Method and system for aggregation of RFID signal sources and composite to develop a unique signature

• US 20070008131A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Orozco, Liliana, Doan, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,323,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A method is presented for employing radio frequency (RF) identifier (ID) transponder tags (RFID tags) to create a unique identifier, termed an RFID signature, for use within a data processing system with respect to a person or an object. An interrogation signal is transmitted toward a person or an object with which a set of one or more RFID tags are physically associated. A first set of RFID tag identifiers are obtained from an interrogation response signal or signals returned from the set of one or more RFID tags. A mathematical operation is performed on the first set of RFID tag identifiers to generate an RFID signature value, which is employed as an identifier for the person or the object within the data processing system with respect to a transaction that is performed by the data processing system on behalf of the person or the object.

Claims

1. A method of employing radio frequency (RF) identifier (ID) transponder tags (RFID tags) within a data processing system, the method comprising:

transmitting an interrogation signal or signals toward a person or an object with which a set of one or more RFID tags are physically associated;

obtaining a first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers from an interrogation response signal or signals returned from the set of one or more RFID tags;

performing a mathematical operation on the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers to generate an RFID signature value; and

employing the RFID signature value as an identifier for the person or the object within the data processing system with respect to a transaction that is performed by the data processing system on behalf of the person or the object.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to determine a physical location of the person or the object, wherein the request contains the RFID signature value;

performing an interrogation operation in response to the request to determine the physical location of the person or the object;

computing the physical location of the person or the object based on information within interrogation response signals that are received during the interrogation operation; and

returning a response to report the physical location of the person or the object.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

transmitting an interrogation signal or signals in response to receiving the request; and

obtaining a second set of RFID tag identifiers from interrogation response signals returned by a plurality of RFID tags.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

analyzing the second set of RFID tag identifiers to determine a subset of RFID tag identifiers within the second set of RFID tag identifiers such that the subset of RFID tag identifiers matches the first of RFID tag identifiers.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

analyzing the second set of RFID tag identifiers to determine a subset of RFID tag identifiers within the second set of RFID tag identifiers such that the subset of RFID tag identifiers approximately matches the first of RFID tag identifiers.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining a location of the person or the object relative to one or more RFID reader devices that received the interrogation response signals containing the second set of RFID tag identifiers.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

filtering the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers to discard one or more RFID tag identifiers from the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers prior to performing the mathematical operation to generate the RFID signature value.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

discarding RFID tag identifiers in accordance with a policy that indicates a type of RFID tag to be ignored or a class of products to be ignored.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

referring to a database containing information about products and associated UPC (Universal Product Code) identifiers for evaluating the policy with respect to a particular RFID tag identifier.

10. An apparatus that employs radio frequency (RF) identifier (ID) transponder tags (RFID tags) within a data processing system, the apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting an interrogation signal or signals toward a person or an object with which a set of one or more RFID tags are physically associated;

means for obtaining a first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers from an interrogation response signal or signals returned from the set of one or more RFID tags;

means for performing a mathematical operation on the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers to generate an RFID signature value; and

means for employing the RFID signature value as an identifier for the person or the object within the data processing system with respect to a transaction that is performed by the data processing system on behalf of the person or the object.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

means for receiving a request to determine a physical location of the person or the object, wherein the request contains the RFID signature value;

means for performing an interrogation operation in response to the request to determine the physical location of the person or the object;

means for computing the physical location of the person or the object based on information within interrogation response signals that are received during the interrogation operation; and

means for returning a response to report the physical location of the person or the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

means for transmitting an interrogation signal or signals in response to receiving the request; and

means for obtaining a second set of RFID tag identifiers from interrogation response signals returned by a plurality of RFID tags.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

means for analyzing the second set of RFID tag identifiers to determine a subset of RFID tag identifiers within the second set of RFID tag identifiers such that the subset of RFID tag identifiers matches the first of RFID tag identifiers.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

means for analyzing the second set of RFID tag identifiers to determine a subset of RFID tag identifiers within the second set of RFID tag identifiers such that the subset of RFID tag identifiers approximately matches the first of RFID tag identifiers.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

means for determining a location of the person or the object relative to one or more RFID reader devices that received the interrogation response signals containing the second set of RFID tag identifiers.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

means for filtering the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers to discard one or more RFID tag identifiers from the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers prior to performing the mathematical operation to generate the RFID signature value.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for discarding RFID tag identifiers in accordance with a policy that indicates a type of RFID tag to be ignored or a class of products to be ignored.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for referring to a database containing information about products and associated UPC (Universal Product Code) identifiers for evaluating the policy with respect to a particular RFID tag identifier.

19. A computer program product on a computer-readable medium for use within a data processing system for employing radio frequency (RF) identifier (ID) transponder tags (RFID tags), the computer program product comprising:

instructions for transmitting an interrogation signal or signals toward a person or an object with which a set of one or more RFID tags are physically associated;

instructions for obtaining a first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers from an interrogation response signal or signals returned from the set of one or more RFID tags;

instructions for performing a mathematical operation on the first set of one or more RFID tag identifiers to generate an RFID signature value; and

instructions for employing the RFID signature value as an identifier for the person or the object within the data processing system with respect to a transaction that is performed by the data processing system on behalf of the person or the object.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

instructions for receiving a request to determine a physical location of the person or the object, wherein the request contains the RFID signature value;

instructions for performing an interrogation operation in response to the request to determine the physical location of the person or the object;

instructions for computing the physical location of the person or the object based on information within interrogation response signals that are received during the interrogation operation; and

instructions for returning a response to report the physical location of the person or the object.