Tracking objects utilizing RFID tags

• US 9,547,783 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McNamara, Justin, Cenciarelli, Fulvio, Mikan, Jeffrey, Lewis, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mummalaneni, Nalini
• Application Number:
  US14/221,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/414.1, 455/566, 455/410, 455/420
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags may be affixed to one or more personal objects, such as a key, a watch, a wallet, a purse, a medicine container, or the like. A mobile telephone may be associated with the plurality of RFID tags. A display of the mobile telephone may indicate whether each of the RFID tags is in communication with an RFID reader. For example, the RFID reader may be embedded in a drawer lining, embedded in the mobile telephone itself, or embedded in a handheld wand. The mobile telephone may generate an alert when at least one of the plurality of RFID tags is not in communication with the RFID reader. For example, a trigger RFID may be affixed to a doorway. The trigger RFID may cause the mobile telephone to alert the user to a missing item.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving an indication of a communication status between a radio frequency identification (RFD) tag and an RFID reader, the RFD tag being associated with an object;

generating a historical log of times associated with communications between the RFID tag and the RFID reader;

identifying an appointment of a plurality of appointments, the appointment having a timeframe closest to a last time that the RFID tag was in communication with the RFID reader than another of the plurality of appointments by correlating the last time with a digital calendar of the plurality of the appointments associated with the device, based on at least the historical log; and

displaying an iconic representation of the object and an indication of the communication status, wherein when the RFID tag is not in communication with the RFID reader, the indication of the communication status is additionally indicative of the appointment and the last time.

2. The device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in the communication status; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the change in the communication status, displaying the iconic representation of the object and an indication of the change in the communication status.

3. The device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in the communication status; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the change in the communication status, displaying;

the iconic representation of the object;

an indication of the change in the communication status; and

an indication of a time associated with the change in communication status.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein identifying the appointment is further based on at least one of location information, e-commerce information, e-mail information, short message information, or voice call information.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises the RFID reader.

6. The device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

generating an alert when the RFID tag is not in communication with the RFID reader.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the object comprises one of;

a key;

a purse;

jewelry;

or

a medicine container; and

the iconic representation of the object comprises an iconic representation, respectively, of;

the key;

the purse;

the jewelry;

or

the medicine container.

8. A datastore comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a communication status between a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and an RFID reader, the RFID tag being associated with an object;

generating a historical log of times associated with communications between the RFID tag and the RFID reader;

identifying an appointment of a plurality of appointments, the appointment having a timeframe closest to a last time that the RFID tag was in communication with the RFID reader than any other of the plurality of appointments by correlating the last time with a digital calendar of the plurality of the appointments associated with the device, based on at least the historical log; and

displaying an iconic representation of the object and an indication of the communication status, wherein when the RFID tag is not in communication with the RFID reader, the indication of the communication status is additionally indicative of the appointment and the last time.

9. The datastore of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in the communication status; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the change in the communication status, displaying the iconic representation of the object and an indication of the updated communication status.

10. The datastore of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in the communication status; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the change in the communication status, displaying;

the iconic representation of the object;

an indication of the updated communication status; and

an indication of a time associated with the change in communication status.

11. The datastore of claim 8, wherein identifying the appointment is further based on at least one of location information, e-commerce information, e-mail information, short message information, or voice call information.

12. The datastore of claim 8, wherein the device comprises the RFID reader.

13. The datastore of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

generating an alert when at RFID tag is not in communication with the RFID reader.

14. The datastore of claim 8, wherein:

the object comprises one of;

a key;

a purse;

jewelry;

or

a medicine container; and

the iconic representation of the object comprises an iconic representation, respectively, of;

the key;

the purse;

the jewelry;

or

the medicine container.

15. A method comprising:

associating a device with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the RFID tag being associated with an object;

receiving an indication of a communication status between the RFID tag and an RFID reader;

generating a historical log of times associated with communications between the RFID tag and the RFID reader;

identifying an appointment of a plurality of appointments, the appointment having a timeframe closest to a last time that the RFID tag was in communication with the RFID reader than any other of the plurality of appointments by correlating the last time with a digital calendar of the plurality of the appointments associated with the device, based on at least the historical log; and

displaying an iconic representation of the object and an indication of the communication status, wherein when the RFID tag is not in communication with the RFID reader, the indication of the communication status is additionally indicative of the appointment and the last time.

16. The method of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in the communication status; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the change in the communication status, displaying;

the iconic representation of the object;

an indication of the updated communication status; and

an indication of a time associated with the change in communication status.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the appointment is further based on at least one of location information, e-commerce information, e-mail information, short message information, or voice call information.