Load monitoring system and method utilizing transponder tags

• US 6,236,911 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2000
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Supersensor Limited
• Original Assignee: Supersensor Limited
• Inventors: Kruger, Johan Dawid
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/550,361
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/200, 701/24, 340/870.1, 340/425.5, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10019 resolving collision on the communication channels between simultaneously or concurrently interrogated record carriers. collision between the communication channels used by wireless communication devices, where the solution is not particularly adapted for RFIDs or the like, H04W74/08

Abstract

A system 10 for monitoring the load on a load carrying vehicle comprises an electronic radio frequency (RF) identification system 22 comprising a reader 24 and a plurality of RF transponders 28.1 to 28.n. Each transponder is associated with a respective load item 36.1 to 36.n, and the items collectively constitute the load located in a load carrying region of the vehicle. The reader is operative in use to interrogate the transponders, to read response data received from the transponders and to generate data relating to a load change event. A controller 34 and a vehicle position data generating device 38 are connected to the controller. The controller is sensitive to a load change event and operative to record vehicle position related data corresponding to the load change event.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the load on a load carrying vehicle, the system comprising:

an electronic radio frequency (RF) identification system comprising a reader and a plurality of RF transponders;

each transponder being associated with a respective load item, the items collectively constituting a load located in a load carrying region of the vehicle;

the reader being operative in use to interrogate the transponders, to read response data received from the transponders and to generate data relating to a load change event;

a controller connected to the reader;

vehicle position data generating means connected to the controller; and

the controller being sensitive to a load change event and operative to record vehicle position related data corresponding to the load change event.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the load change event is one of addition of at least one item to the load and removal of at least one load item from the load.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each transponder is a passive transponder.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 also comprising timer means for generating time data connected to the controller and wherein the controller is operative to record time data corresponding to the load change event.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle position data generating means comprises a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver connected to the controller.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle position data generating means comprises an odometer of the vehicle.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reader is programmed to interrogate the transponders according to any one or more of the following patterns:

continuously, intermittently, periodically and during predetermined events.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein a predetermined event is any one or more of the following:

while a door of the load carrying region is open;

when the door is closed;

while the vehicle is stationary and when motion is detected in the load carrying region.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a transmitter is connected to the controller to transmit the data recorded by the controller in real time to a remote control station.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein a pursuit and recovery team is associated with the control station to act upon transmitted data relating to an event which is an unauthorized removal of at least one load item from the load.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a memory arrangement connected to the controller for storing the data recorded by the controller.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein inventory data comprising data relating to each of the items in the load is also stored in the memory arrangement.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the controller is operative in real time to update the inventory data with data relating to an item added to the load, each time an item is added to the load.

14. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the transponders are interrogated in cycles and wherein the controller generates data relating to a load change event if response data read during an interrogation cycle does not correspond to the inventory data stored in the memory arrangement.

15. A method of monitoring a load on a load-carrying vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing on each of a plurality of items constituting a load carried on a load carrying region of the vehicle a respective transponder of a plurality of transponders of an electronic identification system;

interrogating the transponders with an interrogation signal from a reader of the system;

causing each transponder to respond to the interrogation signal with response date characteristic of that transponder;

reading the data;

comparing the data read to inventory data relating to the items in the load; and

in the event of a difference between the data read and the inventory data recording a load change event and vehicle position data corresponding to the load change event.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the transponders are interrogated according to any one or more of the following patterns:

continuously, intermittently, periodically and during predetermined events.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein in the event of a load change event, data relating to the load change event and vehicle position data are transmitted to a remote control station.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein time data corresponding to the load change event is also recorded.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the time data is determined by a real time clock.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the vehicle position data comprises data relating to at least one of position coordinates of the vehicle;

and data relating to a distance from a reference position.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the position coordinate data is determined utilizing a global positioning system.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the distance data is determined utilizing an odometer of the vehicle.