Methods and apparatus to visualize locations of radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged items

• US 8,564,441 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/567,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/10.1, 340/326, 340/505, 340/539.21, 340/539.32, 3406913-6916, 340/825.49, 340/6.1, 235/385, 705/28, 342/118, 342/147, 342/385, 342/450, 342/458, 342/463
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/046 Displays or indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10376 the interrogation device being adapted for being moveable
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to visualize locations of radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged items are described. One example method includes receiving a request from a portable electronic device to access product information associated with an individual radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged item, determining a location of the product information in a database, transmitting the located product information to the portable electronic device for display thereon, receiving modified product information associated with the individual RFID tagged item from the portable electronic device, and storing the modified product information to the location of the product information in the database.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

processing, by a processor of a portable electronic device, a received radio frequency wave to determine a location of a radio frequency identification tagged item, where the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item is determined from an angle of the received radio frequency wave; and

transmitting the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item via the processor of the portable electronic device to a database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location comprises a distance and a lateral position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is further determined from a time delay of the received radio frequency wave.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is further determined from an amplitude change of the received radio frequency wave.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is further determined from a second angle of a second radio frequency wave for a second radio frequency identification tagged item.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving product information at the processor of the portable electronic device, wherein the product information is associated with the radio frequency identification tagged item;

receiving at the processor of the portable electronic device an input to modify the product information associated with the radio frequency identification tagged item; and

transmitting the product information that is modified from the processor of the portable electronic device to the database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the received radio frequency wave is processed to extract an identification number to reference the radio frequency identification tagged item.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

using a wireless communication channel to facilitate communication between the processor of the portable electronic device and the database.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving the product information includes receiving an identification number for the radio frequency identification tagged item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information further includes a product description.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information further includes an available quantity.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information further includes a manufacturer name.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information further includes a model number.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information further includes a catalog number.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information further includes a price.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the database stores the product information that has been modified.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the input is received from a keypad associated with the portable electronic device.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the indicating the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item comprises displaying the product information associated with the radio frequency identification tagged item on a transparent display.

19. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

processing a received radio frequency wave to determine a location of a radio frequency identification tagged item, where the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item is determined from an angle of the received radio frequency wave; and

transmitting the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item to a database.

20. A tangible computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor of a portable electronic device, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

processing a received radio frequency wave to determine a location of a radio frequency identification tagged item, where the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item is determined from an angle of the received radio frequency wave; and

transmitting the location of the radio frequency identification tagged item to a database.