A hand-held RFID reader network positioning system

Abstract

The application provides a handheld RFID reader network positioning system, which comprises a handheld RFID reader, an RFID tag, a wireless device, a calculation server, the handheld RFID reader is in wireless communication with the RFID tag, the wireless device and the calculation server respectively, the RFID tag is in wireless communication with the wireless device, the handheld RFID reader transmits a radio frequency signal to activate the RFID tag and communicates with the RFID tag to obtain an electronic code EPC, the handheld RFID reader sends a broadcast packet and a subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to the wireless device, the wireless device collects and records the received radio frequency signal according to the time information in the broadcast packet and transmits the radio frequency signal to the handheld RFID reader, the handheld RFID reader packs the received radio frequency signal and the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmits the radio frequency signal and the electronic code EPC to the calculation server, the above operation is repeated until the data of all RFID tags are collected, and the calculation server calculates the positions of the corresponding tags according to the packed data and a map. The system improves the accuracy of tag positioning and reduces the cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, and in particular to a network positioning system for handheld RFID readers. Background Technology

[0002] RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a non-contact automatic identification technology that uses radio frequency signals to automatically identify target objects and acquire relevant data. Identification requires no manual intervention and can operate in various harsh environments. RFID can identify high-speed moving objects and can simultaneously identify multiple electronic tags, making it quick and convenient to use.

[0003] An RFID system is a simple wireless system with only two basic components. It is used to control, detect, and track objects. An RFID system consists of an interrogator (or reader) and many transponders (or electronic tags).

[0004] RFID is classified into low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), ultra-high frequency (UHF), and microwave (MW) according to the application frequency. The corresponding representative frequencies are: low frequency below 135KHz, high frequency 13.56MHz, ultra-high frequency 860M-960MHz, microwave 2.4GHz, and 5.8GHz, respectively.

[0005] RFID is classified into passive RFID, active RFID, and semi-active RFID according to its power supply method. Passive RFID has a short reading and writing distance and is inexpensive; active RFID can provide a longer reading and writing distance, but it requires battery power and is more expensive, making it suitable for long-distance reading and writing applications.

[0006] Components of RFID: Electronic Tag: Composed of a coupling element and a chip, each electronic tag has a unique electronic code and is attached to an object to identify the target object; Reader: A device that reads (and sometimes writes) information from electronic tags, which can be designed as handheld or fixed; Antenna: Transmits radio frequency signals between the electronic tag and the reader.

[0007] The working principle of RFID: The basic working principle of RFID technology is not complicated. After the electronic tag enters the magnetic field, it receives the radio frequency signal emitted by the reader and sends out the product information stored in the chip by using the energy obtained by the induced current (Passive Tag), or actively sends a signal of a certain frequency (Active Tag). After the reader reads and decodes the information, it sends it to the central information system for relevant data processing.

[0008] A complete RFID system consists of three parts: a reader, an electronic tag (TAG) - also known as a transponder, and an application software system. The working principle is that the reader emits radio wave energy of a specific frequency to the transponder, which drives the transponder circuit to send out the internal data. At this time, the reader receives and interprets the data in sequence and sends it to the application program for corresponding processing.

[0009] The characteristics of RFID technology have led to its widespread application in asset management, with an increasing number of enterprises using RFID for asset inventory. Currently, numerous retail enterprises both domestically and internationally have fully adopted RFID technology, tagged with RFID tags on goods in their retail stores. Using handheld RFID devices for inventory checks enables effective asset management. Simultaneously, many companies also attach asset tags to their warehouses for inventory counting. With the increasing ease of use of RFID technology, the market has demanded precise location tracking of store goods and warehouse assets, hoping to achieve accurate location determination at a lower cost. Traditional RFID technology lacks positioning capabilities; even with multi-reader, multi-antenna technology, achieving positioning within 1 meter is difficult and extremely costly. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a low-cost, easy-to-operate, and accurate positioning method. Summary of the Invention

[0010] In view of this, the present invention provides a handheld RFID reader networking positioning system to solve the above problems.

