Beam switching method of radio frequency tag reader, radio frequency identification system and storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a beam switching method of a radio frequency tag reader, a radio frequency identification system and a storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: the reader adopts a first beam antenna to detect a radio frequency tag identification blind area; a second beam antenna required is calculated according to the radio frequency tag identification blind area information; and the reader performs beam switching according to the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna and performs radio frequency identification accordingly. The application solves the problems that in the related art, the electronic tag with a weak signal cannot be identified in a large coverage range, leading to missed reading and misreading, and the multi-antenna scanning time is too long.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular relates to a beam switching method for radio frequency tag readers, a radio frequency identification system, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, as a foundational technology in the current Internet of Things (IoT) industry, has been widely applied in IoT systems such as parking lots, campus card systems, and logistics. It primarily utilizes the spatial coupling of radio frequency signals to achieve data transmission. An RFID system generally consists of three parts: electronic tags, a reader, and an antenna. The electronic tag is attached to an item to identify the target object. The reader reads the tag information. The antenna, located on the reader, is a device for transmitting and receiving radio frequency waves, used to transmit radio frequency signals between the tag and the reader.

[0003] However, current RFID systems have some problems. For example, due to the randomness and overlapping of goods placement, electronic tags are often obstructed by improper attachment positions or other objects, which reduces the electromagnetic wave signal reflected by the electronic tag. Especially when the obstructing object is metal or liquid, the electromagnetic signal reflected by the electronic tag is greatly weakened, causing the reader to be unable to receive the corresponding signal, resulting in missed or incorrect readings of the tag.

[0004] In RFID systems, the coverage area of ​​the reader antenna determines the operating area of ​​the RF system. While a wider antenna beam ensures all electronic tags are within its coverage area, the antenna gain is limited, resulting in weaker reflected electromagnetic signals that are difficult to identify. Conversely, a narrower antenna beam, while offering higher gain and capable of receiving and identifying even weak reflected signals, has a narrower coverage area, making it difficult to read stacked goods. Current beam-switching antennas typically employ a multi-beam cyclic scanning method. After scanning one area, the antenna angle needs to be adjusted, increasing scanning time and adding instability due to the constant antenna position changes.

[0005] To address the issues of current RFID systems being unable to identify weak electronic tags within a large coverage area, leading to missed or incorrect reads, and excessively long scanning times with multiple antennas, a beam switching method for an RFID tag reader, an RFID system, and a storage medium are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention proposes a beam switching method for an RFID reader, an RFID system, and a storage medium to at least solve the problems in related technologies, such as the inability to identify weak signals of electronic tags within a large coverage area, leading to missed or incorrect readings and excessively long scanning times for multiple antennas.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a beam switching method for an RFID tag reader is provided, comprising:

[0008] The reader uses a first-beam antenna to detect blind spots in RFID tag identification;

[0009] Calculate the required second beam antenna based on the blind zone information identified by the RFID tag;

[0010] The reader switches beams based on the first and second beam antennas and performs radio frequency identification accordingly.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the step of using a first beam antenna to detect the radio frequency tag identification blind zone includes the following steps:

[0012] Deploy one or more reference tags at the edge of the object to be identified;

[0013] The reader uses a first-beam antenna to identify radio frequency tags and obtain the location distribution and signal strength of reference tags;

[0014] The width of the RFID blind zone and the signal strength required to cover the blind zone are calculated based on the location distribution and signal strength of the reference tags.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment, calculating the required second beam antenna based on the RFID tag blind zone information includes the following steps:

[0016] The weight values ​​of the antenna array combination are calculated based on the distance and / or span and / or transmission path obstruction of the antenna array elements, and the possible antenna array combinations are obtained accordingly.

[0017] Based on the width of the RFID blind zone, select one or more antenna array combinations pointing in that direction from the available antenna array combinations;

[0018] Calculate the power of the antenna array combination based on the signal strength required to cover the blind spot;

[0019] The required second-beam antenna is obtained based on the antenna array combination and the corresponding power.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, calculating the weight value of the array element combination based on the distance and / or span and / or transmission path obstruction of the antenna array elements includes the following steps:

[0021] The beam radius difference is calculated based on the difference in distance between the array elements in the antenna array and the reference tag.

