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US 2020/0089923 A1Published application
Ore tag assembly and system and method re same
AssigneeK4 Integration Inc.
InventorsGilles Arsenault, Yvan Brule, Patrick Clement
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ore tag assembly including a tube subassembly having one or more tubes extending between first and second ends thereof and defining a cavity therein, and a RFID device located in the cavity. The ore tag assembly includes plugs positioned in the respective first and second ends of one of the tubes, to prevent ingress of liquids or other materials into the cavity.
Claims7
An ore tag assembly comprising:
- at least one tube subassembly extending between first and second ends thereof and defining a cavity therein;
- a RFID device located in the cavity;
- and
- plug elements positioned in the respective first and second ends of said at least one tube subassembly, to prevent ingress of liquids and materials into the cavity.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- (a) at least one ore tag assembly positionable in ore that is movable along a path, said at least one ore tag assembly comprising:
- (i) at least one tube subassembly extending between first and second ends thereof and defining a cavity between the first and second ends thereof;
- (ii) a RFID device located in the cavity;
- (iii) plug elements positioned in the respective first and second ends of said at least one tube subassembly, to retain the RFID device in the cavity;
- (b) at least one reader subassembly, comprising:
- at least one reader for generating an initial signal to which the RFID device is responsive, and for reading a response signal generated by the RFID device in response to the initial signal, the response signal comprising location data identifying the RFID device and the location of the RFID device on the path;
- at least one antenna for directing a radio wave to the RFID device, to transmit the initial signal to the RFID device, and for receiving the response signal from the RFID device;
- (d) a processor, for processing the location data, to determine the location of the RFID device and the identity of the RFID device when the response signal is transmitted to said at least one antenna;
- and
- (e) a transmission subassembly, for transmitting the location data to the processor.
7 more elements
A method of determining a source location from which ore originated, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a plurality of ore tag assemblies, each said ore tag assembly comprising:
- at least one tube extending between first and second ends thereof and defining a cavity therein between the first and second ends thereof;
- a RFID device located in the cavity;
- plug elements located in the respective first and second ends of said at least one tube, to retain the RFID device in the cavity;
- (b) distributing the ore tag assemblies in the ore at one or more preselected first locations on a path from the source location to a mill;
- (c) when the ore tag assemblies are distributed in the ore at the one or more preselected first locations on the path, generating release data identifying the distributed ore tag assemblies, and identifying the one or more preselected first locations at which the distributed ore tag assemblies are respectively distributed;
- (d) providing at least one reader subassembly, located at a preselected second location on the path downstream from the one or more preselected first locations;
- (e) with said at least one reader subassembly, obtaining location data identifying the RFID devices in the ones of the ore tag assemblies that are present at the preselected second location, and identifying the preselected second location;
- and
- (f) providing a processor, for processing the release data and the location data to determine the source of the ore at the preselected second location.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.