RFID reader with motion detection
A technique for operating a Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, reader with motion detection includes detecting a motion in proximity to the RFID reader, and triggering the RFID reader to read any tags in proximity to the RFID reader in response to detecting a motion in proximity to the RFID reader. Detecting a motion can also generate a change in digital signage, or communicate information about read tags to a local area network. Operating this system only when motion is detected saves battery life.
1. A digital sign comprising:
a first Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;
a wireless communication transceiver operable on a local area network;
a motion detector; and
a processor coupled to the motion detector, the wireless communication transceiver, and the first RFID reader, the processor operable to trigger the first RFID reader to read any RFID tags in proximity to the first RFID reader in response to the motion detector detecting a motion in proximity to the first RFID reader,
wherein the first RFID reader is part of the local area network that includes other RFID readers surrounding the first RFID reader, and wherein the processor is operable to direct the transceiver to communicate with those other RFID readers in the local area network in order to trigger those other RFID readers to read any RFID tags in proximity to those other RFID readers following motion being detected in proximity to the first RFID reader to detect whether a tag previously read near the first RFID reader can subsequently be read by one of those other RFID readers, whereupon a network controller in communication with the one of those other RFID readers will remove an item associated with that RFID tag from an inventory at a location of the first RFID reader.
2. The digital sign of claim 1 , further comprising a light coupled with the processor, such that the light can be triggered by the processor to highlight an object when an RFID tag affixed to the object is read by the first RFID reader.
3. The digital sign of claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to generate a change in the digital sign when the motion detector detects motion in proximity to the first RFID reader, wherein the change provides information diverting a customer to a more exclusive brand than that of RFID-tagged items near the first RFID reader.
4. The digital sign of claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is operable to generate a change in the digital sign when the motion detector detects motion in proximity to the first RFID reader, wherein the change provides directions to other products that can complement the RFID-tagged items near the first RFID reader.
5. The digital sign of claim 1 , wherein the processor can keep a cumulative count and identities of tags as they are read and if there is a change in the cumulative count and identities of the RFID tags from those that were read during a previous reading of the RFID tags in proximity to the first RFID reader, the processor is further operable to direct the wireless communication transceiver to wirelessly communicate information about the RFID tags read by the first RFID reader to a local area network controller.
6. A digital sign comprising,
a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;
a wireless communication transceiver operable on a local area network;
a motion detector; and
a processor coupled to the motion detector, the wireless communication transceiver, and the RFID reader, the processor operable to trigger the RFID reader to read any RFID tags in proximity to the RFID reader in response to the motion detector detecting a motion in proximity to the RFID reader,
wherein a change in phase of a signal from the RFID tags read in proximity to the RFID reader is used to detect whether those RFID tags are moving towards or away from the RFID reader, wherein if the only direction of all the tags read in proximity to the RFID reader is moving away from the RFID reader, a display of the digital sign is turned off.
7. A digital sign comprising,
a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;
a wireless communication transceiver operable on a local area network;
a motion detector; and
a processor coupled to the motion detector, the wireless communication transceiver, and the RFID reader, the processor operable to trigger the RFID reader to read any RFID tags in proximity to the RFID reader in response to the motion detector detecting a motion in proximity to the RFID reader,
wherein if the processor detects that one of the RFID tags belongs to an employee and not a customer, the processor will direct the RFID reader to cease reading any RFID tags for a predetermined time period.
8. A digital sign comprising,
a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;
a wireless communication transceiver operable on a local area network;
a motion detector; and
a processor coupled to the motion detector, the wireless communication transceiver, and the RFID reader, the processor operable to trigger the RFID reader to read any RFID tags in proximity to the RFID reader in response to the motion detector detecting a motion in proximity to the RFID reader,
wherein if the processor detects that one of the RFID tags belongs to a forklift, the processor will direct the RFID reader to cease reading any RFID tags for a predetermined time period and will direct the digital sign to display a warning.
9. A digital sign comprising,
a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;
a wireless communication transceiver operable on a local area network;
a motion detector; and
a processor coupled to the motion detector, the wireless communication transceiver, and the RFID reader, the processor operable to trigger the RFID reader to read any RFID tags in proximity to the RFID reader in response to the motion detector detecting a motion in proximity to the RFID reader,
wherein if the processor detects that one of the RFID tags belongs to a particular item in a shopping cart and is not an employee badge, the processor will direct a light to be triggered to highlight nearby items that are associated with that particular item in the shopping cart.