[0022] The beam span influence value is calculated based on the distance and / or positional adjacency between elements in the array.

[0023] The beam blocking effect value is calculated based on the number of obstructions in the signal transmission path of the array elements in the antenna array.

[0024] The beam influence value of the array combination is calculated based on the beam radius difference value and / or beam span influence value and / or beam blocking influence value.

[0025] The weight value of the array element combination is calculated based on the negative correlation between the beam influence value and the weight value.

[0026] In one exemplary embodiment, the reader performs beam switching based on a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna for radio frequency identification (RFID), including: switching the reader from using only the first beam antenna for RFID to using only the second beam antenna for RFID; switching the reader from using only the first beam antenna for RFID to using an alternating method of the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna for RFID; and switching the reader from using only the first beam antenna for RFID to using both the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna for RFID simultaneously, or any combination of one or more of these methods.

[0027] In one exemplary embodiment, the method of using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna alternately for radio frequency identification includes any one of using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna alternately for radio frequency identification, or using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna with different transmission cycles for radio frequency identification.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the step of performing radio frequency identification using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna with different transmission cycles includes the following steps:

[0029] Obtain information about the object to be identified, including the object's moving speed, volume, and density.

[0030] The identification difficulty coefficient of an item is calculated based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or its volume and / or its density and the difficulty of identification.

[0031] The first beam antenna transmission period is calculated based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period.

[0032] The transmission period of the second beam antenna is calculated based on the positive correlation between the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item and the transmission period of the second beam antenna.

[0033] Radio frequency identification is performed by transmitting signals according to the transmission cycles of the first and second beam antennas, respectively.

[0034] In another exemplary embodiment, the radio frequency identification (RFID) using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna with different transmission cycles includes the following steps:

[0035] Obtain information about the object to be identified, including the object's moving speed, volume, and density.

[0036] The identification difficulty coefficient of an item is calculated based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or its volume and / or its density and the difficulty of identification.

[0037] The first beam antenna transmission period is calculated based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period.

[0038] The transmission period of the second beam antenna is calculated based on the relationship between the transmission period of the second beam antenna and the transmission period of the first beam antenna to ensure that the second beam signal and the first beam signal do not overlap in time.

[0039] Radio frequency identification is performed by transmitting signals according to the transmission cycles of the first and second beam antennas, respectively.

[0040] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores a computer program for electronic data interchange, wherein the computer program causes a computer to perform the above-described method.

[0041] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system is also provided, comprising:

[0042] First beam antenna;

[0043] Second beam antenna;

[0044] Reference tags;

[0045] processor;

[0046] Memory;

[0047] as well as

[0048] One or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in memory and configured to be executed by the processor of the reader, the programs causing the computer to perform the methods described above; the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna are any one of a beam-adjustable single-port antenna, a two-port antenna with two fixed beamwidths, or an independent antenna with two different beamwidths.

[0049] The advantages of the beam switching method, RFID system, and storage medium of the RFID tag reader of the present invention are:

[0050] (1) By setting reference tags at the edge of the object to be identified where it is difficult to identify and using a wide beam for large-area identification, the blind spots of radio frequency identification and the power required to cover the blind spots in a large area can be effectively identified, thereby improving the efficiency of beam switching.

[0051] (2) The weight value of the array is calculated based on the difference in distance between the array element and the reference tag in the array element combination and / or the distance between the array elements in the array element combination and / or the positional adjacency relationship and / or the number of obstructions in the signal transmission path of the array element combination in the antenna array. Based on this, the selectable antenna array element combination can be obtained. Inefficient antenna array element combinations that have a large impact on the beam can be effectively eliminated, and the generation efficiency of narrow beam antenna can be improved.

[0052] (3) Select one or more antenna arrays pointing in that direction from the available antenna arrays according to the width of the radio frequency identification blind zone. Calculate the power of the antenna arrays according to the signal strength required to cover the blind zone. Obtain the required second beam antenna according to the antenna arrays and the corresponding power. This can effectively obtain a second beam antenna that meets the requirements of covering the radio frequency tag identification blind zone.

