Method and system for controlling the traffic flow through an RFID directional portal

• US 8,487,747 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morin, Raymond B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US12/126,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20090289793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 340/582, 340/568, 340/825.35, 340/825.54, 340/825.31, 340/825.3, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/568.5, 340/568.8, 340/5.1, 340/10.1, 340/825.25, 340/5.7, 340/10.2, 340/539.27, 340/10.3, 340/540, 235/380, 235/381, 235/385, 235/383, 701/117, 701/23, 701/24
• US Class Current: 340/10.2
• 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 7/10356 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

Abstract

A system having a first motion sensor configured to sense movement of an object on a first side of a portal, the object including an RFID tag, a first RFID reader being activated by the first motion sensor when the first motion sensor senses movement of the object, the first RFID reader reading the RFID tag, a second motion sensor configured to sense movement of the object on a second side of the portal and a second RFID reader being activated by the second motion sensor when the second motion sensor senses movement of the object, the second RFID reader reading the RFID tag, wherein, when one of the first and second motion sensors sense movement of the object, the other one of the first and second motion sensors is deactivated for a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first motion sensor configured to sense a movement of a first object on a first side of a portal, the portal comprising the first side and a second side, the first object including a first radio frequency identification tag;

a first radio frequency identification reader configured to be activated by the first motion sensor when the first motion sensor senses the movement of the first object on the first side of the portal, the first radio frequency identification reader further configured to read the first radio frequency identification tag;

a second motion sensor configured to sense a movement of a second object on the second side of the portal, the second object including a second radio frequency identification tag; and

a second radio frequency identification reader configured to be activated by the second motion sensor when the second motion sensor senses the movement of the second object on the second side of the portal, the second radio frequency identification reader further configured to read the second radio frequency identification tag, wherein the first motion sensor is further configured to deactivate the second motion sensor for a predetermined period of time when the first motion sensor senses the movement of the first object on the first side of the portal.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a relay configured to receive a signal from the first motion sensor and to deactivate the second motion sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signaling device configured to direct a flow of traffic through the portal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the signaling device is configured to indicate a traffic flow from the first side to the second side when the first motion sensor senses the movement of the first object on the first side of the portal.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the signaling device includes a plurality of lights to direct the flow of traffic through the portal.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the signaling device includes an audio cue to direct the flow of traffic through the portal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is adjustable.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first motion sensor comprises an acoustic motion sensor.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the signaling device includes a first signaling device at the first side of the portal and a second signaling device at the second side of the portal, each of the first signaling device and the second signaling device including a stop signal and a go signal, wherein, when the second motion sensor is deactivated, the stop signal of the second signaling device is activated.

10. A method, comprising:

sensing a movement of a first object by a first motion sensor arranged at a first side of a portal, the portal comprising the first side and a second side, the first object including a first radio frequency identification tag;

activating, upon the sensing of the movement, a first radio frequency identification reader; and

deactivating, upon the sensing of the movement, a second motion sensor arranged at the second side of the portal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

reading, by the first radio frequency identification reader, the first radio frequency identification tag.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

reactivating, after a predetermined period of time following the deactivating of the second motion sensor, the second motion sensor.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

activating, upon the deactivating of the second motion sensor, a stop signal on the second side of the portal.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of time is adjustable.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first motion sensor comprises an acoustic motion sensor.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing, by the second motion sensor, a movement of a second object on the second side of the portal, the second object including a second radio frequency identification tag;

activating, upon the sensing of the movement of the second object on the second side of the portal, a second radio frequency identification reader; and

deactivating, upon the sensing of the movement of the second object on the second side of the portal, the first motion sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

reading, by the second radio frequency identification reader, the second radio frequency identification tag; and

reactivating, after a predetermined period of time following the deactivating of the first motion sensor, the first motion sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

activating, upon deactivating the first motion sensor, a first stop signal on the first side of the portal.

19. A system, comprising:

a first sensing means for sensing a movement of a first object on a first side of a portal, the portal comprising the first side and a second side;

a first reading means being activated by the first sensing means when the first sensing means senses the movement of the first object on the first side of the portal, the first reading means for reading a first radio frequency identification tag of the first object;

a second sensing means for sensing a movement of a second object on the second side of the portal; and

a second reading means being activated by the second sensing means when the second sensing means senses the movement of the second object on the second side of the portal, the second reading means for reading a second radio frequency identification tag of the second object, wherein, when the first sensing means senses the movement of the first object on the first side of the portal, the second sensing means is deactivated for a predetermined period of time.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a signaling means for directing a flow of traffic through the portal.