Using a mesh of radio frequency identification tags for tracking entities at a site

• US 8,471,706 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Schuster
• Original Assignee: John Schuster
• Inventors: Schuster, John Joseph, Lee, Rand William, Plett, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US12/205,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.21, 340/573.4, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.4, 342/463, 342/457, 342/465, 342/450
• 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 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03

Abstract

A system for tracking entities at a site comprises a mesh of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Each of the tracked entities, which may move about the site, is associated with and attached to a portable RFID tag. Each RFID tag is at least periodically caused to transmit a signal that includes an identification of the RFID tag. The signal is received by other RFID tags that are within range, which determine a location indicative parameter. Some of the RFID tags receiving the signal are fixed at predefined locations. Specific fixed RFID tags are designated as controller nodes. Data comprising an identification of the RFID tag receiving a signal, the location indicative parameter, and the identification of the portable RFID tag transmitting the signal are communicated to a location engine server, which processes the data to determine at least a relative position of the portable RFID tags on the site.

Claims

1. A method for tracking entities, to determine at least a relative location of the entities at a site, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a mesh network at the site that is formed of a plurality of portable radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and a plurality of fixed RFID tags, all of which transmit and receive radio signals, the portable RFID tags each being associated with a different entity from a plurality of different types of entities that can move around at the site, each portable RFID tag being physically coupled or attached to the entity with which it is associated, at least some of the portable and static RFID tags that are associated with the entities including a sensor for detecting when the RFID tags are in motion, wherein a portable RFID tag that has not moved from a previous known location comprises a static RFID tag, and wherein the plurality of fixed RFID tags remain in at known locations;

(b) repetitively causing each RFID tag to transmit a signal that conveys an identification of the RFID tag that is transmitting the signal, the signal that is transmitted being received by any other RFID tag disposed within a receiving range of the signal that was transmitted, wherein the RFID tags that are receiving the signal include one or more of the fixed RFID tags or static RFID tags, each fixed or static RFID tag having a known position on the site, and wherein the step of repetitively causing each RFID tag that is associated with one of the entities to transmit a signal includes the step of causing each RFID tag having a sensor that is detecting movement of the RFID tag, to continuously or at least more frequently transmit a signal identifying a portable RFID tag that is in motion, so that the portable RFID tag that is in motion can be at least tracked in a coarse tracking mode as the portable RFID tag is moved about at the site;

(c) each RFID tag that receives the signal being transmitted determining a location indicative parameter and saving the location indicative parameter in connection with the identification of the RFID tag that transmitted the signal;

(d) forwarding data comprising the location indicative parameter and identification of each portable RFID tag that is moving, for each of the signals that was received by an RFID tag, to a processor, along with an identification of the RFID tag that is forwarding the data; and

(e) using collaborative multi-lateration for processing location indicative parameters in relation to the known positions of the fixed or static RFID tags and the identification of the RFID tags forwarding the data, as well as the identification of the portable and fixed or static RFID tags originally transmitting signals, for determining at least relative positions of the entities at the site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one type of entities with which the portable RFID tags are associated are personnel employed at the site, further comprising the step of physically coupling the portable RFID tag to an object that is carried by a person at least while the person is working at the site.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of determining at least a specific portion of the site where a person carrying the object is located by determining the relative location of the portable RFID tag coupled to the object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the types of entities with which the portable RFID tags are associated include vehicles at the site, and keys that are used with the vehicles, further comprising the step of accessing a database storing information identifying each of the vehicles and relating an identification of each of the vehicles to a specific key used with the vehicle, at least the relative location of each of the vehicles and of each of the keys on the site being determined by the processor based upon the relative position of the portable RFID tags that are physically coupled to the vehicles and the keys.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the types of entities with which the portable RFID tags are associated further include personnel employed at the site who carry objects coupled to the portable RFID tags, further comprising at least one of the steps of determining which of the personnel is carrying a specific one of the keys associated with one of the portable RFID tags;