[0011] This invention provides a network positioning method for a handheld RFID reader, comprising: a handheld RFID reader 100, an RFID tag 200, a wireless device 300, the wireless device 300 having radio frequency signal acquisition capability, and a computing server 400; the handheld RFID reader 100 wirelessly communicates with the RFID tag 200, the wireless device 300, and the computing server 400 respectively, and the RFID tag 200 wirelessly communicates with the wireless device 300; the handheld RFID reader 100 transmits radio frequency signals to activate the RFID tag 200 and communicates with the RFID tag 200 to obtain the RF signal. The electronic code EPC of ID tag 200; the handheld RFID reader 100 sends a broadcast packet and subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to the wireless device 300; the wireless device 300 collects and records the received radio frequency signal according to the time information in the broadcast packet, and transmits the radio frequency signal to the handheld RFID reader 100; the handheld RFID reader 100 packages the received radio frequency signal with the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmits it to the computing server 400; the above operation is repeated until data of all RFID tags 200 are collected; the computing server 400 calculates the location of the corresponding tag according to the packaged data and the map.

[0012] In another implementation of the present invention, the handheld RFID reader 100 includes: an RFID reader module 110, a low-power communication module 120, an external data communication module 130, and a sensor 140; the RFID reader module 110 is electrically connected to the low-power communication module 120, the external data communication module 130, and the sensor 140, respectively.

[0013] In another implementation of the present invention, the RFID reader module 110 is used to emit electromagnetic waves to activate the RFID tag 200 and communicate with the RFID tag 200; the low-power communication module 120 is used to communicate with the wireless device 300; the external data communication module 130 is used to communicate with the computing server 400; and the sensor 140 includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a geomagnetic sensor, used to collect speed and position information.

[0014] In another implementation of the present invention, the RFID reader module 110 performs a filtering read operation. The Select command sent has a filtering function. All RFID tags 200 in the area will receive this command. The RFID tag 200 with the corresponding number will respond to subsequent commands, while the other RFID tags 200 will remain silent.

[0015] In another implementation of the present invention, the RFID reader module 110 is configured with frequency 1 denoted as f1 and power 1 denoted as p1, and starts sending a Select command, followed by a Query command; the RFID tag 200 responds with RN16, and the RFID reader module 110 sends an ACK command; the RFID tag 200 responds with EPC, the RFID reader module 110 sends a number of ReqRN commands, and the RFID tag 200 returns a number of RN16 commands.

[0016] In another implementation of the present invention, the wireless device 300 includes: a radio frequency receiving module 310, a low-power communication module 320, and a power supply module 330, with each module electrically connected to the others.

[0017] In another implementation of the present invention, the radio frequency receiving module 310 is used to receive the RFID signal of the RFID tag 200; the low power communication module 320 is used to communicate with the handheld RFID reader 100; and the power supply module 330 is used to supply power to the wireless device 300.

[0018] In another aspect, the present invention provides a network positioning method for a handheld RFID reader, comprising: a handheld RFID reader 100 transmitting a radio frequency signal to activate an RFID tag 200 and communicating with the RFID tag 200 to obtain the electronic code EPC of the RFID tag 200; the handheld RFID reader 100 sending a broadcast packet and a subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to a wireless device 300; the wireless device 300 collecting and recording the received radio frequency signal according to the time information in the broadcast packet, and transmitting the radio frequency signal to the handheld RFID reader 100; the handheld RFID reader 100 packaging the received radio frequency signal with the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmitting it to a computing server 400; repeating the above steps until data from all RFID tags 200 are collected; and the computing server 400 calculating the location of the corresponding tag based on the packaged data and a map.

