Intelligent RFID tag for magnetic field mapping

• US 7,772,978 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Bapat, Vivek R., Chand, Sujeet, Morse, Richard A., Pietrzyk, Arthur P., Tinnell, Kenneth A., Somogyi, Andreas, Hall, Kenwood H., Owen, JR., Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US12/263,750
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/584, 340/565, 340/566, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.41, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/539.21
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2485 Simultaneous detection of multiple EAS tags

Abstract

System(s) and method(s) to increase the accuracy and efficiency of an RFID system is provided. A system includes an RFID component that receives a signal from an RFID reader, and an identifier component that interfaces with the RFID component and identifies the source of the signal. The system further includes a signal strength component that interfaces with the identifier component and measures the strength of the signal. The system can include an environment component that analyzes an operating environment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transporting articles within a coverage area of a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, a subset of the articles each having one of a plurality of RFID components physically attached thereto;

interrogating the plurality of RFID components using an activation signal from an RFID reader;

receiving, in response to the interrogating, return signals from the plurality of RFID components containing at least one ambient environmental parameter measured by the respective RFID components via environmental sensors integrated with the RFID components;

determining whether the at least one ambient environmental parameter indicates an operating condition that adversely affects a received signal strength of the activation signal detected at the respective RFID components; and

adjusting an output signal strength of the activation signal at the RFID reader based on the determining.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving the return signals containing at least one of a temperature parameter, a humidity parameter, a vibration parameter, or a shock parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the RFID reader activation signal strength measurements measured by the plurality of RFID components; and

mapping the activation signal strength measurements.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising electronically or physically adjusting an antenna of the RFID reader based on the determining.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising adjusting a result of the mapping based upon the at least one ambient environmental parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting at least one of a temperature measurement or a humidity measurement as the at least one ambient environmental parameter; and

estimating a degree of absorption of the activation signal due to moisture based on the at least one of the temperature measurement or the humidity measurement.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping activation signal strengths measured at the RFID components by transmitting a first instruction to the RFID components via a first activation signal to respond if a strength of the first activation signal measured by the respective RFID components is greater than a specified first threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting a second instruction to the RFID components via a second activation signal to respond if a strength of the second activation signal measured by the respective RFID components is greater than a second threshold greater than the first threshold to facilitate receiving responses from a smaller number of RFID components than responded to the first instruction.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an environmental parameter of temperature sensed by the RFID components; and

determining whether the environmental parameter of temperature is outside of a temperature range indicating a possible risk of temperature-related damage to the articles.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an environmental parameter of movement of the RFID components; and

determining whether the parameter of movement is outside of a movement range indicating an abnormal operation of at least one mechanical component that transports the articles.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the environmental parameter of movement comprises receiving at least one of a vibration measurement or a shock measurement measured by the RFID components using the environmental sensors.

12. A system, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) components that measure at least one environmental parameter using environmental sensors integrated with the RFID components; and

an RFID reader that interrogates the plurality of RFID components using an activation signal, receives return signals from the RFID components containing the at least one environmental parameter measured by the RFID components, and determines whether the at least one environmental parameter indicates an operating condition that adversely affects a received signal strength of the activation signal detected at the RFID components,

wherein the RFID reader adjusts an output signal strength of the activation signal based on the at least one environmental parameter; and