and, determining in which vehicle one of the personnel is disposed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling a user to enter a query to where a specific one or more of the entities is located at the site, the processor responding by indicating at least the relative location of the specific one or more entities at the site.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the data forwarded to the processor to determine when any entity is leaving or entering the site and to determine if a plurality of the entities is leaving or entering the site together.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a power supply for recharging a battery included in each RFID tag, when the RFID tag is electrically coupled to the power supply, at times when the entity with which the RFID tag is associated is not moving about the site and is coupled to the power supply.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of identifying each RFID tag that is electrically coupled to the power supply so that a current location of said RFID tag at the power supply can be provided to the processor.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of suppressing communications by each RFID tag that is electrically coupled to the power supply for recharging the battery included in the RFID tag, to reduce communication traffic on the mesh network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the fixed or static RFID tags is designated as a controller node and is higher in a relative hierarchy than others of the fixed or static RFID tags so that it manages communications between the other fixed or static RFID tags and the portable RFID tags that are in a designated portion of the site.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the fixed or static RFID tags designated as a controller node is coupled in communication with the processor for conveying the data received for the designated portion of the site to the processor.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of preparing a report based upon information related to movement of the plurality of entities at the site, for access by a user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of preparing the report comprises the step of preparing a report indicating at least one of:

(a) times at which an entity left the site and returned;

(b) time interval during which an entity has not moved;

(c) theft of an entity from the site;

(d) time interval in which a vehicle has been disposed at a specific portion of the site;

(e) removal of an entity from the site without using another entity that has been checked out of a central storage by an authorized person;

(f) loss of an entity on the site;

(g) removal of the RFID tag from the entity with which it is associated; and

(h) a charge condition of batteries used to supply power to the RFID tags.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining that a specific entity has been removed from the site that should not have been removed, based upon the data forwarded to the processor; and

(b) in response to determining that the specific entity has been removed from the site, carrying out a predefined further step to enable the entity to be returned to the site.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a person has inadvertently removed the specific entity from the site, and wherein the predefined further step comprises the step of automatically communicating with the person to request that the specific entity be returned to the site.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the location indicative parameter comprises a parameter selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a received signal strength of the signal transmitted by a RFID tag, as received by another RFID tag;

(b) a time of flight of a signal transmitted by a RFID tag, as measured by another RFID tag that is receiving the signal; and

(c) an angle of arrive of a signal transmitted by a RFID tag, as measured by another RFID tag that is receiving the signal.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to carry out the following functions:

(a) determining that a specific entity has been removed from the site that should not have been removed, based upon the data forwarded to the processor; and

(b) in response to determining that the specific entity has been removed from the site, carrying out a predefined function that is intended to result in the entity being returned to the site.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein a person has inadvertently removed the specific entity from the site, and in response to detecting the removal, the processor automatically communicates with the person to request that the specific entity be returned to the site.

2. A system for tracking entities, to determine at least a relative location of the entities at a site, comprising:

(a) a mesh network comprising a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, including at least one fixed RFID tag, which is not moved from a known location, or at least one static RFID tag currently disposed at a known location at the site, and a plurality of portable RFID tags, each portable RFID tag being associated with a different one of the entities that can move about at the site and physically coupled or attached to the entity with which it is associated, the static RFID tag comprising a portable RFID tag that has not moved from its last known location, each of the RFID tags being controlled so as to transmit a signal that includes an identification of the RFID tag transmitting the signal, the signal being received by any other of the plurality of RFID tags that is in range, each RFID tag that receives the signal determining a location indicative parameter for the signal and storing the location indicative parameter in connection with the identification of the RFID tag transmitting the signal, at least some of the plurality of portable RFID tags including a sensor that detects when the portable RFID tag and the object to which it is attached or coupled is in motion, the portable RFID tag that is in motion responding to the sensor detecting the motion of the portable RFID tag by continuously or at least more frequently transmitting the signal identifying the portable RFID tag that is in motion, so that the portable RFID tag can at least be tracked in a coarse tracking mode by the system as the portable RFID tag is moved about at the site; and

(b) a processor that is configured to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

(i) repetitively causing each RFID tag that is associated with one of the entities to transmit the signal;

(ii) receiving data comprising the location indicative parameter and identification of the RFID tag for each of the signals that was received by an RFID tag, when forwarded from the plurality of RFID tags; and

(iii) using collaborative multi-lateration for processing location indicative parameters in relation to the known positions of the fixed or static RFID tags and the identification of the RFID tags forwarding the data, as well as the identification of the portable and fixed or static RFID tags originally transmitting signals, for determining at least relative positions of the entities at the site.

