Multi-frequency and single side band RFID methods of communication

• US 10,127,486 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence F. Glaser
• Original Assignee: Lawrence F. Glaser
• Inventors: Glaser, Lawrence F
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thang
• Application Number:
  US14/996,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20160210483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 106, 3405721-5729
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10069 the collision being resolved in the frequency domain, e.g. by hopping from one frequency to the other frequency hopping or spread spectrum techniques H04B7/00

Abstract

MFQRFID, (Multi-Frequency RFID, for purposes of this document) utilizes legacy RFID circuitry adding at least a second transmitter (xmit) and receiver (rec) tuned to a second frequency, through a second antenna array allowing a single core modem, power management and processing/memory to share the at least two xmit/rec channels. Thereafter, the two channels, being on different frequencies, may be independently selected by the RFID circuitry based on signal strength of the communicating external device.

Claims

1. An RFID communicator module for a mobile device, for conducting a communication session with at least one external device across a communication distance, comprising a chip having a plurality of pairs of directional antenna-array transmitters and receivers;

wherein at least two of said pairs each comprise a transmit/receive channel respectively tuned to two different fixed frequencies selected to exhibit disparate frequency-dependent attenuation over said communication distance;

each said pair is in communication with a tunable transmission line distinguishing one of said two different fixed frequencies;

said at least one external device comprises an RFID responsive to both of said two different fixed frequencies;

a single core modem, power management and processing/memory shares said at least two transmit/receive channels, said processing/memory comprising;

a mobile device calculating unit calculating the magnitude of said communication distance from said disparate frequency-dependent attenuation;

the mobile device calculating unit determining, from said directional antenna-array transmitters, a communication direction from said mobile device to a communicating external device;

a mobile device memory unit storing location data corresponding to said communication direction and the magnitude of said communication distance.

2. The RFID communicator module of claim 1 further comprising first (602) and second (603) capacitors for power storage and use for power and a voltage regulator circuit (604) programmably sharing power between the two capacitors wherein said first capacitor has less the capacitance of said second capacitor.

3. The RFID communicator module of claim 2 wherein further;

the second capacitor (603) charges from a second frequency to which the antenna array(s) (611) are tuned by said transmission line;

the second frequency is be deliberately selected from ranges least likely to interfere with the primary frequency tuned to antenna (610).

4. The RFID communicator module of claim 3 wherein;

the second capacitor (603) is to allow for charging of many such RFIDs in reasonably close proximity to one another;

a charging beacon, emitting wireless power within range of the antenna (611) charges the second capacitor (603) much more quickly than the first capacitor (602);

at least a second transmission line carrying said primary and said secondary frequencies, each on a side band channel.

5. The RFID communicator module of claim 3 wherein said first capacitor is about 1/10th the capacitance of said second capacitor.

6. The RFID communicator module of claim 3 wherein the two capacitors charge from separate antennas.

20. The RFID communicator module of claim 2 further comprising a second, redundant RFID chip and wherein the two chips are interconnected by at least two communications pathways which also share power.

7. A method of establishing a spatial relationship between two devices conducting a communication session across a communication distance, a personal mobile device having memory and a communicating external device, respectively comprising at least two transmit/receive directional antenna channels;

wherein said spatial relationship comprises at least said communication distance and a direction from said personal mobile device to said communicating external device;

said two channels are carried on different RF frequencies sufficiently spaced to exhibit disparate frequency-dependent attenuation over a range of straight-line distances between two feet and one thousand feet, further comprising;

a step of calculating said communication distance from said disparate frequency-dependent attenuation;

a step of calculating the direction between said two devices from said at least two transmit/receive antenna channels;

a step of storing location data corresponding to said spatial relationship.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising steps of storing a unique identifier in said memory and making said identifier available to said external device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of reprogramming in response to communication from said external device, or pre-programming to allow or deny additional communications from devices and allow or deny access to any and all features.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said remote device establishes communications on one frequency and channel first, thereafter providing some guidance (homing) to the RFID circuitry due to attenuation field strength and the remote device being optimized to provide a vector, a direction to the RFID circuitry.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein as the remote device seeking further communications and direction to the RFID circuitry and moves closer, a second frequency comes into range providing a new vector in similar fashion and communications.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein frequencies rise higher and higher as the device seeking communications and direction moves closer and closer, other RFIDs in proximity play in less and less based on the simple phenomena of attenuation diminishment over distance which may be further based on frequency.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising amplifying and maintaining amplification as linear.

16. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of honing location data to greater accuracy by allowing the RFIDs to communicate with local WiFi routers.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising a step of retaining, in said memory, meta data passed from local devices which indicate interest in an item tagged with these RFID chips or may be selectively programmed from external devices to remember data provided during connections or polling RFIDs for their data content.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of step of storing location data further comprises holding location data in memory controlled by authorized surrounding communications devices.

19. The method of claim 7 further comprising at least three single-side band (SSB) transmit/receive channels and an antenna tuned by transmission lines to the frequency of each said channel.

14. The method of 8 further comprising steps of selecting communications with only one RFID and ignoring competing RFID beacon fields.

15. The method of claim 14 of the invention further comprising steps of communicating with a first class of RFIDs to send and receive commands allowing turning off RFID communications for a set time with selected RFIDs in range to facilitate homing to a second class of RFIDs in range or a single RFID.