Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02238529 1998-OS-25
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SKI
AND SNOWBOARD IDENTIFICATION AND THEFT DETECTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and
apparatus for the identification of ski and
snowboard equipment and for the detection and
control of theft of such equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The loss due to theft and otherwise of ski and
snowboard equipment by the general public,
manufacturers, distributors, rental and demo outlets
and retail stores has lately begun to reach epidemic
proportions.
Devices such as that described in U.S. patent
No. 4,535,322, issued to Yeski on August 13, 1985,
have been used to mechanically lock skies and
provide an audible alarm when the lock is tampered
with. Unfortunately, if no one is nearby to hear
the alarm, or if the alarm is ignored, the system is
ineffective in preventing theft. Other devices such
as that described in U.S. patent No. 5,001,461,
issued to Vroom et al. on March 19, 1991, use a
motion sensor to detect when ski equipment is moved
and a digital transmitter to send an alarm signal to
a remote receiver unit. One problem with this
system is that it must be manually activated by the
user each time equipment is left unattended and the
transmitter has a limited range.
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In some situations, ski resort operators have
hand no choice but to hire extra personnel to watch
their patrons' ski equipment in order to deter and
prevent theft.
A problem with all of these systems is that if
they fail to prevent theft and the equipment goes
missing, the new "owner" is free to use the
equipment with complete anonymity at any ski hill.
In addition, these systems provide no means of
subsequently identifying and recovering the stolen
property. All of these prior art methods have been
ineffective in significantly deterring or preventing
theft of ski and snowboard equipment.
For the most part, the use of ski and snowboard
equipment is limited to commercially operated ski
hills having mechanical lifts for transporting
patrons to the top of the hills so that they may ski
or snowboard to the bottom. One way to effectively
deter and prevent the theft of ski and snowboard
equipment therefore would be to provide a system
that would make it impossible for a person in
possession of stolen equipment to use these
mechanical lifts, thereby making it virtually
impossible for such person to get to any location
where the equipment can be used. While not actively
preventing theft itself, a system of this nature
would effectively eliminate any incentive to steal
equipment since there would be no place where the
equipment could be used.
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Electronic tags and tag readers have been
widely used by the retail merchandising industry to
diminish or eliminate losses due to theft and to
monitor and control inventory. In these
applications, tags are attached externally to goods
being protected and all customers leaving a store
are constrained to exit through an area being
constantly scanned by a tag reader tuned to the
frequency of the attached tags. A tag that comes
within range of the electromagnetic monitoring field
of the tag reader emits an electronic signal that is
detected by the tag reader, triggering an audible
alarm. Other tags can be programmed to emit
identity information pertaining to the particular
product thereby facilitating the rapid recordal of
store inventory using portable hand held tag
readers.
SU1~IARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of
the present invention to provide a method and
apparatus for deterring the theft of ski and
snowboard equipment that will identify such
equipment and prevent persons in possession of
stolen equipment from using the mechanical lifts
located at commercial ski hills.
It is a further object of the present invention
to provide a method and apparatus for the
identification and recovery of lost or stolen ski
and snowboard equipment.
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According to the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for ski and snowboard
equipment identification and theft detection
comprising: a radio frequency identity (RFID) tag
attached to the equipment, the tag containing
memory, the memory containing identity information
relating to the equipment; a tag reader for reading
the identity information contained in the memory of
the tag; a data processing and data storage means
for storing identity information relating to stolen
or lost equipment and for comparing identity
information received from the tag reader with the
stored identity information; and communication means
connected between the tag reader and the data
processing and storage means for transmitting the
identity information obtained from the tag to the
data processing and storage means for comparison
with the stored identity information.
According to the present invention, there is
provided a method for ski and snowboard equipment
identification and theft detection comprising:
attaching a radio frequency identity (RFID) tag to
the equipment, the tag containing memory, the memory
containing identity information relating to the
equipment; reading the identity information
contained in the memory of the tag using a tag
reader; providing a data processing and data storage
means for storing identity information relating to
stolen or lost equipment and for comparing identity
information received from the tag reader with the
stored identity information; and using a
communication means connected between the tag reader
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and the data processing and storage means to
transmit the identity information obtained from the
tag to the data processing and storage means for
comparison with the stored identity information.