[0019] In another aspect, the present invention provides an electronic device comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of a handheld RFID reader networking positioning method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0020] In another aspect, the present invention provides a computer storage medium, characterized in that the computer storage medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of a handheld RFID reader networking positioning method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0021] The handheld RFID reader networking positioning system of this invention introduces Helper, a low-cost, low-power RFID radio frequency receiver. It obtains more tag reflection signals through multi-point acquisition networking and collects effective associated signals and phase values ​​in conjunction with the reader's underlying communication protocol. Finally, it uses the proposed algorithm to achieve low-cost, high-precision positioning, allowing customers to accurately obtain the precise location of each item in asset management, which brings great help to the retail industry and the warehousing field. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. By reading the detailed description of the embodiments below, the advantages and benefits of the solutions will become clear to those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings are only for illustrating preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a handheld RFID reader network positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the main device configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and thoroughly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 1 A block diagram of a handheld RFID reader network positioning system provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown below. Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment mainly includes:

[0027] The device includes a handheld RFID reader 100, an RFID tag 200, a wireless device 300, the wireless device 300 having radio frequency signal acquisition capability, and a computing server 400.

[0028] For example, a handheld RFID reader is referred to as a handheld device, and a wireless device 300 is referred to as a helper. In a running system, there may be one handheld RFID reader 100, a large number of RFID tags 200, more than two wireless devices 300, and one computing server 400, which collects data from only one specific RFID tag 200 during a single positioning operation.

[0029] The handheld RFID reader 100 communicates wirelessly with the RFID tag 200, the wireless device 300, and the computing server 400, respectively, and the RFID tag 200 communicates wirelessly with the wireless device 300.

[0030] The handheld RFID reader 100 transmits radio frequency signals to activate the RFID tag 200 and communicates with the RFID tag 200 to obtain the electronic code EPC of the RFID tag 200.

[0031] The handheld RFID reader 100 sends a broadcast packet and a subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to the wireless device 300.

[0032] The wireless device 300 collects and records the received radio frequency signals according to the time information in the broadcast packet, and transmits the radio frequency signals to the handheld RFID reader 100.

[0033] The handheld RFID reader 100 packages the received radio frequency signal with the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmits it to the computing server 400.

[0034] Repeat the above steps until data from all RFID tags 200 has been collected.

[0035] The computing server 400 calculates the location of the corresponding tag based on the packaged data and the map.

[0036] The handheld RFID reader networking positioning system of this invention introduces Helper, a low-cost, low-power RFID radio frequency receiver. It obtains more tag reflection signals through multi-point acquisition networking and collects effective associated signals and phase values ​​in conjunction with the reader's underlying communication protocol. Finally, it uses the proposed algorithm to achieve low-cost, high-precision positioning, allowing customers to accurately obtain the precise location of each item in asset management, which brings great help to the retail industry and the warehousing field.

[0037] In another implementation of the present invention, such as Figure 2As shown, the handheld RFID reader 100 consists of four main components: an RFID reader module 110, a low-power communication module 120, an external data communication module 130, and a sensor 140. The RFID reader module 110 is electrically connected to the low-power communication module 120, the external data communication module 130, and the sensor 140, respectively.

[0038] In another implementation of the present invention, the RFID reader module 110 is used to emit electromagnetic waves to activate the RFID tag 200 and communicate with the RFID tag 200; the low-power communication module 120 is used to communicate with the wireless device 300, and can use a Bluetooth communication module or other communication modules for communication; the external data communication module 130 is used to communicate with the computing server 400, and can use WIFI or cellular 4G / 5G transmission, or can be directly connected via USB; the sensor 140 includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a geomagnetic sensor, etc., and is used to collect speed and position information.

[0039] In another implementation of the present invention, the RFID reader module 110 performs a filtering read operation. The Select command sent has a filtering function. All RFID tags 200 in the area will receive this command. The RFID tag 200 with the corresponding number will respond to subsequent commands, while the other RFID tags 200 will remain silent.

[0040] In another implementation of the present invention, the RFID reader module 110 is configured with frequency 1 denoted as f1 and power 1 denoted as p1, and starts sending a Select command, followed by a Query command; the RFID tag 200 responds with RN16, and the RFID reader module 110 sends an ACK command; the RFID tag 200 responds with EPC, the RFID reader module 110 sends a number of ReqRN commands, and the RFID tag 200 returns a number of RN16 commands.

[0041] In another implementation of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the wireless device 300 has three main internal components: a radio frequency receiving module 310, a low-power communication module 320, and a power supply module 330, which are electrically connected to each other.

