IP Library Granted Patent US 10,333,568
Granted Patent B2
US 10,333,568 · App. 15/597,895 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Method and apparatus for associating radio frequency identification tags with participants

Inventors: Rodrigo Alonso (Gilroy, CA); Belinda Turner (Germantown, MD); Aitan Ameti (Rockville, MD); David Senerchia (North Kingstown, RI)
Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
H04B1/1036A41D1/002A41D1/005A41D1/04A42B3/30A63B24/0021A63B24/0062A63B71/06A63B71/0619A63B71/0622A63B71/0686G05B15/02G06F16/951G06F16/955G06F16/9537G06F16/9554G06F19/00G06K7/10227G06K7/10297G06K7/10306G06K7/10366G06K9/00342G06N5/02G06N7/005G06Q50/20G06Q50/22G08C17/02G09B19/0038G16H50/30G16H50/50H04B1/7097H04B1/719H04B1/71635H04B1/71637H04L43/04H04L67/12H04Q9/00H04W4/02A41D2600/10A63B24/00A63B2024/0025A63B2024/0028A63B2024/0056A63B2220/12A63B2220/40A63B2220/836A63B2225/50A63B2225/54G06K2017/0045G06Q90/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,333,568
App. No.
15/597,895
Granted
Jun 25, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for associating a radio frequency identification tag with a participant. In one embodiment, a method is provided for associating an unassociated RF location tag with a participant. The method may include determining an unassociated RF location tag to be associated with the participant, receiving sensor derived data from one or more sensors, determining an identity of the particular participant using the sensor derived data, and associating the identity of the particular participant with the unassociated RF location tag.

Claims (34)

1. A method for associating a participant with a radio frequency (RF) location tag, the method comprising:

transmitting an activation signal within a designated zone, the activation signal causing the RF location tag to activate upon receipt and transmit an activation notification;

receiving the activation notification from the RF location tag;

determining whether a required minimum number of tags is present in the designated zone, wherein the required minimum number of tags is based on a role of the participant in an event;

in response to determining that the required minimum number of tags is present in the designated zone, determining, using a processor, a participant identity within the designated zone using information received from one or more sensors; and

associating the RF location tag with the participant identity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises visual data and the one or more sensors comprise a camera.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the visual data comprises an image of a player jersey.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an orientation of the RF location tag using the information received from the one or more sensors.

5. An apparatus for associating a participant with a radio frequency (RF) location tag, the apparatus comprising a processor configured to cause the apparatus to at least:

transmit an activation signal within a designated zone, the activation signal causing the RF location tag to activate upon receipt and transmit an activation notification;

receive the activation notification from the RF location tag;

determine whether a required minimum number of tags is present in the designated zone, wherein the required minimum number of tags is based on a role of the participant in an event;

in response to determining that the required minimum number of tags is present in the designated zone, determine a participant identity within the designated zone using information received from one or more sensors; and

associate the RF location tag with the participant identity.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the information comprises visual data and the one or more sensors comprise a camera.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the visual data comprises an image of a player jersey.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , the processor configured to cause the apparatus to determine an orientation of the RF location tag using the information received from the one or more sensors.

9. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to configure an apparatus to at least:

transmit an activation signal within a designated zone, the activation signal causing a radio frequency (RF) location tag to activate upon receipt and transmit an activation notification;

receive the activation notification from the RF location tag;

determine whether a required minimum number of tags is present in the designated zone, wherein the required minimum number of tags is based on a role of a participant in an event;

in response to determining that the required minimum number of tags is present in the designated zone, determine a participant identity within the designated zone using information received from one or more sensors; and

associate the RF location tag with the participant identity.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the information comprises visual data and the one or more sensors comprise a camera.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the visual data comprises an image of a player jersey.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the instructions configure the apparatus to determine an orientation of the RF location tag using the information received from the one or more sensors.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the activation signal within the designated zone is performed at a first period of time at the event, and further comprising transmitting a deactivation signal within the designated zone at a second period of time at the event.

14. The apparatus of claim 5 , the processor configured to cause the apparatus to:

transmit the activation signal within the designated zone at a first period of time at the event; and

transmit a deactivation signal within the designated zone at a second period of time at the event.

15. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the instructions configure the apparatus to:

transmit the activation signal within the designated zone at a first period of time at the event; and

transmit a deactivation signal within the designated zone at a second period of tie at the event.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST - 364 - DAY Recorded Mar 5, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; LASER BAND, LLC; TEMPTIME CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056036/0590 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2020
From: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; LASER BAND, LLC; TEMPTIME CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053841/0212 →
NOTICE OF TRANSFER OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049675/0049 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2019
From: TURNER, BELINDA; AMETI, AITAN; SENERCHIA, DAVID
To: ZIH CORP.
Reel/Frame 047895/0588 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2019
From: ALONSO, RODRIGO
To: ZIH CORP.
Reel/Frame 047895/0644 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 3, 2019
From: ZIH CORP.
To: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047895/0330 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2017
From: ZIH CORP.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 044616/0736 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14297361 · Jun 5, 2014
Provisional Application 61831990 · Jun 6, 2013
Related Publication 20170257127A1 · Sep 7, 2017