Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to identify and locate an RFID-tagged object relative to a point on a body, including a human, animal, or robotic body.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Various embodiments described herein relate to identification techniques generally, including apparatus, systems, and methods employing radio-frequency signals to identify objects and characteristics of objects.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) techniques may include transmitting an RF interrogation signal from an RFID reader to an object previously associated with identification data stored in a memory on or within the object as an RFID “tag.” The tag may respond to the interrogation by returning an RF signal modulated with the identification data. A passive RFID tag may derive operational power to receive and process the interrogation signal, and/or to transmit the response, from an RF field created by the reader as a consequence of the interrogation transmission. An RFID system may thus operate to communicate information, including the identification of objects present within an operational range of an RFID reader.

For more information about RFID, see e.g. International Standards Organization (ISO) Standard 18000, “Information Technology—AIDC Techniques—RFID for Item Management—Air Interface” developed by Working Group 4 of Subcommittee 31 of ISO Joint Technical Committee 1 (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC31), “Automatic Identification and Data Capture Techniques, Radio Frequency Identification.”

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In addition to identifying objects present within a particular area of operation, various embodiments disclosed herein may operate to locate an RFID-tagged object relative to a point on a body, including a human, animal, or robotic body, for example.

FIG. 1comprises a block diagram of an apparatus100and a system160according to various embodiments of the invention. The apparatus100may include a wearable RFID reader110, as well as two or more antennas114A,114B coupled to the RFID reader110. The wearable RFID reader110may be incorporated into, or attached to an article of clothing, including perhaps a glove, a shoe, or a vest. The antennas114A,114B may be positioned on a finger116, a thumb117, or a palm118, for example, to distinguish a location120of an RFID tag124A relative to a selected location128on a body132bearing the RFID reader110. The antennas114A,114B may comprise monopole, dipole, omnidirectional, beam, patch, and others types, as well as combinations of these.

In some embodiments of the apparatus100, the tag124A may be attached to, embedded in, and/or associated with an object134, to identify the object134according to identification data135stored in the tag124A. The apparatus100may also be capable of recognizing that the object134is being manipulated by one or more digits, limbs, portions of limbs, and/or other areas associated with the body132(e.g., the finger116, thumb117, or palm118). If more than one tag124A,124B is associated with the object134, the apparatus100may be capable of determining which tag124A,124B is closest to the selected location128at a particular time, including a time during a period when the object134is being manipulated. If multiple objects134include identifying tags, the apparatus100may be able to determine which one of the objects134is closest to the selected location128.

In some embodiments of the apparatus100, the identification data135may be selected at a time prior to reading the RFID tag124A. For example, an identification number may be extracted from a database and used to confirm that a particular tag124A, possibly one associated with a selected group of tags, is being manipulated by the body132. An apparatus100worn by a human toddler, for example, may operate to alert a caretaker that the toddler is within a selected distance of a dangerous, RFID-tagged substance such as a poison or cleaning fluid listed in the database.

Since the apparatus100may be used to distinguish the object134from other objects of various shapes and sizes, and to differentiate between areas of a multi-tagged object, it may be desirable to select a resolution136associated with a tag-reading operation. Thus, the location120of the RFID tag124A relative to the selected location128may be resolved to a distance of approximately 0.25 centimeters to 25 centimeters along a substantially straight line140between the RFID tag location120and the selected location128.

The apparatus100may also include a multiplexer148coupled to the RFID reader110to select an antenna from the two or more antennas114A,114B. The apparatus100may further include a wireless device152, perhaps comprising a transceiver, coupled to the RFID reader110to communicate with a data network156, perhaps according to an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. For further information regarding 802.11 standards, please consult “IEEE Standards for Information Technology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange between Systems—Local and Metropolitan Area Network—Specific Requirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY), ISO/IEC 8802-11: 1999” and related amendments. Other embodiments may be realized.

A system160may include one or more apparatus100, perhaps comprising a wearable RFID reader110as well as one or more antennas114A,114B coupled to the RFID reader110and positioned to distinguish the location120of an RFID tag124A relative to a selected location128on a body132, as previously mentioned. The system160may also include a display164coupled to the RFID reader110, either directly or remotely across a network, for example. The display164may comprise a simple liquid crystal display, a flat panel display, a cathode-ray tube, or a holographic display, among others. The system160may further include a garment for attaching the antennas114A,114B to the body132, including perhaps a glove168or a shoe to attach the antennas114A,114B to a hand or foot, respectively.

In some embodiments of the system160, the antenna design, transmit power level, transmit frequency and/or phase shift between the transmitted and received signals may operate to determine a selectable location distinguishing resolution136along a substantially straight line140between the RFID tag location120and the selected location128. The selectable resolution136may be useful in order to distinguish relatively larger objects during a first time period and smaller objects during a second time period, for example.

Consider an assembly-line operator searching for a particular printed-circuit board in a pile of boards, as an activity in a process. It may be desirable to read a board-identification tag using a lower resolution when the operator grasps a board from the pile. After the board is selected, the process may call for reading tags associated with individual integrated circuit packages on the board using a higher resolution, as the operator points to each package, for example. Thus, a read operation performed at a resolution suitable to the package identification activity may produce undesirable results if used for board selection. A read operation conducted at high resolution during the board-selection process might, on the other hand, capture an integrated circuit identification instead of the desired board identification.

