WO2007074328A1

WO2007074328A1 - Coded rfid system

Info

Publication number: WO2007074328A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/004781
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Catherwood
Original assignee: Royal Mail Group Plc.
Priority date: 2005-12-28
Filing date: 2006-12-19
Publication date: 2007-07-05
Also published as: GB0526517D0; GB2433817A

Abstract

A coded shielding device (401) comprising an area (416) that is transparent to RFDD communications , and an area (414 ) adapted to selectively block RFDD communications , the coded shielding device (401) having human readable information (409) associated therewith .

Description

CODED RFID SYSTEM

The present invention relates to a coded radio frequency identification device (RFID) system. In particular, the present invention relates to a coded shielding device, which can be used in conjunction with a coded RFID system, the system including an RFED enabled housing. Further, the present invention relates to selective blocking of RFED communications. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a coded RFED shielding device and a method of programming such a RFED enabled housing. Radio frequency identification device (RFED) tags are used for signalling and sensing applications such as, but not limited to, logistical routing applications. Information relating to an asset may be stored on the RFID tag and then placed on the asset. The RFID tag can be programmed to hold any information related to the asset. In this manner, it is possible to keep track of assets in a logistical environment. The information within the RFED tag enables the infrastructure to efficiently manage use of the asset.

Further, information may be printed upon the RFED tag that relates to the information stored within the RFED tag. For example, US patent US 6,520,544 discloses labelled RFED tags that are programmed with information related to the asset. The RFED tag is attached to a re-useable container. Once the re-useable container has been used, the RFID tag is reprogrammed with new information related to its current use using a work station. In this US patent application an RFID reader is required to communicate wirelessly with the tag in order to re-program the information that it contains. However, there is no method of changing the human readable information labelled on the RFID tag when the RFID tag is re-programmed.

In postal logistics, postal items may be transported by placing the postal items within containers, for example, trays, trolleys etc. These containers have human readable information printed on a clearly visible label indicating the destination to which the container is headed. Human operators can read the information on the labels to determine where the containers are to be placed to ensure they are routed correctly. Once the containers reach their destination, the postal items are removed and the container is relabelled so that it may be re-used for a different route. Alternatively, the tray is relabelled and returned to its source.

However, it is common for labels on the containers to remain attached after the container has reached its intended destination. This can then lead to errors in the redistribution of the asset at a later time, as human operators may determine the assets intended destination incorrectly.

Further relevant information can also be made available in human readable format on the assets such as the status of the container (for example, empty, full) and other relevant information associated with the asset or its contents. However, this can also cause problems if the associated labels are not removed when the status of the asset changes.

Another known system for logistical routing of mail items is that of using RFID tags attached to the asset, which are then reprogrammed each time the asset's route or status changes. As in the US patent described above, it is necessary to reprogram these RFID tags using a workstation each time the asset is used for a different purpose.

Further, old RFE) tags can remain erroneously attached to the asset. Also, the human readable information on a label associated with the asset may not match up with the RFED tag attached to the asset. In this manner, tracking of the assets becomes extremely difficult and costly as errors occur in the routing and tracking of the different assets and their status.

It is therefore desirable to provide a system wherein mistakes are reduced in the routing of assets and the cost of managing the routing of assets is reduced.

The present invention aims to overcome or at least alleviate some or all of the above-mentioned problems.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a coded shielding device comprising a first area that is transparent to RFID communications, and a second area adapted to selectively block RFED communications, the coded shielding device having human readable information associated therewith.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a coded shielding device comprising the steps of: applying human readable information to a first surface of the coded shielding device; adapting a first area to be transparent to RFID communications; adapting a second area to selectively block RFID communications; wherein, the first and second areas are arranged such that they are associated with the human readable information.

In yet a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of programming an RFID enabled housing adapted to receive a coded shielding device according to any of claims 1 to 11, the method comprising the steps of: selecting mutually exclusive sets of RFID tags within the housing to hold mutually exclusive information associated with the human readable information, programming each set of RFID tags with the associated mutually exclusive information.

