Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for generating a spatio-temporal object inventory based on object observations from mobile robots and determining, based on the spatio-temporal object inventory, monitoring parameters for the mobile robots for one or more future time periods. Some implementations relate to using the spatio-temporal object inventory to determine a quantity of movements of objects that occur in one or more areas of the environment when one or more particular criteria are satisfied—and using that determination to determine monitoring parameters that can be utilized to provide commands to one or more of the mobile robots that influence one or more aspects of movements of the mobile robots at future time periods when the one or more particular criteria are also satisfied.

A method for reading information stored in an electronic tag includes (a) initiating a tag reading process during which information stored in an electronic tag is read by an electronic reading device, (b) emitting radio signals from an antenna of the electronic tag reading device toward a predetermined area while moving the antenna, and (c) after step (b), stopping the emitting of the radio signals and the moving of the antenna. Steps (b) and (c) are repeated one or more times during the tag reading process.

A multizone equipment tracking solution includes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags affixed to items of inventoried equipment; a plurality of RFID readers deployed in a plurality of different zones, including a transit zone and a storage zone, wherein an RFID reader in a transit zone comprises a mobile reader; and a monitoring node. The RFID readers read the plurality of tags, for example from items that are in the different zones, and report the tag codes to the monitoring node. Examples permit a real-time, end-to-end view of inventoried equipment across different zones, spanning multiple, widely-dispersed storage locations, in-transit routes (for both installation delivery and decommissioning recovery), and at operational sites. Reported data, including locations, times (e.g., durations), may be advantageously mined to provide value for inventory management by locating misplaced or incorrectly-routed items, and identifying excessive transit and storage times and actual loss events.

Embodiments presented herein describe a location aware, RFID-enabled pallet mover for tracking inventory moving in a warehouse. The pallet mover includes a RFID system for detecting a pallet currently loaded on the pallet mover and a real-time location system (RTLS) tag for identifying a location of the pallet mover in the warehouse. In one embodiment, the RFID system includes an antenna and an RFID reader for detecting RFID tags in order to track inventory such as a pallet or packages. The RFID reader can communicate with the RFID tags in the environment to identify which pallet is currently loaded on the mover. In one embodiment, the RFID system waits until the pallet mover is moving before activating the RFID reader and monitoring a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of an RFID tag to determine whether the corresponding pallet is currently loaded onto the pallet mover.

A racing tracking system and process includes one or more RFID-based tower units connected to a computer. Pairs of tower units may be positioned to provide redundancy of detection so that the front of a participant and the rear of a participant (where bibs may be worn) are detected. The redundancy of RFID-based tower unit detection of front and rear worn bibs assures that all bibs will be read, and improves on the accuracy of a participant's position being confirmed.

The present invention discloses a method for predicting a tag arrival rate of a mobile Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system. The method includes: first, establishing a dynamic tag arrival model for a mobile RFID system based on modeling data and a grey model GM(1, 1); improving a weight of an initial value of a differential equation of the grey model through weighting; and predicating a tag arrival rate based on a sliding window mechanism. A weighted grey model predication algorithm based on the sliding window mechanism can be obtained, to predicate a tag arrival rate of a mobile RFID system. The method for predicting the tag arrival rate of the mobile RFID system of the present invention can reduce a prediction error rate of the system, maintain a modeling length of 4 for the system through the sliding window mechanism, and update modeling data online. The present invention features a low prediction error rate, low computational complexity, and high system stability.

A commodity RFID system is used for automatically measuring levels of soil moisture in planting containers. A large number of planting containers are used to grow pots in soil in a greenhouse. An RFID reader interrogates passive RFID tags affixed to the planting containers. The RFID reader can be attached to a robotic arm configured to move above multiple rows and columns of containers. Signal features (e.g., MRT, RSS, DMRT) of specific passive RFID tags affixed to specific ones of the containers are automatically monitored, based on the wireless interrogation of the specific tags by the reader. Soil moisture levels of specific containers are then automatically determined based on the signal features of the attached RFID tags, and effects of soilure moisture on electromagnetic fields of antennas of passive RFID tags.

A data reading device including a hangtag and a reader is provided. The hangtag includes a hangtag main body and a connection element including an RFID component, wherein the connection element passes through the hangtag main body, and two opposite ends with a first expansion and a second expansion abut against the surfaces of the hangtag main body. The reader includes a case, a reading head, and a circuit board. The case has a containing groove which has a groove shape corresponding to at least partial outer shape of the hangtag main body, the first expansion, and the second expansion. The reading head and the circuit board are set in the case, and electrically connected. When the hangtag with partial outer shape corresponding to the groove shape of the containing groove inserts in the containing groove, the RFID component corresponds to the reading head accurately to be connected rapidly.

One of the major issues with adding a driverless vehicle to a roadway, populated or not, is how that vehicle is able to keep its location in the required lane of the roadway in which it is operating. Current GPS systems that provide information to autonomous vehicles are not accurate enough for those vehicles to keep their operating positions in a lane on roadways. In inclement weather the GPS system is even less accurate and may not even function. In alternate embodiments the system can be utilized for equipment and personnel identification, such as identifying the location of construction workers and equipment at a construction site in relation to the system. This will provide benefits including, but not limited to, increasing the safety of a construction site, ensuring that only authorized personnel are present on the site and/or within a given area of the site.

An electronic pen includes: a receiver that receives tag information transmitted from an electronic tag transmitter; a transmitter that transmits a position detection signal for detecting an instruction position in a sensor of a position detection apparatus to the position detection apparatus; and a control circuit that controls the transmitter to transmit the tag information to the position detection apparatus along with the position detection signal when the receiver receives the tag information. The position detection apparatus receives a signal transmitted from the electronic pen, the signal including the tag information and the position detection signal from the electronic tag transmitter, and stores information of the position instructed by the electronic pen detected by the detection circuit in a storage device in association with the tag information from the electronic pen received by the sensor.