Such modules may include hardware circuitry, single and/or multi-processor circuits, memory circuits, software program modules and objects, and/or firmware and combinations thereof, as desired by the architect of the apparatus100and system160and as appropriate for particular implementations of various embodiments. For example, such modules may be included in a system operation simulation package, such as a software electrical signal simulation package, a power usage and distribution simulation package, a capacitance-inductance simulation package, a power/heat dissipation simulation package, a signal transmission-reception simulation package, and/or a combination of software and hardware used to simulate the operation of various potential embodiments.

It should also be understood that the apparatus and systems of various embodiments can be used in applications other than RFID close-proximity read operations; thus, various embodiments are not to be so limited. The illustrations of apparatus100and systems160are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use of the structures described herein.

Applications that may include the novel apparatus and systems of various embodiments include electronic circuitry used in high-speed computers, communication and signal processing circuitry, modems, single and/or multi-processor modules, single and/or multiple embedded processors, data switches, and application-specific modules, including multilayer, multi-chip modules. Such apparatus and systems may further be included as sub-components within a variety of electronic systems, such as televisions, cellular telephones, personal computers, workstations, radios, video players, vehicles, and others. Some embodiments may include a number of methods.

FIG. 2is a flow diagram illustrating several methods211according to various embodiments of the invention. A method211may begin at block223by transmitting signals from one or more antennas, including signals comprising a plurality of frequencies within a range of approximately 1 megahertz to 30 gigahertz. The method211may continue at block225with distinguishing one or more locations associated with an RFID tag relative to a selected location on a body (e.g., a human body, an animal body, or a robotic body, among others), using a wearable RFID reader connected to the antennas.

The method211may also include identifying an object coupled to the RFID tag according to data stored in the tag, at block227. The method211may further include manipulating the object using one or more of a digit, a limb, or a portion of a limb associated with the body, at block228. The method211may continue with distinguishing a finger, a thumb, a palm and/or other body location operating to manipulate the object attached to the RFID tag, at block229.

The method211may include measuring a parameter associated with a return signal from the RFID tag, including, for example, a signal strength, a phase shift relative to the phase of the transmitted signal, or a frequency associated with a spectral component, to determine the RFID tag location, at block231. Method211may also include selecting the parameter and/or a value determined by measuring the parameter, to determine a resolution associated with the RFID tag location along a line between the RFID tag location and the selected location on the body, at block233. Selectable resolution techniques may be useful for switching between an RFID context involving object identification and a context involving location identification, such as the identification of specific locations on or within the object, for example. Many embodiments may be realized.

The method211may further include measuring a time period between sensing locations associated with the RFID tag, at block239. In some embodiments, the method211may include utilizing a computer to analyze the time period and the locations, perhaps to perform a human productivity time and motion study, at block257. In some embodiments, the method211may comprise sensing the RFID tag relative to a location on a multi-digit robot (e.g., to simulate human productivity), at block263, and/or employing the time period and the locations associated with the RFID tag to monitor patient medical equipment utilization, at block267. The method211may conclude at block273with determining the RFID tag location relative to a point along a length of a bomb-sniffing dog, wherein a first of the one or more antennas is located proximate to the dog's nose, and a second antenna is located proximate to the dog's tail.

It should be noted that the methods described herein do not have to be executed in the order described, or in any particular order. Moreover, various activities described with respect to the methods identified herein can be executed in repetitive, serial, or parallel fashion. Information, including parameter values, commands, operands, and other data, can be sent and received in the form of one or more carrier waves.

Upon reading and comprehending the content of this disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand the manner in which a software program can be launched from a computer-readable medium in a computer-based system to execute the functions defined in the software program. Various programming languages may be employed to create one or more software programs designed to implement and perform the methods disclosed herein. The programs may be structured in an object-orientated format using an object-oriented language such as Java or C++. Alternatively, the programs can be structured in a procedure-orientated format using a procedural language, such as assembly or C. The software components may communicate using any of a number of mechanisms well known to those skilled in the art, such as application program interfaces or interprocess communication techniques, including remote procedure calls. The teachings of various embodiments are not limited to any particular programming language or environment. Thus, other embodiments may be realized.

For example,FIG. 3is a block diagram of an article385according to various embodiments of the invention. Such embodiments may include a computer, a memory system, a magnetic or optical disk, some other storage device, and/or any type of electronic device or system. The article385may include one or more processors387coupled to a machine-accessible medium such as a memory389(e.g., a memory including an electrical, optical, or electromagnetic conductor) having associated information391(e.g., computer program instructions and/or data) which, when accessed, results in a machine (e.g., the one or more processors387) performing such actions as distinguishing a location of an RFID tag relative to a selected location on a body, including a finger, a thumb, or a palm, for example, using a wearable RFID reader having at least two antennas. Other actions may include distinguishing the selected location on the body during a time when the body is manipulating an object attached to the RFID tag.

Implementing the apparatus, systems, and methods disclosed herein may operate to identify and locate an RFID-tagged object relative to a point on a body including, for example, a human, animal, or robotic body, perhaps while a tagged object is being manipulated. The ability to locate such objects in time and space may lead to a variety of improved capabilities, including protecting humans from danger and analyzing productivity.

Although certain aspects of the inventive concept may be discussed in the exemplary context of an 802.xx implementation (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11 HT, 802.16, etc.), the claims are not so limited. Indeed, embodiments of the present invention may well be implemented as part of any wired and/or wireless system Examples may also include embodiments comprising multi-carrier wireless communication channels (e.g., orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), discrete multi-tone modulation (DMT), etc.), such as may be used within, without limitation, a wireless personal area network (WPAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless metropolitan are network (WMAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a cellular network, a third generation (3G) network, a fourth generation (4G) network, a universal mobile telephone system (UMTS), and similar communication systems.