Tracking locations and conditions of objects based on RFID signals
First Claim
1. A tracking system comprising:
- an RFID reader having at least one RFID antenna configured to provide an electromagnetic field;
an object having at least a first RFID tag and a second RFID tag provided on at least one surface of the object, wherein the first RFID tag is configured to transmit a first RFID signal comprising first data regarding a first attribute of a condition of the object in the presence of the electromagnetic field, and wherein the second RFID tag is configured to transmit a second RFID signal comprising second data regarding a second attribute of the condition of the object in the presence of the electromagnetic field;
a first non-conductive shielding label releasably applied over the first RFID tag on the at least one surface of the object, wherein the first non-conductive shielding label is configured to inhibit passage of the electromagnetic field therethrough, and wherein a first indicator of the first attribute of the condition of the object is printed on an external face of the first non-conductive shielding label; and
a computing device in communication with at least the RFID reader,wherein the computing device is configured to at least;
identify the object;
determine whether at least one of the first RFID signal or the second RFID signal is received by the at least one RFID antenna;
in response to determining that the second RFID signal is received by the at least one RFID antenna,interpret the second data received in the second RFID signal;
determine that the condition of the object is subject to the second attribute based at least in part on the second data; and
store an indication that the condition of the object is subject to the second attribute in at least one data store.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Locations and conditions of objects within a working environment may be tracked using RFID signals. A working surface within the environment may include a plurality of RFID antennas, and the objects to be tracked may include RFID tags. When one of the objects passes within an operational range of one of the antennas, an RFID signal is transmitted from the tag on the object to the antenna, and the location of the object may be determined based on the location of the antenna. Additionally, where a plurality of tags that are specially associated with a different aspect of a condition of an object are provided thereon, the condition of the object may be determined based on a number of the tags from which RFID signals are received, and the aspects of the condition with which each of such tags is associated.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A tracking system comprising:
-
an RFID reader having at least one RFID antenna configured to provide an electromagnetic field; an object having at least a first RFID tag and a second RFID tag provided on at least one surface of the object, wherein the first RFID tag is configured to transmit a first RFID signal comprising first data regarding a first attribute of a condition of the object in the presence of the electromagnetic field, and wherein the second RFID tag is configured to transmit a second RFID signal comprising second data regarding a second attribute of the condition of the object in the presence of the electromagnetic field; a first non-conductive shielding label releasably applied over the first RFID tag on the at least one surface of the object, wherein the first non-conductive shielding label is configured to inhibit passage of the electromagnetic field therethrough, and wherein a first indicator of the first attribute of the condition of the object is printed on an external face of the first non-conductive shielding label; and a computing device in communication with at least the RFID reader, wherein the computing device is configured to at least; identify the object; determine whether at least one of the first RFID signal or the second RFID signal is received by the at least one RFID antenna; in response to determining that the second RFID signal is received by the at least one RFID antenna, interpret the second data received in the second RFID signal; determine that the condition of the object is subject to the second attribute based at least in part on the second data; and store an indication that the condition of the object is subject to the second attribute in at least one data store. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17)
-
-
8. A computer-implemented method comprising:
-
providing an object having a plurality of RFID tags on at least one surface, wherein each of the plurality of RFID tags is configured to transmit a unique RFID signal, wherein each of the unique RFID signals comprises data associated with one of a plurality of attributes of a condition of the object; identifying the object; determining whether each of the unique RFID signals is received by at least one RFID antenna associated with at least one RFID reader; and in response to determining that at least one of the unique RFID signals is not received by the at least one RFID antenna, associated with the at least one RFID reader; identifying the at least one of the unique RFID signals that was not received; determining at least one attribute of the condition of the object associated with the at least one RFID signal that was not received; and storing an indication of the condition of the object in at least one data store, wherein the indication is based at least in part on the at least one attribute of the condition of the object associated with the at least one RFID signal that was not received; wherein the object further comprises a non-conductive shielding label releasably provided over at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of RFID tags from which the at least one of the unique RFID signals is not received, the non-conductive shielding label comprising at least one layer of polyethylene terephthalate film adhered over the at least one of the plurality of RFID tags from which the at least one of the unique RFID signals is not received by a non-conductive adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An RFID transmitting device comprising:
-
an RFID tag provided on a non-conductive adhesive substrate, wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit a unique RFID signal associated with an attribute of a condition of an object when the RFID tag is coupled with an RFID reader; and at least one layer formed of a non-conductive electromagnetic energy shielding material, wherein the at least one layer releasably covers at least a portion of the RFID tag, the at least one layer comprising a flexible polyethylene terephthalate film releasably covering at least the portion of the RFID tag by a non-conductive adhesive, and wherein information regarding the attribute is printed on an external face of the at least one layer. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
Specification