Systems and methods for RFID-enabled information collection
Inventors
Fink, Patrick W. • Lin, Gregory Y. • Kennedy, Timothy F. • Ngo, Phong H. • Byerly, Diane
Assignees
National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA
Publication Number
US-8933789-B1
Publication Date
2015-01-13
Expiration Date
2033-03-08
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Abstract
Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications (“RSSI”) of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.
Core Innovation
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed. The system comprises an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors disposed within the enclosure, each having an individual identification. The interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences, and the RFID sensors respond by transmitting reflected signals containing their identifications back to the interrogator. The interrogator measures the returned signal strength indications (RSSI) of these signals and sends the measurements and identifications to the processor, which determines facts about the influences.
The invention addresses challenges in monitoring and managing inventory, particularly for small items such as pills or grains where attaching individual RFID sensors is impractical. It extends to sensing applications including level detectors and distributed pressure sensors. The disclosed systems enable detection of fill levels, material types within containers or dispensers, and positional information of movable elements. The invention includes various embodiments such as RFID-enabled dispensers with waveguides, containers acting as waveguides, pressure sensing gloves, and pressure sensitive keypads, all utilizing RFID technology for information collection.
The systems overcome limitations associated with conventional RFID tagging by employing electromagnetic fields within enclosures or waveguides affected by environmental or mechanical influences. These influences alter the electromagnetic field, which is detected through the responses of multiple RFID sensors uniquely identified and situated within or on the enclosure. The processor analyzes the RSSI measurements and sensor identifications to determine relevant physical characteristics like fill levels, pressures, positions, or material types without requiring individual tagging of small or numerous items.
Claims Coverage
The patent contains multiple independent claims that define inventive features related to RFID-enabled systems, methods, and apparatuses for information collection and influence determination.
Integrated system for RFID-enabled information collection
A system comprising an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator transmitting incident signals to generate an electromagnetic field affected by one or more influences, RFID field sensors within the enclosure having individual identifications that respond by transmitting reflected signals with identifications, an interrogator measuring returned signal strength indications (RSSI) and providing measurements and identifications to a processor to analyze and determine information about the influences.
RFID-enabled waveguide information collection system
A system including a waveguide with inner and outer conductors, a collector coupled to the waveguide, an interrogator sending incident signals generating an electromagnetic field within the waveguide affected by influences, RFID field sensors disposed between the conductors each with individual identification transmitting reflected signals, with RSSI measurements being used by a processor to determine information about the influences.
Method for determining influences on electromagnetic fields using RFID sensors
A method comprising transmitting incident signals from an interrogator to a collector to generate an electromagnetic field in a test article containing RFID sensors, receiving reflected signals with identifications from RFID sensors, measuring RSSI of reflected signals, sending measurements with identifications to a processor, and analyzing to determine influences on the test article.
The independent claims cover systems integrating enclosures or waveguides with collectors, interrogators, RFID sensors, and processors configured to generate electromagnetic fields affected by environmental influences and to analyze reflected RFID signals via RSSI measurements to determine information about those influences. They also cover a method of collecting and analyzing RFID sensor responses to infer characteristics of the test environment.
Stated Advantages
Allows tracking of small items, such as pills or grains, where conventional RFID tagging is impractical.
Enables detection and monitoring of fill levels and material types in containers and dispensers without requiring individual tagging.
Permits fine resolution RFID tracking and position determination for movable components, enhancing inventory management.
Supports wireless, battery-free RFID sensing across various configurations, including gloves and pressure sensors, eliminating the need for wired connections.
Provides the ability to remove extraneous variations unrelated to target influences by using reference RFID sensors.
Documented Applications
Monitoring and managing inventory including RFID-enabled dispensers for small items like pills or grains.
Level detectors sensing fill levels of material within containers or dispensing devices.
Distributed pressure sensing such as an RFID-enabled pressure sensor glove.
RFID-enabled pressure sensitive keypads activated by depression of RFID tags.
Determining positions of movable components (travelers) in dispensers by energized RFID cells.
Sensing cavity volume changes and pressures by observing electromagnetic field changes within conductive cavities or enclosures.
Detecting door open or closed positions using RFID ring sensors coupled to source elements on door components.
Implementing switches via ring sensors enabled or disabled by mechanical positioning.
Interested in licensing this patent?