Abstract:
The system employs full transceivers, each having peer-to-peer, client/server, and IP networking capabilities, and covering open-area ranges of up to 100 feet. The system uses Low Frequency for data communications so it can achieve both low cost (less costly than many RF-ID tags) and long battery life (10-15 years). Additionally, since these tags have batteries, static RAM maybe be added at very low cost, as well as sensors, LED&#39;s displays etc. The system also employs a sidewinder that communicates to said tag regularly, said sidewinder keeps the IP address of said tag. The system also employs an embedded VPN. The VPN includes a suite of diagnostic tools that run on a laptop. The diagnostic tools talk direct to the sidewinder, the tools read and program said tag providing the tools have correct IP address of the tag. The system also includes a visibility data server that communicates to the sidewinder by the VPN. The data server includes a virtual tag data base, said virtual tag data base updated by the sidewinder. The web enabled reports and control are managed by two “plugs”. The SQL plug supports data requests, and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) plug provides control (LED&#39;s, read rates). The system also employs a user web based ERP to create a real-time visibility reports and a user event export tools to create reports that fit a specific event.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. application No. 60/805,020 filed Jun. 16, 2006, which application is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Prior-art systems use RF tags that can be subjected to any Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) risk to hearing aid wearers, pacemakers, or IDC patients and had problems with Electromagnetic Compatibility worldwide.  
         [0003]     Prior-art systems always had bandwidth as an issue. Prior-art systems also had high cost, low client count, short battery life and can only function in mild environment (away from steel and water). Many cost-sensitive, power “limited” applications exist (e.g., most industrial visibility networks) that may not require bandwidth, yet do require real-time, peer-to-peer networking with extended battery life.  
         [0004]     The purpose for the below-described preferred embodiment to address above-listed problems within a long-wavelength network.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     The Visibility Network is designed to provide real-time web enabled asset visibility. The RuBee IV protocol was designed to work reliably in a local visibility network and provide real-time visibility for assets, people, and livestock, pedigree and provide chain of possession events.  
         [0006]     RuBee works over a controlled-range, wide area (1′×1′ to 100′×100′) in harsh environments (that is, near metals, liquids and through earth), with an extended battery life (10-15 years), and a high safety standard. The network&#39;s design goal was to create a low cost two-way radio tag that is safe for use in hospital patient-based settings, hospital operating rooms, airports and other public facilities. RuBee could not accept any Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) risk to hearing aid wearers, pacemaker, or IDC patients and has no known or Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) issues worldwide. Yet, RuBee provides range and the reliability needed to produce a real-time visibility network. Every radio tag attached to an asset appears to be a mini-web asset server within the Visibility Network. The Long Wavelength ID (LWID) tag has an antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 1 megahertz The tag also has a radiating transceiver operatively connected to said antenna, the transceiver operates to transmit and receive data at low radio frequency. The tag also has a programmed data processor to process data received from the transceiver. The data processor usually is a low cost 4-bit processor capable of encrypting and decrypting and complex functions associated with managing IP addresses. The tag associated with a first IP address. The tag has a volatile memory that stores said IP address. The transceiver emits an identification signal based upon said IP address stored in the volatile memory. The tag also has an energy source used for activating the transceiver and the data processor. Any RuBee IV tag if enabled properly may be searched and discovered on Google or the VAI “Dot-Tag” network.  
         [0007]     The local network of tags talks to a RuBee Router (Sidewinder). The Sidewinder manages the local tag net in real time in much the same way any WiFi router manages a TCP/IP network. The Sidewinder communicates by a VPN to a data server which manages a PostgresSQL database of virtual tags (the Dot-Tag Visibility Data Server).  
         [0008]     Long wavelength, produces little, if any energy dissipated in the form of an electrical field (E). Long wavelength transmissions radiate energy (99.99%) in the form of a magnetic field (H). The RuBee radio tags are inductive tags and typically need a minimum signal of 0.1 milligauss to a maximum of about 300 milligauss for reliable communication. The strongest field near or on top of a base station antenna can be about 1200 milligauss, however most standard antennas are in the 100-300 milligauss range. To help provide some context for these values, the earth&#39;s magnetic field is 300-600 milligauss.  
         [0009]     The systems are installed in several major retailers as in-store inventory visible systems, in hospitals to provide medical device visibility, other healthcare applications providing real time inventory visibility on high valued products throughout distribution, in agricultural applications providing visibility and age verification for cattle, and in other industries providing identity systems and visibility systems for patients, physicians, policemen, firemen, correctional officers and corporate employees.  