[0053] (4) The reader switches from using the first beam antenna alone for radio frequency identification to using the second beam antenna alone and / or using the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna alternately and / or using the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna simultaneously for radio frequency identification. This not only avoids the problem of missed readings caused by signal obstruction due to accumulation when identifying item tags, but also avoids the time wastage caused by large-area narrow beam scanning, effectively improving the efficiency of radio frequency tag identification for bulk items. Attached Figure Description

[0054] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of a traditional radio frequency identification system;

[0055] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a radio frequency identification system with different beam multiport antennas according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the beam switching method of the radio frequency tag reader according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of sub-step S01 in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of sub-step S02 in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of sub-step S021 in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 7This is a flowchart of step S03 of one embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of step S03 of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0065] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0066] A schematic diagram of a traditional radio frequency identification system is shown below. Figure 1 As shown, this system is suitable for scenarios with few tags and simple item stacking structures. The reader controls the transmission method of radio frequency signals and processes and records the information returned by the tags. The antenna is used to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals; its beamwidth determines the signal coverage range, and its gain affects the signal reception strength. When processing information from multiple tags, appropriate anti-collision algorithms can be used.

[0067] In current RFID systems with numerous tags and complex stacked structures, using a wide-beam reader antenna can increase the system's coverage, but the lower antenna gain makes it difficult to receive very weak tag signals, leading to missed reads. Conversely, using a narrow-beam reader antenna with higher gain allows for reading of obscured tags, but the RFID coverage remains limited. To address this issue, embodiments of this invention employ multi-port antennas with different beamwidths, such as... Figure 2 As shown in (a), or a radio frequency identification system with two separate antennas, such as Figure 2 As shown in (b), the reader uses a beam switching algorithm to switch the antenna array combination, switch the antenna port, or switch the antenna to solve the problem of weak tag identification over a large area and the problem of wasted time in multi-beam scanning.

[0068] like Figure 2The two beam antennas shown represent a wide-beam antenna and a narrow-beam antenna, respectively. The wide-beam antenna uses a single antenna element or a small number of elements, resulting in a wide beam. The narrow-beam antenna consists of multiple array elements arranged periodically along the horizontal and vertical directions on the same substrate. They are fed by a feeding network that distributes electromagnetic energy to the array elements at different positions according to design requirements, thereby forming a narrower beam for radiation. In this embodiment, the first beam antenna is a wide-beam antenna, and the second beam antenna is a narrow-beam antenna. In another embodiment, the first beam antenna can be a narrow-beam antenna, and the second beam antenna can be a wide-beam antenna.

[0069] The beam switching method of the RFID tag reader according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in the flowchart below. Figure 3 As shown, the steps include:

[0070] Step S01: The reader uses the first beam antenna to detect the RFID tag identification blind zone;

[0071] Step S02: Calculate the required second beam antenna based on the RFID tag blind zone information;

[0072] Step S03: The reader switches beams based on the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna and performs radio frequency identification accordingly.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment, step S01 is illustrated in the flowchart below. Figure 4 As shown, the steps include:

[0074] Step S011: Deploy one or more reference tags at the edge of the object to be identified; the reference tags are distinguished by markings using special radio frequency bands or special data segments;

[0075] Step S012: The reader uses the first beam antenna to identify radio frequency tags and obtain the location distribution and signal strength of the reference tags;

[0076] Step S013: Calculate the width of the RFID blind zone and the signal strength required to cover the blind zone based on the location distribution of the reference tags and the signal strength of the reference tags.

[0077] In this implementation, reference tags are deployed at the bottom edge, endpoints, and surrounding edges of the stacked bulk goods. Each reference tag is distinguished by a specific radio frequency band or data segment marker and is assigned a number. The reader first activates its wide-beam antenna to identify the reference tags using radio frequency identification. It obtains the frequency band or data segment identification information and signal strength information of the reference tags through the tag's radio frequency signal feedback. Based on the specific frequency band or data segment marker of each reference tag, it identifies the number and location distribution of each reference tag.

