RFID marking of units in a space
First Claim
1. A method of marking a plurality of non-RFID-active units in a space, the method comprising:
- providing the plurality of non-RFID-active units;
affixing two RFID tags to each unit at respective, different tag locations on the unit, each tag including a respective directional antenna steered in a respective, different antenna direction, so that respective directional propagation patterns are defined; and
disposing each unit within the space at a respective unit position;
so that the propagation patterns of the tags for each unit intersect to define a respective per-unit reader location with respect to the respective unit position, and the tag locations, antenna directions, and unit positions are selected so that the respective per-unit reader locations for each unit disposed in the space at least partially overlap to define a reader location;
activating an RFID reader having an antenna at the reader location to verify that both tags of each unit can be read.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Non-RFID-active units in a space are marked by affixing RFID tags. Two tags are affixed to each unit, each tag having a directional antenna. The antennas are oriented to define a per-unit reader location. Units are arranged in the space so the per-unit reader locations at least partially overlap to define a reader location. The units in the space can also be detected by an RFID reader located in the overlapping per-unit reader locations. A controller can compare a received list of tag identities corresponding to units expected to be in the container to the identities of the tags read to determine whether the expected units are in the container and disposed at positions and with orientations that cause the respective per-unit reader locations to at least partially overlap with the reader location.
11 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A method of marking a plurality of non-RFID-active units in a space, the method comprising:
- providing the plurality of non-RFID-active units;
affixing two RFID tags to each unit at respective, different tag locations on the unit, each tag including a respective directional antenna steered in a respective, different antenna direction, so that respective directional propagation patterns are defined; and disposing each unit within the space at a respective unit position;
so that the propagation patterns of the tags for each unit intersect to define a respective per-unit reader location with respect to the respective unit position, and the tag locations, antenna directions, and unit positions are selected so that the respective per-unit reader locations for each unit disposed in the space at least partially overlap to define a reader location;activating an RFID reader having an antenna at the reader location to verify that both tags of each unit can be read. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- providing the plurality of non-RFID-active units;
-
10. A method of detecting a plurality of non-RFID-active units in a space, the method comprising:
-
receiving the plurality of non-RFID-active units disposed in the space, each unit at a respective unit position, each unit having affixed thereto two RFID tags at respective, different tag locations on the unit, each tag having a respective identity and including a respective directional antenna steered in a respective, different antenna direction, so that respective directional propagation patterns are defined;
wherein the propagation patterns of the tags for each unit intersect to define a respective per-unit reader location with respect to the respective unit position;activating an RFID reader having an antenna located at a reader location to read the respective identity of one or more of the RFID tags; using a controller, automatically receiving a list of tag identities corresponding to units expected to be in the space and comparing the identities of the tags read to the received list to determine whether the expected units are in the space and disposed at positions and with orientations that cause the respective per-unit reader locations to at least partially overlap with the reader location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
Specification