System for location in environment and identification tag

• US 9,489,813 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mbtagip LLC
• Original Assignee: Michael L. Beigel
• Inventors: Beigel, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US12/287,218
• Time in Patent Office: 2,955 Days
• Field of Search: 3405391-53917, 340 103- 1031, 340/13.26, 340/539.13, 34053918-53921, 3405721-5722, 340/572.7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/019 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip

Abstract

A system for location of animals and/or objects in an environment includes a signal processing and signal generation system consisting of electromagnetic tags on animals (or other objects) in an environment (typically a three dimension outdoor natural environment) where the animals or objects are physically present at arbitrary locations, and an electro-magnetic signal generating, signal receiving, and signal processing system that can move through or in relation to the environment. The system can compute the location and identity of the animals or objects based on signals received from their associated tags, including the calculated location of the ID tags, which function as “Reader-Locators.” The calculated location is enhanced by information about the environment provided by maps, satellite photos, GPS, GIS and/or other data specific to the probability of the location of the animals or objects within certain regions of the environment. The system includes a physical and electromagnetic modeling operation that is interactive with the environmental information derived from the actual environment, either historically or in “real-time” as the monitoring process occurs.

Claims

1. A system for locating and identifying objects in an environment, the system comprising:

identification tags for placement on objects;

one or more locating devices for detecting tag signals from the identification tags, the one or more locating devices containing a computer and software for analyzing the tag signals and providing a location of the objects having identification tags, wherein the one or more locating devices further comprise a probabilistic spatial filter for determining one or more probable location areas of the object based on the received tag signals and on the probable compatibility of a geographic feature with the objects having identification tags; and

a first power source and a second power source that are each coupled to the identification tag, wherein the identification tag draws power from the first power source during a sleep mode, and the identification tag transmits signals using power from the second power source during an awake mode;

wherein the identification tag includes an energy harvesting element, an RFID circuit, and an energy storage device comprising at least one of a battery, a capacitor, a super capacitor, and an ultra-capacitor,

the energy harvesting element including a solar cell, a first antenna, and a second antenna, the first antenna being electrically coupled to the solar cell, the energy storage device, and the RFID circuit, and being electrically coupled to the second antenna through a diode.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the diode is configured to provide output at a second harmonic of a fundamental frequency of the first antenna and the second antenna.