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Real-time and offline location tracking using passive RFID technologies

  • US 9,536,215 B2
  • Filed: 03/13/2007
  • Issued: 01/03/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for locating an object within a facility, the method comprising:

  • receiving, by one or more computer systems, for each fixed location passive tag of a plurality of fixed location passive tags, an identifier and a physical location within an area of a facility for the fixed location passive tag, wherein the fixed location passive tag comprises a tag that is not locally powered and is fixed in location with respect to the area of the facility;

    receiving, by the one or more computer systems, first read information obtained from a mobile tag reading device using a first antenna field of the mobile tag reading device, the first antenna field having a first range and being emitted from a first location, and the first read information being read from the first location and including (1) an identifier stored in an object passive tag that is physically associated with the object and (2) a first identifier associated with a first fixed location passive tag from the plurality of fixed location passive tags;

    determining, by one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a first region within the area of the facility based on the physical location of the first fixed location passive tag and the first range of the first antenna field, wherein the first region includes a physical location of the object within the area of the facility within a first margin of error;

    receiving, at the one or more computer systems, second read information obtained from the mobile tag reading device using a second antenna field of the mobile tag reading device, the second antenna field having a second range and being emitted from a second location different from the first location, and the second read information being read from the second location and including (1) the identifier stored in the object passive tag that is physically associated with the object and (2) a second identifier associated with a second fixed location passive tag from the plurality of fixed location passive tags;

    determining, by the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, a second region within the area of the facility based on the physical location of the second fixed location passive tag, the second range of the second antenna field, and the first region, wherein the second region identifies the physical location of the object within the area of the facility within a second margin of error, the second margin of error being smaller than the first margin of error;

    communicating, with the one or more processors associated with the one or more computer systems, to the mobile tag reading device (1) the physical location of the object based on the second region and the second margin of error and (2) the second margin of error; and

    adjusting at least one of a gain of the mobile tag reading device to define the second range or a radiation pattern of the mobile tag reading device to produce the second antenna field.

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