Abstract:
The RFID system is for automatic recognition of one or all of a plurality of objects or articles located in an interrogation zone and having RFID tags mounted thereon. The tags have transponders carrying RFID information codes are sequentially and individually scanned with interrogation signals and activated to emit the information codes signals readable with a reader. The interrogation signals are based on the reader antennas and the configurations and locations of the tags. Signals returned from the transponders of the tags are processed to determine their electronic product code and location. The operation is repeated until the recognition and location of all tags in the entire interrogation zone are completed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to system of maintaining the inventory of articles or objects provided with radio frequency (RF) transducers such as tags or transponders containing electronic codes for recognition and identification of the articles. Such devices are commonly known as radio frequency identification devices (RFID). More specifically, this invention relates to methods of employing radio frequency for spatial resolution of tags, RFID tags and tags activation devices. A RFID consists of a reader-interrogator and a plurality of transponders; and the latter are affixed on the objects or articles which are subject to inventory and may be located in a storage such as a warehouse. 
         [0003]    2. Background Art 
         [0004]    RFID methods and systems provide the recognition of objects with identification tags affixed thereon. The process of tag recognition must be accomplished at high speed and with minimum error. In the process, it is necessary to determine the Electronic Product Code (EPC) that describes the article to which the tag is attached, and the tag location or direction relative to a reader. Some of the interrogators are provided for primarily reading the tag codes while others are only for searching for the directions of the tags. An interrogator transmits a tag activation signal for all the tags in a predetermined interrogation zone simultaneously. It adjusts the activation signal which has been sent in advance to the tags with known ID or without ID codes depending on the tag design. If the tag ID is known in advance, it will be activated accordingly such that the interrogator can read its tag electronic code with high level of accuracy because there are no other response signals from other tags. When a small number of tags, for example, one to five tags, without ID codes are activated, because of the differences in electronic circuit parameters, the tags are activated in an insignificant time lag. Furthermore, the interrogator may activate the tags repeatedly so as to increase the probability of accurate recognition of the codes. However, when a large number of tags are to be read by the reader, the response tag signals reach the reader practically simultaneously which may result in failure to recognize the objects with adequate accuracy even in the case of tag signal processing with some of the anti-collision protocols. Miscellaneous tri-angular methods and reader multi-antenna design have been employed for resolving the above problem. 
         [0005]    The RFID Handbook by Klaus Finkenzeller, Carl Hansen Verlag, Munich/FRG, 1999; outlines four methods of solving the problem of space, frequency, code and time discriminations in RFID. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,443 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,756 both to J. A. Landt, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,564 to R. Hatano et al illustrate methods and systems tag reading and the determination of its direction. The Landt patents illustrate a method of tag signal structure analysis while the Hantano et al patent proposes a multi-directional RFID antenna for this purpose. 
         [0007]    Canadian Patent No.2,447,975 to P. M. Eisenberg et al, and No.2,399,092 and No.2,450,189 both to P. A. Sevcik et al describe aspects of the collection and use of data obtained by RFID tag interrogation, in particular, by comparing information obtained through interrogation of tags with the data recorded during repeated interrogation. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,028 to c. Valinlis; U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,714 to R. T. Cato; U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,603 to W. E. Steeves; and Canadian Patent No.2,447,975 to P. M. Eisenberg et al show RFID systems of tag recogniation for the case of a plurality of radio frequency identification tags. To effectively recognize tags, a number of other technical solutions assume a tag data base as previously known and perform its current status control through comparison of the read current values with the data of a base as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,714 to R. T. Cato. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,603 to W. E. Steeves also shows a method and system of tag construction with improved tag interference avoidance in which a tag includes both a receiver module and a processor, while the generation of a signal is decided as a result of analysis of radio frequency activity. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,761 to R Bridgelall et al shows a multi-resolution object location system and method for locating objects which employs a long range object locator together with a more precise RFID locator. The long range locator is used to first determine the general location of the object, and then the RFID locator further determines a more accurate location of the object. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,573 to G. Bann shows systems and methods for tracking the location of items within a controlled area having a plurality of RFID tags. Vehicles configured to transport the items being tracked are provided with two RFID interrogators to obtain the location of the vehicle. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,042,358 to S. E. Moore shows a method and apparatus for tracking items automatically in which a passive tag is used with remote sensing antennas placed at each remote location and a host computer communicates with the interrogators to determine item locations to an exacting measure. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,046,145 to W. Maloney shows RFID an object tracking and control system having a storage receptacle with a tray provided with an array of slots for receiving ID tags bearing touch memory devices. A computer-based controller detects the absence or presence and identity of ID tags disposed in the slots. 