[0078] The step of calculating the width of the RFID blind zone and the signal strength required to cover the blind zone based on the location distribution and signal strength of the reference tags includes the following steps:

[0079] The tag that is furthest from the reader among the identified reference tags is obtained and the distance is calculated and denoted as s1. The signal strength of the reference tag is denoted as p1.

[0080] The numbers and location distribution of unidentified reference tags are calculated based on the numbers of the deployed reference tags and the numbers of the identified reference tags;

[0081] The area formed by all unidentified reference tag locations is the RFID blind zone, and the width of the RFID blind zone is obtained from this.

[0082] Obtain the unrecognized reference tag that is furthest from the reader and calculate the distance, denoted as s2;

[0083] Calculate the required signal strength p for the coverage blind zone based on distances s1 and s2 and signal strength p1. Where P is the pre-set signal strength threshold required for tag identification, and k is a calculated coefficient obtained in advance based on antenna attenuation, antenna application environment, etc.

[0084] In this embodiment, after the reader activates the wide-beam antenna, it identifies reference tags. The numbers of unidentified reference tags are obtained by comparing the reference tag numbers. The area formed by all the unidentified reference tag locations is the RFID blind zone, and the width of the RFID blind zone is thus determined. Among the identified reference tags, the tag furthest from the reader has a distance s1 = 5 meters and a signal strength p1 = -110 dBm. Among the unidentified reference tags, the tag furthest from the reader has a distance s2 = 10 meters. The pre-set signal strength threshold for tag identification is P = -90 dBm. Based on the calculation coefficient k = 0.8 obtained through pre-training considering antenna attenuation and antenna application environment, the signal strength required to cover the blind zone is calculated based on the distances s1 and s2 and the signal strength p1.

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment, step S02 is illustrated in the flowchart below. Figure 5 As shown, the steps include:

[0086] Step S021: Calculate the weight values ​​of the antenna array combination based on the distance and / or span and / or transmission path obstruction of the antenna array elements, and obtain the selectable antenna array combination accordingly;

[0087] Step S022: Select one or more antenna array combinations pointing in that direction from the available antenna array combinations according to the width of the radio frequency identification blind zone;

[0088] Step S023: Calculate the power of the antenna array combination based on the signal strength required to cover the blind zone;

[0089] Step S024: Obtain the required second beam antenna based on the antenna array combination and corresponding power.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment, the flowchart of sub-step S021 is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the steps include:

[0091] Step S0211: Calculate the beam radius difference value based on the difference in distance between the array elements in the antenna array and the reference tag;

[0092] Step S0212: Calculate the beam span influence value based on the distance and / or positional adjacency between the elements in the array.

[0093] Step S0213: Calculate the beam obstruction impact value based on the number of obstructions in the signal transmission path of the array elements in the antenna array;

[0094] Step S0214: Calculate the beam influence value of the array combination based on the beam radius difference value and / or beam span influence value and / or beam blocking influence value;

[0095] Step S0215: Calculate the weight value of the array element combination based on the negative correlation between the beam influence value and the weight value;

[0096] Step S0216: Calculate the weight value of each antenna element combination and select antenna element combinations with weight values ​​greater than the preset weight threshold as optional antenna element combinations.

[0097] In this embodiment, the antenna array is the way to realize the second beam antenna, i.e., the narrow beam antenna, in this embodiment of the invention. Multiple array elements are periodically arranged along the horizontal and vertical directions on the same substrate. They are fed by a set of feeding networks. After selecting the array element combination according to the method described in this embodiment, the feeding network distributes electromagnetic energy to the array elements at the corresponding positions according to the design requirements, thereby forming a narrower beam for radiation.

[0098] The calculation of the beam radius difference value based on the difference in distance between the array elements in the antenna array and the reference tag is based on the positive correlation between the difference in distance between the array elements in the antenna array and the reference tag and the beam radius difference value. The beam radius difference value is represented by the variable u.

