DEVICE COMPRISING RFID TAGS FOR MONITORING STORAGE AND/OR TRANSPORT CONDITIONS OF ARTICLES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

Abstract

An assembly that includes a plurality of articles, passive or semi-passive RFID tags arranged on the articles, each including at least one unique identifier, in particular recorded in a non-rewritable memory, the tag being configured to transmit, when interrogated, at least the unique identifier of the tag, and a hub including at least one RFID reader, present within the articles, with articles arranged on either side of the hub along at least two directions of an orthonormal reference frame associated with the hub, the latter being arranged in such a way as to be able, by at least one reading antenna, to interrogate at least the RFID tags of articles arranged in said directions, the hub being configured to receive data from the interrogated RFID tags.

Claims

1-42. (canceled)

43. An assembly comprising: a plurality of articles; passive or semi-passive RFID tags arranged on the articles, each comprising at least one unique identifier, in particular recorded in a non-rewritable memory, the tag being configured to transmit, when interrogated, at least the unique identifier of the tag; and a hub comprising at least one RFID reader, present within the articles, with articles arranged on either side of the hub along at least two directions of an orthonormal reference frame associated with the hub, the latter being arranged in such a way as to be able, by means of at least one reading antenna, to interrogate at least the RFID tags of articles arranged in said directions, the hub being configured to receive data from the interrogated RFID tags.

44. An assembly comprising: a plurality of articles; passive or semi-passive RFID tags arranged on the articles, each comprising at least one unique identifier, in particular recorded in a non-rewritable memory, the tag being configured to transmit, when interrogated, at least the unique identifier of the tag; and a hub comprising at least one RFID reader, present within the articles, with articles arranged on either side of the hub along at least one direction of an orthonormal reference frame associated with the hub, the latter being arranged in such a way as to be able, by means of at least one reading antenna, to interrogate at least the RFID tags of articles arranged in said direction, the hub being configured to receive data from the interrogated RFID tags, wherein the hub is arranged for the recording of data transmitted by the RFID tags.

45. The assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein data transmitted by the tag result from a functionalization of an antenna of the tag, such that said antenna is rendered sensitive to said environmental parameter.

46. The assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein the hub is configured for storing in the tags information associated with data received, specifically at least one item of information associated with the environment of the latter, specifically the variation of at least one environmental parameter.

47. The assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein the hub is configured to select tags according to their unique identifiers, in order to permit the logging of those in which the representative data for at least one environmental parameter has breached a predefined threshold.

48. The assembly as claimed in claim 43, wherein the hub is configured to record information associated with the environmental parameter in tags, the representative data for at least one environmental parameter of which has breached a predefined threshold.

49. The assembly as claimed in claim 48, wherein information is recorded in a memory zone of the tag, which is accessible in write mode, specifically in the form of a code indicating that the representative data for the environmental parameter has exceeded the predefined threshold, specifically a binary value of 0 or 1, wherein the code can additionally contain a value corresponding to the duration of the overshoot of the predefined threshold value by the representative data for the environmental parameter.

50. The assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein the hub is of identical dimensions to the articles, or a multiple thereof, in order to permit the stacking of the hub together with the articles.

51. The assembly as claimed in claim 43, wherein the hub is designed to record data transmitted by the RFID tags.

52. The assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein the RFID tags are UHF tags, each of which preferably has a dipole antenna.

53. The assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein the hub, specifically in the presence of semi-passive tags, is designed, in common with the latter, to permit data exchanges between the hub and the tags, in order to modify the manner in which the latter operate, and specifically for the reprogramming thereof.

54. A method for monitoring conditions of storage and/or transport to which articles are exposed in an assembly as claimed in claim 44, wherein RFID tags are interrogated by means of said reader, wherein the hub transmits and/or stores an alert on a tag, where it loses contact with an article for a predefined period.

55. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein the hub executes the storage in tags of information associated with data received further to interrogation, specifically at least one item of information associated with the monitoring of a predefined parameter, specifically the variation of at least one environmental parameter.

56. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein the hub selects tags according to their unique identifiers, in order to log those in which the representative data for at least one environmental parameter has breached a predefined threshold.

57. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein the hub records information associated with the environmental parameter in tags, the representative data for at least one environmental parameter of which has breached a predefined threshold, specifically on the fly, further to the interrogation of each tag, or only once all the tags have been interrogated.

58. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein the hub records information indicating that, conversely, no anomaly has been detected in the same memory zone of the tags of articles, the environmental parameter of which has not exceeded the predefined threshold.

59. A packaging method for the constitution of an assembly as defined in claim 44, comprising the following steps: the stacking of a plurality of articles, each of which carries a RFID tag, each incorporating a unique identifier in its memory; and the provision within the plurality of articles, specifically at the center thereof, of a hub incorporating a RFID reader which is configured to read the tags on the stacked articles, wherein the hub incorporates, it its memory, an information file on the position of articles within the assembly, together with identifiers for the corresponding tags.

60. The method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the hub is not aware in advance of the identifiers of articles according to their position within the stack, and this information is only transmitted to the hub during, or upon the completion of the packaging process, specifically once all the articles are in place.

61. The method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the hub receives, during the construction of the stack, information by way of notification of the identifier for the tag of the article which is in the course of positioning, together with its location within the assembly, where applicable.

62. The method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the hub is configured such that it independently determines, for example by the use of a plurality of antennae, the location of a tag and of the associated article within the stack, by pseudo-triangulation.

Description

[0081] Understanding of the invention will be clarified by the following detailed description of non-limiting examples of embodiment of the latter, and by the examination of the attached drawing, in which:

[0082] FIG. 1 shows a schematic and partial representation of an assembly comprising a plurality of articles and a hub according to the invention,

[0083] FIG. 2 shows a separate partial and schematic representation of the hub in FIG. 1,

[0084] FIG. 3 shows a front view of an antenna of the hub,

[0085] FIG. 4 illustrates the connection of antennae of the hub,

[0086] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram illustrating exchanges of data and energy between the various constituent elements of the hub represented in FIG. 1,

[0087] FIG. 6 shows an example of a RFID tag fitted to articles which are arranged within the reading field of the hub,

[0088] FIGS. 7 and 8, in analogous views to FIG. 6, show variants of the embodiment of tags.

[0089] FIG. 1 represents an assembly 1 according to the invention, comprising a plurality of articles 10, only two of which are represented by broken lines, and a hub 20 executed according to the invention.

[0090] The articles 10 are, for example, boxes, each of an essentially parallelepipedic shape, stacked in three directions X, Y and Z of an orthonormal reference frame associated with the hubs 20.

[0091] The articles 10 are stacked, for example, on a pallet 11, preferably of a standardized format.

[0092] Articles 10 may be contained in a timber or cardboard box arranged on the pallet 14 or, as a variant, may be covered by a film wrap, for example a thermo-shrink film, in order to maintain the cohesion of the stack during the transport and handling of the pallet 11.

[0093] According to one aspect of the invention, the hub 20 is preferably arranged substantially in the center of the stack of articles 10, i.e. articles 10 are arranged on either side of the hub 20 in each of the directions X, Y and Z.

[0094] An exemplary hub 20 is represented in FIG. 2.

[0095] Preferably, the latter assumes a generally parallelepipedic shape, advantageously of the same format as the articles 10, or to multiple format of the dimensions of one article 10, such that the hub 20 can be easily incorporated into the stack of articles 10 without creating an offset in any of the directions X, Y and Z. As a variant, the hub 20 has dimensions which are smaller than or equal to the volume of one article 10.

[0096] The hub 20 may be provided, on each of its six sides, with an antenna 21, which is represented schematically in FIG. 3, wherein the antennae 21 are connected by a multiplexer 22 to the remainder of the electronic circuit of a RFID reader 23, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The reader 23 permits the interrogation of RFID tags 30 which are present on all or some of the articles 10 and, where the latter are passive, supplies all the energy which is required for their operation.

[0097] The hub 20, in addition to the RFID reader 23, comprises a central processing unit 24 which manages the operation of the various elements of the hub 20, wherein this central unit has a memory 25 in which various information may be stored, as detailed hereinafter. The memory 25 may be constituted, at least in part, by a memory card, for example of the micro-SD type.

[0098] The hub 20 is also provided with a battery 26 and a power supply management module 27 which permits the recharging of the battery 26, via a cable or by induction.

