Context-driven RFID tag and system content

• US 20080143532A1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Murrah, Judith
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for tracking an item having an associated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag are described. A change in a physical attribute of the item is detected. Information stored in the tag is updated based on the detected change. Information stored in a database may also be updated based on the detected change. In another aspect, a second tag associated with a person is determined to be located within a predetermined range of a first tag associated with an item. As a result, information is stored in the first tag regarding the person.

Claims

1. A method for tracking an item having an associated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

detecting a change in a physical attribute of the item; and

updating a first information stored in the tag based on the detected change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating a second information stored in a database based on the detected change.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting comprises:

performing a first read of the tag to determine a first value for the physical attribute of the item;

performing a second read of the tag to determine a second value for the physical attribute of the item; and

determining that the first value is different from the second value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical attribute is a location of the item, wherein said detecting comprises:

detecting a change in the location of the item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said detecting a change in the location of the item comprises:

performing a first read of the tag by a first reader having a first location; and

performing a second read of the tag by a second reader having a second location.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said detecting a change in the location of the item comprises:

detecting a change in the location of the item within a building.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said detecting a change in the location of the item comprises:

detecting a change in a height at which the item is located.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first information comprises a price of the item, wherein said updating the first information stored in the tag based on the detected change in the location of the item comprises:

changing the price information stored in the tag based on the detected change.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical attribute is a temperature of the item, wherein said detecting comprises:

detecting a change in the temperature of the item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical attribute is a velocity of movement of the item, wherein said detecting comprises:

detecting a change in the velocity of movement of the item.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first information comprises velocity information of the item, wherein said updating the first information stored in the tag based on the detected change comprises:

storing a velocity of the item in the tag.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises a price of the item, wherein said updating the first information stored in the tag based on the detected change comprises:

updating the price stored in the tag with an updated price.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises location information of the item, wherein said updating the first information stored in the tag based on the detected change comprises:

updating the location information stored in the tag with a current location of the item.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said updating comprises:

selecting an information element from a plurality of information elements stored in the tag based on the detected change; and

replacing the first information with the selected information element.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the selected information element.

16. A method for obtaining information related to an item having a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated therewith, comprising:

determining whether a second RFID tag associated with a person is located within a predetermined range of the first RFID tag; and

storing in the first RFID tag information regarding the person if the second RFID tag is determined to be within the predetermined range.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said storing comprises:

reading the information regarding the person from the second RFID tag; and

storing the information read from the second RFID tag in the first RFID tag.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said storing comprises:

monitoring an attribute of the person; and

storing information corresponding to the attribute of the person in the first RFID tag.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said storing comprises:

monitoring an amount of time that the second RFID tag is within the predetermined range; and

storing the amount of time in the first RFID tag.

20. A system for tracking an item having an associated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a monitor system configured to detect a change in a physical attribute of the item; and

a RFID communication device coupled to the monitor system and configured to update a first information stored in the tag based on the detected change.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a network communication device coupled to the monitor module and configured to update a second information stored in a database based on the detected change.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the network communication device is coupled to the database over a communications network.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the physical attribute is a location of the item.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the monitor system comprises a RFID reader.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the reader configured to detect a change in location of the item by reading the RFID tag.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the monitor system comprises a first reader located at a first location and a second reader located at a second location, wherein the first reader and second reader are each configured to transmit read signals directed to the RFID tag to cooperatively determine the location of the item.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the physical attribute is a temperature of the item, wherein the monitor system comprises a temperature sensor.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the physical attribute is a velocity of the item, wherein the monitor system comprises a velocity sensor.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the physical attribute is a location of the item, wherein the monitor system comprises a position sensor.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the RFID communication device is a tag data writer configured to transmit updated information to the RFID tag to replace the first information stored in the RFID tag.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the RFID communication device is configured to transmit a command to the RFID tag to replace the first information stored in the RFID tag with a second information stored in the RFID tag.

32. A system for obtaining information related to an item having a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated therewith, comprising:

a monitor module configured to determine whether a second RFID tag associated with a person is located within a predetermined range of the first RFID tag; and

a RFID communication device coupled to the monitor module and configured to transmit information regarding the person in the first RFID tag if the second RFID tag is determined to be within the predetermined range.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein RFID communication device is configured to read the information regarding the person from the second RFID tag, and to transmit the information read from the second RFID tag to the first RFID tag.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the monitor module is configured to monitor an attribute of the person, and to transmit the information corresponding to the attribute of the person in the first RFID tag.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the monitor module is configured to monitor how long the person is within the predetermined range by monitoring an amount of time that the second RFID tag is within the predetermined range, and to store the amount of time in the first RFID tag.

36. A system for tracking an item having an associated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

means for detecting a change in a physical attribute of the item; and

means for updating a first information stored in the tag based on the detected change.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

means for updating a second information stored in a database based on the detected change.

38. A system for obtaining information related to an item having a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated therewith, comprising:

means for determining whether a second RFID tag associated with a person is located within a predetermined range of the first RFID tag; and

means for storing in the first RFID tag information regarding the person if the second RFID tag is determined to be within the predetermined range.