RFID Heartbeat Packet Status Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RFID devices have limitations such as small memory, proprietary operating systems, and unreliability, making them unsuitable for large-scale network deployment and requiring active polling for status monitoring, which is bandwidth-intensive and undesirable.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where networked RFID devices transmit customized 'heartbeat' packets with identification and authentication information to a server, allowing for passive status determination without active polling, using a customized syslog protocol with EPC codes and time stamps, and adjusting packet transmission intervals based on device usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If active polling is used to monitor device status, then device status can be determined, but bandwidth is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the server actively polling devices to check their status, the invention inverts the approach by having devices autonomously send heartbeat packets to the server. This reversal eliminates the need for continuous polling while maintaining reliable status monitoring, thereby reducing bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables devices to self-report their status through autonomous heartbeat packets without requiring external polling. Each device independently determines when to send heartbeats based on its operational status and usage patterns, reducing the burden on network bandwidth while ensuring reliable monitoring.
2Productivity
If RFID devices are deployed in large-scale networks, then network coverage is improved, but reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a feedback mechanism where devices send heartbeat packets to report their operational status to the server. This allows the system to monitor and track the reliability of individual devices even as the network scales to include thousands of RFID devices, enabling proactive identification and resolution of reliability issues.
3Reliability
If device status is monitored continuously, then reliability is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements periodic heartbeat transmissions rather than continuous monitoring. Devices send status updates at predetermined time intervals based on their operational status and usage patterns, which maintains reliable monitoring while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption compared to continuous polling or reporting.
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 reliable and efficient monitoring of RFID device health and network status without active polling, reducing bandwidth consumption and improving reliability, especially in hostile environments.
Implementation Method 1
a first radio frequency identification ('RFID') device is instructed to transmit a first packet
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices are provided for determining the status of a networked device, e.g., a networked RFID device. In some embodiments of the invention, a customized packet is used to transmit a “heartbeat” from each of a plurality of networked devices to a server. Some such embodiments use a customized syslog packet for the heartbeats. The heartbeat includes identification information regarding the device, e.g., the unique electronic product code (“EPC”) of the device. The identification information may include other identification and/or authentication information, such as a shared secret and time data, which may be hashed with the identification information. The heartbeat may include information indicating the health, accuracy and/or reliability of the device and/or of the network that includes the device.