RFID tags for locating products

• US 9,171,448 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Foster, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/301,664
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.32, 340/10.4, 340/10.41, 340/10.5, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/539.2, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.16, 340/539.32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a structure signal strength for a signal generated by a tag on a structure and receiving a product signal strength for a signal generated by a tag on a product. An indication that the product is positioned near the structure based on the received structure signal strength and the received product signal strength is then stored in memory.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at least one structure signal strength for a respective signal generated by a passive tag on a structure, each received structure signal strength associated with a respective reader;

receiving at least one second structure signal strength for a respective signal generated by a passive tag on a second structure, each received second structure signal strength associated with a respective reader;

receiving at least one product signal strength for a respective signal generated by a passive tag on a product, each received product signal strength associated with a respective reader;

storing an indication that the product is positioned near the structure by;

determining if more than one reader received a respective signal generated by the passive tag on the product and for each reader that received a respective signal generated by the passive tag;

determining a difference between the received product signal strength associated with the reader and the received structure signal strength associated with the reader and determining a difference between the received product signal strength associated with the reader and the received second structure signal strength associated with the reader; and

using the differences associated with the readers that received respective signals generated by the passive tag to determine that the product is closer to the structure than the second structure.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the structure and the second structure are separated by a building wall.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein storing an indication that the product is positioned near the structure comprises storing an indication that the product is positioned in a backroom rather than a retail space.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the structure comprises a shelf that supports products.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the structure comprises a back panel located above and at a back of a shelf that supports products.

6. A system comprising:

a passive merchandise tag on a piece of merchandise;

a passive structure tag on a merchandise support structure;

a tag reader that receives signals from the passive merchandise tag and the passive structure tag and identifies a strength of the signal received from the passive merchandise tag and a strength of the signal received from the passive structure tag;

a second tag reader that receives signals from the passive merchandise tag and the passive structure tag and identifies a strength of the signal received from the passive merchandise tag and a strength of the signal received from the passive structure tag; and

a computing device that;

receives from the tag reader the strength of the signal received from the passive merchandise tag and the strength of the signal received from the passive structure tag;

receives from the second tag reader the strength of the signal received from the passive merchandise tag by the second tag reader and the strength of the signal received from the passive structure tag by the second tag reader; and

identifies a location of the piece of merchandise by;

determining a difference of the strength of the signal received from the passive merchandise tag and the strength of the signal received from the passive structure tag by the tag reader;

determining a difference of the strength of the signal received from the passive merchandise tag and the strength of the signal received from the passive structure tag by the second tag reader; and

summing the differences to form a comparison value that indicates the location of the piece of merchandise.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the identified location of the piece of merchandise comprises a sales floor.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the identified location of the piece of merchandise comprises a store area.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the identified location of the piece of merchandise comprises a shelf.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the merchandise support structure comprises a shelving unit.

11. A retail store comprising:

a product radio transceiver mounted on a product;

a storage area radio transceiver mounted in a storage area;

a sales area radio transceiver mounted in a sales area;

a radio signal amplitude detector providing amplitudes of signals from the product radio transceiver, the storage area radio transceiver, and the sales area radio transceiver, the signal from the product radio transceiver comprising, wherein the signal from the product radio transceiver comprises an identifier associated with the product, the signal from the storage area radio transceiver comprises an identifier associated with a location in the storage area, and the signal from the sales area radio transceiver comprises an identifier associated with a location in the sales area; and

a second radio signal amplitude detector providing second amplitudes of signals from the product radio transceiver, the storage area radio transceiver, and the sales area radio transceiver;

a product locator identifying a location of the product in the retail store by;

determining a difference between the amplitude of the signal from the product radio transceiver and the amplitude of the signal from the storage area radio transceiver;

determining a difference between the amplitude of the signal from the product radio transceiver and the amplitude of the signal from the sales area radio transceiver;

determining a difference between the second amplitude of the signal from the product radio transceiver and the second amplitude of the signal from the storage area radio transceiver;

determining a difference between the second amplitude of the signal from the product radio transceiver and the second amplitude of the signal from the sales area radio transceiver; and

using the differences to determine a comparison value indicative of the location of the product in the retail store.

12. The retail store of claim 11 wherein the storage area is separated from the sales area by a wall.

13. The retail store of claim 11 wherein the storage area radio transceiver is mounted on a shelving unit and the sales area radio transceiver is mounted on a second shelving unit.

14. The retail store of claim 13 wherein the storage area radio transceiver is mounted on a back panel of a shelving unit.