[0099] The calculation of the beam span influence value based on the distance and / or positional adjacency between elements in the array is one of the following: calculating the beam span influence value based on the positive correlation between the number of elements separated by a given element in the array and the beam span influence value; calculating the beam span influence value based on the positive correlation between the distance between elements in the array and the beam span influence value; or calculating the beam span influence value based on the positive correlation between the number of elements separated by a given element and the distance between elements in the array and the beam span influence value. The number of elements separated by a given element in the array is represented by the variable m, the distance between elements in the array is represented by the variable d, and the beam span influence value is represented by the variable v.

[0100] In Table A, A1 to A3 represent different implementation methods for calculating the beam span influence value.

[0101] Table A shows different implementation methods for calculating the influence value of beam span.

[0102]

[0103]

[0104]

[0105] The calculation of the beam obstruction impact value based on the number of obstructions in the signal transmission path of the array elements in the antenna array is based on the positive correlation between the number of obstructions in the signal transmission path of the array elements and all reference tags and the beam obstruction impact value. The beam obstruction impact value is represented by the variable w. The obstructions include walls, buildings, trees, and other objects that obstruct signal transmission.

[0106] The calculation of the beam influence value of the array element combination based on the beam radius difference value and / or beam span influence value and / or beam blocking influence value is based on the positive correlation between the beam radius difference value and / or beam span influence value and / or beam blocking influence value and the beam influence value. The beam influence value of the array element combination is represented by the variable z.

[0107] In Table B, B1 to B7 represent different implementation methods for calculating the beam influence value of the array combination. The beam radius difference value u, beam span influence value v, and beam blocking influence value w involved in Table B are obtained using the formulas in the above implementation methods.

[0108] Table B shows different implementation methods for calculating the beam influence values ​​of array element combinations.

[0109]

[0110]

[0111]

[0112]

[0113]

[0114]

[0115]

[0116] The calculation of the weight value of the antenna element combination based on the negative correlation between the beam influence value and the weight value is performed by calculating the weight value of the antenna element combination based on the beam influence value z of the combination. Or x = o2·z o3 , where o1, o2, and o3 are calculated coefficients obtained through prior training.

[0117] In this embodiment, taking an antenna array as an example, there are a total of 6 antenna elements in the network. The antenna elements can be combined individually, or in pairs or more (more than 2) combinations. Here, we select the pairwise combination of 5 antenna elements as an example. In practical applications, all permutations and combinations should be considered. Numbering the 5 antenna elements, the possible pairwise combinations are {1,2},{1,3},{1,4},{1,5},{2,3},{2,4},{2,5},{3,4},{3,5},{4,5}. The beam influence value z of the antenna element combination {1,2} is calculated according to the method described in any item of Table B. 12 =0.7, beam influence value z of element combination {1,3} 12 =0.8, beam influence value z of element combination {1,3} 13 =1, beam influence value z of array combination {1,4} 14 =1.5, beam influence value z of array combination {1,5} 14 =0.9, beam influence value z of array combination {2,3} 23 =0.7, beam influence value z of array combination {2,4} 24 =1.2, beam influence value z of array combination {2,5} 25 =1.2, beam influence value z of array combination {3,4} 34 =0.6, beam influence value z of array combination {3,5} 35 =1.5, beam influence value z of array combination {4,5} 34 =1, the pre-trained calculation coefficient o1=0.6, thus calculating the weight value of the array combination {1,2}. Calculate the weight values ​​of the element combination {1,3} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {1,4} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {1,5} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {2,3} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {2,4} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {2,5} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {3,4} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {3,5} Calculate the weight value of the array element combination {4,5}

[0118] A combination threshold X=0.5 is preset in advance according to requirements such as data transmission delay requirement, received power requirement or network quality, wherein the weight value x of the array element combination {1,4} 14 =0.4 < X=0.5, and the weight value x of the array element combination {3,5} 35 =0.4 < X=0.5; the array element combinations {1,4} and {3,5} are deleted from the array element combinations, and the remaining array element combinations are the optional antenna array element combinations {1,2}, {1,3}, {1,5}, {2,3}, {2,4}, {2,5}, {3,4}, {4,5}.

