Patent Application
20240104318
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for tracking assets using a moving device, such as a fork lift.
RFID tags are devices known in the art for tagging objects, which can be digitally read by an RFID reader to determine the identity of, and/or other information relating to, the object.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
One embodiment of the present disclosure generally relates to a system for tracking assets having tags using a moving device. The system includes a tag reader having a range and being located on the moving device. The tag reader is configured to read asset data from each of the tags within the range of the tag reader. A location tracker detects a geographic location of the moving device and asset locations are determined for the assets based on the geographic location detected. A wireless transmitter is located on the moving device. The wireless transmitter communicates the asset data and the asset locations for each of the tags read by the tag reader. A computing system receives the asset data and the asset locations and maintains a database of the asset data and the asset locations for the assets.
Another embodiment generally relates to a method for tracking assets having tags using a moving device. The method includes reading with a tag reader having a range asset data from each of the tags within the range, where the tag reader is located on the moving device. The method further includes detecting with a location tracker a geographic location of the moving device, where the location tracker is located on the moving device. The method further includes determining asset locations for the assets based on the geographic location. The method further includes communicating via a wireless transmitter the asset data and the asset locations for each of the tags read, where the wireless transmitter is located on the moving device. The method further includes receiving by a computing system the asset data and the asset locations and maintaining a database of the asset data and the asset locations for the assets.
Another embodiment generally relates to a system for tracking assets with RFID tags using a moving device. Four RFID tag readers each having a range are divided by a shield into four quadrants, where each of the four RFID tag readers is located within a separate one of the four quadrants and is configured to read asset data from each of the RFID tags within the range thereof. A location tracker is located on the moving device, where the location tracker detects a geographic location of the moving device in three dimensions in real-time. The asset locations are determined for the assets based on the geographic location of the moving device when each of the RFID tags was read. A wireless transmitter is located on the moving device, which communicates via Wi-Fi or mesh network the asset data and the asset locations for each of the tags read. A computing system receives the asset data and the asset locations and maintains a database thereof for the assets. A memory system located on the moving device stores the asset data and the asset locations until received by the computing system.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the disclosure will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
The present disclosure is described with reference to the following drawings.
The present inventor has recognized that methods presently known in the art for tracking the locations of assets are time-consuming and prone to inaccuracy. The problem is further exacerbated when the assets to be tracked are stored, transportation, and used over a physically large area. In some industries, assets are located in multiple, separate areas spread across many acres. For example, production facilities that manufacture a wide variety of goods, large goods, and/or goods requiring large equipment or tooling may be spread across a very large area. Fiberglass boat manufacturers are one such example, whereby thousands of molds, dollies, and other assets may be stored and used over many years for producing a wide variety of hulls, parts, and accessories.
As the size of the manufacturer's property increases, so does the challenge in efficiently detecting the locations of a given asset within that property. Similarly, problems arise with maintaining the accuracy of a database storing the identities and locations of each of the many assets over time. The number, size, and variety of individual areas within the property (e.g., separate buildings) also creates problems with respect to communicating information relating to assets back to the database. For example, the property may extend across a great distance, include both indoor and outdoor areas, and contain many obstacles and/or sources of interference with respect to electronic communication. Additionally, assets that require tracking may be visually obscured, rendering traditional methods of manually taking inventory impossible. For example, an asset stored outside may be covered in snow.
RFID tags are one tool for labeling and wirelessly detecting assets, whereby the each RFID tag is known to be associated with a particular asset and digitally contains relevant information corresponding thereto. However, the present inventor has recognized that the distance (or range) for an RFID reader to read an RFID tag is typically no more than 20-25 feet, as RFID readers are customarily limited to a signal power of only one watt of power (as currently limited by FCC code, e.g. 47 CFR § 15.247). In this manner, RFID readers can be used to detect the location of an asset via its RFID tag, assuming the RFID tag is within range, relative to the RFID reader. Since it is the absolute (not relative) location of the asset that is to be tracked, the location of the RFID reader must then also be known to make detection of the RFID tags useful.
Unlike RFID readers and other short-range wireless communication protocols, GPS provides a mechanism for determining the absolute, geographic location of an asset. However, the present inventor has recognized that GPS provides relatively coarse accuracy (e.g., within 16 feet). Additionally, GPS typically does not operate indoors, and thus is a generally poor solution for sizable properties having both indoor and outdoor spaces. Another problem solved by the presently disclosed system 30 is the unification of indoor and outdoor solutions into a single form that works within a common firewall. In particular, outdoor RFID solutions typically use cellular and GPS, whereas internal RFID solutions rely on wi-fi and other location methods. This requires two separate RFID systems (one outside and one inside), which creates complexity and security vulnerability with respect to a network firewall. Furthermore, no outdoor systems presently integrate within the firewall of indoor systems. By employing the presently disclosed system 30, which itself communicates between indoor and outdoor spaces, the entire solution is unified and can be inside an existing firewall of a facility.
