# US 2014/0152507 A1 · Rfid and robots for multichannel shopping > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152507 A1 - Document ID: US20140152507A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/693,026 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: ADASA Inc. - Inventors: Clarke William McAllister - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152507A1 ## CPC - G06K 7/10376: {the interrogation device being adapted for being moveable} - G01S 13/751: {wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal} - H01Q 1/2216: {used in interrogator/reader equipment} - H01Q 1/362: {for broadside radiating helical antennas} - H01Q 11/08: Helical antennas - G01S 13/878: {Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence)} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract The present invention relates to systems, methods, and devices for consumers using RFID-tagged items for multichannel shopping using smartphones, tablets, and indoor navigation, preservation of consumer's privacy related to RFID-tagged items that they leave a retail store with, and automatically reading and locating retail inventory without directly using store labor. Robots and aerial mobile automated RFID reading devices are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inventory locating system comprising: a plurality of RFID transponders; location references; a two-wheeled mobile device; an antenna having a gain of at least 11 dBic to form a narrow interrogation field; an RFID interrogator coupled with the antenna; moving parts on the two-wheeled mobile device to precisely direct the interrogation field to selected vectors that as an aggregate prevent missing any transponders from among the plurality of transponders; a triangulation computation for computing each location of the plurality of RFID transponders from transponder readings from the selected vectors; and accelerometers to sense motion, acceleration, and posture of the two-wheeled mobile device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The moving parts of claim 1 further comprising a reflector for redirecting the interrogation field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The two-wheeled mobile device of claim 1 further comprising a camera for determining the location of the mobile device relative to the location references; ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The location references of claim 1 further comprising optical location references with modulated LEDs having modulation patterns for signaling coded designator numbers for the optical location references. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The location references of claim 1 further comprising reference points within a constellation map that is communicated to the mobile device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The plurality of RFID transponders of claim 1 further comprising PPR privacy-preserving recommissioning features. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising two wheel hub motors for methodically scanning the plurality of RFID transponders. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising aerial mobility. ### Claim 9 A robot for reading a plurality of RFID transponders comprising: two wheel hub motors; two motor drives; a battery mounted such that the robot's center of gravity is below the axles of both hub motors; a high gain antenna for forming a narrow RF beam for reading the plurality of transponders; and accelerometers and gyros to sense motion, acceleration, and posture of the robot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The robot of claim 9 further comprising a reflective surface to redirect radio waves around obstacles to and from the plurality of transponders. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The reflective surface of claim 10 further comprising an inflatable radiolucent skin to define and retain a desired shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The reflective surface of claim 10 further comprising a counterbalance to hold it in an upright posture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The robot of claim 9 further comprising a camera for navigation using optical location references. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The optical location references of claim 13 further comprising LEDs having modulation patterns for signaling coded designator numbers for the optical location references. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The two motor drives of claim 9 further comprising micro-stepping current control drives. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) A transponder from among the plurality of transponders of claim 9 that carries data for reporting its physical location. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The robot of claim 9 further comprising a means to report to a database the location of transponders from among the plurality of transponders. ### Claim 18 A method of reading the locations of a plurality of RFID transponders comprising the steps of: reading location references; moving a two-wheeled mobile device; tilting the two-wheeled mobile device; rotating the two-wheeled mobile device about its central vertical axis; using the moving, tilting, and rotating to methodically direct an antenna having a gain of at least 11 dBic that is mounted on the two-wheeled mobile device to scan a narrow interrogation field to selected vectors; performing a triangulation computation for computing each transponder location of the plurality of RFID transponders from transponder readings from the selected vectors; and using accelerometers to sense and control motion, acceleration, and posture of the two-wheeled mobile device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The location references of claim 18 further comprising optical location references. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The two-wheeled mobile device of claim 18 further comprising a center of gravity below the axles of the two wheels.