Wearable RFID system

• US 8,674,810 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrc, LLC
• Original Assignee: Franwell, Inc.
• Inventors: Uysal, Dilek Dagdelen, Altunbas, Ahmet Erdem, Wells, Jeffrey Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US12/765,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.4, 340/10, 340/3, 340/5.6
• US Class Current: 340/10.4
• 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10396 the interrogation device being wearable, e.g. as a glove, bracelet, or ring wearable aerials in general H01Q1/27

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for automatically interrogating a tagged object using radio frequency identification (RFID) when the object is moved. In one embodiment, a worker is outfitted with a wearable RFID system including an RF antenna, an RFID reader, and a holder to hold the antenna and reader during operation. The system is worn by the worker while the worker moves objects from one place to another. When the worker moves an object with an attached RFID tag, the antenna automatically begins scanning for signals from the object'"'"'s RFID tag. When a RF signal is received by the antenna, the RFID reader collects the signal and transmits it to a host system which processes the signal to obtain information related to the object to which the RFID tag is attached.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an RFID reader;

a transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitting antenna transmits an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal when driven by the RFID reader, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced;

a receiving antenna, wherein the receiving antenna receives the response RF signal, wherein the RFID reader receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna;

a first sensor, wherein the first sensor generates a first sensor signal, wherein the first sensor signal has a corresponding first sensor information;

at least one additional sensor, wherein the at least one additional sensor generates a corresponding at least one additional sensor signal, wherein the at least one additional sensor signal has a corresponding at least one additional sensor information; and

an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the first sensor signal and the at least one additional sensor signal to recognize a triggering event,

wherein the system is configured such that at least portion of the system is worn by a user such that the first sensor is positioned with respect to a portion of the user such that when the portion of the user moves the first sensor moves,

wherein the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event based on the first sensor information from the first sensor signal indicating movement of the portion of the user and one or more of the at least one additional sensor information from a corresponding one or more of the at least one additional sensor signal,

wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna is the receiving antenna.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the event recognition module transmits the trigger event message to the RFID reader via a wireless or a wired interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the event recognition module transmits the trigger event message to the RFID reader via a backplane.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the event recognition module also processes the first sensor information and the at least one additional sensor information to recognize an application event, wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the application event, an application event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the application event message the RFID reader causes an adjustment of at least one system setting.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one system setting comprises a power output level used to drive the transmitting antenna.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one system setting comprises a band used to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a user input interface and the triggering event comprises receiving certain input via the user input interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the certain input comprises actuation of a control on the user input interface.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the certain input comprises a voice command.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is removeably attached to the user and the triggering event comprises a movement of the first sensor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensor comprises an accelerometer and the triggering event comprises an acceleration of the first sensor.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensor comprises a gyroscope and the triggering event comprises a change in orientation of the first sensor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the event recognition module comprises a movement pattern recognition module that processes the first sensor information and the at least one additional sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of the user moving an object, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of the user moving the object, the trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the movement pattern of the user is determined during a training period wherein the movement pattern of the user is indicated by a human being, and the movement pattern of the user is recognized by comparing the first movement of the sensor to the movement pattern of the user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the movement pattern of the user is indicated by the user during the training period.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the movement pattern recognition module processes the first sensor information and the at least one additional sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of picking up, carrying, and/or putting down the object, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of picking up, carrying, and/or putting down the object, the trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag is attached to the object and the receiving antenna is removeably attached to the user during receipt of the response RF signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the RFID reader is removeably attached to the user during receipt of the response RF signal.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a holder adapted to be removeably attached to the user and hold the receiving antenna during receipt of the response RF signal.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the holder is also adapted to hold the RFID reader during receipt of the response RF signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the receiving antenna and the RFID reader are removeably attached to the holder.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the receiving antenna is flexible to conform to a shape of the user where the holder is attached.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the holder is also adapted to hold the transmitting antenna during transmission of the interrogating RF signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the holder comprises an RF shielding material positioned to reduce the amount of radiation to which the user is exposed during transmission of the interrogating RF signal and/or receipt of the RF signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the holder further comprises an insulating material positioned between the RF shielding material and the transmitting antenna when the transmitting antenna is attached to the holder.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the holder comprises a sleeve adapted to be removeably attached to an arm of the user and the receiving antenna is attached to the sleeve such that, when the sleeve is removeably attached to the arm, the receiving antenna is positioned along the inside of the arm.