         [0010]     The advantage of this system low cost to clients, low cost base stations and routers, long battery life tags, high client/tag counts within a single network, and work in harsh environments (near steel and water).  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a Visibility Network.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of a Dot-Tag Visibility Network and a User Application Visibility Network.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram for the Dot-Tag Visibility Network.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of a Long Wavelength Tag.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a block diagram of a diagnostic tools used in the Dot-Tag Visibility Network.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  shows a block diagram of a Part11 Data Flow.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  shows another block diagram of the Part11 Data Flow.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  shows a block diagram of a Visibility Data Flow.  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  shows another block diagram of the Visibility Data Flow.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 10-13  show example of a real life application of the Visibility Network. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows one exemplary Visibility Network  100  in accordance with one embodiment. The Visibility Network  100  includes six layers. The first layer  101  is a RuBee IV Network Layer. The second layer  102  is a RuBee wireless network connection. The third layer  103  is an embedded VPN connection between the second layer  104  and a forth layer  104 . The forth layer  104  is a data plus control that creates and preserves a data in a virtual tag data base. The fifth layer  105  is a visibility ERP and the sixth layer  106  is a Visibility Export layer.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram  200  of the Visibility Network  100  that includes a Dot-Tag Visibility Network  201  and a User Visibility Network  202 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram  300  that shows The Dot-Tag Visibility Network  201 . The Dot-tag Visibility Network  201  starts with many local RuBee Networks&#39;  301 . In a RuBee Network  301  each sidewinder  302  communicates to the RuBee Tags  301   a  through  301   n  contained within its local net regularly. This time set by the user (each 10 minutes typical). The sidewinder  302  keeps a table of IP addresses and subnet addresses of all active and legible tags plus all tag data within its RuBee network.  301 . If a tag  301   a  has problems or is missing or has a bad CRC check it gets flagged in a trouble table. If any new tag appears within a Network it is placed in the new tag table. Each sidewinder  302  is connected to a Visibility Data Server  304  by a VPN link  303  and preserves a Virtual Tag Database (VTDB)  305 .  
         [0024]     The VTDB  305  is shared by many Sidewinders  302  within a Visibility Network  100  but effectively produces a PostgresSQL database that represents the tag, its data and reads over last human legible, comma separated, date time-stamped record of every tag transaction. It provides a total RuBee network history of critical evens including signal, errors, rereads, CRC checks and can be used for audits or for network statistics. Sidewinders  302  spool approximately 24 hours of tag data in a local database, providing protection and backup if any Network outages occur over the VPN  303 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram  400  of the RuBee tag  301   a . The RuBee tag  301   a  includes a transceiver  406 . New long-wavelength (LW under 450 Khz) power efficient designs have made it possible to create active transceivers with IP addresses and peer-to-peer, on-demand, communications, with an acceptable range to work as a local network. The RuBee tag  301   a  also includes a power unit  408 . The power unit  408  could be a quarter-sized CR2525 Li battery with a 10-year or longer battery life. The communication is taken place through an antenna  408 .  
         [0026]     Current RuBee Networks  301  use a protocol known as RuBee IV, and consume only a few microamps in standby and less than 1 milliamp in active mode. RuBee tag  301   a  may be fully programmable using low cost 4-bit processors  403  capable of encryption and decryption and complex functions associated with managing IP addresses (DCHP, ARP). RuBee tag  301   a  is remotely driven form the standby mode to active mode the sidewinder  302 .  
         [0027]     RuBee Networks  301 , offer the advantage of low cost tags and low cost base stations (&lt;$100). Moreover, because RuBee tag  301   a  have the power source  408 , they may optionally be equipped with sensors  401 , sRAM  404 , displays  409 , LEDs  402  and may also be low in cost (&lt;$2 per tag). Some Rubee protocol designs also eliminate the battery and cost about 15 cents with a reduced range. Networks of thousands of peer-to-peer RuBee tags work reliably as a visibility network. RuBee tags are not affected by liquids, can be used underwater or as an implantable device, and are minimally affected by steel.  
