Closed loop position detection system, closed loop method, computer program product, and data signal

摘要

A closed loop location detection system for use in monitoring simultaneously the presence or absence of objects in at least two locations, comprises at least one detectable element per location and adapted to be associated with a respective object to be monitored, and at least one detecting device adapted to detect the detectable elements of the objects and so determine whether objects are present in, or absent form, all of the locations being monitored. Means are provided for causing an object to be fed to a location determined to be devoid of objects by the detecting device. Typically, the closed loop location detection system uses RFID technology, e.g. the detection device comprises at least one antenna and the detectable element comprising at least one RF tag. There may be provided one such antenna for each location to be monitored, whereby for a given location, a respective antenna detects the presence or absence of a respective tag thereby determining whether an object is present in this given location. Alternatively, the antenna can be adapted to monitor more than one location, wherein a position tag is associated with each location and means to deactivate the position tag are provided on each object, whereby when the object is fed to a given location, the means to deactivate that are provided on this given object, cause the position tag associated with the given location to stop being detected by the antenna thereby determining that a specific object has been fed to a specific location.