Location management for radio frequency identification readers

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor coupled to a memory through a bus, the processor configured to:
• determine an expected location of a fixed radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;
• and
• transmit a first signal from the reader to a first RFID tag associated with the reader to determine whether the reader is at the expected location, wherein the first RFID tag is a fiducial RFID tag, including an antenna, fixed at a first location.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader for use in reading RFID tags, the reader comprising:

• a transmitter to transmit a first signal from the reader to an RFID tag including an antenna;
• and
• a receiver to receive a first response from the RFID tag, the first response identifying a first location of the RFID tag,
• wherein the reader is operable to:
• determine a current location of the reader based on calculating the reader's location with respect to the first location based on the first response to the first signal received from the RFID tag;
• and
• compare the current location of the reader to an expected location of the reader to verify whether there is a match.

A machine-readable storage medium having instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a machine-implemented method, the method comprising:

• transmitting a first signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;
• receiving a first response to the first signal from a first RFID tag, wherein the first RFID tag is a fiducial RFID tag, including an antenna, fixed at a first location;
• identifying the first location of the first RFID tag based on the received response;
• determining a current location of the reader based on calculating the reader's location with respect to the first location based on the first response to the first signal received from the first tag;
• and
• comparing the current location of the reader to an expected location of the reader to verify the reader is at the expected location.

A method comprising:

• transmitting a signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, the signal to elicit responses from RFID tags;
• receiving at the reader a first response to the signal from at least one fiducial RFID tag including an antenna, the fiducial RFID tag being fixed at a known location within a space and having a unique code programmed within the at least one fiducial RFID tag to associate the fiducial RFID tag with the known location within the space;
• receiving at the reader a second response to the signal from a different RFID tag, wherein the different RFID tag is attached to a moveable object;
• and
• estimating a location of the object within the space based on the responses received from the at least one fiducial RFID tag and the different RFID tag.

A method comprising:

• transmitting a signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, the signal to elicit responses from RFID tags;
• receiving at the reader a first response to the signal from at least one fiducial RFID tag including an antenna, the fiducial RFID tag being fixed at a known location within a space and having a unique code programmed within the fiducial RFID tag to associate the fiducial RFID tag with the known location within the space;
• receiving sensor data at the reader;
• and
• associating the sensor data with the known location within the space based on the response received from the fiducial RFID tag.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of fixed radio frequency identification (RFID) tags positioned about a space, each of the plurality of fixed RFID tags including an antenna, fixed at a known location within the space and having a unique code programmed within to associate with the known location within the space;
• a first RFID tag attached to a moveable object, the first RFID tag to track the object;
• and
• a mobile RFID reader to transmit a signal to elicit a response from the plurality of fixed RFID tags and the first RFID tag, wherein a location of the object is capable of being estimated based on responses received from the fixed RFID tags and the first RFID tag as the reader is moved about the space.