         [0014]    None of the above patents teach any RFID method and system possessing features which can perform recognition and locating functions of a plurality of objects as well as reading the codes and locating tags of both single decoding or working simultaneously with large numbers of articles under conditions of locating the inventory objects on a plane or in a random volume with minimization of errors caused by the reflection of signals form surrounding surfaces. Furthermore, the prior art patents fail to suggest, any RFID method of tag recognition and location in an interrogator close zone—Fresnel Zone when the distance between the tag and the reader antenna is relatively small and comparable with the antenna aperture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The principal object of the present invention is to provide recognition systems with radio frequency identification devices (RFID) and, more specifically, to provide radio frequency methods of three-dimensional tag selection, creation of tag activation devices and their algorithms as well as the tag design. 
         [0016]    The read range of the reader is determined according to dimensions of an interrogation zone and a search starting point. The possible location of the tags is selected in the form of a small spatial domain namely a local interrogation zone. The interrogator starts the transmission fo the tag activation signals through at least two spatially separated antennas. The time of each signal transmission and delay ( or delays in case of more than two antennas are employed ) between the signals is calculated in accordance with the tags assumed location which is entered into the interrogator memory. This transmits a time-spatial information forming activating signals would create a maximum of electromagnetic field intensity at the position at which a tag is supposed to be activated. The signals from different antennas should enter the local interrogation zone in phase. The signals are received by each one of the tags, and only the tag for which the interrogator signals are calculated and transmitted according to the specific formulas, will be activated. Since it is possible that tags situated close to the antenna but not located within a local interrogation zone may also receive activating signal of an intensity large enough to become activated, the duration of the activation signal and the number and location of the transmitting antennas are made variable. 
         [0017]    The activated tag emits its own identification signal which carries the information about the individual tag code. This identification signal is received by the reader and a tag code is selected and entered into the reader memory according to the preliminary calculated tag location. Following the assumed location of a tag has been selected, calculated, and entered into the reader memory, the next signal sequence transmission will be calculated and the signals are transmitted through the reader antennas, etc. The entire sequence is repeated for scanning the entire interrogation zone. 
         [0018]    The invention possesses numerous benefits and advantages over known RFID systems. In particular, the invention permits the reduction of time of search and recognition of tags when there are a large number of tags to be recognized within a particular interrogation zone. It can locate each one of a plurality of objects or articles and increases the probability of reading the codes without error. Noise immunity is achieved due to the elimination of false responses when receiving signals are reflected from random surfaces such as the warehouse walls, shelves, adjacent articles, container surfaces, etc. One embodiment of the invention can be used with existing tags Generation  1 ,  2  without any modifications of the existing transponders, including SAW tags. It may be used in a single channel, or two-channel, or multi-channel systems. The universal character of the system allows it to be used selectively either as a mobile or a stationary device, as well as a two dimensional or three dimensional space version. 
         [0019]    The present invention resolves the complex problem in object location, tracking and recognition all in cases of a single decoding, as well as with a large number of articles simultaneously located in an inventory object location in diverse conditions; and it is applicable in a wide variety of fields in manufacturing, shipping or storage. 
