# US 2019/0171852 A1 · Tracking objects in a two dimensional space > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171852 A1 - Document ID: US20190171852A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/272,384 - Filed: 2019-02-11 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-18 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Sergio A. Bermudez Rodriguez; Hendrik F. Hamann; Levente Klein; Theodore G. van Kessel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171852A1 ## CPC - G06K 7/10099: {the directional field being used for pinpointing the location of the record carrier, e.g. for finding or locating an RFID tag amongst a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with an object, e.g. for physically locating the RFID tagged object in a warehouse} - G06K 7/10009: {sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method for tracking objects in a two-dimensional space includes first tracking devices that are activated to read tagged objects within the reading ranges of the first tracking devices. Second tracking devices are activated to read tagged objects within the reading ranges of the second tracking devices. The tagged objects read by each first tracking device are compared to the tagged objects read by each second tracking device, and based on the locations of the tagged objects read by the first and second tracking devices, the locations of the tagged objects are determined. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of tracking tagged objects in a two-dimensional space, comprising: sequentially activating: first tracking devices of a plurality of tracking devices that read tagged objects in the two-dimensional space that are within reading ranges of the first tracking devices; and second tracking devices of the plurality of tracking devices that read tagged objects in the two-dimensional space that are within reading ranges of the second tracking devices; comparing data collected from each of the plurality of tracking devices to identify that at least given one of the tagged objects has been read by at least two of the plurality of tracking devices; and determining a location of the given tagged object based on the locations of the at least two tracking devices that read the tagged objects. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location of the given tagged object comprises designating the given tagged object as being at a mean distance between the at least two tracking devices that read the given tagged object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first tracking devices and second tracking devices have reading ranges that overlap the reading ranges of neighboring tracking devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein no common tracking devices exist among the first tracking devices and second tracking devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking devices include radio-frequency identification reading devices and the tagged objects include radio-frequency identification tags, and wherein the collected data comprises identity data that is unique to the radio-frequency identification tag of the given tagged object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information from cameras positioned to take images of the tagged objects in the two-dimensional space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the tagged objects include light-emitting sources that visually identify the locations of the tagged objects, and the method further comprises synchronizing visual identifications of the location of the given tagged objects determined based on the camera image of the given tagged object with the determined location of the given tagged object read by the tracking devices, wherein visual information-including the determined location of the given tagged object is provided. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the light emitting sources emit light in a pattern that is individual to each of the tagged objects. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional space is a surface on which the tagged objects are located, and wherein the plurality of tracking devices is located underneath the surface to track tagged objects on the surface. ### Claim 10 A system for tracking tagged objects in a two-dimensional space, comprising: a memory device for storing program code; and at least one processor device operatively coupled to the memory device and configured to execute program code stored on the memory device to: sequentially activate: first tracking devices of a plurality of tracking devices that read tagged objects in the two-dimensional space that are within reading ranges of the first tracking devices; and second tracking devices of the plurality of tracking devices that read tagged objects in the two-dimensional space that are within reading ranges of the second tracking devices; compare data collected from each of the plurality of tracking devices to identify that at least given one of the tagged objects has been read by at least two of the plurality of tracking devices; and determine a location of the given tagged object based on the locations of the at least two tracking devices that read the tagged objects. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each tracking device is configured to stamp a time at which the tracking device read the tagged objects. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor device is configured to store information selected from the group consisting of: locations of each tracking device; distances of each tracking device from its nearest neighboring readers; distances of each tracking device from each of the other readers; the reading range of each tracking device; and and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor device is configured to sequentially activate the first and second tracking devices in a coordinated sequence. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor device is configured to determine the location of the given tagged object by designating the given tagged object as being at a mean distance between the at least two tracking devices that read the given tagged object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each tracking device is configured to have a reading range that overlaps the reading ranges of neighboring tracking devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the system further includes cameras that take images of the tagged objects in the two dimensional space, and wherein the at least one processor device is further configured to determine the location of the given tagged object based on the image of the given tagged object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the tagged objects include illuminating light sources. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor device is configured to execute program code stored on the memory device to synchronize the location of the given tagged object based on the image of the given tagged object with the determined location of the given tagged object to provide visual information including the determined location of the given tagged object. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the given tagged object further includes a circuit that simultaneously activates the radio-frequency identification tags and the illuminating light sources when the given tagged object is in range of a tracking device. ### Claim 20 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method for tracking tagged objects in a two-dimensional space, the method comprising: sequentially activating: first tracking devices of a plurality of tracking devices that read tagged objects in the two-dimensional space that are within reading ranges of the first tracking devices; and second tracking devices of the plurality of tracking devices that read tagged objects in the two-dimensional space that are within reading ranges of the second tracking devices; comparing data collected from each of the plurality of tracking devices to identify that at least given one of the tagged objects has been read by at least two of the plurality of tracking devices; and determining a location of the given tagged object based on the locations of the at least two tracking devices that read the tagged objects.