Systems and methods for locating tags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10860817-B2
Application number	US-201716339033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2017
Priority date	Oct 5, 2016
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a physical location of a first Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tag. The methods involve: analyzing timestamped tag read information acquired during multiple tag reads to determine a first physical location for the first RFID tag read by the mobile reader while moving through a facility; identifying second RFID tags from a plurality of RFID tags read by the mobile reader that are located in proximity to the first RFID tag and that are coupled to objects similar to an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled; selecting an RFID tag from the second RFID tags that has a first location confidence value associated therewith which is greater than second location confidence values associated with other RFID tags of the second RFID tags; and modifying the first physical location based on a second physical location of the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining a physical location of a first Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tag, comprising:
analyzing timestamped tag read information acquired during multiple tag reads to determine a first physical location for the first RFID tag read by a mobile reader while moving through a facility;
identifying second RFID tags from a plurality of RFID tags read by the mobile reader that are located in proximity to the first RFID tag and that are coupled to objects similar to an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled;
selecting an RFID tag from the second RFID tags that has a first location confidence value associated therewith which is greater than second location confidence values associated with other RFID tags of the second RFID tags; and
modifying the first physical location based on a second physical location of the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the multiple tag reads are performed when the mobile reader is at a respective one of a plurality of different locations within the facility.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the mobile reader has the same or different RF power level setting at each one of the different locations.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising increasing a third location confidence value associated with the first RFID by an amount selected based on at least one of (a) how much the first physical location was modified, (b) the first location confidence value associated with the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags, and (c) a degree of similarity between an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled and an object to which the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags is coupled.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising generating a graphical map showing the first physical location of the first RFID tag in a virtual space representing the facility.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the graphical map comprises a human readable name for a geographic area in which the first RFID tag resides.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the human readable name is determined by translating a read product identification code into the human readable name.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the translating is performed by the mobile reader without any manual input from a user.

9. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to implement a method for determining a physical location of a first Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tag, wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions to:
analyze timestamped tag read information acquired during multiple tag reads to determine a first physical location for the first RFID tag read by a mobile reader while moving through a facility;
identify second RFID tags from a plurality of RFID tags read by the mobile reader that are located in proximity to the first RFID tag and that are coupled to objects similar to an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled;

select an RFID tag from the second RFID tags that has a first location confidence value associated therewith which is greater than second location confidence values associated with other RFID tags of the second RFID tags; and
modify the first physical location based on a second physical location determined for the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein each of the multiple tag reads are performed when the mobile reader is at a respective one of a plurality of different locations within the facility.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the mobile reader has the same or different RF power level setting at each one of the different locations.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the processor to increase a third location confidence value associated with the first RFID by an amount selected based on at least one of (a) how much the first physical location was modified, (b) the first location confidence value associated with the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags, and (c) a degree of similarity between an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled and an object to which the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags is coupled.

13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the processor to generate a graphical map showing the first physical location of the first RFID tag in a virtual space representing the facility.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the graphical map comprises a human readable name for a geographic area in which the first RFID tag resides.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the human readable name is determined by translating a read product identification code into the human readable name.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the translating is performed by the mobile reader without any manual input from a user.

17. Non-transitory computer readable storage media storing thereon instructions that when executing by one or more processers are operative to:
analyze timestamped tag read information acquired during multiple tag reads to determine a first physical location for the first RFID tag read by a mobile reader while moving through a facility;
identify second RFID tags from a plurality of RFID tags read by the mobile reader that are located in proximity to the first RFID tag and that are coupled to objects similar to an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled;
select an RFID tag from the second RFID tags that has a first location confidence value associated therewith which is greater than second location confidence values associated with other RFID tags of the second RFID tags; and
modify the first physical location based on a second physical location of the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage media storing thereon instructions according to claim 17 , wherein each of the multiple tag reads are performed when the mobile reader is at a respective one of a plurality of different locations within the facility.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage media storing thereon instructions according to claim 18 , wherein the mobile reader has the same or different RF power level setting at each one of the different locations.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage media storing thereon instructions according to claim 17 , further comprising increasing a third location confidence value associated with the first RFID by an amount selected based on at least one of (a) how much the first physical location was modified, (b) the first location confidence value associated with the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags, and (c) a degree of similarity between an object to which the first RFID tag is coupled and an object to which the RFID tag selected from the second RFID tags is coupled.

Assignees

• Trivelpiece Steve E
• Riggert Eric F
• Mccauley Edward
• Ouellette Glen
• Sensormatic Electronics Llc

Inventors

• Trivelpiece Steve E
• Riggert Eric F
• Mccauley Edward
• Ouellette Glen

Classifications

• G01S5/0249

  Determining position using measurements made by a non-stationary device other than the device whose position is being determined · CPC title

• G01S13/878

  Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S13/75 Primary

  using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders {, or using passive reflectors} · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06K7/10366 Primary

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title