Use of multiplexed RFID controller to verify connections in automated systems

• US 9,224,017 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newage Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Newage Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Jeffrey D., Baker, Kenneth D., Reif, Oscar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US13/319,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• 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 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22

Abstract

A system and method for using multiplexed RFID transceivers and RFID tags to verify connections and communicate the connection status to a host system is provided. RFID tags that are programmed with connection specific indicia are attached at or in proximity to various connections in a pharmaceutical or biotech processing system and interrogated by remote antennas driven by a multiplexed RFID transceiver. This enables a user to verify the status of each connection and communicate the connection status to a host system.

Claims

1. A multiplexed RFID verification system, comprising:

a multiplexed RF transceiver;

a plurality of antenna wires connected to the transceiver and having antennas located at distal ends thereof;

a plurality of sensor wires and/or tubes which are connected to a processing system and having respective connector halves, and one of the antennas is associated with each of the respective connector halves;

a single use item for use in connection with the processing system having a plurality of sensors and/or tubes extending therefrom, each having an associated single-use side connector half;

an RFID tag associated with each of the single-use side connector halves;

and the single-use side connector halves are adapted to be connected to corresponding ones of the connector halves extending from the multiplexed RF transceiver with the respective RF antenna being located in proximity to the RFID tags on respective ones of the single-use side connector halves being connected, such that each said RF antenna reads only the respectively connected RFID tag;

the multiplexed RF transceiver configured to serially read the plurality of antenna wires; and

a controller which receives signals from the multiplexed RF transceiver and provides a signal verifying connections between the connector halves, and being further configured to prevent system startup if an error is detected in the connections between the single-use side connector halves and the processing system side connector halves to prevent contamination of the single-use item.

2. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the antenna wires connected to the transceiver have color coding or different connector configurations that match corresponding color coded or connector configurations on the transceiver.

3. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver separately interrogates the RFID tag at each of the single use side connector halves via the separate antennas to verify a proper connection.

4. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein signal verifying connections is a visual signal.

5. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, further comprising a visual display connected to the controller that displays status indicators for the connections.

6. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the antennas have a maximum reading range of about 10 mm.

7. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the processing system connector halves include an extension for locating the antenna over a portion of the single-use side connector halves that holds the respective RFID tag.

8. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the sensor wires and/or the tubes which are connected to the processing system and the associated antenna wires are single use.

9. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tags include RFID sensors integrated therein.

10. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the respective RFID tags include information on a specific one of the connections to be made.

11. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tags are re-writeable to allow tracking data and additional information to be written onto the tag.

12. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tags are connected to the single-use connector halves.

13. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 12, wherein the antennas are connected to and extend outwardly from the processing system connector halves.

14. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tags are attached to the plurality of sensor wires and/or tubes in proximity to the associated connector halves.

15. The multiplexed RFID verification system of claim 14, wherein the antennas extend outwardly past the processing system connector halves and are connected to the associated RFID tags with a clip.

16. A manufacturing execution system comprising at least one of the multiplexed RFID verification systems of claim 1 connected thereto which provides data to the manufacturing execution system.