[0042] In another implementation of the present invention, the radio frequency receiving module 310 is a very simple radio frequency acquisition circuit used to receive the RFID signal from the RFID tag 200. However, it cannot perform digital demodulation and signal transmission, nor does it support RFID communication protocols. The radio frequency receiving module 310 is low in cost and power consumption. Compared to the RFID reader module 110, its peak power consumption is only one-thousandth that of the RFID reader module 110, and its cost is only one-tenth that of the RFID reader module 110. However, its data reception communication distance is one hundred times that of the RFID reader module 110. The RFID transmitter of the RFID reader module 110 has high power consumption, and its digital demodulation and protocol stack operation also require considerable energy. The radio frequency receiving module 310 only has radio frequency signal acquisition function, so its power consumption is very low. Similarly, due to its simple structure, it does not require external components, and its cost is also very low. Since it does not need to demodulate RFID data, but only needs to acquire the analog baseband I / Q signal, its acquisition distance is much farther than that of traditional RFID. Therefore, another advantage is that a very miniaturized antenna can be used. Traditional RFID readers typically use square antennas with sides of 8cm to 40cm, while the wireless device 300 can use antennas smaller than 1cm and has a better collection distance than traditional RFID, thus also having the advantage of miniaturization.

[0043] The low-power communication module 320 is used to communicate with the handheld RFID reader 100, and can be a module using Bluetooth or other communication technologies.

[0044] The power supply module 330 is used to power the wireless device 300. Since the wireless device 300 has low power consumption, it can be powered by a battery or via a wired connection. The advantage of battery power is its simplicity of installation; and because the wireless device 300 is also small, it can be embedded in decorative items, making it aesthetically pleasing and convenient.

[0045] Example 1

[0046] Step 1: Install multiple wireless devices 300 on the roof or wall, and record the precise location of each wireless device 300. Configure the map and the location points of each wireless device 300 within the algorithm server of the computing server 400. In a typical environment, at least two wireless devices 300 should be placed; placing four or more wireless devices 300 can achieve higher positioning accuracy. Two wireless devices 300 can perform one-dimensional positioning (X-axis positioning), three wireless devices 300 can perform two-dimensional positioning (planar positioning), and four wireless devices 300 can achieve three-dimensional positioning (X, Y, and Z axes positioning).

[0047] The low-power communication module 120 in the handheld RFID reader 100 establishes a data connection with the low-power communication module 320 in the wireless devices 300, and the communication timing is determined. In some projects, calibration RFID tags 200 need to be pre-placed at specific locations for system calibration and machine learning. The electronic codes and locations of these RFID tags 200 are also stored in the computing server 400. The calibration tags can generally be removed after the system learning process is complete.

[0048] Step 2: When using a handheld RFID reader 100 to inventory RFID tags 200, the radio frequency signal emitted by the RFID reader module 110 in the handheld RFID reader 100 activates the RFID tags 200 and communicates with them to obtain their electronic codes (EPCs). Multiple RFID tags 200 within an area can be activated quickly, and all their electronic codes can be rapidly obtained. This step achieves asset identification of the RFID tags 200 within this area.

[0049] Step 3: The handheld RFID reader 100 activates the low-power communication module 120 and broadcasts a packet through the low-power communication module 120 to notify all nearby wireless devices 300 to start working, and transmits the subsequent RFID frequency hopping table. After receiving the frequency hopping table, the wireless device 300 records it and switches the RF receiver module 310 to wait for reception at the first frequency point. The broadcast packet contains communication protocols and methods, as well as reference time information. The wireless device 300 determines the moment to collect and record the RF signal received by the RF receiver module 310 based on the reference time information in the data packet.

[0050] Step 4: For one of the multiple RFID tags 200 electronically encoded, the RFID reader module 110 in the handheld RFID reader 100 performs a filtering read operation. The Select command (ISO18000-6C standard protocol) has a filtering function. All tags in this area will receive this command, but only the RFID tag 200 with the corresponding number will respond to subsequent commands. The other RFID tags 200 will remain silent. The RFID reader module 110 is configured with frequency 1 as f1 and power 1 as p1. It starts by sending the Select command, then sends the Query command. The RFID tag (200) will respond with RN16. The reader sends the ACK command, the tag responds with EPC, the reader sends the ReqRN command several more times, and the tag returns RN16 several more times. Each return data from the RFID tag 200 is a different I / Q data. The first RN16 response is recorded as Data1, the EPC response data is recorded as Data2 (the EPC data is long and can also be divided into two groups of data), the next RN16 is recorded as Datax, and so on.

