Tracking system with mobile reader
A tracking system uses a mobile reader or scanner that scans, for example through a barcode reader, a passive tag reader, a probe, input, camera, or an active RF tag communication reader, and records item (asset or inventory) data. After being recorded, this item data and other relevant data is sent by radio transmission to a receiver network in the tracking system. The receiver network has at least two receivers (or at least two receiver antennae). The scanner location data, calculated by comparing the signal information at each receiver antenna receiving the radio transmission, is then used to register and record the location data of the scanned item.
1. A method of determining a physical location of an item, the method comprising the steps of:
scanning, using a mobile reader that is handheld, worn by a person, or attached to or part of a vehicle, a data source to acquire therefrom data associated with the item;
transmitting, by the mobile reader from a physical location where the mobile reader scanned the data source, a radiofrequency (RF) signal that conveys the acquired data associated with the item;
receiving the RF signal by at least two receiver antennae;
determining a timing difference between the RF signal received by one of the at least two receiver antennae and the RF signal received by another of the at least two receiver antennae;
calculating based on the timing difference the physical location from which where the mobile reader transmitted the RF signal;
identifying the item based on the data transmitted by the mobile reader in the RF signal; and
associating a calculated physical location from where the mobile reader scanned the data source and the calculated physical location from where the mobile reader transmitted the data identifying the item in the RF signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data source is physically attached to or embedded in the item.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data source is a machine-readable code.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of scanning the data source includes the step of capturing an image using a camera of the mobile device in order to acquire the data associated with the item.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data source includes a transponder tag, and wherein the step of scanning the data source includes:
wirelessly transmitting a signal that activates the transponder tag; and
receiving the data associated with the item in a transmission sent by the transponder tag in response to the activating signal.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting to the mobile reader an RF signal indicating whether the calculated physical location associated with the identified item matches an expected physical location for the identified item.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting to the mobile reader an RF signal indicating whether the identified item associated with the calculated physical location matches an expected item associated with that calculated physical location.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a pair of augmented reality glasses comprises the mobile reader.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a glove comprises the mobile reader.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data source is a label.
11. A method of associating acquired data with a physical location, the method comprising the steps of:
acquiring, by a sensor of a mobile device disposed at a physical location, data from an information source external to the mobile device;
transmitting, by the mobile device from the physical location, the acquired data in a radiofrequency (RF) signal;
receiving, by at least two receiver antennae, the RF signal transmitted by the mobile device;
calculating the physical location from which the mobile device transmitted the RF signal based on a timing difference measured from when one of the at least two receiver antennae received the RF signal and another of the at least two receiver antennae received the RF signal; and
associating the acquired data in the RF signal with a calculated physical location from where the mobile reader acquired the data from the information source and with the calculated physical location from where the mobile reader transmitted the acquired data in the RF signal.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of acquiring, by a sensor of a mobile device disposed at a physical location, data from an information source external to the mobile device includes the step of measuring an environmental condition, and wherein the acquired data are the environmental condition measurement.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of transmitting, by the mobile device, the acquired data in a radiofrequency (RF) signal occurs continuously until the mobile device receives an acknowledgment signal.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of transmitting to the mobile reader an RF signal indicating whether the calculated physical location associated with the acquired data matches an expected physical location for that acquired data.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of transmitting to the mobile reader an RF signal indicating whether the acquired data associated with the calculated physical location matches expected acquired data associated with that calculated physical location.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor of the mobile device comprises an optical sensor for obtaining the data from the information source through image capture.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is attached to an article worn by a user.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is a handheld device.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is attached to or part of a vehicle.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is a barcode scanner.
21. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is a drone.
22. A method of determining a physical location of an item, the method comprising the steps of:
scanning, using a mobile reader that is handheld, worn by a person, or attached to or part of a vehicle, a data source to acquire therefrom data associated with the item;
transmitting, by the mobile reader from a physical location where the mobile reader scanned the data source, a radiofrequency (RF) signal that conveys the acquired data associated with the item;
receiving the RF signal by two or three receiver antennae;
measuring a time of arrival between the mobile reader and the two or three receiver antennae;
identifying the item based on the data transmitted by the mobile reader in the RF signal; and
associating a calculated physical location from where the mobile reader scanned the data source and the calculated physical location from where the mobile reader transmitted the data identifying the item in the RF signal.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the time of arrival is measured by either a phase comparison at the mobile reader or at least one antenna of the two or three receiver antennae or through a synchronized two-way communication between the mobile reader and the at least one antenna.