Wearable RFID system
Apparatus and methods are provided for automatically interrogating a tagged object using radio frequency identification (RFID) when the object is moved. In one embodiment, a worker is outfitted with a wearable RFID system including an RF antenna, an RFID reader, and a holder to hold the antenna and reader during operation. The system is worn by the worker while the worker moves objects from one place to another. When the worker moves an object with an attached RFID tag, the antenna automatically begins scanning for signals from the object's RFID tag. When a RF signal is received by the antenna, the RFID reader collects the signal and transmits it to a host system which processes the signal to obtain information related to the object to which the RFID tag is attached.
1. A method of radio frequency identification (RFID), comprising:
providing an RFID system, wherein the RFID system comprises:
an RFID reader;
a transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitting antenna transmits an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal when driven by the RFID reader, wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced;
a receiving antenna, wherein the receiving antenna receives the response RF signal, wherein the RFID reader receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna;
a first sensor, wherein the first sensor generates a first sensor signal, wherein the first sensor signal has a corresponding first sensor information;
at least one additional sensor, wherein the at least one additional sensor generates the corresponding at least one additional sensor signal, wherein the at least one additional sensor signal has the corresponding at least one additional sensor information; and
an event recognition module, wherein the event recognition module processes the first sensor signal and the at least one additional sensor signal to recognize a triggering event,
wherein the system is configured such that at least a portion of the system is worn by a user such that the first sensor is positioned with respect to a portion of the user such that when the portion of the user moves the first sensor moves,
wherein the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event based on the first sensor information from the first sensor signal indicating movement of the portion of the user and one or more of the at least one additional sensor information from a corresponding one or more of the at least one additional sensor signal,
wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event, a trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal;
having a user wear the at least a portion of the system such that the first sensor is positioned with respect to a portion of the user such that when the portion of the user moves the first sensor moves; and
moving the portion of the user,
wherein the transmitting antenna transmits an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal when driven by the RFID reader,
wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on an RFID tag, a response RF signal is produced,
wherein the receiving antenna receives the response RF signal,
wherein the RFID reader receives the response RF signal from the receiving antenna;
wherein the first sensor generates the first sensor signal,
wherein the first sensor signal has the corresponding first sensor information,
wherein the at least one additional sensor generates the corresponding at least one additional sensor signal, wherein the at least one additional sensor signal has the corresponding at least one additional sensor information;
wherein the event recognition module processes the first sensor signal and the at least one additional sensor signal to recognize the triggering event,
wherein the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event based on the first sensor information from the first sensor signal indicating movement of the portion of the user, and one or more of the at least one additional sensor information from a corresponding one or more of the at least one additional sensor signal,
wherein when the event recognition module recognizes the triggering event the trigger event message is transmitted to the RFID reader, and
wherein upon receipt of the trigger event message the RFID reader drives the transmitting antenna to transmit the interrogating RF signal,
wherein upon incidence of the interrogating RF signal on the RFID tag attached to the object, the response RF signal is produced, and
wherein the response RF signal has signal information allowing the RFID tag attached to the object to be identified.