         [0028]     The base station apparatus employed may be that disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/462,981 filed Aug. 7, 2006, incorporated herein by reference. The tags employed can be those described in US 2007/0115132, published May 24, 2007, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The RF technology can be that described in US 2007/0063895, published Mar. 22, 2007, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The tag technology can be that described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,049,963, issued May 23, 2006, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The transceiver communicating with the tags can be that described in US 2007/0120649, published May 31, 2007, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.  
         [0029]     RuBee industrial visibility networks may be used to provide visibility on or near steel shelves and in harsh environments such as operating theaters (rooms), oil and chemical plants, warehouses and retail stores. Long wavelength, low bandwidth visibility systems and sensor networks are currently in use at industrial installations.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a block diagram  500  of a diagnostic tools used in the Dot-Tag Visibility Network  201 . The Dot-Tag Visibility Network  201  includes a suite of diagnostic tools  501  that run on a laptop. The diagnostic tools talk direct to the Sidewinder  302  and bypass the Linux kernel. The tools  501  drive the RuBee base station direct and make it possible to read and program an individual tag through the RuBee network  301 . These tools  501  will work from anywhere in the world providing you have the correct IP address, passwords and VPN authority. They can collect tag statistics, read memory, change addresses, or almost any other maintenance diagnostic function as shown in Tables  502  and  503 .  
         [0031]     The tools  501  produce a data log consistent with Part11 logs and represent the supreme check on network and tag integrity.  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  shows a block diagram  600  of a Part11 Data Flow. The Sidewinder  302  communicates by a VPN  303  to a data server  304  which manages a PostgresSQL database of virtual tags  305 . These data links all Linux-Linux and use standard SQL protocols. The Visibility Data Server  304  creates and preserves off-site physical backups, as well as Part11 human legible records (Archive)  602  of every tag transaction. The Part11 records (Archive)  602  include tag signal strength, tag field boundaries, CRC confidence checks, statistics on each tag read, failed reads, packet relays, noise levels, and tag data.  
         [0033]     Part11 data  602  may be encrypted using Tools Data Desk  601  and emailed to a subscriber every hour day or week, and will identify and diagnose tag, antenna or network problems before they happen. Statistics of reads and read errors for individual tags or millions of tags may be routinely viewed in a few seconds shown in Tables  604 ,  605  and  606 . This data is written with an independently verified date time stamp to a WORM optical disk drive  603  to create an audit trail that meets 21CFRPart11 for all tag transactions. The Part11 audit trails also meet SEC Rule 17a-4, HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxleyn (SOX), and DoD 5015.2 standards.  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  shows another block diagram  700  of the Part11 Data Flow. The Sidewinder  302  communicates by a VPN  303  to a data server  304  which manages a PostgresSQL database of virtual tags  305 . These data links all Linux-Linux and use standard SQL protocols. The Visibility Data Server  304  creates and preserves the SOX Archive  701 . The SOX Archive  701  is a human readable comma separated, date time stamped certified record of every box or item transaction. It provides a human legible total product network history of critical events including time on shelf, when removed, physical inventory, date sold, reorder points, and billing information.  
         [0035]     SOX data  701  may be encrypted using Tools Data Desk  601  and emailed to a subscriber day, week, or month and will identify and diagnose product inventory delivery problems before they happen. Statistics of product movement for individual items or millions of items may be routinely viewed in a few seconds. This data is written with an independently verified date time stamp to a WORM optical disk drive  603  to create an audit trail that meets SEC rules for all product transactions.  
         [0036]      FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  shows a block diagram  800  and  900  of a Visibility Data Flow. User Web enabled Visibility Systems/reports and ERP&#39;s  806  are created by simple plugs to the Visibility Data server  304 . The Vis-Data Server  304  contains the full Virtual Tag Database  305  updated by all Sidewinders  302 . The Tag Database  304  is actively maintained but the sidewinders  302 . Standard interfaces are available for PostgresSQL to JAVA, Ruby on Rails, Pentahoe and many other enterprise driven ERP systems  806 . It is possible to create sophisticated and interactive systems, real-time visibility reports and systems using the Vis-Data Server and plug in in a matter of days.  
         [0037]     The Air Traffic Control (ATC) ATC plug  805  is used to control functions within a RuBee network  301 . For example to turn on a LED  402  on a tag the tag is accessed using a simple instruction with flash time etc through the ATC plug  805 . The read times for tags, router start stop times, and antenna tune checks etc. are all controlled through the ATC plug  805 . The SQL plug  804  is used to support a data requests. Real-time visibility reports are shown in Table  808 .  