[0119] The step of selecting one or more antenna array element combinations pointing to the direction of the radio frequency identification blind area from the optional antenna array element combinations according to the width of the radio frequency identification blind area refers to selecting one or more antenna array element combinations pointing to the position and width of the blind area from the optional antenna array element combinations {1,2}, {1,3}, {1,5}, {2,3}, {2,4}, {2,5}, {3,4}, {4,5} according to the radio frequency identification blind area identified in the above implementation mode, wherein the antenna array element combinations pointing to the position and width of the blind area are {1,2} and {2,3}.

[0120] The step of calculating the power of the antenna array element combination according to the signal strength required for covering the blind area refers to calculating the power q corresponding to the signal strength p required for covering the blind area according to the relationship between antenna power and transmitted signal strength, and the obtained power q is the power of the antenna array element combination.

[0121] The required second beam antenna is exactly the array element combinations {1,2} and {2,3} in the antenna array, and the power of the antenna array element combinations is q. The feed network distributes corresponding electromagnetic energy to the array element combinations {1,2} and {2,3} according to the power q of the antenna array element combinations, so as to form a second beam for radiation.

[0122] In an exemplary embodiment, in step S03, the reader switches from using only the first beam antenna for RFID to using only the second beam antenna for RFID. In this embodiment, the reader switches from using only the wide beam antenna for RFID to using only the second beam antenna (narrow beam antenna) calculated in the above embodiment for RFID.

[0123] In another exemplary embodiment, in step S03, the reader switches from using only the first beam antenna for RFID to simultaneously using both the first and second beam antennas. In this embodiment, the reader switches from using only the wide-beam antenna for RFID to simultaneously using both the original first beam antenna (wide-beam antenna) and the second beam antenna (narrow-beam antenna) calculated in the above embodiment. The wide and narrow beams transmitted simultaneously must be at different frequencies.

[0124] In another exemplary embodiment, in step S03, the reader switches from using only the first beam antenna for RFID to using an alternating combination of the first and second beam antennas for RFID. In this embodiment, the reader switches from using only a wide-beam antenna for RFID to alternating between the original first beam antenna (wide-beam antenna) and the second beam antenna (narrow-beam antenna) calculated in the above embodiment for RFID. Only one beam exists at a time, so the first beam antenna (wide-beam antenna) and the second beam antenna (narrow-beam antenna) can operate at the same frequency.

[0125] In another exemplary embodiment, in step S03, the reader switches from using only the first beam antenna for radio frequency identification to using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna with different transmission cycles for radio frequency identification, as shown in the flowchart below. Figure 7 As shown, it includes:

[0126] Step S031: Obtain information about the object to be identified, including the object's moving speed information, the object's volume information, and the object's density information;

[0127] Step S032: Calculate the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or the item's volume and / or the item's density and the identification difficulty.

[0128] Step S033: Calculate the first beam antenna transmission period based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period;

[0129] Step S034: Calculate the transmission period of the second beam antenna based on the positive correlation between the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item and the transmission period of the second beam antenna;

[0130] Step S035: Transmit signals according to the first beam antenna transmission period and the second beam antenna transmission period respectively for radio frequency identification.

[0131] In this embodiment, the item to be identified is a large moving item. The moving speed of the item is obtained based on the speed of the conveyor belt. The large item is approximated as a cube, and its length, width, and height are obtained to obtain its volume. The density of the item is obtained based on the ratio of the item's weight to its volume.

[0132] The calculation of the identifiability difficulty coefficient of an item based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or its volume and / or its density and the identification difficulty is any one of the following: calculating the identifiability difficulty coefficient based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and the identification difficulty coefficient, calculating the identifiability difficulty coefficient based on the positive correlation between the item's volume and the identification difficulty coefficient, calculating the identifiability difficulty coefficient based on the positive correlation between the item's density and the identification difficulty coefficient, calculating the identifiability difficulty coefficient based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and its volume and the identification difficulty coefficient, calculating the identifiability difficulty coefficient based on the positive correlation between the item's volume and its density and the identification difficulty coefficient, and calculating the identifiability difficulty coefficient based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed, its volume and its density and the identification difficulty coefficient, where the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item is represented by variable a.

