Patents Assigned to Automaton, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11933877
    Abstract: A system and method for locating radio-frequency identification tags within a predetermined area. The method can incorporate sub-threshold superposition response mapping techniques, alone, or in combination with other methods for locating radio-frequency identification tags such as but not limited to time differential on arrival (TDOA), frequency domain phase difference on arrival (FD-PDOA), and radio signal strength indication (RSSI). The system can include a plurality of antennas dispersed in a predefined area; one or more radio-frequency identification tags; a radio-frequency transceiver in communication with said antennas; a phase modulator coupled to the ra-dio-frequency transceiver; and a system controller in communication with said transceiver and said phase modulator. Calibration techniques can be employed to map con-structive interference zones for improved accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 11915567
    Abstract: A system for RFID-based retail management that includes a set of antennas, an RFID transceiver connected to the set of antennas; and a microprocessor-based system manager that controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data according to read probability methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Publication number: 20240046211
    Abstract: A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag reader interrogates RFID tags and detects their replies. These replies may propagate along direct or line-of-sight paths from the tags to the reader. They may also propagate along indirect or non-light-of-sight paths from the tags to the reader, e.g., by reflecting off nearby objects to the reader. As a result, the reader receives many copies of each tag's reply, with each copy arriving at a delay and angle corresponding to the path that it followed from the tag to the reader. The aggregate or combination of the detected replies is called a multipath profile or signature. Each tag/reader pair produces its own multipath profile. Moving objects near the reader and tag can change that multipath signature by introducing or removing reflections along a given path between the reader and tag. These changes can be used to determine that an object has moved, even if that object does not have an RFID tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer Hewett, Paul Petrus
  • Publication number: 20230130857
    Abstract: A system and method for locating radio-frequency identification tags within a predetermined area. The method can incorporate sub-threshold superposition response mapping techniques, alone, or in combination with other methods for locating radio-frequency identification tags such as but not limited to time differential on arrival (TDOA), frequency domain phase difference on arrival (FD-PDOA), and radio signal strength indication (RSSI). The system can include a plurality of antennas dispersed in a predefined area; one or more radio-frequency identification tags; a radio-frequency transceiver in communication with said antennas; a phase modulator coupled to the radio-frequency transceiver; and a system controller in communication with said transceiver and said phase modulator. Calibration techniques can be employed to map constructive interference zones for improved accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 11543512
    Abstract: A system and method for locating radio-frequency identification tags within a predetermined area. The method can incorporate sub-threshold superposition response mapping techniques, alone, or in combination with other methods for locating radio-frequency identification tags such as but not limited to time differential on arrival (TDOA), frequency domain phase difference on arrival (FD-PDOA), and radio signal strength indication (RSSI). The system can include a plurality of antennas dispersed in a predefined area; one or more radio-frequency identification tags; a radio-frequency transceiver in communication with said antennas; a phase modulator coupled to the radio-frequency transceiver; and a system controller in communication with said transceiver and said phase modulator. Calibration techniques can be employed to map constructive interference zones for improved accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 11408965
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an array of antennas to distinguish line-of-sight (LOS) paths from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths. The distance between adjacent antennas in the array of antennas is less than half the wavelength of the radio frequency (RF) signal of the system. Each antenna in the antenna array is also digitally controlled to change relative phase difference among the antennas, thereby allowing digital steering of the array of antennas across angles of arrival (AOAs) between 0 and ?. The digital steering generates a plot of signal amplitudes as a function of AOAs. LOS paths are distinguished from NLOS paths based on the shapes (e.g., depth, gradient, etc.) of local extremes (e.g., maxima or minima) in the plot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer Hewett, Adam Blair, Ken Seiff, Michael Murphy, Mark Wieman, Tamara Adlin
  • Publication number: 20220082651
