Application for radio frequency identification systems
First Claim
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1. An RFID device for processing items having an RFID element and a magnetic security element associated therewith, comprising:
- (a) an RFID interrogation source for interrogating and obtaining information from the RFID element; and
(b) a magnetization system for performing an appropriate magnetization operation on the magnetic security element in response to the information obtained from the RFID element.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to RFID devices, including handheld RFID devices, and applications for such devices. The devices and applications may be used in connection with items that are associated with an RFID tag, and optionally a magnetic security element. The devices and applications are described with particular reference to library materials such as books, periodicals, and magnetic and optical media.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. An RFID device for processing items having an RFID element and a magnetic security element associated therewith, comprising:
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(a) an RFID interrogation source for interrogating and obtaining information from the RFID element; and
(b) a magnetization system for performing an appropriate magnetization operation on the magnetic security element in response to the information obtained from the RFID element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of performing a magnetization operation on a magnetic security element associated with an item, comprising the steps of:
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(a) interrogating an RFID element associated with that item to obtain information;
(b) using the information to determine the type of item with which the RFID element is associated; and
(c) performing an appropriate magnetization operation on the magnetic security element based on the type of material with which it is associated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of processing a set of associated items each having an RFID element, comprising the steps of:
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(a) interrogating each of the items to obtain information including the identity of the item;
(b) interrogating an RFID element that is associated with the set of associated items;
(c) comparing the information obtained in step (a) with the information obtained in step (b) to determine whether the associated items are presented together. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of processing multiple items each having an RFID element, comprising the steps of:
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(a) presenting more than one of said items to an RFID reader;
(b) obtaining information from the RFID elements approximately simultaneously; and
(c) using the information obtained from the RFID elements to determine whether different types of items are among the items presented. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of processing multiple items having an RFID element, comprising the steps of:
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(a) presenting more than one of the items to an RFID reader;
(b) obtaining information from the RFID elements approximately simultaneously;
(c) detecting the number of RFID elements presented;
(d) automatically processing the items when only a predetermined number of items have been detected. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of processing multiple items having an RFID element, comprising the steps of.
(a) presenting more than one of the items to an RFID reader; -
(b) obtaining information from the RFID elements approximately simultaneously;
(c) detecting the number of RFID elements presented;
(d) displaying the number of RFID elements detected to a user; and
(e) permitting the user to direct that the items be processed. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A hand-held RFID device, comprising as an integrated unit:
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(a) a computer;
(b) an antenna to transmit commands between an RFID tag and an RFID reader;
(c) an RFID reader for reading information from multiple RFID elements substantially simultaneously; and
(d) a display. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of using a portable RFID device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting information to the device describing a certain item or class of items each having an RFID element; and
(b) scanning a plurality of items to determine whether the certain item or items are present. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of using a portable RFID device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting an algorithm to the device that describes an ordered set of items;
(b) scanning a plurality of items having RFID elements to obtain information from those elements; and
(c) comparing a description of the items obtained using the information obtained from the RFID elements to the algorithm to determine whether the scanned items are in the algorithm order. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of using a portable RFID device to associate an item bearing an RFID element with a location, comprising the steps of:
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(a) scanning the RFID element associated with the item;
(b) inputting information to the device to describe the location; and
(c) associating the item with the location in a database. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A method of using a portable RFID device to associate a certain item bearing an RFID element with a location having a group of items of a similar type each also bearing an RFID element, comprising the steps of:
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(a) scanning the RFID element associated with the item;
(b) scanning the RFID elements of at least one additional item within the group of items;
(c) determining whether the certain item belongs with the group of items. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. A method of using a portable RFID device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) obtaining an item having an RFID element associated therewith;
(b) using the portable RFID device to interrogate the RFID element and obtain information therefrom; and
(c) inputting information to the RFID device as to that item by other than RFID interrogation. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A method of using a portable RFID device with an item having an RFID element associated therewith, comprising the steps of:
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(a) interrogating the RFID element with the RFID device to obtain information therefrom;
(b) identifying the item using the information obtained; and
(c) requesting from the portable RFID device further information regarding the item. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. A method of using an RFID device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) interrogating a group of items each bearing an RFID tag;
(b) providing to the RFID device information identifying a certain class of items; and
(c) receiving in real time from the RFID device an indication of items that are not within the certain class of items. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A method of using an RFID device with items of interest that bear an RFID tag, comprising the steps of:
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(a) interrogating the tagged items with the RFID device; and
(b) entering information into the RFID device describing the location of the item of interest. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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Specification