The present invention advantageously provides a
passive system that requires no conscious effort on
the part of the ski owner except for registering the
identity information relating to the ski or
snowboard equipment with a central data base and
subsequently reporting any loss or theft of the
equipment. Once reported, identity information
concerning the equipment is placed into a central
data base where it can be periodically accessed by
ski hill operators to update their local system data
bases with the latest information on stolen
equipment. As soon as one of the tag readers, which
are advantageously located at the entrance to all
ski lifts, detects an electronic tag corresponding
to any stolen equipment recorded in the central data
base, the person in possession of the equipment
bearing that tag is located using a portable hand-
held tag reader and prevented from using the lift.
A further advantage of the present method and
apparatus is that it can be used by equipment
retailers or rental outlets to control and price
inventory on their premises and at the same time,
should any of their equipment become lost or stolen,
that equipment can be registered on the central
registry data base to prevent use of the equipment
at ski hills.
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Other advantages, objects and features of the
present invention will be readily apparent to those
skilled in the art from a review of the following
detailed description of preferred embodiments in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings and
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention
will now be described in greater detail, and will be
better understood when read in conjunction with the
following drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one
embodiment of the present invention, showing an RFID
tag and accompanying multi-turn coil antenna.
Figure 2 is perspective, partial cut-away view
of a ski, showing possible locations for the RFID
tag shown in figure 1.
Figure 3 is a close-up, perspective, partial
cut-away view of one embodiment of the present
invention, showing the RFID tag of figure 1 embedded
in the laminated structure of a ski or snowboard.
Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a
typical ski hill installation of one embodiment the
present invention.
Similar reference numerals are used in
different figures to denote similar components.
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CA 02238529 1998-OS-25
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figure 1, in one embodiment of the
present invention a radio frequency identity (RFID)
tag or transponder 10 is encoded with specific
identity information pertaining to the particular
ski or snowboard equipment to which it is to be
attached. In this embodiment, tag 10 is mounted on
a copper coated flexible substrate 15 and attached
to a large low frequency multi-turn antenna 20
etched into substrate 15. Substrate 15 can be made
of glass fibre, polyester or rigid FR4 which is a
standard printed circuit board substrate. As shown
in Figures 2 and 3, the entire structure, comprising
tag 10, substrate 15 and antenna 20, is embedded
within the laminated core of a ski 30. Once encoded
with the proper identity information and securely
attached to or embedded into the ski or snowboard
equipment, RFID tag 10 functions as a specific
identify tag for that piece of equipment. Upon
reading the identity information recorded in the tag
and comparing it with a central data base of
identity information, it is possible, using the
system taught by the present invention, to identify
lost or stolen equipment that has been registered on
the central data base. In other embodiments of the
present invention the identity information can be
used to control inventory, record pricing
information related to the equipment, or locate the
rightful owner of lost or stolen equipment. Still
further embodiments are contemplated by the
applicant wherein the identity information contained
CA 02238529 1998-OS-25
in tag 10 can be used for lift ticket processing or
race timing.
Referring to Figure l, RFID tag 10 is a well
known technology that has been used in many
automatic data collection applications to replace
bar codes. RFID tag 10 is a small integrated
circuit or silicon chip about one centimetre square
and less that .O1 inches thick. The integrated
circuits of tag 10 include a section of memory that
can be used to store an identification code or other
data. The amount of data that can be stored in a
tag varies according to the particular manufacture.
For example, Micron Communications Inc. of Boise,
Idaho, produces a low frequency passive tag with 96
bits of addressable memory selling under the brand
name MICROTAG,TM and a high frequency, battery
powered tag with 256 bytes (2,048 bits) of
addressable memory, which they sell under the name
MICROSTAMPTM.