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an array of antennas to distinguish line-of-sight (LOS) paths from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths. The distance between adjacent antennas in the array of antennas is less than half the wavelength of the radio frequency (RF) signal of the system. Each antenna in the antenna array is also digitally controlled to change relative phase difference among the antennas, thereby allowing digital steering of the array of antennas across angles of arrival (AOAs) between 0 and ?. The digital steering generates a plot of signal amplitudes as a function of AOAs. LOS paths are distinguished from NLOS paths based on the shapes (e.g., depth, gradient, etc.) of local extremes (e.g., maxima or minima) in the plot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer Hewett, Adam Blair, Ken Seiff, Michael Murphy, Mark Wieman, Tamara Adlin
  • Patent number: 11215691
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an array of antennas to distinguish line-of-sight (LOS) paths from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths. The distance between adjacent antennas in the array of antennas is less than half the wavelength of the radio frequency (RF) signal of the system. Each antenna in the antenna array is also digitally controlled to change relative phase difference among the antennas, thereby allowing digital steering of the array of antennas across angles of arrival (AOAs) between 0 and ?. The digital steering generates a plot of signal amplitudes as a function of AOAs. LOS paths are distinguished from NLOS paths based on the shapes (e.g., depth, gradient, etc.) of local extremes (e.g., maxima or minima) in the plot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventors: Spencer Hewett, Adam Blair, Ken Seiff, Michael Murphy, Mark Wieman, Tamara Adlin
  • Publication number: 20210304576
    Abstract: A system for RFID-based retail management that includes a set of antennas, an RFID transceiver connected to the set of antennas; and a microprocessor-based system manager that controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data according to read probability methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 11043093
    Abstract: A system for RFID-based retail management that includes a set of antennas, an RFID transceiver connected to the set of antennas; and a microprocessor-based system manager that controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data according to read probability methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: AUTOMATON, INC.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 10871558
    Abstract: A system and method for locating radio-frequency identification tags within a predetermined area. The method can incorporate sub-threshold superposition response mapping techniques, alone, or in combination with other methods for locating radio-frequency identification tags such as but not limited to time differential on arrival (TDOA), frequency domain phase difference on arrival (FD-PDOA), and radio signal strength indication (RSSI). The system can include a plurality of antennas dispersed in a predefined area; one or more radio-frequency identification tags; a radio-frequency transceiver in communication with said antennas; a phase modulator coupled to the radio-frequency transceiver; and a system controller in communication with said transceiver and said phase modulator. Calibration techniques can be employed to map constructive interference zones for improved accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 10386474
    Abstract: A system and method for locating radio-frequency identification tags within a predetermined area. The method can incorporate sub-threshold superposition response mapping techniques, alone, or in combination with other methods for locating radio-frequency identification tags such as but not limited to time differential on arrival (TDOA), frequency domain phase difference on arrival (FD-PDOA), and radio signal strength indication (RSSI). The system can include a plurality of antennas dispersed in a predefined area; one or more radio-frequency identification tags; a radio-frequency transceiver in communication with said antennas; a phase modulator coupled to the ra-dio-frequency transceiver; and a system controller in communication with said transceiver and said phase modulator. Calibration techniques can be employed to map con-structive interference zones for improved accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Patent number: 10013860
    Abstract: A system for RFID-based retail management that includes a set of antennas, an RFID transceiver connected to the set of antennas; and a microprocessor-based system manager that controls the RFID transceiver and transforms RFID response data from the RFID transceiver into RFID tag location data according to read probability methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Automaton, Inc.
    Inventor: Spencer Hewett
  • Publication number: 20050080799
    Abstract: A system for collecting and distributing information to and from a plurality of electronically controlled machines. The system is designed to collect information from robots, industrial machines, and other types of equipment that produce real-time information. The machines are coupled to a data collector module using a public domain communication protocol. The data collector module is coupled in data communication to a main server which has a mechanism for publishing the data received from the electronically controlled machines over a network to one or more clients. The main server also has an authenticator for verifying the identity of clients accessing the system through the network, and a communication module for streaming the data from the electronically controlled machines. Information and programming may also be transferred from the clients to the machines through the system to allow remote control of the machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: ABB Flexible Automaton, Inc.
    Inventors: James Harnden, James Winfree, Mark Hornick, John Borchardt, Mark Skerencak, Robert Gehred