System and method for testing performance of mobile radio frequency identification tag

• US 9,703,993 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institute Of Automation Chinese Academy Of Sciences (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
• Original Assignee: Institute Of Automation Chinese Academy Of Sciences (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
• Inventors: Tan, Jie, Mao, Na, Zhao, Hongsheng, Ning, Xiaofeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Dionne H
• Application Number:
  US14/784,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2822 of microwave or radiofrequency circuits of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/00 Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/12 Supports; Mounting means

Abstract

A system for testing performance of mobile Radio Frequency Identification tags, comprising: a test device including a mobile car and a test channel; the test channel comprises a magnetic label on a ground for labeling a test driving route of the mobile car and a framework fixed on to the ground and provided with a reading device for the RFID tags; a magnetic recognition device is provided at a bottom of the mobile car to identify to the magnetic label and the mobile car is driven along the test driving route; the plurality of RFID tags are fixed on under-test goods loaded on the mobile car; a testing equipment configured to control the reading device to identify the RFID tags fixed on under-test goods; wherein the RFID tags are fixed on to under-test goods which are loaded on the mobile car. The performance test experiment of identifying RFID tags is repeated to get the best recognition rate by adjusting the status of the reader and reader antennas and the speed of the mobile car. According to the present disclosure, individual customization on the position and angle of the reader antennas placed with and the moving speed of under-test goods may be obtained to identify all the RFID tags on the fixed position of the goods so as to provide a reference for using the RFID tags in the manufacturing lines and the logistics systems.

Claims

1. A system for testing performance of mobile Radio Frequency Identification tags, comprising:

a test device including a mobile car and a test channel;

the test channel comprises a magnetic label on a ground for labeling a test driving route of the mobile car and a framework fixed on to the ground and provided with a reading device for the RFID tags;

a magnetic recognition device is provided at a bottom of the mobile car to identify the magnetic label and the mobile car which is driven along the test driving route;

the plurality of RFID tags are fixed on under-test goods loaded on the mobile car;

a testing equipment configured to control the reading device to identify the RFID tags fixed on under-test goods;

wherein the RFID tags are fixed on to under-test goods which are loaded on the mobile car.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the framework comprises a top bracket and two side brackets, the top bracket is placed horizontally on a top of the framework and the side brackets are placed in a left side and a right side of the framework vertically.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the reading device comprises at least one reader antenna and one reader, wherein the reader antenna is located in the top bracket and/or the side brackets.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the top bracket and the side brackets comprise adjustable axles in which the reader antenna is located in;

and the reader antenna is adjusted manually or automatically by a computer.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the framework has a four legged structure, including four vertical brackets placed vertically on the ground and a horizontal bracket that connects the top of the vertical brackets;

the vertical brackets comprise chutes for inserting a mental plate from a left side and a right side of the framework;

the horizon bracket comprises chutes at a left side and a right side of respectively for inserting a mental plate from the top of the framework.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the inner surface of the mental plate is covered with absorbing materials to reduce the influence on the test results for UHF radio frequency signals.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile car is configured to go forward, move backward, rotate in-situ and regulate motor speed.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the testing equipment includes a computer, a reader and reader antennas on the top and the side;

the computer comprises a mobile car control software and a reader control and analysis software;

the mobile car is provided with an ARM development board and connected to the computer with a RS232 serial port or wireless;

the computer sends a control command to the mobile car to control a movement of the mobile car.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the framework is made of the materials that are not sensitive to UHF radio frequency signals.

10. The system according to claim 4, further comprising:

there can be more than one reader antenna in the top and the side brackets;

the reader antenna located in the middle of the top bracket adjusts the angle of the ground by means of the adjustable axle in the top bracket;

the reader antennas placed in the side brackets with 0 degree for the vertical axis adjust the distance from the ground for electromagnetic wave signals by moving up and down the adjustable axles in the side brackets.

11. The system according to claim 3, further comprising:

the reader reads the RFID tags by reader antennas and identifies the EPC codes contained in RFID tags through the reader control and analysis software in the computer.

12. A method for testing performance mobile RFID tags by the system according to claim 1, comprising:

Step 1;

installing a reader/writer and antennas for the reader/writer in a fixed way and allowing the reader/writer in an initial status;

Step 2;

reading, by the reader/writer, the RFID tags of under-test goods loaded on a mobile car with different speeds with the antennas and identifying Electronic Product Code EPC contained in the RFID tags;

Step 3;

recoding current test conditions when determining the EPC codes identified are correct;

Step 4;

adjusting status of the reader/writer and the antennas, and repeating Step 2 to Step 3 until it is unable to adjust the status of the reader/writer and the antennas; and

Step 5;

starting a next test cycle, changing a test environment and repeating Step 2 to Step 4 until the test environment can'"'"'t be changed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the test conditions include test environments, a status of the reader/writer and the reader/writer antennas, and a speed of the mobile car.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein Step 2 further comprises the mobile car moves to pass the test channel in uniform motion;

the test environment is changed by inserting metal plates to the top or side brackets of the test channel; and

the test environments include no metal plate, inserting a part of the metal plate and inserting the metal plate completely.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein

adjusting the status of the reader/writer and the reader/writer antennas comprises determining a state of a connection between the reader/writer and the reader antennas, and determining a placement of the reader/writer antennas.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the state of the connection between the reader/writer and the reader antennas/writer comprises a number of the reader/writer antennas connected to the reader/writer;

the placement of the reader/writer antennas comprises a position, an angle and a number of the reader/writer antennas.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reader/writer antennas are installed on both sides and the top of the test channel;

and

the reader/writer reads the RFID tags by the reader/writer antennas when the mobile car passing the test channel at a set speed.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein Step 2 further comprises increasing the speed of the mobile car from an initial speed gradually and making the mobile car pass the test channel at a corresponding set speed.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein Step 2 further comprises the mobile car moves to a middle of the test channel in uniform motion at different speeds, rotates 360 degrees in-situ and then continues to pass the test channel in uniform motion.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein starting the next test cycle when the status of the reader/writer and the reader/writer antennas is unable to continue to change.