Symbol Technologies, LLC

Zebra Technologies Corporation

Benjamin J Bekritsky

Charles Burton Swope

Michael J Koch

David P Goren

Alexander M Jacques

Raj Bridgelall

Dean Mamoru Kawaguchi

Chris Zegelin

Narendra Digamber Joshi

Miklos Stern

Antonio Faraone

Timothy J Collins

Julius S Gyorfi

Thomas D Bianculli

Sajan Wilfred

Karthik Lakshminarayanan

Tom Mathew

William J Sakoda

David Hernandez

Narendra Joshi

Swee M Mok

Neeral Seshadri

Techniques for automated beam adjustment for portal directionality are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes: a transceiver configured to emit a plurality of signal beams that each have a respective coverage area and are oriented in a respective direction, one or more processors, and one or more memories communicatively coupled to the one or more processors storing a beam adjustment algorithm. The example apparatus may include instructions that, when executed cause the assembly to: transmit a first signal beam to a set of tags located within a first respective coverage area of the first signal beam while the first signal beam is oriented in a first direction; determine, by the beam adjustment algorithm, that a first tag threshold is violated; and adjust, by the beam adjustment algorithm, an orientation of the first signal beam from the first direction to a second direction.

Techniques for automated beam adjustment for portal directionality

Systems and methods for enhanced fault tolerance for a radio frequency identification (RFID) phased array antenna are provided. The systems include a RFID reader that includes (i) a phased array antenna having N antenna elements; and (ii) a controller operatively connected to the phased array antenna. The controller is configured to (1) monitor a characteristic for each antenna element of a set of the N antenna elements; (2) based on the characteristic, detect a fault of a faulty antenna element of the set of the N antenna elements; and (3) responsive to detecting the fault of the faulty antenna element of the set of the N antenna elements, adjust a parameter of at least one other antenna element of the N antenna elements, wherein the parameter is a weight applied to a signal that is transmitted to or received at an antenna element.

Systems and methods for enhanced fault tolerance for RFID phased array antennas

At least some embodiments of the present invention are directed to RFID reader systems configured to estimate a directional bearing of an RFID tag. In an embodiment, the present invention is an RFID system configured in a way that upon a detection of a variance in the direction of a maximum RSSI value for a given RFID tag in response to a plurality of interrogation signals transmitted by an RFID reader over a respective plurality of different directions, the RFID reader retransmits the plurality of interrogation signals over the respective plurality of different directions with successively lower power levels until the only response(s) being received no longer exhibit the previously detected variance.

Methods and system for enhanced RFID direction finding

At least some embodiments of the present invention are directed to RFID reader systems, readers, and/or arrangements configured to estimate a directional bearing of an RFID tag. In an embodiment, the present invention is an RFID arrangement configured communicate with an RFID tag via a primary transmit and receive signals and to contemporaneously determine a plurality of RSSI levels of the RFID tag over a 360-degree azimuth range via a plurality of secondary receive signals.

An RFID tag reading system and method accurately and rapidly determine true bearings of RFID tags associated with items in a controlled area. An RFID reader has an array of antenna elements and a plurality of RF transceivers. A controller controls the transceivers by steering a primary transmit beam over the controlled area to each tag, by steering a primary receive beam at a primary steering angle from each tag, by steering a plurality of secondary receive beams at different secondary steering angles that are offset from the primary steering angle by receiving secondary receive signals from each tag, and by processing the secondary receive signals to determine a true bearing for each tag. Bidirectional communication between the reader and a tag is conducted over a single inventory round in which the tag is read a plurality of times by the primary and the secondary receive beams.

System for and method of rapidly determining true bearings of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with items in a controlled area

An RFID tag reading system and method estimate bearings of RFID tags. When the RSSI of a primary and/or secondary RFID receive signal is below a threshold, a primary receive beam is steered in a limited scan to an array of locations distributed around the location at which the RSSI of the primary receive signal is a maximum, and the RSSI of the primary receive signal is recorded at each location. The recorded RSSIs are processed to determine an effective weighted center of distribution of the recorded RSSIs, and the bearing for the tag based on the weighted center of distribution is thus estimated.