The provision of this invention eases the management of assets in several respects in comparison with current devices and techniques. For example, the coded shielding devices described will not be detected by the RFID infrastructure as assets in their own right, removing the potential confusion with real assets when they are repatriated or otherwise transported for example prior to reuse. The reuse of the coded shielding devices represents a potential saving in comparison to RFID enabled asset labels that are printed on demand, or in advance, and applied to assets for one time or short duration use. Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure IA shows a front view of a coded shielding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure IB shows a reverse view of a coded shielding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 1C shows an exploded view of a coded shielding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an RFID enabled housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3A shows an asset (container) with an RFID enabled housing and coded shielding device attached;

Figure 3B shows a coded RFID system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the coded shielding device according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 shows an RFID enabled housing according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a coded RF shielding mask according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 shows the coded shielding device and RFID enabled housing according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8A shows a front face of a coded shielding device according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8B shows the reverse face of a coded shielding device according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8C shows the reverse face of the coded shielding device in a second condition according to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 shows an RFID enabled housing according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 10 shows an RFID enabled housing and coded shielding device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 shows the internal components of the RFID enabled housing and coded shielding device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIRST EMBODIMENT

A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail. Figure IA shows a front view of a coded shielding device 101 according to this embodiment. The coded shielding device is made out of any suitable flexible material that enables the device to be machine handled in an automated asset management system. That is, the material is a suitably flexible material such as any suitable plastic or laminated card. The coded shielding device 101 includes a portion of human readable information 103, indicated as "EMPTY" in the figure. The human readable information provides information associated with the asset to an operator handling the asset. Additional information 106 may also be located on the front face of the coded shielding device 101. In this embodiment, the additional information is in the form of a barcode, that is in a machine readable format.

This additional information relates to the asset to which the coded shielding device will be attached.

The coded shielding device 101 includes two areas, a first area 104 which is transparent to RFID communications, and a second area 105 which selectively blocks RFID communications.

Figure IB shows a reverse face of the coded shielding device as shown in Figure IA. On the reverse face of this coded shielding device 101 is another piece of human readable information 107. hi this embodiment, the human readable infoπnation reads "FULL" on the reverse face. Also, additional information shown on the front face is also placed on the reverse face. As can be seen from Figures IA and IB the second area 105 that masks RFID communications effectively moves depending on whether the front face or reverse face of the coded shielding device is viewed.

Figure 1C shows an exploded view of the coded shielding device 101.

The coded shielding device is made up of a front cover 109 and a back cover 111. Located between the front and back covers 109 and 111 is a mask layer

113. On the mask layer is located the masking area (the second area discussed above) 105. The three components forming the coded shielding device are attached together by any suitable means such as any suitable adhesive.

The position of the human readable information is associated with the arrangement of the first and second areas on the coded shielding device. That is, the visible human readable information when the coded shielding device is used (discussed below) varies depending on the orientation of the coded shielding device. As the orientation of the coded shielding device varies, the relative position of the first and second areas with respect to a set of RFID tags also varies. The first and second areas are located on the mask portion of the coded shielding device, whereas the human readable information is located on the front and back covers of the coded shielding device.

Figure 2 shows an RFID enabled housing according to this first embodiment. The RFID enabled housing 201 provides an opening for receiving a coded shielding device as described above.

Located on a front surface of the RFID enabled housing are a first

RFID tag 203 and a second RFE) tag 205. Each tag has mutually exclusive information programmed into it. That is, in this embodiment, the first RFID tag 203 has the mutually exclusive information "FULL" programmed into it in the form of a text string, whereas the second RFID tag 205 has the mutually exclusive information "EMPTY" programmed into it. It can be seen that this information relates to the human readable information shown on the coded shielding device

Each RFID tag is in the form of an RFID label, which lies substantially flat against the front face of the RFID enabled housing. It will be understood that any other suitable RFID tag may be used where the tag can lie substantially flat against the housing to avoid causing an obstruction when a coded shielding device as described above is fitted.

Also provided on the front face of the RFID enabled housing is additional information 207. This additional information is in the form of a barcode (that is machine readable format). The additional information provided is associated with the RFID enabled housing. It will also be understood that the additional information may be printed in human readable format, or as combination of the two.

The RFID enabled housing 201 is attached to a reusable asset, which is to be tracked and monitored in a logistics operation.

By suitably arranging the first and second areas on the coded shielding device in relation to the visible human readable information printed on each of the front and reverse faces of the coded shielding device, along with associated programming of the RFID tags on the RFID enabled housing, a system is provided wherein information related to the asset can be provided to an operator such that the visible human readable information matches up with data being extracted from the RFID tag. For example, when the coded shield device as shown in Figure IB is placed into the RFID enabled housing 201, the masked area 105 selectively blocks any RFDD communications to and from the second RFID tag 205. Therefore, an RFID reader will only be able to communicate with the first RFID tag 203. The information within the first RFID tag 203, in this embodiment, is a text string "FULL". This information relates to the human readable information 107 on the reverse face of the coded shielding device 101.