         [0020]    The RFID method and system of the present invention are based on the implementation of a tag activator for creating specific signals which perform tag interrogation zone multi-step scanning, selected transponder activation, and processing the transponder signal by the reader for:
   Determination of the total interrogation zone coordinates and writing them into the reader memory;   Determination of local interrogation zone start point coordinates and writing them into the reader memory;   Determination of the number of group of interrogator antennas and the number and position for each antenna in a group;   Calculation of the number of transmission of activation signals;   Calculation of activation signal parameters for each interrogator antenna in a group for each group of antennas for the assumed tag location, i.e. local interrogation zone;   Creating signals for tag activation at the tag activator coder;   Transmitting of signals by the first group of interrogator antennas;   Transmitting of signals by the second group of interrogator antennas;   The procedure of transmitting of signals repeats until the number of transmission coincides with the calculated in advance number of transmitting or signal form activated tag received by the reader;   The selected tag signal has been received by a reader, then the tag electronic code is retrieved from a signal and memorized by the reader, and the reader memory keeps the tag coordinates which indicate the location of the object with a tag;   If in the course of time determined by a search area range and no response signal has been received, then the following step of search is performed by shifting the local interrogation zone on the coordinate off one step, which is determined by the tag activator resolution;   The procedure of activation signals creation, transmitting and processing, tag signal receiving is repeated until the total interrogation zone is completely examined;   Tag electronic codes, their location and other tag information are indicated on the reader data base and monitor.   
 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  is a schematic layout of the location of the tags and antennas transmitting the first group of activating signals relating to the concept of tag activation according to the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 2  is a schematic layout of the location of tags and antennas transmitting the second group of activating signals relating to the concept of tag activation according to the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 3  is a graph showing the voltage path of the charging capacitor of a tag relating to the concept of selected tag activation according to the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 4  is a graph showing the voltage path of the charging capacitor of a tag relating to the concept of all tags in the interrogation zone activation according to the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 5  is a schematic layout of the interrogator antennas transmitting the activating signals relating to the concept of selected tag activation according to the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 6  is a graph showing the activation signal relating to the concept of two phase charging according to the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 7  is a schematic layout of the reader interrogation zone in the Cartesian coordinates in one embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 8  is a graph showing the voltage path of the charging capacitor of a tag and signals from groups of antennas at the local interrogation zone according to the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 9  is a schematic block diagram of the two-antennas RFID interrogator with tag activator according to the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 10  is a schematic block diagram of one array antenna RFID interrogator with tag activator according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]    With reference the drawings, the procedure of the activation of tags located within an interrogation zone is shown on  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A tag can be located randomly in points, for example, from Point  1  to Point  4  within a local interrogation zone representing tags  1  to  4  locating at these points on a flat surface in a two dimensional interrogation zone. If a tag is located at Point  2  and is transmitting a response signal, the signal is received by the antennas A 1  and A 2  with time delays t 12  and t 23  as shown by positions  10  and  11  in  FIG. 1 . Similarly, the time delays received by a plurality of N number of antennas An will be t 4n  as shown by position  12  in  FIG. 2 . Whereas in a reversed situation, namely, if signals being transmitted by antennas A 1  and A 2  in which the signal from A 1  is delayed by the time t 12  will reach tag  2  simultaneously and in phase with an amplitude of the sum of two signals increased two times in comparison with separate signal. In the event when signals are transmitted by three antennas with the proper delays to provide in-phase signals arriving at the tag location, the amplitude gain at the selected tag is equal to 3. Thus, for any location in an interrogation zone for N number of antennas sent properly time delayed signals at a selected tag, the amplitude gain is equal to N. At the same time, for any other tag location in the interrogation zone, because of the time delayed signals are not in phase, the amplitude gain would be less than N. Actually, any interrogation zone consists of a plurality of local zones with a main maximum corresponding in phase signal summing from all antennas and auxiliary maximum of corresponding summing of signal from some of the antennas would result in a minimum of electromagnetic field intensity because of signal summing with opposite phases, and it would cause a false activation for some tags not supposed to be activated. For this reason, tag activation must be created in a two step procedure using time-spatial forming of activation signal to initialize selected tags in two or three dimensional spaces. Spatial forming is the process of using a group of different spatially distributed antennas for each sequential step in a process of each tag activation with the proper time delays for in phase signal summing at a local interrogation zone. Time forming is the process of using activation signal in the form of pulses having proper duration, transmitted outward by each group of antennas for each sequential step in a process of each tag activation. 
