System and method for detecting movement of a mobile asset and controlling operations of the asset based on its movement
First Claim
1. A system for detecting direction of movement, the system comprising:
- a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged in a first location, the first RFID reader being configured to transmit a first location signal from the first location, and to receive a first response signal from a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the first location to receive the first location signal;
a second RFID reader arranged in a second location distinct from the first location, the second RFID reader being configured to transmit a second location signal from the second location, and to receive a second response signal from the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the second location to receive the second location signal; and
a controller configured to determine whether the first and second response signals received by the first and second RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time, and to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the first and second locations during the first and second times based on whether the first and second response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times,wherein the first RFID reader comprises a first power measurement unit configured to measure power present in the first response signal received by the first RFID reader, a first control unit configured to generate a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal indicating the measured power in the first response signal, and a first transceiver configured to transmit the first RSSI signal to the controller when the first RFID reader receives the first response signal,wherein the second RFID reader comprises a second power measurement unit configured to measure power in the second response signal received by the second RFID reader, a second control unit configured to generate a second RSSI signal indicating the measured power in the second response signal, and a second transceiver configured to transmit the second RSSI signal to the controller when the second RFID reader receives the second response signal, andwherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of power present in the first response signal based on the first RSSI signal received from the first RFID reader, and to determine an amount of power present in the second response signal based on the second RSSI signal received from the second RFID reader.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are provided for detecting direction of movement. The system includes at least two radio frequency identification (RFID) readers arranged in different locations. The RFID readers transmit respective location signals from their locations and receive corresponding response signals from a portable electronic device (PED) when the PED is within range to receive the corresponding location signals, respectively. The system includes a controller configured to determine whether the individual response signals received by the RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The controller is also configured to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the locations of the RFID readers during the first and second times based on whether the response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A system for detecting direction of movement, the system comprising:
-
a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged in a first location, the first RFID reader being configured to transmit a first location signal from the first location, and to receive a first response signal from a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the first location to receive the first location signal; a second RFID reader arranged in a second location distinct from the first location, the second RFID reader being configured to transmit a second location signal from the second location, and to receive a second response signal from the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the second location to receive the second location signal; and a controller configured to determine whether the first and second response signals received by the first and second RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time, and to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the first and second locations during the first and second times based on whether the first and second response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times, wherein the first RFID reader comprises a first power measurement unit configured to measure power present in the first response signal received by the first RFID reader, a first control unit configured to generate a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal indicating the measured power in the first response signal, and a first transceiver configured to transmit the first RSSI signal to the controller when the first RFID reader receives the first response signal, wherein the second RFID reader comprises a second power measurement unit configured to measure power in the second response signal received by the second RFID reader, a second control unit configured to generate a second RSSI signal indicating the measured power in the second response signal, and a second transceiver configured to transmit the second RSSI signal to the controller when the second RFID reader receives the second response signal, and wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of power present in the first response signal based on the first RSSI signal received from the first RFID reader, and to determine an amount of power present in the second response signal based on the second RSSI signal received from the second RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
10. A system for detecting direction of movement, the system comprising:
-
a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged in a first location, the first RFID reader being configured to transmit a first location signal from the first location, and to receive a first response signal from a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the first location to receive the first location signal; a second RFID reader arranged in a second location distinct from the first location, the second RFID reader being configured to transmit a second location signal from the second location, and to receive a second response signal from the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the second location to receive the second location signal; and a controller configured to determine whether the first and second response signals received by the first and second RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time, and to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the first and second locations during the first and second times based on whether the first and second response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times, wherein at least one of the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader comprises an elliptical or circularly polarized antenna such that the at least one of the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader respectively transmits the corresponding one of the first location signal and the second location signal in orthogonal polarizations in the corresponding first and second locations, respectively, wherein the first RFID reader is arranged in a room of a building, and the second RFID reader is arranged in a hallway outside the room of the building, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the portable electronic device is transported from the hallway into the room, and whether the portable electronic device is transported from the room into the hallway. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
23. A system for detecting direction of movement, the system comprising:
-
a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged in a first location, the first RFID reader being configured to transmit a first location signal from the first location, and to receive a first response signal from a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the first location to receive the first location signal; a second RFID reader arranged in a second location distinct from the first location, the second RFID reader being configured to transmit a second location signal from the second location, and to receive a second response signal from the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the second location to receive the second location signal; and a controller configured to determine whether the first and second response signals received by the first and second RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time, and to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the first and second locations during the first and second times based on whether the first and second response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times, wherein the first RFID reader is configured to transmit the first location signal at a first frequency, and the second RFID reader is configured to transmit the second location signal at a second frequency different from the first frequency, wherein the controller is configured to control the first RFID reader to transmit a first authorization signal to the portable electronic device when the first RFID reader receives the first response signal from the portable electronic device at the first frequency, the first authorization signal authorizing the portable electronic device to execute a first set of operations while the portable electronic device receives the first location signal, and wherein the controller is configured to control the second RFID reader to transmit a second authorization signal to the portable electronic device when the second RFID reader receives the second response signal from the portable electronic device at the second frequency, the second authorization signal authorizing the portable electronic device to execute a second set of operations while the portable electronic device receives the second location signal. - View Dependent Claims (24)
-
-
25. A method of detecting direction of movement, the method comprising:
-
transmitting, from a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged in a first location, a first location signal from the first location; transmitting, from a second RFID reader arranged in a second location distinct from the first location, a second location signal from the second location; receiving, at the first RFID reader, a first response signal from a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the first location to receive the first location signal transmitted by the first RFID reader; receiving, at the second RFID reader, a second response signal from the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is within range of the second location to receive the second location signal transmitted by the second RFID reader; determining, by a hardware processor of a controller, whether the first and second response signals received by the first and second RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time; and determining, by the processor of the controller, a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the first and second locations during the first and second times based on the determination of whether the first and second response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times, wherein; upon receiving the first response signal, the first RFID reader measures power present in the first response signal received by the first RFID reader, generates a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal indicating the measured power in the first response signal, and transmits the first RSSI signal to the controller when the first RFID reader receives the first response signal; upon receiving the second response signal, the second RFID reader measures power in the second response signal received by the second RFID reader, generates a second RSSI signal indicating the measured power in the second response signal, and transmits the second RSSI signal to the controller when the second RFID reader receives the second response signal; and the processor of the controller determines an amount of power present in the first response signal based on the first RSSI signal received from the first RFID reader, and determines an amount of power present in the second response signal based on the second RSSI signal received from the second RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
Specification