Container-classification identification using directional-antenna RFID

• US 8,947,528 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Hinman, Mark P., Rimai, Donald Saul, Sharma, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): Pe, Geepy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US13/477,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system

Abstract

A classification of a container is identified using a mobile station including an image capture device and an RFID reader having a reader antenna. The container has two RFID tags affixed thereto at respective, different locations. Each tag has a directional antenna steered in a different direction, so that a reader location is defined in the intersection of the antenna propagation patterns. Using the image capture device, one or more images of the container are captured. A controller determines, using the captured image data, whether the mobile station is in a candidate reader location. When the mobile station is in the candidate reader location, the RFID reader attempts to read both tags. If both tags are read while the mobile station is in the candidate reader location, the controller determines the classification of the container is a classification corresponding to the candidate reader location.

Claims

1. Method of identifying a classification of a container using a mobile station including a controller, an image capture device, and an RFID reader having a reader antenna, the method comprising:

using the image capture device, capturing one or more image(s) of the container to provide captured image data, wherein the container has two RFID tags affixed thereto at respective, different tag locations, each tag including a respective directional antenna steered in a respective, different direction, so that respective directional propagation patterns are defined and a reader location is defined in an intersection of the propagation patterns;

the controller automatically determining, using the captured image data, whether the mobile station is in a candidate reader location; and

when the mobile station is in the candidate reader location, the controller activating the RFID reader to attempt to read both tags, so that if both tags are read while the mobile station is in the candidate reader location, the controller determines the classification of the container is a classification corresponding to the candidate reader location;

disposing each container within the space at a respective container position;

so that the propagation patterns of the tags for each container intersect to define a respective per-container reader location with respect to the respective container position, and the tag locations, antenna directions, and container positions are selected so that the respective per-container reader locations for each container disposed in the space at least partially overlap to define a reader location.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station further includes a display and the method further includes:

using the captured image data to determine a position of the candidate reader location with respect to the mobile station; and

presenting on the display a representation of the determined position.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the presenting step includes presenting on the display an indication of a direction in which to move the mobile station to approach the candidate reader location.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the candidate-reader-location-position-determining step includes comparing the captured image data to a plurality of reference images and selecting a candidate reader location corresponding to the reference image that most closely matches the captured image data.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the candidate-reader-location-position-determining step further includes, if no reference image matches the captured image data within a certain threshold, adjusting the captured image data and comparing the adjusted image data to the plurality of reference images, wherein the adjustment is selected from the group consisting of rotating, flipping, orienting the image so parallelograms therein are oriented with respect to a reference viewpoint, skewing, adjusting contrast, adjusting brightness, adjusting color balance, sharpening, and blurring.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the reference images are obfuscated and the candidate-reader-location-position-determining step includes receiving an indication of a sequence of image transformations and applying the indicated transformations to the captured image data before comparing it to the obfuscated reference images.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the capturing step includes capturing a position or an orientation of the camera with the image data and the candidate-reader-location-position-determining step includes using the captured position or orientation data for one or more of the captured image(s) together with the captured image data to determine a direction from which light illuminating the container originates, using the direction to locate shadows in the captured image data and removing them to provide adjusted image data, and comparing the adjusted image data to the reference images.

8. The method according to claim 1, further including presenting on the display an indication of the determination by the controller.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container is an intermodal container and the RFID tags are UHF EPC tags.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step includes detecting one or more identification features in the captured image data.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the detected identification features is a barcode.

12. The method according to claim 1, further including, when both tags are not read in the candidate reader location:

the controller automatically determining a second candidate reader location;

presenting on the display an indication of a direction in which to move the mobile station to approach the second candidate reader location;

repeatedly attempting to read both tags until the mobile station reaches the second candidate reader location; and

if both tags were read at a detection location between the candidate reader location and the second candidate reader location, the controller determining the classification of the container is a classification corresponding to the detection location.

13. The method according to claim 12, further including, if both tags were not read between the candidate reader location and the second candidate reader location, and both tags are read while the mobile station is in the second candidate reader location, the controller determining the classification of the container is a classification corresponding to the second candidate reader location.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station further includes a display and the method further includes:

presenting on the display an indication of a direction in which to move the mobile station to approach the candidate reader location;

repeatedly attempting to read both tags until the mobile station reaches the candidate reader location; and

if both tags were read at a detection location between the candidate reader location and the second candidate reader location, the controller issuing a spoof warning.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tags are passive tags.

16. The method according to claim 1, further including the controller receiving a desired classification, wherein the determining step includes using the desired classification to determine the candidate reader location, so that if both tags are read while the mobile station is in the candidate reader location, the controller determines the classification of the container is the desired classification.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device is a video capture device, and the one or more image(s) are successive frames of video.