive tag.

54. The system of claim 1, wherein said reader is configured to perform a second continuous series of read cycles during a second period of time, wherein said reader is configured to read one or more transponders in said first coverage area during a read cycle in said second continuous series of read cycles.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein said processor is further configured to generate a first table including transponders read during said first period of time.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said processor is further configured to generate a second table including transponders read during said second period of time.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein said second table includes transponders not included in said first table.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein said first table includes transponders not included in said second table.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein said transponders in said first table are identical to said transponders in said second table.