Systems for and methods of assigning priority to reader antennae
View Patent ↗Method, systems, and articles of manufacture for assigning priority to antenna are disclosed. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, reader antenna ( 151, 152, 153 ) identify the location of an object by detecting a tag or other identifier associated with each object. Sensors ( 121, 122, 123 ) can be provided to provide additional information regarding the environment of the objects to their surroundings. A priority order is assigned to the reader antenna based on the location and other characteristics of the objects and/or their environment. A polling sequence for reading the reader antennae is determined according to the priority order.
1. A method of operating a plurality of reader antennae, the method comprising the steps of:
determining a priority order of the plurality of reader antennae; and
setting a polling sequence for reading the plurality of reader antennae according to the priority order determined in said determining step;
wherein said determining step further comprising the steps of:
assigning a preference level to each of the plurality of reader antennae; and deriving a priority order based on the preference levels assigned to each of the plurality of reader antennae;
wherein said assigning step comprises assigning preference levels based on products detected by each of the plurality of reader antennae;
wherein said assigning step comprises the steps of:
calculating for each of the plurality of reader antennae a probability that a detected product will be moved from a predetermined location; and
assigning a preference level to each of the plurality of reader antennae based on the probability calculated.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning step further comprises assigning a first reader antenna having a higher preference level with a higher priority than at least a second reader antenna having a lower priority.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of reading the plurality of reader antennae according to the priority order determined in said determining step.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said reading step comprises reading more frequently a first reader antennae that has a higher preference level compared to a second reader antennae.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning step comprises randomly assigning a preference level to each of the plurality of reader antennae.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of inactivating a reader antenna.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said inactivating step comprises inactivating a reader antenna in response to one of the group of: detecting movement of an identifying tag; proximity of a customer to a reader antenna; proximity of an employee to a reader antenna; and proximity of a product to a reader antenna.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining step comprises assigning the priority order such that the plurality of reader antennae can be read at an equal frequency.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning step comprises assigning a first reader antenna that detects a larger number of products with a higher preference level than at least a second reader antenna that detects a smaller number of products.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said calculating step comprises detecting movement frequency of the plurality of products from a predetermined location during a predetermined time interval; and calculating the average movement frequency of the plurality of products from the predetermined location during the predetermined time interval.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning step comprises, assigning preference levels according to a preference factor selected from the group consisting of: movement of an identifying tag associated with a reader antenna; proximity of a customer to a reader antenna; proximity of an employee to a reader antenna; and proximity of a product to a reader antenna.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning step comprises assigning preference levels based on input data from a device selected from the group of: a computer server; a computer workstation; a handheld device; a telephone; and a wireless device.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assigning step comprises assigning preference levels based on input data from a sensor.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said assigning step comprises assigning preference levels based on input data from a sensor selected from the group consisting of: an optical sensor; a vibration sensor; an audio sensor; a pressure sensor; and a pushbutton sensor.
15. A method of adjusting the priority order of a polling sequence for a plurality of RFID antennae, the method comprising the steps of:
providing product support structures, wherein each product support structure is associated with at least one RFID antenna;
placing a plurality of products on at least one of the product support structures, wherein each of the plurality of products is associated with an RFID tag;
identifying the location of each of the plurality of products by detecting the associated RFID tags with the plurality of RFID antennae;
assigning a priority order to the plurality of RFID antennae, wherein the priority order is determined by assigning a preference level to each of the plurality of RFID antennae;
assigning a polling sequence for reading the plurality of RFID reader antennae according to the priority order;
wherein said priority order comprises assigning preference levels based on products detected by each of the plurality of reader antennae;
wherein said the priority order comprises the steps of:
calculating for each of the plurality of reader antennae a probability that a detected product will be moved from a predetermined location; and
assigning a preference level to each of the plurality of reader antennae based on the probability calculated.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said assigning a priority step comprises assigning preference levels based on input data from a sensor.