Systems, methods, and apparatus for RFID tag detection

A system for tracking objects that include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated therewith. The system including a structure substantially defining an enclosure, a reflective interior of the enclosure configured for the reflection of radio signals, at least one conveyor belt that transports the objects through the structure, at least one RFID reader panel inside the structure, wherein the at least one RFID reader panel transmits a radio signal into the interior of the structure such that the radio signal will reflect off of the interior of the structure to increase a probability that the RFID tags associated with the objects that enter the structure are read, and an operator terminal that receives and stores information regarding read RFID tags from the at least one reader panel.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, methods, and apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for improving detection of RFID tags for identification and tracking of baggage.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are electronic devices that may be affixed to items whose presence is to be detected and/or monitored. The presence of an RFID tag, and therefore the presence of the item to which the RFID tag is affixed, may be checked and monitored by devices known as “readers” or “reader panels.” Readers typically transmit radio frequency signals to which the RFID tags respond. Each RFID tag can store a unique identification number. The RFID tags respond to reader-transmitted signals by providing their identification number and additional information stored on the RFID tag based on a reader command to enable the reader to determine an identification and characteristics of an item, for example baggage.

Currently, airlines are implementing RFID monitoring capabilities at airports to track baggage to ensure the baggage gets to the correct destination. These implementations have experienced difficulty in achieving 100% read success due the fact the RFID tags are not always oriented in an optimum position on a piece of baggage in order to achieve a successful read. Thus, if an RFID tag is not optimally read, the bag associated with the unread RFID tag must be manually removed from a conveyor belt and manually taken to a proper location, which is extremely time consuming for both the person manually taking the baggage to a destination and the process itself.

An existing solution is to put multiple readers and/or to position baggage in a particular orientation to try to ensure an optimal read is made. However, extra readers and elaborate baggage orientation devices adds cost.

Accordingly, a need is present for a method and apparatus to minimize improper reads of RFID tags or overcome issues discussed above.

SUMMARY

Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for improving detection of RFID tags for identification and tracking of baggage.

In embodiments, described is a system for tracking at least one object that includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The system including a structure having an interior and radio frequency reflective walls, at least one RFID reader panel that transmits a radio signal into the interior and is operable to read the at least one RFID tag in the interior, and an operator terminal that receives and stores information regarding a read RFID tag from the at least one RFID reader panel.

In further embodiments, described is an apparatus for detecting a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The apparatus includes a structure having an interior and radio frequency reflective walls, a first opening that allows a transport of at least one object with at least one RFID tag into the interior at least one RFID reader panel that transmits a radio signal into the interior and is operable to read at least one RFID tag in the interior, and a second opening that allows the transport of the at least one object out of the structure.

In still further embodiments, described is a method for tracking at least one object that includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The method includes transmitting radio signals from one or more RFID reader panels into an interior of a structure having radio frequency reflective walls, and receiving an indication that the one or more RFID reader panels has successfully read the at least one RFID tag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially toFIG. 1, an exemplary operating environment is shown and designated generally as radio frequency identification (RFID) system100. In embodiments, the RFID system100includes a structure104(described in further detail below) that includes a reflective interior (not shown) and one or more RFID reader panels112. Once baggage114enters the structure104via conveyor belt102, the RFID reader panels112transmit radio signals (seeFIG. 2) that are to be received by RFID tag116on the baggage114. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that using the structure104to read RFID tags on baggage is merely one possible example and the same system may be used for any application that involves a reading of any group of items that are streaming through a particular location. Thus, although the term “baggage” is used throughout the present disclosure for exemplary purposes, the term “baggage” may be any single item or a group of items.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the RFID tag116, upon receiving a radio signal, transmits a response radio signal (not shown) that is received by the RFID reader panels112. The response radio signal includes data stored in the RFID tag116, for example and without limitation, a unique I.D. number, a terminal number, a gate number, and a flight number. In embodiments, a reader panel may have split functions, where one section of the reader panel is operable to transmit radio signals, and where another section of the reader panel is operable to receive a response radio signal from the RFID tag116. For example, the reader panel may include a single antenna with a circulator to allow the antenna to both transmit the radio signal and receive the response radio signal from the RFID tag116. In further embodiments, the reader panel may function entirely as a transmitter or a receiver. For example, the reader panel may include an antenna for transmitting the radio signal or an antenna for receiving the response radio signal from the RFID tag116. In embodiments, the structure104includes one or more reflective curtains118that limit propagation of radio signals transmitted from the RFID reader panels112and further enhance the enclosed environment created by the structure104. In further embodiments, more than one structure104may be included with the RFID system100. Therefore, a first structure may be used to read the RFID tag116on the baggage114, which may direct the baggage114to another structure, and so on, until the baggage114reaches a proper destination.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the RFID reader panels112are coupled to a server106, which, in turn, is coupled to an operator terminal, for example, computing device108. The computing device108is coupled to a database110. The database110may be implemented by a computer processing system that includes at least one storage device for storing the database110. The data received by the RFID reader panels112(via the response radio signal) is transmitted to the server106. The data can also be transmitted to the computing device108and stored in the database110.

FIG. 2is a cross-sectional view of the structure104. As shown inFIG. 2, the RFID reader panels112transmit radio signals210that are to be received by a RFID tag208on baggage206. In embodiments, the structure includes four reader panels, one above the conveyor belt102, one below the conveyor belt102, and one on each side of the conveyor belt102. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of reader panels may be used. In embodiments, the structure104also includes a recognition component218that provides information as to whether a piece of baggage is present inside of the structure104. In embodiments, the recognition component218is, without limitation, one of the following: an optical recognition component, an electromechanical contractor, and relay.

