Calibration of beamforming nodes in a configurable monitoring device system

• US 8,786,440 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Clare, Thomas J., Krishnamurthy, Venkat
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/878,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/539.1, 340/539.21, 455/562.1, 455/552.1, 455/73, 342/418, 342/432, 342/465
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4052 by simulation of echoes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4056 specially adapted to FMCW
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• 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 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10099 the directional field being used for pinpointing the location of the record carrier, e.g. for finding or locating an RFID tag amongst a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with an object, e.g. for physically locating the RFID tagged object in a warehouse
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10217 parameter settings controlling the transmission power of the interrogator
• 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 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system for radio frequency identification of a tag in an interrogation zone, includes a calibration node disposed in the interrogation zone to measure a signal strength of radio frequency identification signals from a beamforming system and provide signal data in accordance with the signal strength. A reader node is configured to receive the signal data and adjust the radio frequency identification signals generated by the beamforming system based upon the signal data. At least one of the calibration node, the reader node and the beamforming system is a configurable monitoring system. The calibration node, the reader node, and the beamforming system are coupled in a feedback control loop. The beamforming system includes a plurality of beamforming nodes. A signal of at least one beamforming node is optimized in accordance with the feedback control loop.

Claims

1. A system for radio frequency identification of a tag in an interrogation zone, comprising:

a calibration node disposed in the interrogation zone to measure a signal strength of radio frequency identification signals from a beamforming system and provide signal data in accordance with the signal strength; and

a reader node configured to receive the signal data and adjust the radio frequency identification signals generated by the beamforming system based upon the signal data, wherein at least one of the calibration node, the reader node and the beamforming system is a configurable monitoring system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the calibration node, the reader node, and the beamforming system are coupled in a feedback control loop.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the beamforming system further comprises a plurality of beamforming nodes.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a signal of at least one beamforming node is optimized in accordance with the feedback control loop.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein a signal to noise ratio of at least one beamforming node is optimized in accordance with the feedback control loop.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein a phase of at least one beamforming node is optimized in accordance with the feedback control loop.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of beamforming nodes form a one dimensional beamforming array.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of beamforming nodes form a two dimensional beamforming array.

9. The system of claim 1, including a plurality of tags arranged in a mesh with tag to tag communication between at least two of the tags in the mesh.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a tag within the interrogation zone is localized in accordance with range data based on the tag to tag communication.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein a tag within the interrogation zone is localized in accordance with a combination of the signal data and range data based on the tag to tag communication.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a tag within the interrogation zone is localized in accordance with the signal data and a beacon signal provided within the interrogation zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the beacon signal has multiple ranges for providing multiple range determinations to localize the tag by performing a logical operation on the multiple range determinations.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the beacon signal is provided by a configurable monitoring device configured as a beacon.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal data is transmitted to the reader node by way of the tag, to tag communication.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal data is transmitted to the reader node by way of network activity nodes.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal data is transmitted to the reader node by way of a gateway node.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the beamformer system receives the signal data and adjusts the radio frequency identification signals based on the signal data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the beamformer system receives the signal data by way of a control radio frequency connection.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the beamformer system receives the signal data by way of a hardwired connection.