Alternatively, if the coded shielding device is placed in the RFID enabled housing in an alternative orientation, the masked area 105 masks any

RFID communications to and from the first RFID tag 203. However, an

RFID reader is able to extract information from the second RFID tag 205, which, in this embodiment, holds a text string "EMPTY". The information extracted relates to the human readable information "EMPTY" 103 located on the front face of the coded shielding device.

The coded shielding device and RFID tags on the RFID enabled housing are programmed together such that the location of the first and second areas on the coded shielding device are associated with the human readable information that is both visible to the human operator and also determinable from information extracted by the RFID reader from the RFID tag.

Figure 3 A shows an RFID enabled housing and RFID tag 101 and 201 attached to a reusable asset 301 (a container). Human readable information 107 on the coded shielding device 101 indicates to a human operator the destination and status of the container 301.

Figure 3B shows the container 301 filled with postal items 401. An RFID reader 403 mounted on a wall 405 within a logistics environment, which in this embodiment is a postal sorting room, extracts information from the RFBD tag which is not blocked by a masking area on the coded shielding device 101. This extracted information is passed along a data connector 407 to a computing device that incorporates, or is attached to, a database 409. The database 409 stores the relevant information associated with the container 301 so that the container 301 may be tracked accordingly. Further, information on the status of the container 301 can also be stored and used for monitoring purposes. By using differently programmed coded shielding devices, it is possible to change the visible status information of an asset without the need to reprogram RFID tags. Further, selective blocking of RFID tags enables the extractable information to be adapted to change with the status of the asset. This increases the effectiveness of the overall system. Further, human operators will only see human readable information that can be extracted from the RFID tags. This information will match up with the information stored within the database 409. This ensures that minimum errors are created when re-directing assets.

Each RFID tag within the RFID enabled housing is required to be programmed such that a mutually exclusive set of RFID tags within the housing are programmed to hold mutually exclusive information associated with the human readable information, and so the nature and status of the asset. Further, additional information relating to the asset or housing may be programmed into the RFID tags such that this information is able to be communicated to an RFID reader at all times. That is, information may be programmed into the RFID tags such that, when in use, at least one of the RFID tags will always be able to communicate this information. In this way, information regarding the asset or housing is always available to the infrastructure.

SECOND EMBODIMENT Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a coded shielding device according to this second embodiment.

The coded shielding device 401 includes a front printed cover 407. This printed cover 407 includes human readable information 409, which in this embodiment includes the text "Swindon Mail Centre 1st Class Mail". The human readable information is associated with the status of the asset to which the coded shielding device is to be attached. That is, in this embodiment, the asset is to be forwarded to the Swindon Mail Centre, and the items therein are to be treated as first class mail.

Further, additional information in the form of a barcode 411 is printed on a front face. The additional information 411 relates to the asset itself, and may include information such as the product code for that asset.

Further, the coded shielding device includes a printed back cover 405. A coded RFID shielding mask 403 is sandwiched between the front and back covers 405 and 407. The coded shielding mask 403 has incorporated therein a number of windows 413. These windows provide the coded RF shielding masks with two distinct areas. That is, a first area 414 that is enabled to block RFID communications. A second area 416 is formed via the windows 413 to enable selective RFED communications to take place through portions of the coded RF shielding mask 403.

Figure 5 shows an RFID enabled housing for use with the coded shielding device 401 described above. The RFID enabled housing 501 includes an opening for receiving the coded shielding device 401. Located on a front face of the RFID enabled housing 501 is a barcode that provides additional information related to the RFID enabled housing. That is, the RFID housing may support its own relevant information. It will be understood that this additional information may be any suitable format such as human readable format or any other suitable machine readable format. Further, the RFID enabled housing 501 includes a number of RFID tags 505. These tags are of the same type as described above in relation to the first embodiment.

Individual RFID tags or sets of RFID tags are programmed with mutually exclusive information associated with human readable information printed on the coded shielding devices. By selectively blocking certain RFID tags, information may be extracted from the tags that is associated with the information that is visible to a human operator when the coded shielding device is placed within the RFID enabled housing. In this embodiment, the information extracted from the RFID tags is in the form of the RFID tag ID numbers. The RFID reader extracts this information and passes it through to the computing device and database 409.