As mentioned above, RFID tags are not always oriented in an optimum position on a piece of baggage to achieve a successful read from a radio signal transmitted from a reader panel. To overcome this problem, and as shown inFIG. 2, the radio signals210emanate from the RFID reader panels112and either illuminate/excite the RFID tag208or, if the RFID tag208is not optimally oriented, the radio signals210pass by and are then reflected from, for example, a side wall, a floor, and/or a ceiling of the structure104. Thus, using the reflective nature of the structure104to reflect and reuse the radio signals210to create a multitude of communication paths with many different orientations between the RFID reader panels112inside the structure104, an optimal read of the RFID tag208affixed to the baggage206may be obtained. Therefore, no matter what the orientation of the baggage206may be as the baggage206travels through the structure104via the conveyor belt102, an optimal read of the RFID tag208maybe obtained.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the interior and/or exterior shape of the structure104as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2is for illustrative purposes only and many other shapes of the structure104, such as a cylinder or a rectangle, are well within the, scope of the present disclosure. Although dimensions of the structure104(i.e., length, width, and height) are important design parameters for good performance, the structure104may be any shape that ensures optimal reflection of radio signals toward a piece of baggage within the structure104. For example, the structure104should provide a good sampling of resonances over about 860 MHz to about 960 MHz RFID frequency range. These resonances are frequencies for which an RFID tag may be strongly excited and provide a good reading. If not optimally designed, the resonances may exhibit large gaps over which the RFID tags will not be strongly excited. Table 1 and Table 2 (below) are illustrative examples of poor and good selections, respectively, of structure dimensions for a rectangular structure. Exemplary modes for poor selection of structure dimensions are, for example, 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet high (see Table 1). Exemplary structure dimensions to obtain non-degenerate modal field distributions are, for example, 7.9 feet long, 4.1 feet wide, and 3.1 feet high (see Table 2). In embodiments, dimensions of the structure104do not share a common factor, such as a factor of 2 as seen in Table 1 (e.g., cavity modes 8′×4′×2′ are each a factor of “2”).

Further, a non-reflective/nonconductive interior of the structure104may be made reflective/conductive by lining walls of the interior of the structure104with light weight reflective/conductive materials. For example, a light weight structure may be made with light weight foam board coated with silver-coated paint or aluminum foil that is applied to the interior of the light weight structure. In certain embodiments, the interior of the structure104is made of a material with a minimum conductivity of about 10E4 (S/m) to about 10E8 (S/m), for example, aluminum, nickel, copper, galvanized steel, and the like. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many other reflective materials may be used.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 2, only one piece of baggage may enter the structure104at a time. Thus, once the RFID reader panels112achieve a successful read of the RFID tag208on the baggage206, the baggage206exits the structure at opening216and a next piece of baggage enters at opening214where the process is then repeated. In further embodiments, the structure104is large enough for multiple pieces of baggage to enter at one time as well as large enough to include more than one conveyor belt.

In addition to using the reflective nature of the structure104to reflect and reuse the radio signals210, the structure104also holds the radio signals210internally not allowing the radio signals210to emanate as readily and therefore cause electromagnetic interference in the surrounding areas. Further, the structure104eliminates the possibility of reading RFID tags on baggage in the surrounding area by virtue of a closed environment thus created. As mentioned above, the structure includes one or more reflective curtains118that further enhance the enclosed environment created by the structure104. The one or more reflective curtains118are located at the openings214and216and limit the propagation of radio signals, for example radio signals210. In further embodiments, the structure104includes flexible reflective curtains at the openings214and216. In still further embodiments, the reflective curtains118are a reflective fabric.

Referring next toFIG. 3, a flow diagram300illustrates an exemplary method for tracking objects that include RFID tags associated therewith. Once the process of sending baggage through the structure104begins302, an indication is received304by the structure104that a piece of baggage, for example the baggage206, is present inside the structure104. In embodiments, once the indication is received304by the structure104that the baggage206is present inside the structure, and with the reflective curtains118covering the openings214and216, the RFID reader panels112may begin to transmit radio signals. In further embodiments, if the reflective curtains118are flexible, the reflective curtains118may allow the baggage216to enter the structure104by virtue of their flexibility while maintaining a substantially closed environment in the structure104. If an indication is received306that a successful read of the RFID tag208is made, the process continues310and the next piece of baggage is permitted to enter the structure104through the opening214as the other piece of baggage that just received a successful read is removed308from the structure104through the opening216. However, if there is no indication received that a successful read of the RFID tag208is made, in one embodiment, the baggage206may be manually removed312, read, and taken to its proper destination. In further embodiments, if there is no indication received that a successful read of the RFID tag208was made, the baggage206is redirected on an alternate path for further verification, which may include manual verification or that the baggage206is sent through a further system100for RFID tag detection. An RFID tag may not be optimally read because, without limitation, the RFID tag may be damaged, partially or fully obscured, improperly attached, or has fallen off the baggage206. Once the baggage206has been removed from the structure104or re-routed, the process continues310and the next piece of baggage is permitted to enter the structure104through the opening214. In embodiments, a metering system may be used to ensure that each piece of baggage is optimally spaced to ensure that only one piece of baggage enters the structure104at a time. In further embodiments, more than one piece of baggage may enter the structure104at the same time.