[0051] Step 5: The data returned by the RFID tag 200 is load-modulated to backscatter the carrier wave transmitted by the handheld RFID reader 100 in various directions. The RFID reader module 110 in the handheld RFID reader 100 receives the reflected signal, demodulates the EPC number, and confirms that it matches the configured filtered number.

[0052] Step 6: Multiple wireless devices 300 simultaneously receive the backscattered signal from the RFID tag 200. Since the wireless devices 300 have been configured to receive the frequency f1 in step 3, the RF receiving module 310 can process this RF signal and record the I / Q signal values ​​under the analog baseband. Simultaneously, since the communication method for each communication has been specified in the broadcast packet in the above steps, the end time is known. After the communication of f1 ends, the RF receiving module 310 will quickly switch to f2 to wait for the reception of the next set of RF signals.

[0053] Step 7: After multiple wireless devices 300 have collected multiple sets of data under f1, they will send them to the handheld RFID reader 100 through the low-power communication module 320. The handheld RFID reader 100 will receive all the data from different wireless devices 300 and package it together with the corresponding tag code. This package includes the tag number and all the data of f1 under different Helper numbers.

[0054] Step 8: While transmitting data, configure f2 p2 and repeat steps 4-7, then configure f3 p3 and repeat steps 4-7. Most of the time, the RF signal acquisition by the RF receiving module 310 and the data transmission by the low-power communication module 320 occur simultaneously, which greatly improves efficiency. Since the above communication processes and commands are pre-configured, each data entry can be timestamped.

[0055] The I / Q signals in each data set can be expressed as signal strength RSSI and phase: I / Q signals are in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signal components, where I is the in-phase component and Q is the quadrature component. The signal can be expressed in complex form as: I + jQ. Signal strength is generally expressed as signal amplitude. The formula for calculating the signal amplitude A from the I / Q signals is:

[0056]

[0057] Phase:

[0058] θ=arctan2(Q,I)

[0059] Step 9: During the above process, the handheld RFID reader 100 records all current sensor 140 parameters every 10ms and adds a timestamp.

[0060] Step 10: The handheld RFID reader 100 transmits the aforementioned data and sensor data to the computing server 400 via the external data communication module 130. Then, it switches to the next tag for filtering, repeating steps 3-10. This continues until data from all tags, including calibration tags, has been collected.

[0061] Step 11: The computing server 400, which can be a cloud server or an edge server, calculates the location of the corresponding label based on the map and all the parameters mentioned above.

[0062] The location method using RSSI (Range Signal Strength Index) is as follows: For each wireless device 300 that receives a signal, the approximate distance d from the target to the node is calculated using the received RSSI value and a pre-established distance-signal strength model. For example, it can be calculated using the following formula:

[0063]

[0064] Where A is the received signal strength at 1 meter, which is related to the output power p in this project. Generally, a reference value will be given according to the environment. n is the path loss index, which is also adjusted according to the environment. Let the coordinates of the four wireless devices 300 be A(x_1,y_1,z_1), B(x_2,y_2,z_2), C(x_3,y_3,z_3), and D(x_4,y_4,z_4), respectively. Let the coordinates of the target RFID tag (200) be (x,y,z). Let the distances from the target to these four wireless devices (300) be d_A, d_B, d_C, and d_D, respectively. According to the formula for the distance between two points in space, the following set of equations can be listed:

[0065]

[0066] Theoretically, the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) of the target device can be obtained by solving this system of equations. In this patent, due to factors such as RSSI measurement error, tag antenna directivity, and uncertainties in signal propagation caused by environmental factors, a neural network calibration algorithm is required to process the data and solve the system of equations in order to improve positioning accuracy.

