RFID Tag Positioning via Multi-Position Reading and Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless tag communication devices can only estimate the direction of an RFID tag's location, making it difficult for operators, especially those unfamiliar with the operation, to find the tag efficiently since they do not provide the tag's position.
Innovation Solution
A wireless tag communication device equipped with a position detection sensor, memory, and processor that communicates with RFID tags, estimates the position of the tag by reading tag information at multiple positions and storing reading results to determine the tag's location based on overlapping reading areas, allowing for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the wireless tag communication device only displays direction estimation results, then the device complexity is reduced, but the search time for operators increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from providing only directional information (one dimension) to providing both directional and positional information (adding spatial dimension). The processor calculates the tag's position coordinates based on reading results from multiple positions, and the display unit shows this positional information on a map or plan view, enabling operators to locate tags more efficiently by seeing both where to look and what to expect to find.
2Loss of information
If the device provides only direction estimation, then the information processing requirement is reduced, but the ease of operation for unfamiliar operators deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of the tag's position coordinates based on reading results from multiple positions before the operator needs to search. By pre-processing the spatial information and presenting it as concrete positional data on a display map, the system reduces the cognitive load on operators and eliminates the need for them to mentally process directional estimates and translate them into search locations.
3Measurement precision
If the device reads tags at multiple positions and calculates position coordinates, then the measurement precision of tag location is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from reading results obtained at multiple different positions to iteratively calculate and refine the tag's position coordinates. The processor analyzes the spatial pattern of readings and adjusts the estimated position based on this feedback, improving measurement precision through multiple measurements and computational refinement without requiring overly complex hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a wireless tag communication device and a wireless tag search method capable of specifying a location where an RFID tag exists. According to one embodiment, a wireless tag communication device includes a communication device, a position detection sensor, a memory, and a processor. The communication device communicates with a wireless tag that is a target. The position detection sensor detects information indicating a self position. The memory stores the self position, which is specified based on the information detected by the position detection sensor, in association with a reading result of reading a wireless tag by the communication device. The processor specifies a position of the wireless tag based on reading results of the wireless tag obtained at a plurality of different positions that are stored in the memory.