The ID numbers of the RFID tags are directly translatable as a code using a bit mask such that the information provided is associated with the visible human readable information shown on the coded shielding device. For example, the codes provided by the RFID tags that are not selectively blocked can be found in a look up table in order to determine the destination of the asset (Swindon Mail Centre), and status (1^st Class Mail) of the postal items within that asset.

Figure 6 shows the coded RFID shielding mask 403 in more detail. It can be seen that the arrangement of the windows 413 are such that only selected RFID tags 505 on the RFID enabled housing 501 are allowed to communicate with an RFID reader. Figure 7 shows a coded shielding device 401 inserted into the RFID enabled housing 501 such that the human readable information presented is associated with the information extracted from the RFID tags 505.

This arrangement may be used in a system as described above in relation to Figure 3 A and 3B. THIRD EMBODIMENT

Figures 8A-8C describe a third embodiment according to this present invention. The coded shielding device described can be used in conjunction with the RFID enabled housing as shown in figure 2 and described above, and the system as shown in figure 3B and described above.

In Figure 8A, a coded shielding device 801 includes a front face 803 with human readable information 805 printed thereon. In this embodiment, ^■ the human readable information is 'EMPTY'. A portion of the coded shielding device provides a masked area 807, which is adapted to selectively block

RFED communications.

Figure 8B shows a reverse face 809 of the coded shielding device 801.

Human readable information 811, in the form 'FULL', is printed on this reverse face 809. Also, it can be seen that the masked area 807 is located on a movable tab 813 in a first position. That is, the masked areas 807 can be moved from the shown first position to a second position as described below.

Figure 8 C shows the coded shielding device with the masked tab 813 moved to the second position. When the masked tab 813 is in the second position, further human readable information 'HALF' is made visible on the reverse face of the coded shielding device 801. That is, the coded shielding device now shows the information "HALF FULL".

Also, as the masked area 807 is moved from the first position to the second position, for example when being used with an RFID enabled housing as described in relation to Figure 2 above, the masked area would allow the RFID tag 205 to communicate with an RFID reader. Therefore, the RFID reader will be able to extract information from both the first RFID tag 203 and the second RFID tag 205. The RFID reader and connected computing device are then able to determine that receipt of both pieces of information is to be interpreted as meaning the asset to which the coded shielding device and

RFID enabled housing is attached is HALF FULL.

FOURTH EMBODIMENT Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment according to the present invention.

In Figure 9, an RFE) enabled fixing (housing) 1001 includes a number of RFED tags 103 in the form of projections. That is, the RFID tags project out of the housing unit in a column like format. Figure 10 shows the RFID enabled housing 1001 being used in conjunction with a coded shielding device 1101. The coded shielding device

1101 is fitted over the RFED enabled housing.

Figure 11 shows the internal components of the coded shielding device and RFID enabled housing. Within the coded shielding device are sleeves 1201, which are arranged to fit over the RFID projections coming out the RFE) enabled housing 1001. The sleeves are made of a suitable material that blocks RFE) communications. In this manner, the arrangement of the sleeves in the coded shielding device can selectively block certain RFE) tags on the RFE) enabled housing 1001. For example, the sleeves may be made out of any suitable metal in order to interrupt any attempt at communicating with the RFE) tags. FURTHER EMBODIMENTS

It will be understood that embodiments of the present invention are described herein by way of example only, and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Further, it will be understood that the coded shielding device as described above may be physically keyed, such that they can be inserted into the RFID enabled housing only in certain orientations. That is, for example, gaps or different sized pegs may be used on the coded shielding devices to reduce the possibility of them being incorrectly fitted.

Further, it will be understood that the coded shielding devices may be adapted to have moveable areas for masking RFID communications in any suitable form. For example, the mask area may be moved on a sliding mechanism, hinging mechanism or be rotated in order to change the arrangement of the first and second areas on the coded shielding device.

Further, it will be understood that the coding system used to determine the human readable information from the information read from the RFID tags may employ parity checks or other error detection or correction mechanism to reduce the possibility of data corruption resulting from partial failure or poor reading performance.

Further, it will be understood that the coding shielding device can sit within a pocket or similar receptacle on an asset in order to control the ability of the assets RFID tags to communicate with the infrastructure whilst being visible to human operators. The coding shielding device may be tethered to the asset to reduce the likelihood of it becoming lost. The pocket or asset may support conventional labelling such as asset serial numbers or barcode.