[0067] The neural network calibration method describes how the calibration tag also uses the same calculation method to calculate d_A, d_B, d_C, and d_D. Since the system already knows its true coordinates (x, y, z) and parameters such as the antenna azimuth angle, a calibration parameter for this region can be established, mainly focusing on the formulas corresponding to the attenuation parameters in different directions. The three components and parameters and Substituting these calibration parameters into the above equations allows for calculations with even higher accuracy. Actual algorithms can employ more parameters and more complex calculation methods.

[0068] For signals of different frequencies f1 and f2, the phase-based calculation method, according to the formula ψ=2πd / λ, yields the following relationship between the signal phase ψ and the frequency f, propagation distance d, and propagation speed v:

[0069]

[0070] Assume that at the same distance d, the phase of a signal with frequency f1 is:

[0071]

[0072] The phase of a signal with frequency f2 is:

[0073]

[0074] Then the phase difference between these two signals of different frequencies is:

[0075]

[0076] By measuring this phase difference ,get:

[0077]

[0078] Here, the velocity v is the speed of light. Similarly, the position can be calculated using d.

[0079] Phase-based distance calculation is more advantageous than RSSI, as measurement errors and tag antenna directivity have minimal impact. However, metal obstructions can have some effect on this method. To improve system accuracy, a neural network calibration method can be used, similar to step 2, but employing different frequencies and phase calibration.

[0080] This patent employs multi-frequency acquisition, which allows for the acquisition of more frequency points, significantly improving the accuracy of phase-distance-based calculations. It also utilizes multi-power excitation, generating various power values ​​and thus producing more signal strength positioning values. All the aforementioned positioning data undergoes further processing using a Kalman filter scheme (weighted by signal strength) to ultimately determine the calculated location.

[0081] By combining sensor 140 data and timestamp data, it is possible to know the changes in the state of a person shaking the handheld device in a very short period of time. Through neural network algorithms, the positioning accuracy can be supplemented, especially in terms of vertical Z-axis position.

[0082] Compared to traditional technologies:

[0083] It can achieve precise label positioning, improving from 3-10 meters in the past to within 1 meter.

[0084] The hardware cost has been significantly reduced to one-tenth of the traditional cost.

[0085] The construction is simple and only one-tenth the time of traditional methods.

[0086] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for networking and positioning a handheld RFID reader, comprising:

[0087] The handheld RFID reader 100 transmits radio frequency signals to activate the RFID tag 200 and communicates with the RFID tag 200 to obtain the electronic code EPC of the RFID tag 200.

[0088] The handheld RFID reader 100 sends a broadcast packet and a subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to the wireless device 300.

[0089] The wireless device 300 collects and records the received radio frequency signals according to the time information in the broadcast packet, and transmits the radio frequency signals to the handheld RFID reader 100.

[0090] The handheld RFID reader 100 packages the received radio frequency signal with the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmits it to the computing server 400.

[0091] Repeat the above steps until data from all RFID tags 200 has been collected.

[0092] The computing server 400 calculates the location of the corresponding tag based on the packaged data and the map.

[0093] The handheld RFID reader networking positioning method of this invention introduces a low-cost, low-power RFID radio frequency receiver called Helper. It obtains more tag reflection signals through multi-point acquisition networking and collects effective associated signals and phase values ​​in conjunction with the reader's underlying communication protocol. Finally, the proposed algorithm is used to achieve low-cost, high-precision positioning, allowing customers to accurately obtain the precise location of each item in asset management, which brings great help to the retail industry and the warehousing field.

[0094] In another aspect of the present invention, the electronic device includes: a processor, a memory, and a communication bus and a communication interface.

[0095] in:

[0096] The processor, memory, and communication interface communicate with each other via a communication bus.

[0097] A communication interface is used to communicate with other electronic devices or servers.

[0098] The processor is used to execute programs, specifically the steps of any of the handheld RFID reader networking and positioning methods described in the above embodiments.

[0099] Specifically, the program may include program code, which includes computer operation instructions.

[0100] The processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application. The one or more processors included in the smart device may be processors of the same type, such as one or more CPUs; or they may be processors of different types, such as one or more CPUs and one or more ASICs.