         [0045]    In order to realize the time forming of activation signals, the induced voltage generated in the tag by the effect of the alternating electromagnetic field from the interrogator is rectified for charging the tag capacitor to supply the power to the tag. The voltage path  13  of a tag capacitor is shown in  FIG. 3  in which 
         [0046]    S-charging phase is the phase of the voltage for charging selected tags; 
         [0047]    Reading phase is the phase of transmitting signal contents electronic code by the tag to the reader; and 
         [0048]    Discharging phase is the phase to set up voltage at the tag battery at zero. 
         [0049]    The activation signal from the interrogator charges the tag batteries for any tag located inside an interrogation zone especially for interrogator with omni directional antennas. Spatial forming of activating signal creates a maximum electromagnetic field intensity at the local interrogation zone. However, in some cases, the electromagnetic field magnitude is sufficiently large to charge another tag located close to the interrogator tag, for example, the tag  1  in  FIG. 1 , especially when the tag to be activated is situated far enough form the interrogator tag  4 . To avoid this situation, the time of S-charging is divided by intervals  0 -t 1 , t 1 -t 2 , . . . , t m - 1 -t m  as shown in  FIG. 4 , and the interrogator antennas are united in groups A 1 -A 2 -A 3 , A 3 -A 4 -An etc., as shown in  FIG. 2 . The number of groups is equal to the number of time intervals. 
         [0050]    The position of each group and time of activating signal transmitting is chosen to provide proportional distribution of electromagnetic field in the interrogation zone for non-phased signals. In this situation, even for the tag which is not to be activated and nevertheless its tag capacitor is charged due to a strong electromagnetic field during the time interval t 0 -t 1 ; however, at the next time interval t 1 -t 2  it would receive much less induced energy because the antenna group positions and the antennas in the group have changed. 
         [0051]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the voltage path  14  of the capacitor in a selected tag is at the time t m  of the end of the S-charging phase, and the tag is ready for its electronic code transmission, namely entering into the reading phase, meanwhile the voltage  14  at the capacitor of the tag which is not intended to be activated is lower than the sufficient level for it to transmit the information signal. 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the fixed time delay between signals emitted outward by the interrogator antennas corresponds, for example, to any point on the hyperbolic curve  15  for antennas A 1  and A 2 . Thus, only one local interrogation zone can be created by the chosen proper time delays for any interrogator antennas because there is only one point of intersection of the hyperbolic curves  15 ,  16 ,  17  and  18  for the antennas A 1 -A 2 , A 2 -A 3 , A 3 -A 4 , and A 4 -A 5 . 
         [0053]    When the S-charging phase, Reading phase and Discharging phase have terminated for a selected tag, some other tags may also still remain charged; however, their level of their induced voltage would be sufficient to activate the transmission of their signals to a reader yet it may cause unselected tag initiation while the next step of the selected tag activation is in progress. To avoid this undesirable situation, all tags in the interrogation zone are being activated by the signal  20  as shown in  FIG. 6  during the A-charging phase i.e. all tags are being charged, followed by the discharging phase for the selected tag after its information signal has been received by the reader and the activation signal  19  for the selected has already advanced to the A-charging phase. 