[0133] The calculation of the first beam antenna transmission period based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period is the calculation of the first beam antenna transmission period. Where h1 is the basic period value of the first beam antenna obtained through pre-training.

[0134] The calculation of the second beam antenna transmission period based on the positive correlation between the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item and the transmission period of the second beam antenna is to calculate the transmission period of the first beam antenna t2 = h2·a, where h2 is the basic period value of the first beam antenna obtained through prior training.

[0135] Radio frequency identification is performed by transmitting signals according to the transmission cycles of the first and second beam antennas, respectively. Therefore, there may be a time overlap between the first and second beam antennas, and the first and second beam antennas need to transmit signals at different frequencies.

[0136] In another exemplary embodiment, in step S03, the reader switches from using only the first beam antenna for radio frequency identification to using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna with different transmission cycles for radio frequency identification, as shown in the flowchart below. Figure 8 As shown, the steps include:

[0137] Step S03'1: Obtain information about the object to be identified, including the object's moving speed information, the object's volume information, and the object's density information;

[0138] Step S03'2: Calculate the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or the item's volume and / or the item's density and the identification difficulty.

[0139] Step S03'3: Calculate the first beam antenna transmission period based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period;

[0140] Step S03'4: Calculate the transmission period of the second beam antenna based on the relationship between the transmission period of the second beam antenna and the transmission period of the first beam antenna to ensure that the second beam signal and the first beam signal do not overlap in time;

[0141] Step S03'5: Transmit signals according to the first beam antenna transmission period and the second beam antenna transmission period respectively for radio frequency identification.

[0142] In this embodiment, the method described in the above embodiments is used to calculate the identifiability difficulty coefficient 'a' of the item and the transmission period of the first beam antenna. Where h1 is the basic period value of the first beam antenna obtained through pre-training;

[0143] To ensure that the second beam signal and the first beam signal do not overlap in time, the period of the first beam signal should be an integer multiple of the period of the second beam signal. The transmission period of the second beam antenna is then calculated. Where b is the pre-set periodic adjustment multiple.

[0144] Since the first beam and the second beam do not overlap in time, the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna can transmit signals of the same or different frequencies.

[0145] An embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for electronic data interchange, wherein the computer program causes a computer to perform the methods of any of the above embodiments.

[0146] A schematic diagram of the beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown below. Figure 9 As shown, the feature includes:

[0147] First beam antenna;

[0148] Second beam antenna;

[0149] Reference tags;

[0150] processor;

[0151] Memory;

[0152] as well as

[0153] One or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in memory and configured to be executed by the reader's processor, the programs enabling the computer to perform the methods of any of the above embodiments; the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna are beam-adjustable single-port antennas.

[0154] In another exemplary embodiment, the beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system of the present invention is illustrated as follows: Figure 10 As shown, the feature includes:

[0155] First beam antenna;

[0156] Second beam antenna;

[0157] Reference tags;

[0158] processor;

[0159] Memory;

[0160] as well as

[0161] One or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in memory and configured to be executed by the processor of a reader, the programs enabling the computer to perform the methods of any of the above embodiments; the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna employ two dual-port antennas with fixed beamwidths.

[0162] In another exemplary embodiment, the beam-switching-based radio frequency identification system of the present invention is illustrated as follows: Figure 11 As shown, the feature includes:

[0163] First beam antenna;

[0164] Second beam antenna;

[0165] Reference tags;

[0166] processor;

[0167] Memory;

[0168] as well as

[0169] One or more programs, wherein the programs are stored in memory and configured to be executed by the reader's processor, the programs enabling the computer to perform the methods of any of the above embodiments; the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna employ two independent antennas with different beamwidths. The independent antennas may be placed in the same location or on either side of the object to be identified.