[0101] Memory is used to store programs. Memory may include high-speed RAM, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk drive.

[0102] Specifically, the program can be used to cause the processor to execute the steps of any of the handheld RFID reader network positioning methods described in the embodiments. The specific implementation of each step in the program can be found in the corresponding descriptions of the steps and units executed in any of the handheld RFID reader network positioning methods described above, and will not be repeated here. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the devices and modules described above can be referred to the corresponding process descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0103] An exemplary embodiment of this application also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions, wherein the computer instructions are used to cause a computer to perform the methods of various embodiments of this application.

[0104] The methods described above according to embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware, or as software or computer code that can be stored in a recording medium (such as a CD-ROM, RAM, floppy disk, hard disk, or magneto-optical disk), or as computer code originally stored on a remote recording medium or a non-transitory machine-readable medium and subsequently stored on a local recording medium, downloaded via a network. Thus, the methods described herein can be processed by software stored on a recording medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware (such as an ASIC or FPGA). It is understood that the computer, processor, microprocessor controller, or programmable hardware includes storage components (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, etc.) capable of storing or receiving software or computer code, which, when accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, implements the methods described herein. Furthermore, when a general-purpose computer accesses code used to implement the methods shown herein, the execution of the code transforms the general-purpose computer into a dedicated computer for executing the methods shown herein.

[0105] Specific embodiments of the present invention have now been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions described in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require a specific or sequential order to achieve the desired result.

[0106] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship between the components in a certain order (as shown in the figure). If the specific order changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0107] In the description of this invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for convenience in describing different components or names, and should not be construed as indicating or implying a sequential relationship, relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0108] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0109] It should be noted that although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Various modifications and variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without inventive effort within the scope described in the claims still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0110] The examples of the embodiments of the present invention are intended to concisely illustrate the technical features of the embodiments of the present invention, so that those skilled in the art can intuitively understand the technical features of the embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to be an improper limitation of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0111] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handheld RFID reader network positioning system, characterized in that, include: The system includes a handheld RFID reader (100), an RFID tag (200), a wireless device (300), and a computing server (400), wherein the wireless device (300) has radio frequency signal acquisition capabilities; The handheld RFID reader (100) communicates wirelessly with the RFID tag (200), the wireless device (300), and the computing server (400), respectively, and the RFID tag (200) communicates wirelessly with the wireless device (300); The handheld RFID reader (100) transmits radio frequency signals to activate the RFID tag (200) and communicates with the RFID tag (200) to obtain the electronic code EPC of the RFID tag (200); The handheld RFID reader (100) sends a broadcast packet and a subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to the wireless device (300); The wireless device (300) collects and records the received radio frequency signal according to the time information in the broadcast packet, and transmits the radio frequency signal to the handheld RFID reader (100). The handheld RFID reader (100) performs a filtering read operation. The Select command sent has a filtering function. All tags in the area will receive this command. The RFID tag (200) with the corresponding number responds to the subsequent command, while the other RFID tags 200 remain silent. The configuration frequency 1 of the handheld RFID reader (100) is denoted as f1, and the power 1 is denoted as p1. The handheld RFID reader (100) starts sending the Select command. The RFID tag (200) with the corresponding number responds to the subsequent command, including: the handheld RFID reader (100) sends a Query command, the RFID tag (200) responds with RN16, the handheld RFID reader (100) sends an ACK command, the RFID tag (200) responds with EPC, the handheld RFID reader (100) sends a number of ReqRN commands, and the RFID tag (200) returns a number of RN16 commands. The data returned by the RFID tag (200) is backscattered in all directions by load modulation of the carrier wave sent by the handheld RFID reader (100), wherein the handheld RFID reader (100) receives the reflected signal and demodulates the EPC number to determine that it matches the number configured for filtering; The wireless device (300) is configured with frequency f1, receives and processes the radio frequency signal at frequency f1, and records the I / Q signal values ​​under the next analog baseband. Since the reference time information is given in the broadcast packet, the end time is known. After the communication at frequency f1 ends, the wireless device (300) will quickly switch to frequency f2 to wait for the reception of the next set of radio frequency signals. After multiple wireless devices (300) have collected multiple sets of data under f1, they send them to the handheld RFID reader (100); the handheld RFID reader (100) receives all the data from different wireless devices (300) and packages it together with the corresponding tag code. This package includes the tag number and all the data of different wireless devices (300) at frequency f1. The handheld RFID reader (100) packages the received radio frequency signal with the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmits it to the computing server (400). Repeat the above steps until data from all RFID tags (200) has been collected; The computing server (400) calculates the location of the corresponding tag based on the packaged data and the map.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The handheld RFID reader (100) includes: RFID reader module (110), low power communication module (120), external data communication module (130), sensor (140); The RFID reader module (110) is electrically connected to the low-power communication module (120), the external data communication module (130), and the sensor (140), respectively.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The RFID reader module (110) is used to emit electromagnetic waves to activate the RFID tag (200) and communicate with the RFID tag (200); The low-power communication module (120) is used to communicate with the wireless device (300); The external data communication module (130) is used to communicate with the computing server (400); Sensors (140), including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, are used to collect velocity and position information.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless device (300) includes: Radio frequency receiving module (310), low power communication module (320), power supply module (330), and electrical connections between the modules.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The radio frequency receiving module (310) is used to receive the RFID signal of the RFID tag (200); The low-power communication module (320) is used to communicate with the handheld RFID reader (100); A power supply module (330) is used to supply power to the wireless device (300).

