Location determination and guidance using radio frequency identification

• US 8,159,329 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Killian, Thomas, Rice, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil
• Application Number:
  US11/724,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.49, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.41, 340/10.5, 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.2, 340/539.23, 340/539.32, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 340/1.1, 340/8.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340/10.31, 340/10.32, 340/10.52, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder

Abstract

A method and system for location determination and guidance using radio frequency identification (RFID) are disclosed. A location of a mobile RFID reader can be determined by detecting stationary RFID tags located at fixed locations. Each RFID tag stores location information associated with its position as well as location information of at least one other RFID tag. The location information stored by each RFID tag can be used to direct a user from one RFID tag to another. Thus, RFID technology is also used to guide mobile RFID reader between the fixed locations of the stationary RFID tags.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a portable device comprising:

transmitting a radio frequency signal;

detecting a plurality of first radio frequency identification tags based on a plurality of signals received in response to the radio frequency signal;

receiving from the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags, first location information of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and receiving from at least one of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags, second location information of a second radio frequency identification tag;

determining a location of the portable device based on the first location information received from the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags; and

determining a route from the location of the portable device to a location of the second radio frequency identification tag based on the second location information and the first location information, wherein the second location information further comprises map information showing a route between a location of one of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location information comprises a location of each of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and the second location information comprises the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags comprises:

detecting all first radio frequency identification tags within a range of the radio frequency signal transmitted from the portable device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving from the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags, first location information of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and second location information of the second radio frequency identification tag comprises:

selecting a first radio frequency identification tag from the all first radio frequency identification tags within the range of the radio frequency signal; and

receiving the first and second location information from the first radio frequency identification tag that is selected.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting additional'"'"'first location information to at least one of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting additional second location information to at least one of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags.

6. A method of operation of a radio frequency identification tag located at a fixed position, comprising:

storing first location information of the radio frequency identification tag and second location information of a second radio frequency identification tag in the radio frequency identification tag;

receiving a radio frequency signal transmitted by a radio frequency identification reading device;

transmitting the first and second location information to the radio frequency identification reading device in response to the radio frequency signal; and

providing a route from a location of the radio frequency identification tag to a location of the second radio frequency identification tag based on the second location information of the second radio frequency identification tag and the first location information from the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the second location information further comprises map information showing the route between the location of the radio frequency identification tag and the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first location information comprises the location of the radio frequency identification tag and the second location information comprises the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving additional first location information from the radio frequency identification reading device; and

storing the additional first location information.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving additional second location information from the radio frequency identification reading device; and

storing the additional second location information.

9. A mobile radio frequency identification reader device comprising:

means for transmitting a radio frequency signal;

means for detecting a plurality of first radio frequency identification tags based on a plurality of signals received in response to the radio frequency signal;

means for receiving from the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags, first location information of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and receiving from at least one of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags, second location information of a second radio frequency identification tag;

means for determining a location of the mobile radio frequency identification reader device based on the first location information received from the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags; and

means for determining a route from the location of the mobile radio frequency identification reader device to a location of the second radio frequency identification tag based on the second location information and the first location information, wherein the second location information further comprises map information showing a route between a location of one of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

10. The mobile radio frequency identification reader device of claim 9, wherein the first location information comprises a location of each of the plurality of first radio frequency identification tags and the second location information comprises the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

11. A radio frequency identification tag located at a fixed position, comprising:

means for storing first location information of the radio frequency identification tag and second location information of a second radio frequency identification tag;

means for receiving a radio frequency signal transmitted by a radio frequency identification reading device;

means for transmitting the first and second location information to the radio frequency identification reading device in response to the radio frequency signal; and

means for providing a route from a location of the radio frequency identification tag to a location of the second radio frequency identification tag based on the second location information of the second radio frequency identification tag and the first location information of the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the second location information further comprises map information showing the route between the location of radio frequency identification tag and the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

12. The radio frequency identification tag of claim 11, wherein the first location information comprises the location of the radio frequency identification tag and the second location information comprises the location of the second radio frequency identification tag.

13. A system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification tags, each one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags located at a respective fixed location, and each one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags encoded with first location information associated with the fixed location of the respective one of the plurality radio frequency identification tags and second location information associated with the respective fixed location of a second one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags; and

a portable device for receiving the first location information from each one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags to determine a location of the portable device based upon an intersection of circles of radius R of the respective fixed location of each one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags, wherein the second location information further comprises map information showing a route between the respective fixed location of the one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags and the respective fixed location of the second one of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags.