Variably spaced multi-point RFID tag reader systems and methods
First Claim
1. A timing system for determining a time of a passing at a single common reference line of a tracked RFID tag traveling along a route, the system comprising:
- a first tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more antennas coupled to the radio frequency transceiver that are positioned at a first monitoring position of the single common reference line that is at a first offset distance along the route from the single common reference line, the first tag reader system transmitting a first tag read request and receiving one or more first tag reads from the RFID tag when the RFID tag is in proximity to the single common reference line, and transmitting over the communication interface a first tag read message including at least a portion of the received one or more first tag reads;
a second tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the same RFID tag as the first tag reader system, and one or more second antennas coupled to the second radio frequency transceiver that are positioned at a second monitoring position of the single common reference line that is at a second offset distance along the route from the same single common reference line and spaced apart from the first monitoring position along the route traveled by the RFID tag, the second tag reader system transmitting a second tag read request and receiving one or more second tag reads from the same RFID tag when the RFID tag is also in proximity to the same single common reference line as the first tag reader system and transmitting over its communication interface a second tag read message including at least a portion of the received one or more second tag reads; and
a timing system having a processor, a memory including storing of a tag reader normalization parameter associated with the single common reference line, and a communication interface communicatively coupled to the communication interfaces of the first and second tag reader systems for receiving the transmitted first and second tag read messages, the timing system determining the time of passing of the RFID tag at the same single common reference line responsive to the received one or more first tag reads at the first monitoring position and one or more second tag reads at the second monitoring position and the stored tag reader normalization parameter.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for determining a time of a passing at a reference line of an RFID tag traveling along a route and a time of lapsing of the tracked RFID tag on the route, the system have a plurality of spaced apart tag reader systems for wirelessly obtaining tag reads, wherein at least one of the tag reader systems is space apart from the reference line. The timing system receives a plurality of tag reads and determines the time of passing of the RFID at the reference line responsive to the plurality of received tag read messages received from the plurality of tag reader systems.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A timing system for determining a time of a passing at a single common reference line of a tracked RFID tag traveling along a route, the system comprising:
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a first tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more antennas coupled to the radio frequency transceiver that are positioned at a first monitoring position of the single common reference line that is at a first offset distance along the route from the single common reference line, the first tag reader system transmitting a first tag read request and receiving one or more first tag reads from the RFID tag when the RFID tag is in proximity to the single common reference line, and transmitting over the communication interface a first tag read message including at least a portion of the received one or more first tag reads; a second tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the same RFID tag as the first tag reader system, and one or more second antennas coupled to the second radio frequency transceiver that are positioned at a second monitoring position of the single common reference line that is at a second offset distance along the route from the same single common reference line and spaced apart from the first monitoring position along the route traveled by the RFID tag, the second tag reader system transmitting a second tag read request and receiving one or more second tag reads from the same RFID tag when the RFID tag is also in proximity to the same single common reference line as the first tag reader system and transmitting over its communication interface a second tag read message including at least a portion of the received one or more second tag reads; and a timing system having a processor, a memory including storing of a tag reader normalization parameter associated with the single common reference line, and a communication interface communicatively coupled to the communication interfaces of the first and second tag reader systems for receiving the transmitted first and second tag read messages, the timing system determining the time of passing of the RFID tag at the same single common reference line responsive to the received one or more first tag reads at the first monitoring position and one or more second tag reads at the second monitoring position and the stored tag reader normalization parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25)
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18. A method for determining a time of a passing at a single common reference line of a tracked RFID tag traveling along a route, the method comprising:
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(a) at a first tag reader system having one or more antennas positioned at a first monitoring position at a first offset distance along the route from the single common reference line along the route traveled by the RFID tag; wirelessly transmitting one or more first tag read requests to the RFID tag; receiving one or more first tag reads including an RFID identification number from the RFID tag responsive to the one or more of the first tag read requests and when the RFID tag is in proximity to the single common reference line; recording a time stamp for each received one or more first tag read that includes a time of receipt of each first tag read; transmitting one or more first tag read messages containing the RFID identification number, the time stamp, and a tag reader system identifier; (b) a second tag reader system having one or more antennas positioned at a second monitoring position at a second offset distance along the route from the same single common reference line and spaced apart from the first monitoring position along the route traveled by the RFID tag; wirelessly transmitting one or more second tag read requests to the same RFID tag as the first tag reader; receiving one or more second tag reads including the RFID identification number from the RFID tag responsive the at least one of the second tag read requests and when the RFID tag is in proximity to the same single common reference line; recording a time stamp for each received one or more second tag read that includes a time of receipt of each second tag read; transmitting one or more second tag read messages containing the RFID identification number, the time stamp, and a tag reader system identifier; (c) at a timing system; storing a tag reader normalization parameter; receiving the transmitted first and second tag read messages; calculating an average delta time for each of the first and second tag read messages based in part on the stored tag reader normalization parameter; determining the time of passing of the RFID tag at the single common reference line responsive to the calculated average delta times for the one or more first tag reads at the first monitoring position and one or more second tag reads at the second monitoring position within the first and second tag read messages. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification