Method and System for Determining the Placement of RFID Antennas to Obtain A Readable Region for RFID Tags
AssigneeThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
InventorsShing Chi Cheung, Lionel Ming Shuan Ni
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention presents an apparatus and system and its accompanying method for automatically placing of RFID antennas and a method for obtaining a readable region for passive RFID Tags are disclosed. The apparatus and system include a Portable and Adjustable Mounting Framework (PAMF) with built in chain belt for holding the RFID antennas, an Antenna Position Controller (APC) and Antenna Position Holders (APH) for control the movement of the antennas, a Moveable Object Platform (MOP) for carrying a number of RFID tags and a Computer Integrated System (CIS) with Readable Region Analysis (RRA) software to capture the transmitted and received RF signal from/to the RFID readers.
Claims16
A support framework to automatically placing an RFID antenna, comprising:
- A support structure to support the RFID antenna;
- A controller to control a movement of the RFID antenna on the framework;
- and
- A mobile platform to carry a passive RFID tag to move around a predefined area along Test Points, wherein the passive RFID tag receive and transmit RF signals from and to the RFID antenna, and wherein a computer system conducts analysis to feedback to the controller to adjust the RFID antenna.
The method of determining a readable region for a plurality of RFID tags, comprising:
- (a) Scanning a mesh area surrounding a test point;
- (b) Capturing a RSSI value for each of the plurality of passive RFID tags;
- (c) Combining all RSSI values to a metric;
- (d) Generating a surface plot with respect to the test point;
- and
- (e) Repeating steps (a) through (d) for a next test point to form the readable region.
The method of determining a readable region for a plurality of RFID tags, comprising:
- configuring an application environment by a computer graphical user interface;
- presenting RSSI values of the plurality of RFID tags in a graphical format;
- and
- determining the readable region according to RFID tags information received by a plurality of antenna positions and a plurality of test points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.