[0170] Of course, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any changes or modifications to the above embodiments that are within the scope of the present invention will fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A beam switching method for an RFID tag reader, characterized in that, include: The reader uses a first beam antenna to detect the RFID tag identification blind zone; the step of using the first beam antenna to detect the RFID tag identification blind zone includes: deploying one or more reference tags at the edge of the item to be identified; The reader uses a first-beam antenna to identify radio frequency tags and obtain the location distribution and signal strength of reference tags; Calculate the width of the RFID blind zone and the signal strength required to cover the blind zone based on the location distribution and signal strength of the reference tags; The calculation of the required second beam antenna based on the blind zone information of the RFID tag identification includes the steps of: calculating the weight value of the array element combination based on the distance and / or span and / or transmission path obstruction of the antenna array elements and thereby obtaining the selectable antenna array combination; Based on the width of the RFID blind zone, select one or more antenna array combinations pointing to the location and width of the blind zone from the available antenna array combinations; calculate the power of the antenna array combination based on the signal strength required to cover the blind zone; obtain the required second beam antenna based on the antenna array combination and the corresponding power; The reader switches beams based on the first and second beam antennas and performs radio frequency identification accordingly.

2. The beam switching method for an RFID tag reader according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of calculating the weight value of the antenna array combination based on the distance and / or span and / or transmission path obstruction of the antenna array elements includes the following steps: The beam radius difference is calculated based on the difference in distance between the array elements in the antenna array and the reference tag. The beam span influence value is calculated based on the distance and / or positional adjacency between elements in the array. The beam blocking effect value is calculated based on the number of obstructions in the signal transmission path of the array elements in the antenna array. The beam influence value of the array combination is calculated based on the beam radius difference value and / or beam span influence value and / or beam blocking influence value. The weight value of the array element combination is calculated based on the negative correlation between the beam influence value and the weight value.

3. The beam switching method for an RFID tag reader according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reader performs beam switching based on the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna and performs radio frequency identification accordingly, including: the reader switching from using the first beam antenna alone to using the second beam antenna alone; the reader switching from using the first beam antenna alone to using the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna alternately; the reader switching from using the first beam antenna alone to using the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna simultaneously, any one or more combinations thereof.

4. The beam switching method for an RFID tag reader according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method of using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna alternately for radio frequency identification includes any one of the following: using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna alternately for radio frequency identification, or using a first beam antenna and a second beam antenna with different transmission cycles for radio frequency identification.

5. The beam switching method for an RFID tag reader according to claim 4, characterized in that, The radio frequency identification (RFID) using a first-beam antenna and a second-beam antenna with different transmission cycles includes the following steps: Obtain information about the object to be identified, including the object's moving speed, volume, and density. The identification difficulty coefficient of an item is calculated based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or its volume and / or its density and the difficulty of identification. The first beam antenna transmission period is calculated based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period. The transmission period of the second beam antenna is calculated based on the positive correlation between the identifiability difficulty coefficient of the item and the transmission period of the second beam antenna. Radio frequency identification is performed by transmitting signals according to the transmission cycles of the first and second beam antennas, respectively.

6. The beam switching method for an RFID tag reader according to claim 4, characterized in that, The radio frequency identification (RFID) using a first-beam antenna and a second-beam antenna with different transmission cycles includes the following steps: Obtain information about the object to be identified, including the object's moving speed, volume, and density. The identification difficulty coefficient of an item is calculated based on the positive correlation between the item's moving speed and / or its volume and / or its density and the difficulty of identification. The first beam antenna transmission period is calculated based on the negative correlation between the object's identifiability difficulty coefficient and the first beam antenna transmission period. The transmission period of the second beam antenna is calculated based on the relationship between the transmission period of the second beam antenna and the transmission period of the first beam antenna to ensure that the second beam signal and the first beam signal do not overlap in time. Radio frequency identification is performed by transmitting signals according to the transmission cycles of the first and second beam antennas, respectively.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for electronic data interchange, wherein, The computer program causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. A radio frequency identification system based on beam switching, characterized in that... include: First beam antenna; Second beam antenna; Reference tags; processor; Memory; as well as One or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in memory and configured to be executed by the processor of a reader, the programs causing the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6; the first beam antenna and the second beam antenna are any one of a beam-adjustable single-port antenna, a two-port antenna with two fixed beamwidths, or an independent antenna with two different beamwidths.

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