28. The system of claim 14, wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information and a processing unit receives the response RF signal and decodes the response RF signal to obtain the signal information.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the signal information is stored on the RFID tag.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the system further comprises a host system comprising a memory, and the host system identifies the object in the memory based on the signal information obtained from the response RF signal and loads more information about the object from the memory.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the host system further comprises an output interface, wherein the output interface is configured to present at least some of the more information about the object.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the RFID reader comprises the processing unit and the RFID reader transmits the signal information to the host system via a wireless interface, a wired interface, or a backplane.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the host system comprises the processing unit and the RFID reader transmits the response RF signal to the host system via a wireless interface, a wired interface, or a backplane.

34. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

an additional RFID reader;

an additional antenna, wherein the additional antenna transmits an additional interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the additional interrogating RF signal on an additional RFID tag, an additional response RF signal is produced encoded with additional signal information, the additional antenna receives the additional response RF signal and transmits the additional response RF signal to the additional RFID reader, the processing unit receives the additional response RF signal and decodes the additional response RF signal to obtain the additional signal information; and

a read association module, wherein when the read association module recognizes that the response RF signal and the additional response RF signal were received by the RFID reader and the additional RFID reader, respectively, within a certain time period of each other, the read association module associates the signal information with the additional signal information in the memory.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna and the RFID reader are configured to transmit RF signals in a plurality of bands, wherein the plurality of bands comprises at least two of the bands selected from the group consisting of:

Ultra High Frequency (UHF);

High Frequency (HF);

Low Frequency (LF); and

Microwave.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the receiving antenna and the RFID reader are configured to receive RF signals in the plurality of bands.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the receiving antenna and the RFID reader are configured to receive RF signals from a plurality of RFID tag types, wherein the plurality of RFID tag types comprises tags complying with at least two of the standards selected from the group consisting of:

UHF Class 0;

UHF Class-1 Generation-2; and

UHF Class 3.

38. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the RFID reader, the transmitting antenna, the sensor, the event recognition module, and the receiving antenna are located within the housing.

39. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional sensor, wherein the at least one additional sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, and a proximity sensor.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

41. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an RFID reader;

a transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitting antenna transmits an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal when driven by the RFID reader;

a sensor, wherein the sensor senses a change in a physical environment and generates sensor information;

an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the sensor information to recognize a triggering event, wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced; and

a receiving antenna, wherein the receiving antenna receives the response RF signal, wherein the RFID reader receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna,

wherein the change in the physical environment is selected from a group consisting of;

a change in temperature;

a change in humidity;

a change in lighting;

a change in acidity;

a change in proximity of an object to a part of the system;

a movement of an object; and

a movement of a user,

wherein the sensor is removably attached to a user and the triggering event comprises a movement of the sensor,

wherein the event recognition module comprises a movement pattern recognition module that processes the sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of the user moving an object, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of the user moving the object, the trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader,

wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information and a processing unit receives the response RF signal and decodes the response RF signal to obtain the signal information,

wherein the system further comprises a host system comprising a memory, and the host system identifies the object in the memory based on the signal information obtained from the response RF signal and loads more information about the object from the memory,

wherein the movement pattern recognition module also processes the sensor information to recognize a movement pattern of the user indicative of use of the system for a particular application, wherein when the movement pattern recognition module recognizes the movement pattern of the user indicative of use of the system for the particular application, an application event message is transmitted to the host system, wherein upon receipt of the application event message the host system causes an adjustment of at least one system setting.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the at least one system setting comprises a power output level used to drive the transmitting antenna.

