Systems and methods for locating items in a facility

1. A method for determining a location of an object within a facility, comprising:

performing operations by a plurality of beacons to respectively illuminate a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within the facility;

performing operations by a handheld reader to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs;

performing operations by a beacon receiver to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags;

using the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier;

automatically adapting at least one parameter of the handheld reader based on whether the handheld reader is present within a ZOI of the plurality of ZOIs, near an object, or near an obstacle; and

performing operations by the handheld reader to read the plurality of RFID tags once again subsequent to the parameter's adaption.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising aligning the beacon receiver's detector with a beacon's emitter based on sensor data generated by inertial sensors located internal to the beacon receiver.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting depression of a trigger of the handheld reader being carried through the facility by an operator; and

in response to the depression of the trigger, performing operations by the handheld reader to cause the beacon receiver to communicate with at least the first beacon of the plurality of beacons.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

performing operations by the handheld reader to read locator tags while reading the plurality of RFID tags; and

assigning the locator tag's known location to each of the plurality of RFID tags.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising generating a three dimensional map showing locations of the RFID tags.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the beacon receiver is an accessory of the handheld receiver or a standalone device worn by an operator of the handheld device.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the beacon receiver communicates the first location identifier to the handheld receiver via a wireless short range communication.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

performing operations by the beacon receiver to obtain a second location identifier transmitted from a second beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags;

computing a location confidence value for each of the first and second location identifiers and for each of the plurality of RFID tags; and

deducing the approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags based on the location confidence values.

9. A method for determining a location of an object within a facility, comprising:

performing operations by a plurality of beacons to respectively illuminate a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within the facility;

performing operations by a handheld reader to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs;

performing operations by a beacon receiver to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags;

using the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier;

detecting when the handheld reader is within a ZOI of the plurality of ZOIs, near an object, or near an obstacle; and

automatically transitioning a mode of the handheld reader from a default mode in which the handheld reader performs tag reads at high power to a location mode in which the handheld reader toggles between tag reads at high power and tag reads at low power.

10. A method for determining a location of an object within a facility, comprising:

performing operations by a plurality of beacons to respectively illuminate a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within the facility;

performing operations by a handheld reader to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs;

performing operations by a beacon receiver to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags;

using the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier; and

adjusting a power level of the handheld reader based on a density of RFID tags being read.

11. A system, comprising:

a plurality of beacons respectively illuminating a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within a facility;

a handheld reader configured to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs, and to automatically adapt at least one operational parameter based on whether the handheld reader is present with a ZOI of the plurality of ZOIs, near an object or near an obstacle;

a beacon receiver configured to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags; and

an electronic circuit configured to use the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the beacon receiver's detector is aligned with a beacon's emitter based on sensor data generated by inertial sensors located internal to the beacon receiver.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the handheld reader performs operations to cause the beacon receiver to communicate with at least the first beacon of the plurality of beacons, in response to a depression of a trigger of the handheld reader.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the handheld reader further performs operations to read locator tags while reading the plurality of RFID tags, and the locator tag's known location is assigned to each of the plurality of RFID tags.

15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to generate a three dimensional map showing locations of the RFID tags.

16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the beacon receiver is an accessory of the handheld receiver or a standalone device worn by an operator of the handheld device.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the beacon receiver communicates the first location identifier to the handheld receiver via a wireless short range communication.

18. The system according to claim 11 , wherein

the beacon receiver performs operations to obtain a second location identifier transmitted from a second beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags, and

the electronic circuit computes a location confidence value for each of the first and second location identifiers and for each of the plurality of RFID tags, and

the approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags are deduced based on the location confidence values.

19. A system, comprising:

a plurality of beacons respectively illuminating a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within a facility;

a handheld reader configured to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs;

a beacon receiver configured to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags; and

an electronic circuit configured to use the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier;

wherein a mode of the handheld reader is automatically transitioned from a default mode in which the handheld reader performs tag reads at high power to a location mode in which the handheld reader toggles between tag reads at high power and tag reads at low power, in response to a detection that the handheld reader is within a ZOI of the plurality of ZOIs, near an object, or near an obstacle.

20. A system, comprising:

a plurality of beacons respectively illuminating a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within a facility;

a handheld reader configured to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs;

a beacon receiver configured to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags; and

an electronic circuit configured to use the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier;

wherein a power level of the handheld reader is automatically adjusted based on a density of RFID tags being read.