US 12,602,566 B1Granted

Asset tracking using RFID powered by movement of a transport platform

AssigneeTelemeTrak, Inc.

InventorFrederick Steinway Ziegler

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Abstract

In some examples, interested parties would like to track assets in a transportation environment. In some examples, the asset could be cargo associated with a transport platform. Some of the examples described herein utilize the motion of a transport platform to power two or more RFID readers to read an identifier stored within an RFID tag that is coupled to an asset. Based on signals received from the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader indicating that the RFID tag has been detected, it is determined that the asset has been removed from or placed within an interior portion of the transport platform, in some examples. In further examples, an inventory of assets located within the interior portion of the transport platform is updated, in response to determining that the asset has been removed from or placed within the interior portion of the transport platform.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An asset tracking system to track one or more assets associated with a transport platform, the system comprising:

an inductor;
a magnet disposed such that relative movement between the magnet and the inductor caused by movement of the transport platform induces electrical power;
a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader electrically coupled to the inductor, the first RFID reader to read an RFID identifier stored within an RFID tag coupled to an asset when the asset is within a first coverage area of the first RFID reader;
a second RFID reader electrically coupled to the inductor, the second RFID reader to read the RFID identifier stored within the RFID tag when the asset is within a second coverage area of the second RFID reader;
and
a computing device comprising:
a communication interface to:
receive, from the first RFID reader, one or more signals that indicate that the RFID tag has been detected by the first RFID reader, and
receive, from the second RFID reader, one or more signals that indicate that the RFID tag has been detected by the second RFID reader, and
a controller to determine, based on the signals received from the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader, that the asset has been removed from an interior portion of the transport platform.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/886,944Filed 16 Sep 2024 · continuation in part
Priority: 16 Sep 2018
Granted: 14 Apr 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

G06K 19/07766
The record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card: comprising…
B60D 1/24
Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices: characterised by arrangements for particular functions
B60D 1/58
Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices: auxiliary devices
G01S 19/14
Receivers: specially adapted for specific applications

Family

Application16/132,448Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Sep 2018
Application17/092,264Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Nov 2020
US 10,878,305 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Dec 2020
US 11,544,516 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Dec 2022
Application18/092,415Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 2 Jan 2023
US 12,093,771 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application17/092,264Parent of this continuation
US 12,602,566 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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