19. A system for tracking entities, to determine at least a relative location of the entities at a site, comprising:

(a) a mesh network comprising a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, including at least one fixed RFID tag or at least one static RFID tag disposed at a predefined location at the site, and a plurality of portable RFID tags, each portable RFID tag being associated with a different one of the entities that can move about at the site and physically coupled or attached to the entity with which it is associated, the static RFID tag comprising a portable RFID tag that has not moved from a known location, each of the RFID tags being controlled so as to transmit a signal that includes an identification of the RFID tag transmitting the signal, the signal being received by any other of the plurality of RFID tags that is in range, each RFID tag that receives the signal determining a location indicative parameter for the signal and storing the location indicative parameter in connection with the identification of the RFID tag transmitting the signal; and

(b) a processor that is configured to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

(i) repetitively causing each RFID tag that is associated with one of the entities to transmit the signal;

(ii) receiving data comprising the location indicative parameter and identification of the RFID tag for each of the signals that was received by an RFID tag, when forwarded from the plurality of RFID tags; and

(iii) using collaborative multi-lateration for processing location indicative parameters in relation to the known positions of the fixed or static RFID tags and the identification of the RFID tags forwarding the data, as well as the identification of the portable and fixed or static RFID tags originally transmitting signals, for determining at least relative positions of the entities at the site.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein an anti-tamper switch is included on at least some of the portable RFID tags to detect if an RFID tag has been removed from the entity with which it is associated, removal of the RFID tag from said entity being sensed by the anti-tamper switch, causing the RFID tag to include an indication that tampering has occurred when the signal is next transmitted by the RFID tag.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein at least some of the portable RFID tags are coupled to objects that are carried by personnel who are employed at the site, so that the processor is able to determine that a person carrying an object associated with a specific portable RFID tag is currently disposed in a specific portion of the site.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein at least some of the portable RFID tags are associated with vehicles at the site, and with keys that are used with the vehicles, the processor accessing a database that stores information identifying each of the vehicles and relating an identification of each of the vehicles to a corresponding specific key used with the vehicle, the processor determining at least the relative location of each of the vehicles and each of the keys on the site based upon the relative position of the portable RFID tags that are physically coupled to the vehicles and the keys.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein at least some of the portable RFID tags are coupled to objects that are carried by personnel who are employed at the site, wherein the processor uses the relative locations of the entities to determine at least one of:

(a) which of the personnel is carrying a specific key; and

(b) if a specific one of the personnel is disposed in a vehicle.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a terminal coupled to the processor, the terminal including a human input interface that enables a user to selectively initiate a query to determine where a specific one or more of the entities is located at the site, the processor producing a response to the query that indicates at least the relative position of the specific one or more of the entities at the site.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor evaluates the data to detect when any entity is leaving or entering the site, and to determine if a plurality of the entities is leaving or entering the site together at that time.

26. The system of claim 19, further comprising a power supply for recharging a battery included in each RFID tag, when the RFID tag is electrically coupled to the power supply, at times when the entity with which the RFID tag is associated is not moving about the site and is coupled to the power supply.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the power supply includes an RFID tag that transmits an identification of each other RFID tag that is electrically coupled to the power supply, to the processor, so that a current location of said each other RFID tag at the power supply is maintained by the processor.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the RFID tags that are electrically coupled to the power supply are controlled to suppress transmissions until being disconnected from the power supply and moved, to reduce communication traffic on the mesh network.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the fixed or static RFID tags is designated as a controller node and is higher in a relative hierarchy than others of the fixed or static RFID tags so that it controls the other fixed and static RFID tags and the portable RFID tags that are disposed in a designated portion of the site.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one of the fixed or static RFID tags designated as a controller node is coupled in communication with the processor for conveying the data received for the designated portion of the site to the processor.

31. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to prepare a report based upon information related to movement of the plurality of entities at the site, for access by a user, the report indicating at least one of:

(a) times at which an entity left the site and returned;

(b) time interval during which an entity has not moved;

(c) theft of an entity from the site;

(d) time interval in which a vehicle has been disposed at a specific portion of the site;

(e) removal of an entity from the site without using another entity that has been checked out of a central storage by an authorized person;

(f) loss of an entity on the site;

(g) removal of the RFID tag from the entity with which it is associated; and

(h) a charge condition of batteries used to supply power to the RFID tags.

34. The system of claim 19, wherein the location indicative parameter comprises a parameter selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a received signal strength of the signal transmitted by a RFID tag, as received by another RFID tag;

(b) a time of flight of a signal transmitted by a RFID tag, as measured by another RFID tag that is receiving the signal; and

(c) an angle of arrive of a signal transmitted by a RFID tag, as measured by another RFID tag that is receiving the signal.