6. A method for networking and positioning handheld RFID readers, characterized in that, include: A handheld RFID reader (100) transmits radio frequency signals to activate an RFID tag (200) and communicates with the RFID tag (200) to obtain the electronic code EPC of the RFID tag (200); The handheld RFID reader (100) sends a broadcast packet and a subsequent RFID frequency hopping table to the wireless device (300); The wireless device (300) collects and records the received radio frequency signal according to the time information in the broadcast packet, and transmits the radio frequency signal to the handheld RFID reader (100). The handheld RFID reader (100) performs a filtering read operation. The Select command sent has a filtering function. All tags in the area will receive this command. The RFID tag (200) with the corresponding number responds to the subsequent command, while the other RFID tags 200 remain silent. The handheld RFID reader (100) is configured with frequency 1 as f1 and power 1 as p1. It starts sending the Select command. The RFID tag (200) with the corresponding number responds to the subsequent command, including: the handheld RFID reader (100) sends a Query command, the RFID tag (200) responds with RN16, the handheld RFID reader (100) sends an ACK command, the RFID tag (200) responds with EPC, the handheld RFID reader (100) sends a ReqRN command several more times, and the RFID tag (200) returns RN16 several more times. The data returned by the RFID tag (200) is modulated by the load, which backscatters the carrier wave sent by the handheld RFID reader (100) in various directions. The RFID reader module (110) in the handheld RFID reader (100) receives the reflected signal and demodulates the EPC number to determine that it is consistent with the configured filter number. The wireless device (300) has been configured with frequency f1, receives and processes the radio frequency signal at frequency f1, and records the I / Q signal values ​​under the next analog baseband. Since the reference time information has been given in the broadcast packet, the end time is known. After the communication at frequency f1 ends, the wireless device (300) will quickly switch to frequency f2 to wait for the reception of the next set of radio frequency signals. After multiple wireless devices (300) collect multiple sets of Data under f1, they send the data to the handheld RFID reader (100) through the low-power communication module (320). The handheld RFID reader (100) receives all the data from different wireless devices (300) and packages it together with the corresponding tag code. This package includes the tag number and all the data of different wireless devices (300) at frequency f1. The handheld RFID reader (100) packages the received radio frequency signal with the corresponding electronic code EPC and transmits it to the computing server (400). Repeat the above steps until data from all RFID tags (200) has been collected; The computing server (400) calculates the location of the corresponding tag based on the packaged data and the map.

7. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: The device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the handheld RFID reader networking positioning method as described in claim 6.

8. A computer storage medium, characterized in that, The computer storage medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the handheld RFID reader networking and positioning method as described in claim 6.

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