US 7,066,388 B2Granted

System and method for verifying RFID reads

AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.

InventorDuanfeng He

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Abstract

An RFID reader and imaging system is provided having a device for imaging an object associated with a tag whose RFID code is read by an RFID reader. The imaging device generates image data associated with the imaged object. Verification software executable on at least one processor of the system is provided for verifying whether the RFID code presented to be read and processed by the RFID reader and imaging system corresponds to the imaged object. The process of verification is performed by comparing the acquired image data or other data associated with the imaged object with the stored image data or other stored data corresponding with the RFID code read. Based on whether the acquired image data or other data substantially matches the stored image data or other stored data, the system verifies whether the appropriate RFID code was read.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An RFID reader and imaging system for verifying an RFID read for determining if an RFID tag that was read is an RFID tag that was intended to be read, said system comprising:

RFID reader circuitry for reading an RFID tag including receiving RFID tag data from the RFID tag;
an imaging engine having an array of image sensors for sensing an image of an object and generating image data corresponding to said object;
a database storing a plurality of RFID codes and image data associated with respective RFID codes of the plurality of RFID codes, wherein the associated image data represents at least one image of at least one object having an RFID tag;
and
a processing unit for receiving the RFID tag data from the RFID reader circuitry and the generated image data from the imaging engine, said processing unit comprising:
an RFID decoding module including programmable instructions executable on the processing unit for decoding the received RFID tag data and generating an RFID code;
a database query module including programmable instructions executable on the processing unit for accessing stored image data associated with an RFID code which matches the generated RFID code;
and
a comparator module including programmable instructions executable on the processing unit for comparing the generated image data, including an image of the generated image data, with the accessed image data, including an image of the accessed image data, for determining whether the generated image data corresponds to the generated RFID code for verifying the RFID read for determining if the RFID tag corresponds to the object, and if so, concluding that the RFID tag is the RFID tag intended to be read, and if not, concluding that the RFID tag corresponds to a different object and is not the RFID tag intended to be read.

6 more elements

A method for verifying an RFID read for determining if an RFID tag that was read is an RFID tag that was intended to be read, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an RFID code which was decoded from a set of RFID tag data obtained by reading an RFID tag during an RFID read operation;
receiving image data corresponding to an object and obtained by an imaging operation performed substantially simultaneously with the RFID read operation;
querying a database for accessing stored data corresponding to a stored RFID code which matches the received RFID code;
and
comparing the received image data, including an image of the received image data, with the accessed stored data, including an image of the accessed stored data, for determining whether the received image data corresponding to said object corresponds to the received RFID code corresponding to said RFID tag for determining if the RFID tag corresponds to the object, and if so, concluding that the RFID tag is the RFID tag intended to be read, and if not, concluding that the RFID tag corresponds to a different object and is not the RFID tag intended to be read.

2 more elements

A verification system for verifying an RFID read for determining if an RFID tag that was read is an RFID tag that was intended to be read, comprising:

means for receiving an RFID code which was decoded from a set of RFID tag data obtained by reading an RFID tag during an RFID read operation;
means for receiving object data corresponding to an object, wherein the object data was sensed substantially simultaneously with the RFID read operation;
means for querying a database for accessing stored data corresponding to a stored RFID code which matches the received RFID code;
and
means for comparing the received object data with the accessed data for determining whether the received object data corresponding to said object corresponds to the received RFID code corresponding to said RFID tag for determining if the RFID tag corresponds to the object, and if so, concluding that the RFID tag is the RFID tag intended to be read, and if not, concluding that the RFID tag corresponds to a different object and is not the RFID tag intended to be read.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/385,941Filed 11 Mar 2003 · us provisional application
Priority: 18 Dec 2002
Published: US 2004/0118916 A124 Jun 2004
Granted: 27 Jun 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06K 7/0004
Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns: hybrid readers
G06K 7/0008
Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns: general problems related to the reading of electronic memory…
G06K 7/10386
The interrogation device being adapted for being moveable: the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated…
G06K 7/10722
Fixed beam scanning: photodetector array or CCD scanning