         [0038]     The user ERP&#39;s  806  are also responsible for exports to a customer system  809 . For example business rules linked to a billing event and all information tied to that are exported in Layer 6. The layer 6 includes a User Event Export Tools  807  that covert a real-time visibility reports into report that fits a specific event like billing. Examples of User Event Export Tools  807  are Excel, CSV, HL7 and XML-RDF.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 10-13  show example of a real life application of the Visibility Network  100 .  FIG. 10  is a Smart Shelf RuBee Local Net  1000 . Typical smart shelf application for medical devices. The devices are steel and are packaged in conductive Aluminum as shown in Pictures  1001 - 1003 . Box&#39;s are stacked 6-8 high and two to three rows deep.  
         [0040]      FIG. 11  is an example  1100  how the Dot-Tag Network  201  works in real life. The graph  1100  shows signal strength vs time for 24 hours. A full inventory is carried out each ten minutes for 203 Box&#39;s on the shelf. That means each box is checked about 130 times each day. The green dots represent reads, the red represent no-reads on an attempt. Important to not no miss-reads occur at a high signal. This usually means small burst of noise or that box has been removed.  
         [0041]     RuBee Network  301  activated smart shelves  1001  has been placed as a network in Hospitals. Orthopedic implants have tags placed on outside of box. Note these devices are steel and are packaged with heavy aluminum sealed packages and stacked on steel shelves. The Part11 data  602  and tools shows 24 hours of reads (26,391 per day) and shows that 99.765% or 26,329 reads are 100% on first attempt. 0.129 were successful on second attempt and so on for 100% reads up to five attempts. Local noise, and individual moving or searching for a box etc. May lead to re-reads as shown in the Table  1102 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13  how the Dot-Tag Network  201  works when an Orthopedic implants are removed from the smart shelves  1001  and placed in the cart that has two levels. Level one  1201  is the inventory pending and level two  1202  inventory used. The Part11 Log  602  provides an archive for all tag and network based transactions. The Sox Log  701  provides an archive for all product based transactions.  
         [0043]     Tables  1301  and  1302  are examples of a real time access to the inventory of the shelf  1001 . It also provided point of use data, usage statistics, and needs predictions.  
         [0044]     It will thus be appreciated that the above discussion enables one to provide a system comprising: 
        a plurality of routers, each communicating via an internet with a server;     for each said router, a multiplicity of respective long-wavelength ID tags each disposed for attachment to an asset, each said tag comprising a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 1 megahertz, a transceiver operatively connected to said antenna, said transceiver being operable to transmit and receive data at said low radio frequency, a programmed data processor to process data received from the transceiver, said tag having a unique hardware address, said transceiver emitting an identification signal upon interrogation by said router;     each said router communicating with its respective tags from time to time via said low radio frequency, said router maintaining an association between each said tag and a corresponding IP address;     each said router responsive to queries from the server with information from one or more of its respective tags.        
 
         [0049]     The server can be a user web-based ERP, the server providing real-time visibility reports. 8. The user web-based ERP may be selected from the set consisting of Eclipse, Pentaho, Ruby on Rails, Google tools, Java, .Net and Weblogic.  
         [0050]     At least one of the long-wavelength tags can include a sensor or a Light Emitting Diode (LED).  
         [0051]     The server can create and preserve a Part11 human-legible record of tag transactions. The Part11 human legible records can include tag signal strength, tag field boundaries, CRC confidence checks, statistics on said tag, failed reads, packet relays, noise levels, and the tag data.  
         [0052]     The server can create and preserve a Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) archive, said SOX archive providing a human-legible total asset network history of critical events including time off shelf, when removed, physical inventory, date sold, reorder thresholds, and billing information.  
         [0053]     The system can further comprise a tool for data export from the server, said tool selected from the set consisting of Excel, CSV, HL7 and XML-RDF.  
         [0054]     The IP address of a tag may be stored within the tag, for example in a nonvolatile memory. In such a case, the router learns the IP address by interrogating the tag.  
         [0055]     On the other hand, the tag may simply have a unique hardware address, and the assignment of an IP address to the tag can take place in the router (the sidewinder). In such a case, router maintains within the router a correspondence between the assigned IP address and the hardware address of the tag.  
         [0056]     The router may power the tag by bathing the tag in an RF energy field.  
         [0057]     It should be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.