Article identification and tracking using electronic shadows created by RFID tags
US7081818B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 17, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jul 25, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07C9/28
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A tracking system uses RFID (radio frequency identification) tag technology to facilitate the identification and tracking of items in an environment through a technique known as shadowing. As an object or target moves within a pre-described detection zone with communicating antenna and RFID sensors, the object or target blocks the line of sight between respective antenna and sensors, preventing electromagnetic coupling between the sensor and the antenna and thus casting an electromagnetic shadow along the line of sight. One approach of this invention uses this shadow technique to perform functions such as theft (shrink) deterrence/detection; tracking the motion of objects through an environment by monitoring the shadow; and correlation analysis of people shadows to tagged items (e.g., merchandise, articles) to foster marketing and merchandizing effectiveness.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.