Method for optimizing RFID deployment and RFID deployment optimizer of use thereof

• US 8,325,012 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PolyU Technology and Consultancy Company Limited
• Original Assignee: PolyU Technology and Consultancy Company Limited
• Inventors: Kwok, Siu Keung, Cheung, Chi Fai, Tsang, Hing Choi, Lee, Wing Bun, Tan, Burly K., Ng, Pui Him, Ho, Sze Kit
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Kaleria
• Application Number:
  US12/521,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.3, 340/10.5, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 358/3.09, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 of parts of a radar system

Abstract

A method for optimizing the deployment of RFID apparatus, and a RFID deployment optimizer of use thereof are provided. The method includes the steps: A. analyzing the interrogation zone where the RFID apparatus are deployed, B. identifying the readability o RFID tag associated with different sets of placement on a target object inside the interrogation zone, and C. selecting the best deployment alternative based on the analysis result of the interrogation zone attained in the step A and all the readabilities of RFID tag associated with different sets of placement identified in the step B.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a middleware configured to receive, from a plurality of RFID apparatuses, readings from a plurality of RFID tags;

an interrogation zone analysis unit coupled to the middleware and configured to perform a collection of a set of readings from the plurality of RFID tags respectively located at a set of locations in an interrogation zone, wherein the set of locations is included in a matrix and a location in the matrix for each of the plurality of RFID tags is known prior to the collection of the set of readings; and

a tag placement analysis unit coupled to the middleware and configured to collect a reading of an RFID tag disposed at a placement on a target object located in the interrogation zone.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a visualizer coupled to the interrogation zone analysis unit and configured to visually present a plurality of sets of readings from the plurality of RFID tags successively collected one set at a time, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are successively located at a corresponding plurality of sets of locations in the interrogation zone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a visualizer coupled to the tag placement analysis unit and configured to visually present a plurality of sets of readings from the RFID tag successively collected one reading at a time, wherein the RFID tag is successively disposed at a placement on the target object, and wherein the target object is successively located at a plurality of locations in the interrogation zone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a database coupled to the middleware, the interrogation zone analysis unit, and the tag placement analysis unit, wherein the database is configured to store the received readings.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optimizer coupled to the interrogation zone analysis unit or the tag placement analysis unit, wherein the optimizer is configured to select a deployment for the RFID apparatuses, based on the readings collected by the interrogation zone analysis unit, the tag placement analysis unit, or both.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of locations comprises one of n equally-distanced sets of m equally-spaced locations in the interrogation zone, where n and m are both integers and each is >

1.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the placement on the target object comprises a selected combination of one of a frontal position, a sideways position, or a corner position with a selected one of a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.

8. A method comprising:

successively collecting, with an interrogation zone analysis unit, a plurality of sets of readings from a plurality of RFID tags, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are successively located at a corresponding plurality of sets of locations in an interrogation zone, and wherein the corresponding plurality of sets of locations for each of the plurality of RFID tags are at a known location in a matrix prior to said successively collecting a plurality of sets of readings; and

visually presenting, with a visualizer, the plurality of sets of readings from the plurality of RFID tags collected by the interrogation zone analysis unit.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

successively collecting, with a tag placement analysis unit, readings from an RFID tag successively disposed at a plurality of different placements on a target object; and

visually presenting, with a visualizer, the readings from the RFID tag collected by the tag placement analysis unit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting, with an optimizer, a deployment for RFID apparatuses based on the readings collected by the interrogation zone analysis unit, the tag placement analysis unit, or both.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the placements on the target object comprise a selected combination of one of a frontal position, a sideways position, or a corner position with a selected one of a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the corresponding plurality of sets of locations comprises n equally-distanced sets of m equally-spaced locations in the interrogation zone, where n and m are both integers and each is >

1.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting with an optimizer, a deployment for one or more RFID apparatuses, based on the readings collected by the interrogation zone analysis unit.

14. A method comprising:

successively collecting, with a tag placement analysis unit, readings from an RFID tag successively disposed at a plurality of different placements on a target object, wherein for each placement, the RFID tag is successively located at a plurality of locations in the interrogation zone, wherein the plurality of locations are included in a matrix, and wherein a corresponding location of the RFID tag in the matrix is known prior to said successively collecting readings; and

visually presenting, with a visualizer, the readings from the RFID tag collected by the tag placement analysis unit.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting, with an optimizer, a deployment for RFID apparatuses based on the readings collected by the tag placement analysis unit.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the placements on the target object comprise a selected combination of one of a frontal position, a sideways position, or a corner position with a selected one of a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.