Object Tracking via Radio Sensors and Group Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tracking systems for objects, particularly pharmaceutical products, face challenges in seamless tracking and security along the entire supply chain due to the need for individual objects to be equipped with long-range transmitters, which is costly and inefficient, and fail to record the state of objects effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising radio sensors connected to objects, a transmitting and receiving unit, and a server that records and analyzes state data via short-distance connections, identifying deviations and transmitting information about the position and state of objects via long-distance connections to a server for user display or database storage, with each sensor including a packaging condition sensor to detect whether a packaging is closed or open.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual objects are equipped with long-range transmitters for seamless tracking, then tracking reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces radio sensors as intermediary devices that attach to individual objects but communicate through a transmitting and receiving unit. This mediator approach allows individual object monitoring without requiring each object to have complex long-range transmission capabilities, thus maintaining tracking reliability while reducing device complexity at the object level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple radio sensors into groups that are monitored together by a single transmitting and receiving unit. By merging the monitoring function at the group level rather than requiring individual long-range transmitters for each object, the system achieves seamless tracking with reduced complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If individual objects are equipped with long-range transmitters for seamless tracking, then tracking coverage is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitting and receiving unit serves multiple objects simultaneously, performing universal monitoring functions for entire groups of objects. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve comprehensive tracking coverage without the prohibitive cost of equipping each individual object with its own long-range transmitter.
Solution Approach 2:
The radio sensors act as low-cost intermediaries that attach to individual objects and communicate with the shared transmitting and receiving unit. This intermediary approach enables cost-effective tracking by replacing expensive individual long-range transmitters with inexpensive sensors that leverage shared communication infrastructure.
3Measurement precision
If radio sensors transmit state data continuously, then monitoring precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radio sensors transmit state data periodically or event-driven rather than continuously. This periodic action maintains monitoring precision by capturing object states at meaningful intervals while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the transmitting and receiving unit can query sensors or sensors transmit only when state changes occur. This feedback-based approach ensures monitoring precision is maintained by capturing relevant state changes while minimizing unnecessary transmissions and energy consumption.
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective tracking of objects, records the disappearance of objects, and monitors their states, improving supply chain integrity and reducing losses by providing real-time monitoring and alerting mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
each radio sensor is configured to record measured values on the state of the object connected to it and to transmit state data on the state of the object via a short-range connection
Implementation Method 2
each radio sensor comprises a packaging condition sensor, wherein the packaging condition sensor detects whether a package containing a product is closed or open
Implementation Method 3
the means for position detection are configured to detect the position of the transmitting and receiving unit
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to the tracking of objects. Objects of the present invention are a method, a system and a computer program product for tracking objects.