wherein the RFID reader receives via the return signal'"'"'s activation signal strength values measured by the plurality of RFID components and maps the activation signal strength measurements to yield a reception performance mapping.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one environmental parameter is at least one of temperature, humidity, vibration, or shock.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the RFID reader comprises an RFID antenna that is electronically or physically adjustable based on the reception performance mapping.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the RFID reader modifies the reception performance mapping based upon the at least one environmental parameter.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the RFID reader receives at least one of a temperature measurement or a humidity measurement as the at least one environmental parameter and estimates a degree of absorption of the activation signal due to moisture based on the at least one of the temperature measurement or the humidity measurement.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the RFID reader maps activation signal strengths measured at the RFID components by transmitting a first instruction to the RFID components via a first activation signal to respond if a strength of the first activation signal measured by the respective RFID components is greater than a specified first threshold.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the RFID reader transmits a second instruction to the RFID components via a second activation signal to respond if a strength of the second activation signal measured by the respective RFID components is greater than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold to facilitate receiving responses from a smaller number of RFID components than responded to the first instruction.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of RFID reader antennas spaced apart to facilitate receipt of a plurality of different activation signal strength measurements for each of the plurality of RFID components based on a location of the respective RFID components relative to the RFID reader antennas.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the RFID reader receives an environmental parameter of temperature sensed by the RFID components, and determines whether the received environmental parameter of temperature is outside of a temperature range indicating a possible risk of damage to objects to which the RFID components are physically attached.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the RFID reader receives an environmental parameter of movement for the RFID components, and determines whether the environmental parameter of movement is outside of a movement range indicating an abnormal operation of at least one mechanical component that transports objects to which the RFID components are physically connected.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the environmental parameter of movement includes at least one of a vibration measurement or a shock measurement sensed by the RFID components using the environmental sensors.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a conveyor for moving the objects to which the RFID components are physically connected.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

means for interrogating a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) components within a coverage area of an RFID reader antenna using an activation signal;

means for receiving, in response to the interrogating, return signals from the plurality of RFID components containing at least one environmental parameter and a received signal strength of the activation signal measured by the respective RFID components via sensors integrated with the RFID components;

means for determining whether the at least one environmental parameter indicates an operating condition detrimental to the received signal strength of the activation signal measured at the respective RFID components; and

means for adjusting an output strength of the activation signal based on the at least one environmental parameter.

25. A method, comprising:

positioning a radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna of an RFID system to define a coverage area;

attaching a plurality of RFID components to a plurality of articles;

transporting the plurality of articles through the coverage area;

interrogating the plurality of RFID components using an interrogation signal;

mapping the coverage area of the RFID system based upon responses received from the RFID components; and

adjusting the RFID antenna to optimize the coverage area.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving signal strength values measured via signal strength processing blocks integrated within the plurality of RFID components and transmitted thereby; and

mapping the coverage area of the RFID system based upon the signal strength value.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving return signals containing ambient environmental parameters measured via environmental sensors integrated within the plurality of RFID components and transmitted thereby; and

adjusting the mapped coverage area of the RFID system to compensate for the received ambient environmental parameters.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving return signals comprises receiving the return signals containing an ambient environmental parameter comprising temperature.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving return signals comprises receiving the return signals containing an ambient environmental parameter comprising humidity.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving return signals comprises receiving the return signals containing an ambient environmental parameter further comprising temperature.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

instructing the plurality of RFID components to respond if a strength of the interrogation signal measured at the respective RFID components exceeds a threshold; and

receiving responses from a subset of the plurality of RFID components within range of the RFID system that measured the strength of the interrogation signal as being above the threshold.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising repeatedly instructing the plurality of RFID components to respond if the strength of the interrogation signal exceeds an iteratively increased threshold until a number of the responses is below a targeted value.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising automatically adjusting the RFID antenna electronically.

34. The method of claim 25, further comprising presenting information regarding the coverage area for mechanical adjustment of the RFID antenna.

35. A method, comprising:

interrogating a radio frequency (RFID) component attached to an article within a coverage area of an RFID system using an activation signal;

receiving a return signal transmitted by the RFID component in response to the interrogating, the return signal containing a temperature value measured by the RFID component using environmental sensors integrated therein;

determining whether the temperature value indicates an operating condition that adversely affects a received signal strength of the activation signal detected at the RFID component;

adjusting an output strength of the activation signal based on the temperature value;

receiving, via the return signal, an activation signal strength value measured by the RFID component using a signal strength processing block integrated therein; and

mapping the activation signal strength measurement to yield a reception performance mapping.

36. A method, comprising:

attaching a radio frequency identification (RFID) component to an article;

conveying the article through a coverage area of an RFID reader;

interrogating the RFID component;

receiving, in response to the interrogating, a return signal from the RFID component containing a movement parameter measured by a movement sensor integrated within the RFID component; and

determining an operating condition of a mechanism performing the conveying based upon the movement parameter.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving comprises receiving the return signal containing a vibration parameter measured by a vibration sensor integrated within the RFID component.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving comprises receiving the return signal containing a shock parameter measured by a shock sensor integrated within the RFID component.