If the absolute location of an asset can be successfully determined, the location of the asset and/or reader (e.g., an RFID reader) must be communicated to the database, preferably wirelessly and in real-time or near real-time. Wi-Fi has become a well-established mechanism for wirelessly communicating information, the size and mixture of indoor and outdoor facilities can easily exceed the range capabilities of Wi-Fi and other mainstream wireless communication protocols (e.g., Bluetooth®, Zigbee, etc.).
Through experimentation and development, the present inventor has created systems and methods for addressing the unique problems of tracking assets over large spaces, including both indoor and outdoor areas of concern, and also handling communication of this information.
The third area 8 of
With continued reference to
Each moving device 40 also includes a location tracker 60 for determining the X, Y, and Z coordinates (collectively referred to as the geographical location XYZ) of the center of the moving device 40 as it moves within the property 2. Specifically, the location tracker 60 is used to determine a geographic location XYZ of the location tracker 60, which is used to infer the geographic location XYZ of the moving device 40 by knowing the location of the location tracker 60 relative to the center of the moving device 40. The geographic location XYZ of the moving device 40 is then be used to determine the geographic location XYZ of an asset 20 (also referred to as the asset location) when that asset's tag 22 is read by the tag reader 50. Additional information regarding the location tracker 60 is provided below, as well as how the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the asset 20 are determined based on the geographic location XYZ of the moving device 40 when the tag 22 is read.
The geographic location XYZ of the moving device 40 and the assets 20 may be provided as absolute X, Y, and Z coordinates (e.g., when using global positioning satellites as the location tracker 60), or relative X, Y, and Z coordinates (e.g., when the location tracker 60 uses triangulation between the moving device 40 and fixed anchors, for example when using Decawave®). Additionally, relative X, Y, Z, coordinates for the moving device 40 and assets 20 may be made absolute by knowing the absolute X, Y, Z coordinates of the fixed anchors that are used for relatively locating the moving device 40 and assets 20.
Also shown in
The wireless transmitter 66 communicates the asset data and asset location of each of the assets 20 detected by the tag reader 50 and determined via the geographic location XYZ from the location tracker 60. The asset data and asset location sent along a wireless communication path 67 from the wireless transmitter 66 to a wireless receiver 68 of a remote computer 70, or another moving device 40. The remote computer 70 maintains a database of the asset data and asset locations for all of the assets 20 contained within the property 2.
In certain embodiments, elements requiring power may be powered by solar panels (particularly for outdoor, and especially distant locations), or by integration into existing equipment. For example, solar panels may be used to power XBee modules (or other elements as the wireless receivers 68), as well as Decawave tags (or other elements as location anchors 62, where applicable). The present inventors have further recognized that existing equipment may be configured to serve as location anchors 62 if they remain stationary. For example, a fixed workstation (e.g., a computer, conveyor system, or other electrical equipment) may integrate a Decawave tag therein such that no additional power source is needed. By integrating location anchors 62 into existing equipment and new equipment going forward, the range and accuracy of the overall system 30 only increases over time, and with modest additional cost.
In the case of passive RFID tags as the tags 22 and an RFID reader as the tag reader 50, the range 52 of the tag reader 50 may be a circle having a radius corresponding to the maximum reading distance of its tag read path 54. As previously discussed, this range 52 for RFID is approximately 20-25 feet, corresponding to the standard reading distance of RFID technology presently available in the art. However, it should be recognized that other technologies for tags 22 and tag readers 50 are also contemplated for the disclosed system 30 and may correspond to different ranges 52. These include active RFID tags as the tags 22, which may provide a greater range 52 for reading by the tag reader 50.
In this manner, asset data is read from any tag 22 within range 52 of the tag reader 50. The present inventor has also recognized that it can be advantageous for a single asset 20 to have multiple tags 22 associated therewith, particularly for physically large assets 20. For example, in the case of a 30 foot long boat hull, a tag 22 at one end would not be readable (at least via certain, passive RFID technology) by a tag reader 50 positioned at an opposite end of the asset 20. Even for assets 20 less than 20-25 feet long, it is possible that only one portion of that asset 20 will be within the range 52 of the moving device 40 moving along its path of travel 44, and thus more assets 20 can be detected by providing multiple tags 22 with the assets 20. While the multiple tags 22 for a single asset 20 can contain identical information, having tags 22 having different information (though all having a known association with the same asset 20) allows for determining additional information relating to the positioning of the asset 20. For example, having multiple tags 22 allows for labeling the front versus the back of a large asset 20, or a preferred end for lifting.
