University of Pennsylvania

Electrical and Systems Engineering Department

ABSTRACT: The last decade has seen the expansion of computer usage from scientific and business applications to common applications such as scheduling and appointment management uses. RFID technology is also quickly becoming a standard for corporations to track and manage their inventories. Despite this growth, computers are still not being used to manage everyday physical objects such as CDs, books and clothes in non-industrial settings. This project seeks to create a system that will focus on the management of everyday objects in non-industrial settings and that will seamlessly augment the capabilities of physical objects to allow them to have significant computational functionality. In the domestic setting clothing will be managed according to the users’ clothes and color preference, rating, calendar system and according to the weather. The frequently arising questions of “What do I have and when is it appropriate to use it?” will be answered. The placement of RFID tags on clothing allows them to be identified by specific properties which can help to manage and match each item better. Within the retail side the user will be able to expand his or her shopping view within a short period of time. The store’s database will be able to suggest clothing items from the entire store for the user according to what the user has already picked up and placed within his or her shopping cart.

AUTHORS: Izukanne Emeagwali ESE ’05

Mary Obasi CSE ‘05

ADVISOR:Dan Lee

Jean Griffin

RFID Management for Domestic and Retail Applications Domestic System Overview

Once the clothing with the Passive Tags arrive home, the user can use the Passive Reader and the SmartWardrobe application in order to manage their clothing. The goal of the SmartWardobe is to build an intelligent application that will accurately suggest clothing to user based on information that the application knows about or has learned from the user. When the user first creates an account, the application will initially ask for the users’ preferences by requesting input about their clothing style such as: the rating of the item or “what color would you like to wear that item with”, etc. All of the items that the user wears will be stored in his or her historical data chart. Every time a user wears an item, the rating of the item will be incremented. By keeping track of the users’ preferences such as clothing rating and frequency of wearing and the users’ schedule via an internal Calendar system, the application will be able to suggest clothing outfits that would best suit that person during that time.

Retail System OverviewThe goal of the Smart Cart is to create a system that helps vendors and customers in the retail arena by enhancing and expediting users shopping experience. Passive Tags, will be attached to each clothing piece, within the store. Active Tags will be placed on shelves and assigned to different types of clothing items. The Smart Cart will have a laptop, Passive Tag Reader and Active Tag Reader attached. By scanning the items the user chooses via the Passive Reader, the Smart Cart will be aware of the type of clothing that is present in the cart. While the user walks through the store, the Active Reader will send Radio Frequency signals to the Active Tags located throughout the stores shelves in order to obtain the identity of the Active Tag. This identity will be linked to the stores’ inventory database where clothing match suggestions are predetermined. The Smart Cart will continually display the stores suggestions to the user via the laptop. These suggestions will be based on the items in the users’ cart.

Software Module DiagramRetail Module Diagram

Hardware Components

How the Smart Cart Works

The Active Reader communicates at a frequency of 433MHz and can read tags in its field from a range of ~ 3 to 300 feet away. An RS232 connection is used between the reader and the laptop. Active Tags contain their own internal power supply and transmit their own information continuously. Each tags has a memory of 2K bits.The Active Tags can be read through virtually all non-metallic materials.

The Passive Reader communicates at a frequency of 13,56 MHz. This reader can read tags in its field from a range of 0.58 feet. A USB connection is used between the reader and the laptop. The Passive Tags are powered up by Radio Frequency waves sent by the reader. The tags operate at a frequency of 13.65MHz. Each tags has a memory of 2K bits. Login or New User?

Splash Screen /Program Info

New User Module:1. Required Fields: Name of User

2. Display a default userpreference which can be modified3. Set up Calendaring if applicable

Login Module:1. Load user’s database intomemory from personal XML

file. (Good because datacorruption + performance)

Accept orCustomize Further or Reject?

Enter New Item Module:1. User scans in new item using

the passive reader.2. Adds clothing properties such as

@@3. Matches new item with existing

one

Style Rulz Module: User enters their desired clothing

matching rules

Suggest Module:Application suggest clothing to

user based off of1. User history

2. User preference3. Calendar

Scan Module:1.User scans a clothing item with

the passive reader.

Browse/Edit Module:1. User browses through wardrobe

by property search2. Edits clothing properties

OR3. Enters new item

2.Database is queried to retrievematches for the item based on user

preferences and historicaldecisions

2. Pick anotheritem to go with this

outfit

Accept Module:1. Save historical

data

3. Exit

RejectCustomize Query

Shopper scansclothing with passive

tag into cart using thepassive reader

Passive reader sendsclothing properties tothe retail application

Clothing informationand picture is displayedto the shopper through

a GUI via a PDA

Retail databasesearches the inventoryand matches an item incart with items on the

shelf

Active Reader sendsRadio Frequency

signals to the ActiveTag in order to obtain

its identity

Active Tag sends itsidentity informationback to the Active

Reader

Identity of Active Tagis matched with

clothing properties onthe shelf

Matched clothing itemand clothing propertiesare displayed to user

through the stores GUIvia a PDA

Shopper picks upmatched item

Shopper rejectsmatched item

User/ShopperAction

Hardware Action

Application/Database Action

Key

Group 13Demo Day 4/21/05Times: 11:00am-12pm 1:00pm-2pm