A locating and tracking system is provided in which the assets desired to be located and tracked are associated with either radio frequency (RF) tags or radio frequency identification and radio frequency data communication (RFID/RFDC) devices. Depending on which device is attached to the asset, the other device is located at known locations. The RFID/RFDC devices interrogate and receive signals from the RF tags. The received information is sent to a host computer. With the location of either the RF tags or RFID/RFDC devices known, the assets may be located and tracked. An improved RF tag antenna design is also provided by using a switching mechanism connected to at least two antennas.
A radio data communication apparatus includes a circuit unit and at least one antenna unit. The circuit unit performs data read and write operations relative to an IC tag. Each antenna unit has an antenna and conducts a predetermined signal modulation to a first signal to be transmitted through the antenna by radio transmission to a specific IC tag in the data write operation. Also, each antenna unit conducts a predetermined signal demodulation to a second signal received through the antenna from the specific IC tag in accordance with the data read operation. The antenna unit is arranged at a position separated from the circuit unit.
According to the present invention, the attitude of the article with the RF tag can be automatically detected by detecting the attitude of the directional antenna of the RF tag relative to that of the directional antenna of the RF tag attitude detection apparatus based on the signal intensity of the radio signal received from the RF tag.
A method of providing directional information associated with moveable objects can include periodically receiving identification (ID) information at a mobile terminal from a moveable object via a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) signal. Location information associated with the ID information can be updated to provide updated location information for the moveable object. Updating the location information can be ceased when the moveable object is out of RFID range of the mobile terminal to maintain the updated location information as the most recently known location information for the moveable object.
A certifying system for checking validity of a radio tag passing through a predetermined route includes a route information writing section that writes information relating to a route passed by the radio tag on the radio tag, a route information acquisition section that acquires information relating to the route written on the radio tag by the route information writing section, a storage section that stores information relating to a regular route preset corresponding to the ID of the radio tag, and a certifying section that checks the validity based on the information relating to the route written on the radio tag acquired by the route information acquisition section and the information relating to the regular route stored in the storage section.