For the moving device 40 of
With reference to the example of
It should be recognized that the present disclosure contemplates any number of tag readers 50 being located on the moving device 40. By way of non-limiting example, this includes two tag readers dividing the moving device 40 into semi-circular portions defined as being in front of and behind the center of the moving device 40, five tag readers 50 with four evenly divided in front of the moving device 40 with one behind, or 16 tag readers 50 evenly dividing the area surrounding the moving device 40 into 16 “slices”. In general, additional tag readers 50 allow for further refinement of the asset locations of assets 20 (particularly when a shield 68 is employed), and/or provide for redundancy. For example, tag readers 50 may be positioned to read within in a same vicinity as each other, but be positioned such that the signal strength of tags 22 varies between the tag readers 50 (offering further specificity of where the tag 22 is located within the vicinity).
In addition to using the quadrant-based system for identifying the asset locations of the asset 20 relative to the moving device 40 at the time of reading the tag 22, the tag reader 50 is also configured to determine a signal strength of each of the tags 22 being read. This further allows the system 30 to deduce a distance for the tag read path 54 between the tag reader 50 and the tag 22. This additional distance information allows for further refining the location of the tag 22 relative to the moving device 40 within one quadrant covering the entire possible range 52. Specifically, by knowing the determined signal strength, the possible locations of the tag 22 relative to the moving device 40 can be limited to an arc of possibilities within the quadrant associated with the corresponding one of the tag readers 50.
The location of the tag 22 may be even further refined by reading the tag 22 multiple times, either continuously or on a periodic basis. For example, if the moving device 40 of
With continued reference to
The location tracker 60 of
With continued reference to
The moving device 40 of
As previously discussed, the moving devices 40 are also configured to communicate with each other. For example, a wireless transmitter 66 of a first moving device 40 that is not within range of a wireless receiver 68 connected to the remote computer 70 may transmit the information to the computer via another moving device 40 that is within range of such a wireless receiver 68. In other words, moving devices 40 may serve as relay points for others. This extends the distance for which communication is effectively available over long distances, also potentially overcoming various sources of interference present (e.g., going around corners).
In certain examples (as shown in
The control system CS100 may be a computing system that includes a processing system CS110, memory system CS120, and input/output (I/O) system CS130 for communicating with other devices, such as input devices CS99 (e.g., wireless receiver 68) and output devices CS101 (e.g., a display for the operator of the moving device 40, or a wireless transmitter 66), either of which may also or alternatively be stored in a cloud 102. The processing system CS110 loads and executes an executable program CS122 from the memory system CS120, accesses data CS124 stored within the memory system CS120, and directs the system 30 to operate as described in further detail below.
The processing system CS110 may be implemented as a single microprocessor or other circuitry, or be distributed across multiple processing devices or sub-systems that cooperate to execute the executable program CS122 from the memory system CS120. Non-limiting examples of the processing system include general purpose central processing units, application specific processors, and logic devices.
The memory system CS120 may comprise any storage media readable by the processing system CS110 and capable of storing the executable program CS122 and/or data CS124 (e.g., the database 72 of asset data 74 and asset locations 76 for the assets 20, a map of the property 2 similar to that shown in
In this manner, the local computer 82 and/or remote computer 70 are configured to execute an algorithm (e.g., stored in the memory system CS120) to determine the asset locations of assets 20 based on the following inputs:
In other examples, the algorithm includes as inputs: the xyz location of tag reader, the EPC code read from the tag, an antenna number among the individual tag readers, an antenna strength, and timestamp. The range for reading the tag 22 is based on the strength of the antenna, in certain examples with an accuracy of 5 feet or less. The algorithm may further integrate a “quality factor” of the read for a given tag 22 based on other known-good readings. For example, if there is a strong signal reading for a tag 22 associated with a large item of known dimensions, with a relatively weaker reading from another tag 22 associated with a small item, it may be determined that the tag 22 for the small item is behind the large item (e.g., if the large item has remained stationary for a long time).
In certain examples, the algorithm is executed to identify the locations of the tags 22 via the local computer 82 (also referred to as an edge device) aboard the moving device 40, whereas in others it is executed by a remote computer 70 elsewhere (including offsite or via the cloud CS102).
In certain embodiments, the knowledge of which tag 22 it being transported by the moving device 40 further ties into manufacturing processes, for exampling starting a process or launching a calibration at a workstation for the item associated with that tag 22. In other cases, the storage locations can be optimized based on production needs and historical information to minimize the distance of travel for these assets. Additionally, the knowledge of where a given asset is located, rather than planning for an unknown amount, provides that the timing for moving assets can be more closely tied to the intended time of use. In other words, the presently disclosed system 30 provides for “just in time”, lean delivery of assets, knowing the delivery time with much greater accuracy than methods presently known in the art. Likewise, fewer moving devices 40 (and drivers thereof) are required with the presently disclosed system 30, as the system 30 eliminates the time-consuming need for driving around manually searching for a given asset.
The functional block diagrams, operational sequences, and flow diagrams provided in the Figures are representative of exemplary architectures, environments, and methodologies for performing novel aspects of the disclosure. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies included herein may be in the form of a functional diagram, operational sequence, or flow diagram, and may be described as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance therewith, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all acts illustrated in a methodology may be required for a novel implementation.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have features or structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent features or structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