The information contained within the memory of
tag 10 can be read using an RFID tag reader 40 as
shown in Figure 4. RFID tag readers have radio
circuitry to communicate with the tag, a
microprocessor to check and decode the data received
from the tag, and memory to store the data for later
transmission. As shown in Figure 4, tag reader 40
has an antenna 45 used to transmit and receive radio
frequency signals to and from tag 10. Also shown in
Figure 4, is a portable hand held tag reader 50 that
can be used to scan individual skiers. Tag readers
40, 50 emit an electromagnetic field of a particular
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CA 02238529 1998-OS-25
radio frequency defining a read zone 47. The volume
of read zone 47 depends on the operating frequency
of the system, the size of the antenna, and the tag
reader output power. When tag 10 passes through
read zone 47, it is energized by the tag reader's
electromagnetic field causing tag 10 to emit a radio
frequency (RF) signal containing identity
information stored within its memory (in this case
the identity information encoded by the
manufacturer). This identity information is
received and decoded by tag readers 40, 50.
RFID tag 10 may be either active or passive.
Active tags include a battery connected to or built
into the tag itself and have a longer readable
range, but also have a shorter operating life than
passive tags which have no internal power source,
relying instead on the electromagnetic energy from
the tag reader for its operating power. Passive
tags are smaller and lighter than active tags, less
expensive to manufacturer and have a virtually
unlimited lifetime. However, passive tags usually
have a shorter read range and require a more
powerful tag reader.
Active and passive tags are further divided
into three main groups based on memory type: 1)
read-write memory which is dynamic and can be
modified during normal operating conditions
(examples include toll collection tags, phone cards
and debit banking cards); 2) write-once/read-many
(WORM) memory which is one-time programmable and can
not be changed once initially programmed; and 3)
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CA 02238529 1998-OS-25
read-only memory which has unique data encoded
during manufacture and cannot be modified. Most
passive tags provide read-only memory and a short
read range of under 6 feet.
RFID systems are also distinguished by
operating frequency, since the tags and the readers
must be tuned to the same frequency in order to
communicate effectively. High frequency systems
work well in applications where long read ranges and
high reading speeds are required, such as railroad
car monitoring and toll collection systems, however,
they are generally more expensive to manufacturer
and have increased sensitivity to obstructions.
Intermediate frequencies, in the range of 13.56 MHZ
to 6.8 MHz, are used in active tags where large
volumes of data must be transferred, such as access
control and smart card applications. Low frequency
systems, operating in the range of 125 kHz, are
useful in applications where read range is not
important and cost must be kept to a minimum.
In addition to tag reader power output, the
read range of a tag depends on the kind of antenna
used and the radio frequency at which it operates.
Since passive, low frequency tags that draw their
power from the tag reader use inefficient antennas,
they do not offer long-range data transmission.
Typically, low frequency passive tags use antennas
comprised of hundreds of turns of copper wire. This
creates resistance for the current being generated
to drive the tag. This resistance, coupled with the
poor impedance match between the integrated circuit
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of the tag and the tag antenna, results in an
inefficient, albeit simple and inexpensive antenna
system.
Anti-collision is another feature of RFID
systems that must be considered. Many low frequency
tags must be read one at a time. If the spacing
between tags is not sufficient the reader will not
be able to discriminate identity information coming
from each tag. Microchip Technology Inc. of San
Jose, California, has developed two passive tags,
the MCRF250 and the MCRF350, that provide anti-
collision capabilities of up to eight tags per
second at 125 kHz and 25 tags per second at 13.56
MHz.
The applicant has found that in the present
invention, the use of passive, low frequency tags,
such as the MCRF250, is preferred. The benefits are
low cost, long life and the ability to draw power
from the tag reader and not from an internally
provided power source. In addition, passive tags
are small and can be readily embedded into the
laminated.core of skies and snowboards.
Referring once again to Figures 1 to 3, the
applicant has been able to successfully compensate
for the limited range offered by passive tags by
installing them into the laminated structure of
skies and snowboards. Skies and snowboards are
relatively long structures, typically in excess of
2.5 inches (6.35 cm) in width, and are constructed
using composite materials such as glass fibre,
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carbon fibre and KEVLARTM. Metals such as aluminum
are rarely used today. A reasonably large (2 inch x
6 inch, 5 cm x 15 cm), low frequency, multi-turn,
coil antenna 20 is etched onto a copper coated
flexible substrate 15. Tag 10 is mounted directly
onto substrate 15 and connected to antenna 20. The
entire structure is then embedded into the core of
ski 30. As thus constructed, the present invention
provides a low cost passive tag having an acceptable
read range and excellent anti-collision properties.
