Method for employing a rfid walk-through gate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020265661-A1
Application number	US-201916689732-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Feb 15, 2019
Publication date	Aug 20, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes constructing a WTG structure including a first wall and a second wall, the first and second walls defining a walk though pass way between an entrance and an exit, positioning at least one sensor at the entrance and the exit of a cavity defined by the walk though pass way, positioning at least one first antenna facing toward an inside region of the WTG structure, positioning at least one second antenna facing away from the inside region of the WTG structure, connecting an RFID reader to the at least one first and second antennas, and, judging, via a judgement module, if an RFID tag is located inside or outside the walk though gate structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for tag detection by using a walk-though gate (WTG), the method comprising:
constructing a WTG structure including a first wall and a second wall, the first and second walls defining a walk though pass way between an entrance and an exit; positioning at least one sensor at the entrance and the exit of a cavity defined by the walk though pass way; positioning at least one first antenna facing toward an inside region of the WTG structure; positioning at least one second antenna facing away from the inside region of the WTG structure; connecting an RFID reader to the at least one first and second antennas; and judging, via a judgement module, if an RFID tag is located inside or outside the walk though gate structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one sensor at the entrance of the WTG structure senses when a user enters the WTG structure; and wherein the at least one sensor at the exit of the WTG structure senses when the user exits the WTG structure.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the WTG is “in session” within a time period defined as when the user enters and exits the WTG.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a session has a minimum duration time and a maximum duration time.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a session time is dynamically adjusted by a judgement algorithm of the judgement module.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein in each session, the RFID reader enables an interrogation from the at least one first and second antennas by cycling through the at least one first and second antennas in a predetermined order.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a session duration time is based on a number of antenna cycles.

8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a session start time is enabled by explicit user interaction such as scanning a card, pushing a button, and interacting with an interactive device such as tablet or touch screen display.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein either side of the walk though pass way can be used as the entrance and the WTG recognizes a direction of movement.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the WTG detects a number of users entering or exiting the WTG.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the WTG detects if a user exits from a same side that the user has entered.

12 . A method for tag detection by using a walk-though gate (WTG), the method comprising:
constructing a WTG structure including a first wall and a second wall, the first and second walls defining a walk though pass way between an entrance and an exit; positioning at least one sensor at the entrance and the exit of a cavity defined by the walk though pass way; positioning at least one first antenna facing toward an inside region of the WTG structure; positioning at least one second antenna facing away from the inside region of the WTG structure; connecting an RFID reader to the at least one first and second antennas; judging, via a judgement module, if an RFID tag is located inside or outside the walk though gate structure; and constructing curved surface structures in both the first and second walls of the WTG structure.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the WTG includes at least two states, that is, an “in-session” state and a “not-in-session” state.

14 . The method of claim 13 ,
wherein the WTG changes from the “not-in-session” state to the “in-session” state when a user moves from outside the WTG structure to inside the WTG structure, and this motion is detection by the at least one sensor at the entrance; and wherein the WTG changes from the “in-session” state to the “not-in-session” state when the user moves from inside the WTG structure to outside the WTG structure, and this motion is detection by the at least one sensor at the exit.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the “not-in-session” state is further divided into two states, that is, a “ready-to-verify” state and a “verified” state.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the WTG changes from the “ready-to-verify” state to the “verified” state after user identity is verified.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a verification process employs face recognition, an identification card, or combination thereof.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the “in-session” state is further divided into two states, that is, a “judgement-period” state and a “judgement-completed” state.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the WTG changes from the “judgement-period” state to the “judgement-completed” state when a judgement algorithm has been completed.

20 . The method of claim 19 ,
wherein the user is notified when the user can exit the walk though pass way only after the WTG enters the “judgement-completed” state; and wherein the user is notified when the user can enter the walk though pass way only after the WTG enters a “verified” state.

Assignees

• Nec Lab America Inc

Inventors

• Khojastepour Mohammad
• Arslan Mustafa
• Rangarajan Sampath

Classifications

• G07C9/22

  in combination with an identity check of the pass holder · CPC title

• G07C9/15

  with arrangements to prevent the passage of more than one individual at a time · CPC title

• G06K7/10425

  the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device · CPC title

• G06K7/10356

  using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas · CPC title

• E06B11/085

  non-rotary or with a limited angle of rotation, e.g. 90° · CPC title