Monitoring for radio frequency enabled items based on shared group activity profiles

• US 7,688,208 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luo, Xun, Schuler, Francesca, Jonnalagadda, Krishna D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yacob; Sisay
• Application Number:
  US11/740,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/573.1, 340/5.2, 340/10.1, 340/825.49, 705/1, 705/16, 705/67, 705/17, 705/18, 705/71
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A method, radio frequency ID reader, and wireless communication device monitor radio-frequency identification enabled items associated with a group activity. The method includes receiving a set of radio frequency IDs representing a set of radio frequency ID enabled items (110) to be monitored. The set of radio frequency enabled items (110) are associated with at least one group activity. Each radio frequency ID enabled item (110) is determined to be associated with one of an individual and a group of individuals. The method also includes determining if at least one condition associated with the group activity has occurred indicating that the group activity is occurring (1004). The set of radio frequency IDs representing the set of radio frequency ID enabled items (110) is monitored for in response to determining that the at least one condition is occurring.

Claims

1. A method, with an electronic device, for monitoring radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled items associated with a group activity and RFID enabled items associated with individuals, wherein multiple electronic devices monitor the RFID enabled items, the method comprising:

receiving a set of radio frequency IDs representing a set of radio frequency ID enabled items to be monitored, wherein the set of radio frequency enabled items are associated with at least one group activity or at least one individual;

determining, for each radio frequency ID enabled item, that the radio frequency ID enabled item is associated with an individual or a group, wherein only items associated with the group are synchronized among the multiple electronic devices, and items associated with the individual are only monitored by the electronic device;

sensing a status of RFID enabled items based on at least one condition;

synchronizing among the multiple electronic devices, a status of only items associated with the group; and

monitoring, radio frequency ID enabled items that are both associated with the individual and the group based on said status.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining that a radio frequency ID enabled item has been designated as an individual item by a group member;

determining that at least one other group member has selected to monitor the radio frequency ID enabled item designated as an individual item; and

changing a monitoring status associated with the radio frequency ID enabled item from an individual item to a group item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a monitored status of at least one of the set of radio frequency IDs representing the set of radio frequency ID enabled items to be monitored by at least one of

directly with at least one electronic device associated with at least one individual in the group of individuals; and

through at least one intermediate information processing system that then communicates the monitored status with the at least one electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises:

receiving the set of radio frequency IDs representing the set of radio frequency ID enabled items to be monitored from at least one electronic device associated with one of the group of individuals and an individual in the group of individuals;

determining, in response to the receiving, that another set of radio frequency IDs already resides in a memory;

synchronizing the received set of radio frequency IDs with the another set of radio frequency IDs; and

removing, in response to the synchronizing, any duplicate radio frequency ID existing between the received set of radio frequency IDs and the set of radio frequency IDs already residing in the memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the items to be monitored are at least one of:

designated to be monitored by at least one individual in the group of individuals via a calendar application; and

automatically generated, via an application, based on at least one of a prior group activity and an environmental scan of items.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is one of detected by detecting radio frequency identification and has failed to be detected by detecting radio frequency identification;

wherein in response to the at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is being detecting radio frequency identification;

identifying, in response to the determining if the presence of the at least one item in the of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected, that the at least one detected item is associated with the group of individuals; and

notifying, in response to the detected item being associated with a group of individuals, each individual in the group of individuals of a presence status associated with the at least one item;

wherein in response to the at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items failing to be detected by radio frequency identification;

identifying, in response to the determining that the presence of the at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items has failed to be detected, that the at least one item is associated with the group of individuals; and

notifying, in response to the item being associated with a group of individuals, each individual in the group of individuals that the at least one item has failed to be detected.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the notifying further includes:

wirelessly transmitting the presence status associated with the at least one item to a wireless device associated with each individual in the group of individuals; and

displaying the presence status associated with the at least one item via a graphical user interface on the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected by detecting radio frequency identification; and

identifying, in response to the determining if the presence of the at least one item in the of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected, that the at least one detected item is associated with the individual; and

notifying, in response to the detected item being associated with the individual, only the individual of a presence status associated with the at least one item.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly sending an invitation request to each individual in the group of individuals for joining the at least one group activity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that at least one individual in the group of individuals has declined the invitation request;

wirelessly notifying a remaining set of individuals in the group of individuals that the at least one individual has declined the invitation request;

determining that at least one individual in the group of individuals has accepted the invitation request;

wireless notifying a remaining set of individuals in the group of individuals that the at least one individual has accepted the invitation request; and

wireless transmitting at least a list of radio frequency ID enabled items associated with the group of individuals to at least one electronic device associated with the individual who has accepted the invitation request.

11. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader for monitoring RFID enabled items associated with a group activity and RFID enabled items associated with individuals, wherein multiple readers monitor the RFID enabled items, the radio-frequency ID reader comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a radio-frequency ID management module communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, the radio-frequency ID management module adapted to;

receiving a set of radio frequency IDs representing a set of radio frequency ID enabled items to be monitored, wherein the set of radio frequency enabled items are associated with at least one group activity or at least one individual;

determining, for each radio frequency ID enabled item, that the radio frequency ID enabled item is associated with an individual or a group, wherein only items associated with the group are synchronized among the multiple readers, and items associated with the individual are only monitored by the RFID reader corresponding to said individual;

sensing a status of RFID enabled items based on at least one condition;

synchronizing among the multiple readers, a status of only items associated with the group; and

monitoring radio frequency ID enabled items that are both associated with the individual and the group based on said status.

12. The radio-frequency ID reader of claim 11, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected by detecting radio frequency identification; and

identifying, in response to the determining if the presence of the at least one item in the of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected, that the at least one detected item is associated with the group of individuals; and

notifying, in response to the detected item being associated with a group of individuals, each individual in the group of individuals of a presence status associated with the at least one item.

13. The radio-frequency ID reader of claim 11, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items has failed to be detected by detecting radio frequency identification; and

identifying, in response to the determining that the presence of the at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items has failed to be detected that the at least one item is associated with the group of individuals; and

notifying, in response to the item being associated with a group of individuals, each individual in the group of individuals of that the at least one item has failed to be detected.

14. The radio-frequency ID reader of claim 11, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected by detecting radio frequency identification; and

identifying, in response to the determining if the presence of the at least one item in the of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected, that the at least one detected item is associated with the individual; and

notifying, in response to the detected item being associated with the individual, only the individual of a presence status associated with the at least one item.

15. The radio-frequency ID reader of claim 11, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

wirelessly sending an invitation request to each individual in the group of individuals for joining the at least one group activity;

determining that at least one individual in the group of individuals has declined the invitation request; and

wireless notifying a remaining set of individuals in the group of individuals that the at least one individual has declined the invitation request.

16. The radio-frequency ID reader of claim 15, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining that at least one individual in the group of individuals has accepted the invitation request;

wireless notifying a remaining set of individuals in the group of individuals that the at least one individual has accepted the invitation request; and

wireless transmitting at least a list of RFID enabled items associated with the group of individuals to at least one electronic device associated with the individual who has accepted the invitation request.

17. A wireless communication device for monitoring radio-frequency ID (RFID) enabled items associated with a group activity and RFID enabled items associated with individuals, wherein multiple wireless communication devices monitor the RFID enabled items,

the wireless communication device comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a radio-frequency ID management module communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, the radio-frequency ID management module adapted to;

receiving a set of radio frequency IDs representing a set of radio frequency ID enabled items to be monitored, wherein the set of radio frequency enabled items are associated with at least one group activity;

determining, for each radio frequency ID enabled item, that the radio frequency ID enabled item is associated with an individual or a group, wherein only items associated with the group are synchronized among the multiple wireless communication devices, and items associated with the individual are only monitored by the wireless communication device corresponding to said individual;

sensing a status of RFID enabled items based on at least one condition;

synchronizing among the wireless communication devices, a status of only items associated with the group; and

monitoring radio frequency ID enabled items that are both associated with the individual and the group based on said status.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected by detecting radio frequency identification;

identifying, in response to the determining if the presence of the at least one item in the of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected, that the at least one detected item is associated with the group of individuals; and

notifying, in response to the detected item being associated with a group of individuals, each individual in the group of individuals of a presence status associated with the at least one item.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items has failed to be detected by detecting radio frequency identification; and

identifying, in response to the determining that the presence of the at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items has failed to be detected, that the at least one item is associated with the group of individuals; and

notifying, in response to the item being associated with a group of individuals, each individual in the group of individuals of that the at least one item has failed to be detected.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein the radio-frequency ID management module is further adapted to:

determining, in response to the monitoring, if a presence of at least one item in the set of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected by detecting radio frequency identification;

identifying, in response to the determining if the presence of the at least one item in the of radio frequency ID enabled items is detected, that the at least one detected item is associated with the individual; and

notifying, in response to the detected item being associated with the individual, only the individual of a presence status associated with the at least one item.