[0099] The hub 20 may also be equipped with a satellite location antenna 50 and a corresponding module 51, for example a GPS module, together with an antenna for the provision of connectivity with telecommunication networks, and a corresponding module 54, for example a GSM or SIGFOX or LORA module, and an antenna for the provision of local connectivity 55, together with the corresponding module 56, for example a WiFi, Bluetooth or LiFi module.

[0100] Where applicable, a single antenna can simultaneously provide connectivity with telecommunication networks and local connectivity.

[0101] The hub 20 can also comprise a wired bus 58, for example of the Ethernet or USB type.

[0102] Each tag 30 comprises, for example, a RFID chip 31 and an antenna 32, for example of the UHF dipole type.

[0103] The tag 30 can also comprise an external sensor 33 which is, for example, carried by the tag 30 or is connected to the latter, for example by a wired connection.

[0104] The sensor 33 is sensitive to at least one environmental parameter for the tag, selected, for example, from the following: temperature, humidity, acceleration, pressure, orientation, impacts, exposure to oxygen, the presence of a given gas, the presence of given analytes, exposure to light or exposure to radiation, specifically UV, IR or ionizing radiation. The sensor 33 is selected in accordance with the type of articles 10 and the nature of the monitoring to be undertaken.

[0105] The article Passive UHF RFID Tag with Multiple Sensing Capabilities by Jose Fernadez-Salmeron et al, Sensors 2015, 15, 26769-26782 discloses examples of tags equipped with sensors.

[0106] In variants of the deployment of the invention, all or some of the tags 30 are semi-passive, i.e. additionally comprise a cell or a battery 34, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0107] In the variant illustrated in FIG. 8, the tag does not comprise a specific sensor, but an antenna 32 which is functionalized, in other words, the tuning of which varies according to an environmental parameter. This variation may be detected by the hub 20 in conjunction with reading, such that the tag 30 can notify the latter of the environmental parameter. The article InlsetPrinted Humidity Sensor For Passive UHF RFID Systems, by Tulra Virtanen et al. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 60, No. 8, August 2011, describes examples of tags with a functionalized antenna.

[0108] In the case of passive RFID tags 30, the hub 20 supplies energy for the activation of tags 30, thereby permitting the latter to operate.

[0109] In the case of semi-passive tags 30, the latter may transmit information when interrogated by the hub.

[0110] The presence of the hub 20 within the assembly of articles 10 permits the easier retention of the articles 10 within the range of the RFID reader 23 of the hub 20, thereby ensuring the reading of tags 30 on all the articles 10.

[0111] The presence of six antennae 21 on the respective sides of the housing of the hub 20 is conducive to the reading of tags in each of the three directions X, Y and Z. This can also permit location by pseudo-triangulation, as explained above.

[0112] The presence of the hub 20 and of at least one article 10 equipped with a tag 30 permits the monitoring of environmental conditions to which the assembly 1 is exposed during the handling and transport thereof. For example, the hub 20 periodically interrogates one or more tags 30, and permits the identification of movements in the environmental parameter over time. Upon an interrogation of a tag 30, the latter responds by transmitting its identifier, which is unique and, in the case of a tag having an external sensors 33, as illustrated in FIG. 6, information relating to the environmental parameter detected by the sensor 33. Information received may be stored in the memory 25. The history of the environmental parameter may be read upon the reception of the assembly 1 at its destination.

[0113] As a variant, data are transmitted by the hub 20 over time to an external server, for example via the telecommunications network to which the antenna 53 is dedicated, or via a local network.

[0114] Where applicable, data received from the tags 30 are associated with positional data for the hub 20, i.e. the hub 20 records not only the environmental parameters notified by the sensor or sensors of the tags 30, but also the position of the hub 20 upon the reception of this data from the tags 30. Accordingly, the hub 20 can constitute a table which simultaneously indicates the movement of one or more environmental parameters, but also the position of the assembly 1 at the time of recording of said parameters.

[0115] The hub 20 can also assume a useful role during the constitution of the assembly 1 by recording, for example progressively as the articles 10 are stacked, the identifier of the corresponding tag 30 and, where applicable, the location of the tag and the corresponding article within the assembly 1.

