Systems and methods that integrate radio frequency identification (RFID) technology with industrial controllers

• US 7,997,475 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Macurek, Filip, Vrba, Pavel, Hall, Kenwood H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US12/040,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20090127325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/491, 235/492, 340/572.1, 340/10.2, 209/3.3
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/108 of the peristaltic type
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1231 Metering pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1279 regulating the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0827 Bags in box
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/08 having tubular flexible members F04B43/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/09 Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25196 Radio link, transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33055 Holon, agent executes task and cooperates with other, distributed control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/469 Sequentially filled and emptied [e.g., holding type]

Abstract

The subject invention relates to systems and methods that provide electronic data (e.g., Electronic Product Code (EPC) data) obtained from Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags by RFID readers and/or from servers to one or more industrial components (e.g., controllers, programmable logic controllers, modules, etc.). The systems and methods employ component that processes, if desired, and stores received electronic data as records within a table. Processing includes filtering for data of interest and/or formatting the data in a suitable structure. Storage can include delineating related electronic data across rows the table and types of data across columns of a row. Upon receiving a subscription and/or request for electronic data from the one or more industrial components, the data can be retrieved and conveyed to the subscribing and/or requesting components.

Claims

1. An industrial controller, comprising:

a processing module configured to exchange electronic product data with at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and filter the electronic product data;

a memory configured to store the electronic product data filtered by the processing module in a structured format; and

an industrial control interface configured to exchange the electronic product data filtered by the processing module stored in the structured format with at least one entity of an industrial control system.

2. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the electronic product data comprises at least one of an Electronic Product Code, a logical reader identifier, a timestamp, a flag indicating an RFID tag is with an antenna'"'"'s coverage area, a product type, a date of manufacture, a lot number, an associated case, an associated pallet, or an associated container level.

3. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the industrial controller is a programmable logic controller (PLC).

4. The industrial controller of claim 3, wherein the industrial control interface is further configured to at least one of read or write at least one of an In, an Out, an InOut, a tag, a state, or a status parameter to the PLC.

5. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the industrial control interface is further configured to employ at least one industrial protocol to exchange the electronic data with the at least one entity.

6. The industrial controller of claim 5, wherein the at least one entity is a control application of the industrial controller.

7. The industrial controller of claim 5, wherein the at least one industrial protocol includes control and information protocol (CIP).

8. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one entity is external to the industrial controller.

9. The industrial controller of claim 8, wherein the at least one entity is associated with at least one of an Enterprise System (ERP), a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), or a Machine Control System (MC).

10. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the structured format is at least one of a table, an in-memory database or a database system.

11. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the structured data format includes logic.

12. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising an intelligent component configured to employ at least one of statistics, probabilities, inferences, or classifiers to facilitate at least one of electronic product data collection, filtering, formatting, storage, or distribution to an agent.

13. The industrial controller of claim 1, electronic product data includes a timestamp.

14. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising:

an RFID interface configured to receive the electronic product data from the at least one RFID reader.

15. The industrial controller of claim 14, wherein the RFID interface is further configured to employ at least one plug-in driver to receive the electronic product data from the at least one RFID reader.

16. The industrial controller of claim 14, wherein the RFID interface is further configured to utilize at least one of a wired connection or wireless connection to receive the electronic product data from the at least one RFID reader.

17. The industrial controller of claim 1, wherein the structured data format includes at least one flag.

18. The industrial controller of claim 14, wherein the industrial controller receives at least one of a subscription or a request from the at least one entity.

19. The industrial controller of claim 18, wherein the request is for at least one of historical electronic product data or a signal quality indicator associated with reception of the electronic product data.

20. A method, comprising:

interfacing with at least one Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader through an RFID reader interface of an industrial controller;

obtaining electronic product data related to at least one RFID product tag from the RFID reader;

filtering the electronic product data;

formatting the filtered electronic product data in a structured form;

interfacing with at least one entity of an industrial control system through an industrial control interface of the industrial controller utilizing at least one industrial protocol; and

conveying the electronic product data in the structured form to the at least one entity.