Movable RFID Portal for Field Container Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current information gathering systems for agricultural products lack a cost-effective and efficient method to track and gather data on products as they leave the field, as they do not have established boundaries to control the flow of goods, unlike warehouse environments.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural portal system with movable RFID stations equipped with ranging sensors, RFID readers, directional antennas, processors, GPS, and communication modules is positioned along transportation routes to detect and communicate information from RFID tags on containers, enabling accurate tracking and data collection of agricultural products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If RFID portal systems are used in warehouse environments with permanent boundaries, then tracking accuracy is improved, but the system cannot be applied to field environments without permanent infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the RFID portal system movable by mounting it on vehicles such as ATVs, UTVs, or trucks. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to adapt to different field locations and transportation routes, resolving the contradiction between maintaining tracking accuracy and adapting to environments without permanent infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable vehicle serves as an intermediary carrier that brings the RFID portal functionality to field environments. Instead of requiring the environment to accommodate the system, the system moves to the environment, enabling tracking in agricultural settings while maintaining functional equivalence to fixed warehouse portals.
2Reliability
If fixed RFID portals are installed at field entry points, then data collection reliability is improved, but installation cost and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing mobile transportation vehicles that already traverse the field entry points to carry the RFID portal equipment. This self-service approach leverages existing infrastructure (the vehicles) to provide tracking functionality, eliminating the need for separate fixed installations while maintaining data collection reliability at critical locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable RFID portal system serves multiple functions: it acts as both a tracking portal and a transportation vehicle. This multi-functionality reduces overall system cost by combining infrastructure roles, as the vehicle performs both transportation and data collection functions that would otherwise require separate fixed installations.
3Ease of manufacture
If movable RFID stations are deployed along transportation routes, then infrastructure cost is reduced, but measurement consistency may be affected by movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical fixed mounting systems with mobile mounting systems that accommodate vehicle motion. The RFID portal is designed to be mounted on moving vehicles rather than fixed structures, substituting the static mechanical support with a dynamic mobile platform that maintains measurement capability despite movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system embraces dynamics by designing the RFID portal to function effectively while moving. The movable mounting allows the portal to traverse transportation routes and collect data at various locations, reducing infrastructure requirements while maintaining measurement consistency through the dynamic positioning capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for remote, cost-effective data collection and inventory management, providing critical supply chain data from the field to processing facilities without the need for permanent infrastructure, enabling efficient product delivery and inventory control.
Implementation Method 1
An RFID portal at the door between the loading dock and warehouse can assume the first time an ID is read at the portal, the container is moving from the truck into storage
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural portal system for use along a transportation route upon which agricultural containers having a responding device are transported, the agricultural portal system including at least one movable support, at least one identification system connected to the movable support and a communications system. The at least one identification system is directed toward the transportation route. The at least one identification system receives a signal from the responding device thereby obtaining information about the agricultural containers. The communications system communicates the information.