Methods and systems for localizing articles comprising passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10061951-B2
Application number	US-201715409652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A method of localizing articles comprising passive Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) tags is disclosed. The method includes receiving tag information from each of a plurality of RFID tags attached to a plurality of articles fixed to a plurality of immovable assets disposed in a predefined layout within an enclosed region; segregating the tag information received from each of the plurality of RFID tags into a plurality of regions within the predefined layout; mapping an RFID tag from the plurality of RFID tags to an immovable asset from the plurality of immovable assets; and verifying mapping of the RFID tag to the immovable asset based on an estimated physical location of the RFID and an actual physical location of the RFID tag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of localizing articles comprising passive Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) tags, the method comprising:
receiving, by an RFID platform, tag information from each of a plurality of RFID tags attached to a plurality of articles, the plurality of articles being fixed to a plurality of immovable assets disposed in a predefined layout within an enclosed region, wherein the RFID platform is automatically oriented based on the predefined layout to receive tag information from each of the plurality of RFID tags;
segregating, by the RFID platform, the tag information received from each of the plurality of RFID tags into a plurality of regions within the predefined layout based on the tag information, physical dimensions of each of the plurality of immovable assets, and a physical location of each of the plurality of immovable assets within the enclosed region;
mapping, by the RFID platform, an RFID tag from the plurality of RFID tags to an immovable asset from the plurality of immovable assets, based on a detection count of the RFID tag at a physical location of the immovable asset and total number of detection counts for a set of RFID tags from the plurality of RFID tags, at the physical location of the immovable asset, in response to segregating the tag information, wherein based on the mapping a missing passive RFID tag or a duplicate passive RFID tag associated with a plurality of articles is detected;
verifying, by the RFID platform, mapping of the RFID tag to the immovable asset based on an estimated physical location of the RFID tag and an actual physical location of the RFID tag; and
displaying, by the RFID platform, a result of the verification, the result comprising one of each of the immovable assets mapped with a single article, each of the immovable assets mapped with multiple articles, or each of the immovable assets not mapped with an article.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising estimating a physical location of the RFID tag based on detection counts of the RFID tag at each region within the physical dimension of the immovable asset, and physical location of each region within the physical dimension of the immovable asset.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying comprises comparing the physical dimension of the immovable asset with Euclidean distance between the estimated location of the RFID tag and the actual physical location of the RFID tag.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the Euclidean distance being greater than the physical dimension of the immovable asset indicates incorrect mapping of the RFID tag to the immovable asset.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the Euclidean distance being less than the physical dimension of the immovable asset indicates correct mapping of the RFID tag to the immovable asset.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of immovable assets comprises one of chairs, oxygen mask compartments, a lifeboat compartment, or airbag compartments.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of articles comprises one of life vests, floats, oxygen masks, life boats, or airbags.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the tag information comprises capturing, by the RFID platform, an RFID reader power at time of detecting an RFID tag and a time stamp of detection of the RFID tag, and wherein the tag information received from the RFID tag comprises at least a unique ID of the RFID tag and a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of a backscatter signal received from the RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical dimensions of the immovable asset comprise one or more of a width, a height, a length, or a thickness of the immovable asset.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein mapping the RFID tag to the immovable asset comprises:
computing a probability of the RFID tag being detected at the immovable asset based on a detection count for the RFID tag on the physical location of the immovable asset and the total number of detection counts for the set of RFID tags on the physical location of the immovable asset; and
normalizing the probability by applying Baye's theorem across the plurality of immovable assets.

11. A Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) platform for localizing articles comprising passive RFID tags, the RFID platform comprising:
an RFID reader configured to receive tag information from each of a plurality of RFID tags attached to a plurality of articles, the plurality of articles being fixed to a plurality of immovable assets disposed in a predefined layout within an enclosed region, wherein the RFID reader is automatically oriented based on the predefined layout to receive tag information from each of the plurality of RFID tags; and
an analytics computing apparatus communicatively coupled to the RFID reader, the analytics computing apparatus comprising a memory coupled to a processor which is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory to:
segregate the tag information received from each of the plurality of RFID tags into a plurality of regions within the predefined layout based on the tag information, physical dimensions of each of the plurality of immovable assets, and a physical location of each of the plurality of immovable assets within the enclosed region;
map an RFID tag from the plurality of RFID tags to an immovable asset from the plurality of immovable assets, based on a detection count of the RFID tag at a physical location of the immovable asset and total number of detection counts for a set of RFID tags from the plurality of RFID tags, at the physical location of the immovable asset, in response to segregating the tag information, wherein based on the mapping a missing passive RFID tag or a duplicate passive RFID tag associated with a plurality of articles is detected;
verify the mapping of the RFID tag to the immovable asset based on an estimated physical location of the RFID tag and an actual physical location of the RFID tag; and
display a result of the verification, the result comprising one of each of the immovable assets mapped with a single article, each of the immovable assets mapped with multiple articles, or each of the immovable assets not mapped with an article.

12. The RFID platform of claim 11 , wherein the analytics computing apparatus is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory to estimate a physical location of the RFID tag based on detection counts of the RFID tag at each region within the physical dimension of the immovable asset, and physical location of each region within the physical dimension of the immovable asset.

13. The RFID platform of claim 11 , wherein the analytics computing apparatus is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory to compare the physical dimension of the immovable asset with Euclidean distance between the estimated location of the RFID tag and the actual physical location of the RFID tag.

14. The RFID platform of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of immovable assets comprises one of chairs, oxygen mask compartments, a lifeboat compartment, or airbag compartments.

15. The RFID platform of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of articles comprises one of life vests, floats, oxygen masks, life boats, or airbags.

16. The RFID platform of claim 11 , wherein the RFID reader is further configured to capture an RFID reader power at time of detecting an RFID tag and a time stamp of detection of the RFID tag while receiving the tag information, wherein the tag information received from the RFID tag comprises at least a unique ID o

Assignees

• Wipro Ltd

Inventors

• Pattar Adarsh
• Rajendran Surendran
• Kailasam Ganeshan

Classifications

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01S3/02

  using radio waves · CPC title

• G06K7/10386 Primary

  the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader · CPC title

• G06K7/10079

  the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions · CPC title