Tag location monitor
First Claim
1. A monitor network for a tag location system having a plurality of tags which each transmit a tag signal unique to an individual tag and a central station, remote from the monitor network, for communicating with the monitor network using central station messages, and for determining the location of each individual tag based on information derived from the tag signals, the monitor network comprising:
- a grid of monitors, positioned at a space adjacent to a location of the plurality of tags, for receiving tag signals and delivering monitor messages containing information derived from the tag signals to the central station, for receiving central station messages from the central station and for respectively issuing and delivering monitor messages, from and to individual monitors of the grid;
wherein the grid of monitors includes monitor software for causing selected adjacent monitors of the grid to transfer messages from a source to an intended destination by sequentially relaying the messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor when the source and intended destination are not adjacent to one another;
wherein each monitor of the grid receives tag signals and monitor messages, respectively, from tags and monitors within range;
wherein each monitor of the grid transmits monitor messages including information derived from tag signals to a selected monitor of the grid for forwarding to the central station by sequentially relaying the monitor messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor, and transmits received monitor messages to the selected adjacent monitor of the grid for forwarding to the central station by relaying the monitor messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor; and
wherein each monitor of the grid transmits central station messages by sequentially relaying the central station messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor toward an intended monitor destination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monitor network of a tag location system includes a grid of monitors for transmitting and receiving messages from neighboring monitors and tags within range of the monitor. Also provided is a memory device for storing: a unique identity of the monitor; each input partner monitor from which the monitor receives messages, and an output partner monitor to which the monitor sends messages; monitor and tag signals; a signal strength of the tag signals and significant changes thereto; an acknowledgement signal; and a distress signal indicating that the monitor has not received acknowledgement signal from its output partner monitor. Further there is a computer for periodically causing all tag signals, associated signal strengths and significant changes stored in the memory device to be transmitted to the output partner monitor, for forwarding received monitor messages to the output partner monitor, for issuing the acknowledgement message to be transmitted of a monitor message, for determining receipt of an acknowledgement and for sending a distress signal to all neighboring monitors within range of the monitor if an acknowledgement signal is not received from the output partner monitor. Tag signals issued by tags and received by the monitor directly from tags within range of the monitor or from input partner monitors are transmitted to the output partner monitor for forwarding to the central station, and wherein, monitor messages issued by the central station and receive from input monitors are transmitted, if required, to the output monitor.
291 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A monitor network for a tag location system having a plurality of tags which each transmit a tag signal unique to an individual tag and a central station, remote from the monitor network, for communicating with the monitor network using central station messages, and for determining the location of each individual tag based on information derived from the tag signals, the monitor network comprising:
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a grid of monitors, positioned at a space adjacent to a location of the plurality of tags, for receiving tag signals and delivering monitor messages containing information derived from the tag signals to the central station, for receiving central station messages from the central station and for respectively issuing and delivering monitor messages, from and to individual monitors of the grid; wherein the grid of monitors includes monitor software for causing selected adjacent monitors of the grid to transfer messages from a source to an intended destination by sequentially relaying the messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor when the source and intended destination are not adjacent to one another; wherein each monitor of the grid receives tag signals and monitor messages, respectively, from tags and monitors within range; wherein each monitor of the grid transmits monitor messages including information derived from tag signals to a selected monitor of the grid for forwarding to the central station by sequentially relaying the monitor messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor, and transmits received monitor messages to the selected adjacent monitor of the grid for forwarding to the central station by relaying the monitor messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor; and wherein each monitor of the grid transmits central station messages by sequentially relaying the central station messages from one monitor to a selected adjacent monitor toward an intended monitor destination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A monitor of a monitor network of a tag location system for tracking the location of items each marked with a tag within a space to be monitored without the requirement that the tags be polled, the monitor comprising:
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a) a message transmitting and receiving device for transmitting and receiving monitor messages from selected neighboring monitors of the communication network and tag signals from tags within range of the monitor; b) a memory device for storing;
1) an unique identity of the monitor,
2) a list of the unique identities of each neighboring monitor within range of the monitor,
3) an unique identity of each input partner monitor from which the monitor receives messages for forwarding to the central station,
4) an unique identity of an output partner monitor to which the monitor sends messages for forwarding to the central station,
5) monitor messages received from input monitors,
6) an identity of each tag within range,
7) a signal strength of the tag signal associated with each tag'"'"'s identity; andc) a computer for;
1) measuring the signal strength of each tag signal received by the monitor and determining the identity of the tag which transmitted the tag signal,
2) determining significant changes in the signal strength of each tag signal,
3) storing the tag identity and associated signal strength, in the storage device,
4) periodically causing all tag identities and associated signal strengths stored in the memory device, to be transmitted to the output partner monitor by the message transmitting and receiving device,
5) forwarding monitor messages received from input partner monitors to the output partner monitor by the message transmitting and receiving device,
6) causing an acknowledgement message to be transmitted to a source by the message transmitting and receiving device upon receipt of a message from the source,
7) determining if an acknowledgement signal has been received from the output partner monitor in response to messages transmitted thereto, and
8) sending a distress signal to all neighboring monitors within range of the monitor if an acknowledgement signal is not received from the output partner monitor after a predetermined number of attempts;wherein, tag signals issued by tags and received by the monitor directly from tags within range of the monitor or from input partner monitors are transmitted to the output partner monitor for forwarding to the central station, and wherein, monitor messages issued by the central station are forwarded toward the intended destination, if the central station and intended destination are not adjacent to one another. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification