RFID tag filtering and monitoring

• US 7,298,264 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Eldering
• Inventors: Eldering, Charles A., Kuzma, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US11/038,680
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure

Abstract

A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system that tracks tags in real-time based on EPC codes and on other priority codes written into transponder memory fields of the tags. As an example, a priority code may be written into a memory of an RFID transponder identifying a high-value item or a small high-value item that is likely to be stolen. Based on the use of this priority code, those items can be preferentially tracked as opposed to items of low value or size such that they are unlikely to be stolen. Such use of priority codes and local filtering alleviates the need to go back to large centralized databases associating unique numbers with other parameters and potentially the history of the item.

Claims

1. A method of filtering RFID tag information, comprising the steps of:

creating prioritization groups based on EPC codes, wherein the prioritization groups identify action to be taken and do not require lookup of EPC information in a central database;

locally storing prioritization group data;

reading an RFID tag including an EPC code for an associated product, wherein the reading step includes the step of reading the RFID tag at a first location;

locally associating the read EPC code with a prioritization group; and

performing an action designated for the identified prioritization group, wherein the designated action includes the step of notifying an RFID reader at a second location that an item within the prioritization group has been read at the first location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritization group data is stored in the RFID tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the association of the EPC code with a prioritization group is performed at an RFID reader.

4. A method of filtering RFID tag information, comprising the steps of:

creating prioritization groups based on EPC codes, wherein the prioritization groups identify action to be taken;

locally storing prioritization group data;

reading an RFID tag including an EPC code for an associated product, wherein the reading step includes the step of reading the RFID tag at a first location with a first RFID reader;

associating the read EPC code with prioritization group in a central database; and

performing an action designated for the identified prioritization group, wherein the designated action includes the step of notifying a second RFID reader at a second location that an item within the prioritization group has been read at the first location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the prioritization group data is stored in the RFID tag.

6. A method of filtering RFID tag information, comprising the steps of:

creating prioritization groups based on EPC codes, wherein the prioritization groups identify action to be taken and do not require lookup of EPC information in a central database;

storing prioritization group data on an RFID tag;

reading an RFID tag including prioritization group data, wherein the reading step includes the step of reading the RFID tag at a first location with a first RFID reader; and

performing an action designated for the identified prioritization group without referring to the EPC, wherein the designated action includes the step of notifying a second RFID reader at a second location that an item within the prioritization group has been read at the first location.

7. A method for selectively tracking a Radio-Frequency Identification Device (RFID) tag, the method comprising:

reading the RFID tag using a first reader to create a first reading, wherein the position of the first reader is known;

recording the first reading including the time at which the RFID tag was read by the first reader to create a time dependent first reading;

reading the RFID tag using a second reader to create a second reading, wherein the position of the second reader is known;

recording the reading of the RFID tag by the second reader including the time at which the RFID tag was read by the second reader;

calculating the direction in which the RFID tag was proceeding based on the first reading and the second reading;

creating prioritization groups based on EPC codes, wherein the prioritization groups identify action to be taken;

storing the prioritization group data in the RFID tag; and

initiating tracking of the RFID tag if the prioritization group data stored in the RFID tag indicates that a product associated with the RFID tag is designated to be a high priority item for which tracking is required based on the direction in which the product is headed.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising calculating the velocity of movement of the RFID tag based on the first reading and the second reading and tracking of the RFID tag if the velocity is above a threshold or if movement is in an area where an item associated with the RFID tag is in danger of being stolen.