Use of rf-id tags for tracking a person carrying a portable rf-id tag reader
AssigneeAmerican Research and Technology
InventorMichael FILIBECK
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For tracking a person such as a security guard at a construction site, RF-ID tags are placed at a plurality of locations at the site. The person carries a portable RF-ID tag reader while visiting at least some of the locations, and the portable RF-ID tag reader detects the presence of the RF-ID tags at these locations and reads tag identifiers identifying these locations. The person is tracked by monitoring a sequence of the tag identifiers read by the portable RF-ID tag reader. For example, the person also carries an Internet capable cell telephone that transmits the tag identifiers over the Internet to a computer at a location remote from the site, and the computer detects when the person deviates from an assigned path at the site.
Claims26
A method of tracking a person, said method comprising:
- placing an RF-ID tag at each of a plurality of locations, the RF-ID tag at each of the plurality of locations having a tag identifier identifying said each of the plurality of locations;
- the person carrying a portable RF-ID tag reader while visiting at least some of the locations, the portable RF-ID tag reader detecting the presence of the RF-ID tags at said at least some of the locations and reading the tag identifiers identifying said at least some of the locations, and
- monitoring a sequence of the tag identifiers read by the portable RF-ID tag reader in order to track the person.
A method of employing a security officer at a site, said method comprising:
- placing an RF-ID tag at each of a plurality of locations at the site, the RF-ID tag at said each of the plurality of locations having a tag identifier identifying said each of the plurality of locations;
- the security officer carrying a portable RF-ID tag reader while visiting at least some of the locations, the portable RF-ID tag reader detecting the presence of the RF-ID tags at said at least some of the locations and reading the tag identifiers identifying said at least some of the locations;
- and
- using a computer to monitor a sequence of the tag identifiers read by the portable RF-ID tag reader.
Apparatus for tracking a person comprising a portable RF-ID tag reader and a cell telephone for carrying by the person while the person walks along a path including RF-ID tags at respective locations, the RF-ID tag reader being coupled to the cell telephone for transmitting tag identifiers to the cell telephone, the cell telephone being programmed for transmitting the RF-ID tag identifiers to a computer programmed for monitoring the tag identifiers received from the cell telephone in order to track the person.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.