Systems and methods for locating items in a facility

摘要

Systems (100) and methods (400) for determining a location of an object within a facility. The methods involve: performing operations by beacons to illuminate a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects within the facility; performing operations by a handheld reader to read RFID tags coupled to the objects; performing operations by a beacon receiver to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon while the handheld reader is reading the RFID tags; using the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier; and optionally generating a three dimensional map showing locations of the RFID tags. Notably, the beacon receiver is an accessory of the handheld receiver or a standalone device worn by an operator of the handheld device.

主权项

1. A method for determining a location of an object within a facility, comprising:
performing operations by a plurality of beacons to respectively illuminate a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects to be inventoried or located within the facility; performing operations by a handheld reader to read a plurality of RFID tags coupled to the objects located within at least one of the plurality of ZOIs; performing operations by a beacon receiver to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons while the handheld reader is reading the plurality of RFID tags; using the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the plurality of RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier; automatically adapting at least one parameter of the handheld reader based on whether the handheld reader is present within a ZOI of the plurality of ZOIs, near an object, or near an obstacle; and performing operations by the handheld reader to read the plurality of RFID tags once again subsequent to the parameter's adaption.