43. The system of claim 41, further comprising an additional antenna, wherein the additional antenna transmits an additional interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the additional interrogating RF signal on an additional RFID tag, an additional response RF signal is produced encoded with additional signal information, the additional antenna receives the additional response RF signal and transmits the additional response RF signal to the RFID reader, the processing unit receives the additional response RF signal and decodes the additional response RF signal to obtain the additional signal information.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the additional antenna is removeably attached to the user during transmission of the additional interrogating RF signal and receipt of the additional response RF signal.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the host system further comprises a read association module, wherein when the read association module recognizes that the response RF signal and the additional response RF signal are associated.

46. The system according to claim 41, wherein the change in the physical environment is the movement of the user.

47. A method of identifying an object when the object is moved by a user, comprising:

providing a host system wherein the host system comprises;

a processing unit and a memory;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor generates sensor information; and

an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the sensor information to recognize whether a user moves an object;

providing a transmitting antenna to transmit an interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag attached to the object, a response RF signal is produced, wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information;

positioning an RFID system on a user, wherein the RFID system comprises;

a receiving antenna that receives the response RF signal; and

an RFID reader that receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna and transmits the response RF signal to the host system; and

having the user move the object,

wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the user moved the object, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal automatically,

wherein the host system receives the response RF signal, the processing unit decodes the response RF signal to obtain the signal information, and the host system identifies the object in the memory based on the signal information obtained from the response RF signal.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the transmitting antenna is the receiving antenna.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

providing a sensor that senses a change in a physical environment and generates sensor information;

providing an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the sensor information to recognize a triggering event, wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising positioning an RF shielding material on the user between the transmitting antenna and the user.

52. One or more computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of interrogating an RFID tag, the method comprising:

determining that a triggering event has occurred, wherein determining that the triggering event has occurred comprises processing sensor information from one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors sense movement of a user;

driving a transmitting antenna to transmit an interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced; and

receiving via a receiving antenna the response RF signal.

53. The media of claim 52, wherein the triggering event comprises movement of an object and the movement of the object is determined from the sensor information from the one or more sensors.

54. The media of claim 53, wherein:

the RFID tag is attached to the object;

wherein the response RF signal is encoded with signal information; and

the method further comprises transmitting the signal information to a host system to obtain information about the object.

55. The media of claim 54, wherein the triggering event comprises recognition of a movement pattern indicative of a user moving the object.

56. The media of claim 55, wherein the indicative movement pattern is determined during a training period wherein the movement pattern is indicated by a human being, and the movement pattern is recognized by comparing the movement of the object to the movement pattern.

57. The media of claim 56, wherein the movement pattern is indicated by the user during the training period.

58. The media of claim 54, wherein sensing that the object has been moved further comprises selecting the RFID tag attached to the object from a plurality of RFID tags within a read range of the receiving antenna.

59. The media of claim 58, wherein the RFID tag is selected based on the RFID tag'"'"'s proximity to the transmitting antenna and/or the receiving antenna.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the RFID tag is selected based on the RFID tag'"'"'s orientation in relation to the transmitting antenna and/or the receiving antenna.

61. A method of interrogating a plurality of RFID tags, comprising:

transmitting a first interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the first interrogating RF signal on a first RFID tag, a first response RF signal is produced;

receiving the first response RF signal, wherein the first response RF signal is encoded with first signal information;

transmitting a second interrogating RF signal, wherein upon incidence of the second interrogating RF signal on a second RFID tag, a second response RF signal is produced;

receiving the second response RF signal, wherein the second response RF signal is encoded with second signal information;

determining that the first response RF signal and the second response RF signal were received within a certain time period of each other;

associating the first signal information with the second signal information.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein the certain time period is a predetermined time that is determined prior to receiving the first response RF signal and prior to receiving the second response RF signal, wherein determining that the first response RF signal and the second response RF signal were received within a certain time period of each other comprises determining a separation period between receiving the first response RF signal and receiving the second response RF signal, and determining that the first response RF signal and the second response RF signal were received within a certain time period of each other if the separation time period is less than the certain time period, wherein associating the first signal information with the second signal information comprises associating the first signal information with the second signal information only if the first response RF signal and the second response RF signal were received within the certain time period of each other.