Further, it will be understood that the coding shielding devices may be adapted such that they are largely insensitive to orientation. For example, a mirrored arrangement of coding may be used to ensure that the same coding is retrieved from the RFDD tags regardless of the orientation of the coded shielding device.

Further, although the above-described embodiments are in relation to postal sorting systems, it will be understood that this coded RFID system may be utilised in any logistical environment.

Further, it will be understood that the additional information shown on the coded shielding devices and RFID enabled housings may include any information regarding the nature of the asset. For example, the information may be fixed, dynamic or derived from sensors (for example, for monitoring temperature, load, tampering, mechanical shock, location etc).

Further, with reference to the third embodiment, it will be understood that any other type of selective movable RF blocking system may be used. For example, the individual physical RFID shields may be used with a unique combination of human readable text and RFID tag such that the shield may either obscure or reveal both together. In this manner, it is possible to increase the number of possible selections of information and improve the reliability of coding, tracking and related asset or tag management issues related to, for example, faulty tags or partial reads of information from tags.

Claims

1. A coded shielding device comprising a first area that is transparent to RFID communications, and a second area adapted to selectively block RFID communications, the coded shielding device having human readable information associated therewith.

2. The coded shielding device of claim 1, wherein the first and second areas are located on a mask portion, and the human readable information is located on a cover portion.

3. The coded shielding device of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the first and second areas is directly translatable as a code.

4. The coded shielding device of claim 3, wherein the human readable information is determined from the code.

5. The coded shielding device of claim 1, wherein the human readable information is movable, and the movement of the human readable information changes the arrangement of the first and second areas.

6. The coded shielding device of claim 5, wherein the human readable information is moved on sliding means.

7. The coded shielding device of claim 5, wherein the human readable information is moved on hinging means.

8. The coded shielding device of claim 5, wherein the human readable information is moved on rotation means.

9. The coded shielding device of claim 1, wherein the coded shielding device further comprises additional information.

10. The coded shielding device of claim 9, wherein the additional information is in the form of machine-readable information.

11. The coded shielding device of claim 9, wherein the additional information is in the form of human readable information.

12. A coded RFID system for attaching to an asset, the system comprising a coded shielding device according to any of claims 1 to 11, and an RFID enabled housing adapted to receive the coded shielding device, the housing comprising a plurality of RFID tags, wherein the arrangement of the RFID tags is associated with the first and second areas on the coded shielding device to allow selective blocking of RFE) communications.

13. The coded RPED system of claim 12, wherein the second area on the coded shielding device is adapted to selectively block the RJFID tags from communicating.

14. The coded RFID system of claim 12, wherein at least two tags have mutually exclusive information stored therein.

15. The coded RFID system of claim 12, wherein at least one tag is adapted to communicate when a coded shielding device is fitted, and that tag comprises additional information.

16. The coded RFED system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the RFED tags forms a projection, and at least part of the second area on the coded shielding device is in the form of a sleeve that fits over the projection, the sleeve adapted to block RFED communications.

17. The coded RFED system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the RFID tags is in the form of a substantially flat RFID label, and at least part of the second area on the coded shielding device is adapted to be positioned over the label in order to block the RFID label from communicating.

18. The coded RFED system of claim 12 further comprising a computing device and an RFID reader, wherein the RFID reader is adapted to communicate with RFID tags that are able to communicate, and the computing device is adapted to retrieve data from the RFID reader and determine the human readable information that is visible on the coded shielding device based on the retrieved data.

19. The coded RFED system of claim 18, wherein the human readable information is determined from identification codes read from the RFID tags.

20. The coded RFID system of claim 18, wherein the human readable information is determined from mutually exclusive information read from the

RFID tags.

21. The coded RFID system of claim 18 further comprising a database adapted to manage the retrieved data.

22. A method of manufacturing a coded shielding device comprising the steps of: applying human readable information to a first surface of the coded shielding device; adapting a first area to be transparent to RFID communications; adapting a second area to selectively block RFED communications; wherein, the first and second areas are arranged such that they are associated with the human readable information.

23. A method of programming an RFID enabled housing adapted to receive a coded shielding device according to any of claims 1 to 11, the method comprising the steps of: selecting mutually exclusive sets of RFID tags within the housing to hold mutually exclusive information associated with the human readable information, programming each set of RFID tags with the associated mutually exclusive information.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of: selecting at least one RFID tag that, when in use, will always be able to communicate to an RFE) reader; programming additional information into the RFID tag.