[0116] For the execution of this location, the hub 20 determines, for example, which of the antennae 21 fitted to its various sides will deliver the best reading signal, thereby indicating the relative positioning of the article 10, the tag of which is read relatively to the hub 20. Knowledge of the location of a given article 10 within the assembly 1 can permit the constitution of a more accurate record of the movement of environmental parameters within the assembly 1, by recording not only the value of the environmental parameter, but also the positioning of the tag and the corresponding sensor within the assembly.

[0117] It is also possible, specifically where the positioning of articles 10 in the assembly 1 is executed by automation, for the hub 20 to be notified of the position of each tag 30 as the corresponding article 10 is positioned within the assembly, wherein this information is transmitted to the hub 20, for example by means of the local network, which communicates with the antenna 55.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0118] 64 boxes of an identical format are arranged on a pallet, 63 of which are identified by a RFID tag 30, and the last of which comprises the hub 20, having one antenna per side.

[0119] Constitution of the stack of boxes proceeds in accordance with a predefined order and positioning. Accordingly, each position is associated with a predefined and unique identifier. The hub 20 is positioned in the heart of the assembly.

[0120] The hub 20 incorporates, in its memory, a number of programs for the management of its operation. The operator may activate the hub via a local radio link, for example of the WiFi type, and select the appropriate program for the monitoring of goods. As a variant, the hub independently and automatically selects the appropriate program for the monitoring of goods, upon the activation thereof.

[0121] The hub then proceeds with the reading of tags, in order to confirm that all the latter can be read. If this is the case, the hub submits a SMS message by way of confirmation of this correct reading.

[0122] During the transport of goods, where an anomaly is observed on a box by the hub, in addition to the recording of said anomaly, the hub submits a SMS alert, indicating the identifier for the box concerned. The pallet, together with the boxes, may be viewed using an appropriate software, and the box concerned indicated by a flashing image or the application of a particular color.

Example 2

[0123] The assembly is constituted as per the preceding example.

[0124] By way of a distinction from the preceding example, constitution of the stack is executed in an arbitrary manner. The hub 20 determines the position of each of the boxes by pseudo-triangulation, as a function of the power values reflected by the tags for each of the six antennae employed.

Example 3

[0125] The assembly is constituted as per example 1, wherein the articles contained in the boxes identified by a RFID tag 30 are medicines, transported from a point A to a point C via a point B.

[0126] In this example, at least one temperature sensor 33 is incorporated in each tag. It is desirable that these medicines should not be exposed to a temperature which exceeds a certain predefined threshold S. The program for the monitoring of goods corresponding to this monitoring operation is selected. The hub 20 interrogates the tags, for example every 15 minutes.

[0127] During interrogation, the hub 20 proceeds with the reading of tags. It records data, specifically those associated with temperature, then remotely transmits information relating to the data received, by example by the submission of a SMS message. Initially, as temperature values have not exceeded the predefined threshold value S, the hub submits one or more SMS messages indicating that no abnormality has been detected.

[0128] At a certain stage in its journey, the pallet 64 is parked at point B, awaiting transport. At this point, this pallet is inadvertently subject to prolonged exposure to solar radiation and, as a result, undergoes an abnormal rise in temperature. In the course of an interrogation cycle by the hub 20, a number of boxes, the tag of which is read, exceed the predefined temperature threshold S. The hub transmits a SMS alert, specifying that X boxes out of Y are subject to a rise in temperature. It then executes the selection of the unique identifiers for the tags of each box concerned, and records this information in a memory zone of the tags concerned which is accessible in write mode, for example in the form of a code. In the example considered, the written entry on the tag is executed after temperature of the boxes concerned has dropped back below the predefined threshold value S. The duration of the overshoot by the temperature of the predefined threshold is also recorded. A code indicating that, conversely, no anomaly has been detected is also recorded in the same memory zone of the tags of articles, the environmental parameter of which has not exceeded the predefined threshold.

[0129] Upon the arrival of the pallet at its destination, at point C, an external reader is employed for the reading of tags, using a dedicated application, and recorded information is retrieved in order to confirm the absence of deterioration in each article upon reception.

[0130] Naturally, the invention is not limited to the examples described above.

[0131] Data exchanged between the hub and the tags may be encrypted or otherwise. Tags may be compliant with ISO standard 18000-6, or otherwise.

[0132] For example, geolocation of the hub 20 may be executed by means of the telecommunications network, with no GPS module, or location information is provided by an external means to the hub, via the local network.