By embedding the tag into the structure of the ski
or snowboard a high level of security is provided
for the identity information contained on the tag.
Even if the tag itself were removed, an intelligent
tag reader would still be able to detect the
presence of the antenna, thereby recognizing that
the ski has been tampered with.
By orienting tag 10 as shown in figures 2 and
3, and by locating tag reader 40 as shown in figure
4 so that skies are moved through tag reader 40
generally perpendicular to read zone 47, optimum tag
reading conditions are created.
It will be understood by those skilled in the
art that tags may be encapsulated within the core of
a ski or snowboard as described above or moulded
directly into the body of other types of ski
equipment such as boots bindings or poles. It is
also contemplated by the applicant that tags might
be surface attached by adhesive or affixed to
equipment by a cable or other means. Referring to
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figure 2, other possible locations for tag 10 are
shown by arrows A, B and C.
Figure 4, shows a schematic representation of a
typical ski hill installation of one embodiment of
the present invention. A tag reader 40 is
positioned in the corral area next to a ski lift 65.
Tag reader 40 has an RF transmitter, an RF receiver
and at least one antenna 45 for generating an RF
electromagnetic field 47 and for communicating with
local computer and data storage 60. A further
connection is periodically established between local
computer 60 and a central registry data base 70 for
the exchange of identity information and other data
related to the identification of ski and snowboa~d
equipment. This exchange may take place over any
communication network such as a direct phone link or
through the Internet. Also shown is a portable
hand-held tag reader 50 that can be used to more,
accurately locate a particular tag.
Micron Communications Inc. has developed a tag
reader with an external antenna approximately 28
inches (71 cm) by 8 inches (20 cm) that offers read
ranges up to 28 inches (71 cm) with larger tags.
The applicant has found that it is possible to bury
this antenna in the snow to detect tags attached to
skies passing on the surface. Low frequency
antennas are less affected by snow and wet
conditions than high frequency dipole antennas.
A Skier approaching lift hut 65 is required to
pass through an area between antennas 45 of tag
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reader 40. As the skier passes through the
electromagnetic field 47, tag 10 attached or
embedded in his or her skies or other equipment, is
energized causing it to emit an RF signal containing
the unique identity information encoded during
manufacturer. This identity information is read by
tag reader 40 and communicated to the local computer
and data storage device 60 where it is compared to a
local data base containing identity information
relating to lost or stolen equipment. If the
identity information emitted by tag 10 matches an
entry on the local data base, an alarm is sounded
and a closer inspection of the skier can be made
using hand-held portable tag reader 50 to locate the
particular individual possessing the equipment.'
This person can then be prevented from using the ski
lift .
The local data base of computer 60 is updated
periodically by making a telecommunications
connection to a central registry data base 70 and
downloading the most current registry data. Such
connection can be made directly by modem or tholagh a
network such as the Internet. Alternatively, the
data can be transmitted on computer disk by various
ground transportation means. In one embodiment', of
the present invention, the central registry date
base keeps track of identity information relating to
lost or stolen equipment. The identity informaltion
is identical to the identity information contained
in the tags embedded in or attached to the equipment
during manufacture. A match between the identity
information emitted by tag 10 and an entry on the
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registry data base results in that equipment not
being allowed onto that particular ski hill. In
this way, lost or stolen equipment becomes useless
except in the hands of the rightful owner or
authorized user. In addition to preventing the use
of lost or stolen skies, the system could be used to
identify recovered skies by matching the identity
information with the registered owner.
Alternatively, the data base could be used to
correlate the identity information with pricing or
product information for use by the retailer in sales
or inventory control.
In order to deter theft of equipment protected
by the present invention it is preferable to mark
the equipment externally with a highly visible,
easily identifiable warning or symbol indicating
that the equipment is theft protected for use by the
registered owner only and that unauthorized use at
1 specially protected ski hills will not be permitted.
The above-described embodiments of the present
invention are meant to be illustrative of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention and
are not intended to limit the scope of the present
invention. Various modifications, that would be
readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are
intended to be within the scope of the present
invention. The only limitations to the scope of the
present invention are set out in the following
appended claims."
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