Tag reader with diagnostic tag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11288463-B2
Application number	US-201916683952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2019
Priority date	May 6, 2015
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for identifying a fault in an RFID system, the RFID system comprising a tag reader, a diagnostic tag, and a reader module, the method comprising:
initializing the tag reader;
identifying the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout through the cooperation of the tag reader and reader module;
enabling the diagnostic tag;
modulating power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag does not interfere with the identification of the individual tags of the tag layout;
maintaining power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag transmits a diagnostic signal at regular intervals when in an always on mode;
discriminating between the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout;
correlating an identified individual RFID tag of the tag layout with tag data and the diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader; and
generating a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified while it is enabled or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.

2. A method for identifying a fault in an RFID system, the RFID system comprising a tag reader, a diagnostic tag, and a reader module, the method comprising:
initializing the tag reader;
identifying the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout through the cooperation of the tag reader and reader module;
enabling the diagnostic tag;
modulating power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag does not interfere with the identification of the individual tags of the tag layout;
maintaining power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag transmits a diagnostic signal at regular intervals when in an always on mode;
discriminating between the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout;
correlating an identified individual RFID tag of the tag layout with tag data and the diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader;
generating a tag read signal for the duration of identification of the individual tag of the tag layout;
starting a delay timer upon cessation of the generation of the tag read signal; and
enabling the diagnostic tag after a delay time elapses.

3. A method for identifying a fault in an RFID system, the RFID system comprising a tag reader, a diagnostic tag, and a reader module, the method comprising:
initializing the tag reader;
identifying the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout through the cooperation of the tag reader and reader module;
enabling the diagnostic tag;
modulating power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag does not interfere with the identification of the individual tags of the tag layout;
maintaining power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag transmits a diagnostic signal at regular intervals when in an always on mode;
discriminating between the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout;
correlating an identified individual RFID tag of the tag layout with tag data and the diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader;
modulating power to the diagnostic tag in one of four diagnostic modes comprising the always on mode, a smart mode, a smart modulation mode, and an always off mode such that the diagnostic tag does not interfere with the identification of the individual tags of the tag layout; and
disabling or removing power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag does not transmit a diagnostic signal when in the always off mode.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising disabling or removing power to the diagnostic tag for a read interval when the tag reader receives a tag read signal indicative of another tag in the tag layout when in the smart mode.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising disabling or removing power to the diagnostic tag for a read interval when the tag reader receives a tag read signal indicative of another tag in the tag layout, and for addition periodic, regular intervals to search for one or more tag read signals from one or more other tags, when in the smart modulation mode to prevent or reduce the likelihood of masking the one or more tag read signals from the one or more other tags.

6. A method for identifying a fault in an RFID system, the RFID system comprising a tag reader, a diagnostic tag, and a reader module, the method comprising:
initializing the tag reader;
identifying the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout through the cooperation of the tag reader and reader module;
enabling the diagnostic tag;
modulating power to the diagnostic tag such that the diagnostic tag does not interfere with the identification of the individual tags of the tag layout;
disabling power to the diagnostic tag for a read interval when the tag reader receives a tag read signal indicative of another tag in the tag layout when the diagnostic tag is in a smart mode;
discriminating between the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout; and
correlating an identified individual RFID tag of the tag layout with tag data and the diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader.

Assignees

• Crown Equip Corp

Inventors

• Steinbrunner Cole
• Mallak Thomas L
• Meiring Donald T
• Walton Daniel D
• Sherman Nicholas J
• Grannan James Michael

Classifications

• G06K7/0095 Primary

  Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly (testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28) · CPC title

• B66F9/10

  movable in a horizontal direction relative to truck · CPC title

• B66F9/0755 Primary

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title

• G06K7/10366

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title

• G05D1/0261

  using magnetic plots · CPC title