LPRF device wake up using wireless tag

• US 8,280,345 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Twitchell, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/556,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/456.1, 340/5.7, 700/244, 705/28
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless transceiver includes: (a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and (b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component. The second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast.

Claims

1. An electronic method for monitoring the location and integrity of a container and one or more products capable of being contained in the container in an operating environment, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing an identification (ID) tag encoded with a container ID on a location on a container capable of containing one or more products;

(b) placing a unique product ID tag encoded with one or more product IDs and product attributes and states on one or more products loaded into the container, wherein the one or more product IDs are associated with the one or more product attributes and states;

(c) associating the one or more products in the container with the container ID; and

(d) tracking the location of the container based on the ID tag and determining the integrity of the container based on the product attributes and states.

2. The electronic method of claim 1, wherein the ID tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and step (d) includes tracking the location of the container via one or more radio frequency (RF) interrogators capable of identifying the location of the RFID tag.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more RF interrogators comprise wireless reader tags (WRTs).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the product attributes and states include information regarding production batches, phases of production, and the product delivery process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique product ID tag includes a serial number, status, process step, and physical location of the product associated with the product ID tag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique product ID tag includes temperature and/or humidity data for the product associated with the product ID tag.

7. The electronic method of claim 1, wherein the operating environment is a manufacturing area.

8. An electronic system for monitoring the location and integrity of a container and one or more products capable of being contained on the container in an operating environment, the system comprising:

(a) an identification (ID) tag encoded with a container ID on a location on a container capable of containing one or more products;

(b) a unique product ID tag encoded with one or more product IDs and product attributes and states on one or more products loaded into the container, wherein the one or more product IDs are associated with the one or more product attributes and states;

(c) a database for storing the association of the one or more products in the container with the container ID and for checking the one or more product attributes and states for indicating the integrity of the container; and

(d) one or more tracking devices for tracking the location of the container based on the ID tag and for determining the integrity of the container based on the product attributes and states.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the ID tag is a radio frequency identification (REID) tag and the tracking device is a radio frequency (RF) interrogator capable of identifying the location of the RFID tag.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the unique product ID tag includes a serial number, status, process step, and physical location of the product associated with the product ID tag.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the product attributes and states include information regarding production batches, phases of production, and the product delivery process.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more tracking devices each comprises a wireless reader tag (WRT).

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operating environment is a manufacturing area.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the unique product ID tag includes temperature and/or humidity data for the product associated with the product ID tag.

15. An electronic method for monitoring the location and integrity of a container and one or more products capable of being contained on the container in an operating environment, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a radio frequency identification (REID) tag encoded with a container identification (ID) on a location on a container capable of containing one or more products;

(b) placing a unique product identification (ID) tag encoded with one or more product IDs and product attribute and state information on one or more products loaded into the container, wherein the one or more product IDs are associated with product attribute and state information to determine the integrity of the container;

(c) associating the one or more products in the container with the container ID and receiving the one or more product attribute and state information indicating the integrity of the container;

(d) tracking the location of the container based on the RFID tag and determining the integrity of the container based on the product attribute and state information;

(e) tracking the location of the container via one or more radio frequency (RF) tracking devices capable of identifying the location of the RFID tag;

(f) placing the one or more RF tracking devices at one or more RF tracking device placement locations; and

(g) transmitting the location of the container.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the product attribute and state information includes information regarding production batches, phases of production, and the product delivery process.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more RF tracking devices comprise RF interrogators.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the operating environment is a manufacturing area.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique product ID tag includes a serial number, status, process step, and physical location of the product associated with the product ID tag.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique product ID tag includes temperature and/or humidity data for the product associated with the product ID tag.