         [0054]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the reader interrogation zone in shown in the Cartesian coordinates X, Y, and it explains the calculation of time delays between signals for the activation of selected tags. To facilitate estimations, antennas A 1  and A 3  are placed symmetrically relative to the center of the coordinates, at which an antenna A 2  is placed. In the general case, antennas can be placed on the surface within the X and Y coordinates randomly. The search area, namely the interrogation zone has, for example, the shape of a rectangle defined by four points, points  24 ,  25 ,  26 , and  27 . d is the distance between the antennas; t 12  and t 23  are time delays between signals emitted by antennas A 1 -A 2 ; A 2 -A 3  accordingly to provide in phase activation signal summing at point  4 ; R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are distances between antennas and the tag to be activated at the coordinates (X 4 , Y 4 ). 
         [0055]    Scanning of the interrogation zone is performed step-by-step starting from point  25  with the step size on the X axis, for example, determined by the range definition ( i.e. the direction shown by the pointer ). To calculate the parameters of the activating signals and the delay times relative to each other, the following equations are used: 
         [0000]        R 1=√( X   4   +d ) 2 +( Y   4 ) 2 , 
         [0000]        R 2=√( X   4 ) 2 +( Y   4 ) 2 , 
         [0000]        R 3=√( X   4   −d ) 2 +( Y   4 ) 2 ,   (1) 
         [0000]        t   12 =( R 1 −R 2)/C;  t   23 =( R 2 −R 3)/ C,    (2) 
         [0056]    where C is a signal propagation velocity in the given environment. 
         [0057]    To activate a tag in the three dimensional coordinates, the fourth antenna should be place outside of the coordinate plate X, Y. 
         [0058]      FIG. 8  shows the sequence of activating signals from the interrogator antennas at the local interrogation zone, where the activating signals  28 ,  29 ,  30  and  31  represent an amount of separate antenna signals as the group signals of antennas A 1 -A 2 -A 3 , A 3 -A 4 -A 5 , A 1 -A 3 -A 5 , and A 1 -A 4 -A 5  accordingly in the form of pulses with RF carrier. Each activating signal  28  to  31  has the same amplitude and limited duration equal to time interval at designated by the reference numeral  47  and displaced for same time Δt. 
         [0059]    A block diagram of an embodiment of the RFID interrogator according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 9 . The interrogator includes a RFID reader  44  and a tag activator  45  which is operable for activating the transponder of the tag. The reader  44  is operable to receive the information signal from the tag through its antenna  32 . The information is received by a receiver  33  and is recorded and analyzed by a signal processor  34 . A controller  35  in combination with the signal processor  34  controls the transmission and reception of the information which is recorded and stored in a data base  36  supervised by a monitor  37  for displaying the digital, text and graphic information about the transponder and the code and the location of the tag. The tag activator  45  has a plurality of antennas A 1 , A 2 , A 3  through An operable for emitting the activation signals to the tags. A tag activator controller  41  calculates the activating signal parameters for the creation of the signals by an activation signal former  42 . The activation signal former  42  creates the activating signals with the proper parameters namely, frequency, amplitude, and duration for transmission through a transmitter  43  and compensated delay lines  40  which provide the proper delays for each signal in the antenna outputs. The tag activator controller  41  also controls the group of antennas in accordance with a rule of the tag located in the interrogation zone. The tag activator antennas A 1  through An may be operable with a controlled directivity pattern so as to avoid false activation of the tag and to ensure noise immunity. 
         [0060]    A second embodiment of the system of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 10  which utilizes the same antenna for transmitting the activating signals to the tag as well as receiving the tag information from the latter. A dual directional coupler  46  is provided between each one of the compensated delay lines  40  and its associated antennas A 1  through An. The dual directional couplers  46  operate to transmit activation signals from the tag activator  45  outward to receive the tag signals as well as to provide power to the tag transmitter  43 . The dual directional couplers  46  also uncouple the transmitter  43  and receiver  33  and the compensated delay lines  40  such that the antennas A 1  through An may alternately broadcast the activation signals to the tag and to receive through the receiver  33  the information data signals from the tag for storage in the data base  36 . 
         [0061]    It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be interpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in the light of the foregoing disclosure.