TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20160150760A1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ynjiun P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,918,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/004 with electronic identification means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An exemplary tracking device or system comprises: a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit disposed on a substrate; an encapsulation cap encapsulating the RFID circuit and substrate; and, an information bearing indicia (IBI) disposed on the encapsulation cap, wherein the RFID circuit and IBI provide at least some similar information when read with a respective reading device.

Claims

1. A tracking device comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit disposed on a substrate;

an encapsulation encapsulating the RFID circuit; and

an information bearing indicia (IBI) disposed on the encapsulation,

wherein the RFID circuit and IBI provide comprises at least partially redundant information when read with a respective reading device.

2. A tracking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tracking device is adapted as an animal tag or an animal ear tag.

3. A tracking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the substrate is comprised of at least one of the following:

metal foil;

plastic; and

paper.

4. A tracking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the RFID circuit is printed on the substrate using at least one of the following:

offset lithography;

flexography;

gravure;

screen printing;

ink jet; and

nanoimprinting.

5. A tracking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the encapsulation comprises an encapsulation cap and wherein the IBI is printed on the encapsulation cap.

6. A tracking device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a processor system adapted to compare the extracted RFID information with the IBI information.

7. A tracking device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the IBI is printed on the encapsulation cap.

8. A method of tracking information comprising:

disposing a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit on a substrate;

encapsulating the RFID circuit by an encapsulation device;

disposing an information bearing indicia (IBI) on RFID circuit, substrate or the encapsulation device;

reading information from the RFID circuit and/or the IBI; and

determining the RFID circuit and IBI provide comprises at least some redundant information.

9. A method of tracking information in accordance with claim 8, further comprising the step of comparing information read from the RFID circuit and the IBI.

10. A method of tracking information in accordance with claim 8, wherein the RFID circuit is printed on the substrate.

11. A method of tracking information in accordance with claim 8, wherein the substrate is comprised of at least one of the following:

metal foil;

plastic; and

paper.

12. A method of tracking information in accordance with claim 8, wherein the RFID circuit is printed on the substrate using at least one of the following:

offset lithography;

flexography;

gravure;

screen printing;

ink jet; and

nanoimprinting.

13. A method of tracking information in accordance with claim 8, wherein the data read from the RFID circuit and IBI provide at least partially redundant information.

14. A hand held reader comprising:

a scanner for scanning at least one of an information bearing indicia (IBI) and radio frequency identification (RFID) data;

a processor configured to;

receive read information from an information bearing indicia (IBI) and a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit disposed on a substrate;

comparing information read from the RFID circuit and the IBI; and

determining if the RFID circuit and IBI provide at least some redundant information when read with a respective reading device based on the comparison of information read from the RFID circuit and the IBI.

15. The hand held reader in accordance with claim 14, wherein the RFID circuit is printed on the substrate.

16. The hand held reader in accordance with claim 14, wherein a decoded result of the IBI takes precedence over a decoded result of the RFID circuit in response to determining that information provided by the RFID circuit is conflicting with information provided by the IBI, when the RFID circuit is being read along with at least one other RFID circuit.

17. The hand held reader in accordance with claim 14, wherein the IBI is printed on an encapsulation of the RFID circuit.

18. The hand held reader in accordance with claim 14, wherein the hand held reader reads more than one RFID circuit brought within reading range and the IBI read result will take precedence if a RFID read result is conflicting with IBI read result.

19. The hand held reader in accordance with claim 14, the hand held reader performs a multi-resolution parity check scheme on the IBI read.