Double-Row RFID Tag Layout for Precise Industrial Vehicle Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial vehicle control systems face challenges in efficiently navigating and operating within complex facilities due to limitations in existing RFID tag-based navigation technologies, which struggle to accurately manage vehicle functionality and positional data in dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a tag layout with double rows of tags arranged in an n×m matrix, where inner and outer rows are spaced differently to enable precise detection by sensors, allowing for the correlation of vehicle functionality with specific tags, thereby controlling operational functions such as speed and height based on positional data and travel direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single row of RFID tags is used for navigation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability of vehicle positioning deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tag layout is segmented into multiple rows (inner row and outer row) with different functions. The inner row tags are used for detecting vehicle entry into the ingress/egress zone, while the outer row tags detect vehicle exit. This segmentation allows the system to determine both entry and exit events with high precision using a relatively simple linear arrangement of tags along the vehicle travel plane.
2Measurement precision
If tags are densely spaced to improve detection accuracy, then the measurement precision improves, but the loss of time for tag detection and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tag spacing is optimized locally for different detection purposes. Tags are spaced to ensure that when the vehicle sensor transits across the tag row, the system can accurately determine which specific tag was detected first (for entry detection) or last (for exit detection). The spacing is sufficient to provide clear spatial discrimination but not so dense as to create excessive processing overhead.
3Ease of manufacture
If the tag layout is simplified to reduce implementation cost, then the ease of manufacture improves, but the adaptability to different vehicle travel directions and points of origin deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an asymmetric tag layout with distinct inner and outer rows that are not mirror images of each other. The inner row is positioned closer to the aisle path centerline while the outer row is positioned farther away. This asymmetric arrangement, combined with the logic that compares detection sequences, allows the system to adapt to vehicles traveling in either direction along the aisle path, as the relative positions of detected tags will naturally indicate the direction of travel.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an industrial facility is provided comprising a tag layout and at least one ingress/egress zone. The tag layout comprises at least one double row of tags. The ingress/egress zone is located outside of an area of the vehicle travel plane occupied by the aisle path and is bounded in its entirety by the double row of tags, by two or more double rows of tags, by a combination of one or more double rows of tags and one more selected facility boundaries, or by combinations thereof. The double row of tags is arranged in an n×m matrix that is configured for successive detection of the inner and outer rows of tags that is dependent on the point-of-origin of a sensor transit path across the double row of tags. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.