System for and method of estimating bearings of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that return RFID receive signals whose power is below a predetermined threshold

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reading system and method accurately and rapidly determine, in real-time, true bearings of RFID tags associated with items in a controlled area. Primary transmit and receive beams are steered over the area, and multiple secondary receive beams are substantially simultaneously steered to a plurality of bearings in the area. The highest signal strength of secondary receive signals from the secondary receive beams determines an approximate tag bearing of each tag. Two secondary receive beams at opposite sides of the approximate tag bearing in elevation are selected to obtain a pair of elevation offset signals, and two secondary receive beams at opposite sides of the approximate tag bearing in azimuth are selected to obtain a pair of azimuth offset signals. The elevation offset signals and the azimuth offset signals are processed to determine a true bearing for each tag in real-time.

System for, and method of, accurately and rapidly determining, in real-time, true bearings of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with items in a controlled area

An RFID tag reading system and method estimate true bearings of RFID tags associated with items in a controlled area. A plurality of secondary receive beams are rotated in a cycle about a boresight axis of a primary receive beam to generate a plurality of secondary receive signals. A controller processes all the secondary receive signals received in the cycle to estimate a true bearing for each tag in the controlled area.

Accurately estimating true bearings of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with items located in a controlled area

A radio frequency (RF) identification (RFID) tag reading system and method accurately determine true bearings of RFID tags associated with items in a controlled area. An RFID reader has an array of antenna elements and a plurality of RF transceivers. A controller controls the transceivers by steering a primary transmit beam over the controlled area by transmitting a primary transmit signal to each tag, and steering a primary receive beam at a primary steering angle by receiving a primary receive signal from each tag. The controller thereupon steers a plurality of secondary receive offset beams at different secondary steering angles that are offset from the primary steering angle by receiving secondary receive offset signals from each tag, and by processing the offset signals to determine a true bearing for each tag.

System for and method of accurately determining true bearings of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with items in a controlled area

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers are integrated with individual RFID tags to form integrated RFID units that are initially deployed to cover a controlled area with radio frequency (RF) coverage. A controller determines whether the RF coverage optimally covers the controlled area by controlling at least one of the integrated RFID units in the initial deployment to read the RFID tag integrated with at least another of the integrated RFID units. An interface reports when the RF coverage does not optimally cover the controlled area, and responsively guides a redeployment of at least one of initially deployed integrated RFID units to a subsequent deployment in which the RF coverage provided by the integrated RFID units optimally covers the controlled area.

Self-optimizing method of and system for efficiently deploying radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers in a controlled area containing RFID-tagged items to be monitored

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reading system having a phased antenna array accurately locates RFID tags in a controlled area, by steering an interrogating beam over the controlled area to interrogate the tags and generate return modulated RF signals. A primary receiver steers a primary receive beam at a primary steering angle that is fixed during each tag interrogation. A primary demodulator demodulates and reconstructs the received return modulated signals. A secondary receiver, independently of the primary receiver, steers a secondary receive beam at a plurality of secondary steering angles. A secondary correlator/demodulator demodulates the combined return modulated signals, and utilizes the reconstructed signal reconstructed by the primary demodulator at each of the secondary steering angles. Both the primary and the secondary receivers cooperate to accurately locate the same tag.

System for and method of locating radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with items in a controlled area

A technique for on-demand power wake up for digital signage includes providinga detector operable to detect an envelope of a digital signal, receivingan extended length packet by the detector, wherein the packet consists of a same, repeated data symbol, detectingthe extended length packet in the detector to provide an output signal, comparingthe output signal against a reference threshold, and providinga wake up signal if the output signal exceeds the reference threshold. This can then be followed by receivinginformation to display on the sign.

Digital signage with on-demand power wake up

The location of unmodified wireless assets in a wireless communication network may be identified using time differences of arrivals of a communication sequence at different network receivers. Time-stamping devices may include correlator circuits in parallel with signal decoders to time-stamp communication sequences. Cellular wireless networks may be frequency-multiplexed to increase spatial time-stamping density. Tags may be attached to passive assets to provide location identification information to network devices. Locations of assets broadcasting standard 802.11 radio frequency structures may be identified. Noise inherent in correlating a communication sequence may be reduced by using a selected correlation function.

Growing community of inventors

Modiin, Israel

Benjamin J Bekritsky