WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INTERFACING DEVICES, COMMUNICATION METHODS, METHODS OF INTERFACING WITH AN INTERROGATOR, AND METHODS OF OPERATING AN INTERROGATOR

• US 20020057191A1
• Filed: 05/14/1998
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: HAHN, SCOTT, BATES, BENJAMIN G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,420,961 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10198 setting parameters for the interrogator, e.g. programming parameters and operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention includes wireless communication systems, interfacing devices, communication methods, methods of interfacing with an interrogator, and methods of operating an interrogator. According to one embodiment, a wireless communication system includes a remote communication device; an interrogator configured to output a forward link wireless communication and receive a reply link wireless communication from the remote communication device responsive to the forward link wireless communication; and an interface device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interrogator being configured to be controlled by the interface device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a remote communication device;

an interrogator configured to output a forward link wireless communication and receive a reply link wireless communication from the remote communication device responsive to the forward link wireless communication; and

an interface device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interrogator being configured to be controlled by the interface device.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interface device is configured to output an identification signal within the reply link wireless communication from the interface device responsive to receiving the forward link wireless communication.

3. The wireless communication system according to claim 2 wherein the interrogator is configured to output data to the interface device responsive to the identification signal.

4. The wireless communication system according to claim 2 wherein the interrogator is configured to output communication log data to the interface device responsive to the identification signal.

5. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interface device and interrogator are configured to communicate data therebetween.

6. The wireless communication system according to claim 5 wherein the interface device includes a display configured to display data.

7. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogator includes a memory configured to store data during communications with the remote communication device.

8. The wireless communication system according to claim 7 wherein the interface device is configured to receive stored data from the interrogator.

9. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogator includes a processor configured to control communication operations with the remote communication device.

10. The wireless communication system according to claim 9 wherein the interface device is configured to output software code to the interrogator using the wireless medium.

11. The wireless communication system according to claim 9 wherein the interface device is configured to transmit a software update to the interrogator.

12. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interface device is configured to output hardware configuration information to the interrogator using the wireless medium.

13. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interface device comprises a remote communication device and a computer.

14. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogator is configured to operate in a normal mode and a maintenance mode.

15. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogator is configured to operate in a master mode when communicating with the remote communication device and a slave mode when communicating with the interface device.

18. The interface device according to claim 17 wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to communicate backscatter signals.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the wireless communication circuitry and command control are implemented within an interface device.

21. The system according to claim 19 further comprising memory coupled with the wireless communication circuitry and configured to store at least one of data to be outputted and received data.

22. The system according to claim 19 further comprising a display device coupled with the wireless communication circuitry and configured to display data.

23. The system according to claim 19 further comprising an RF power meter configured to monitor the power of wireless communications intermediate the interrogator and the interface device.

24. The system according to claim 19 wherein the interrogator is operable to receive data from the RF power meter and adjust communications responsive to the received data.

29. The method according to claim 28 further comprising displaying data using the interface device.

30. The method according to claim 28 further comprising detecting the presence of the interface device using the interrogator.

31. The method according to claim 30 further comprising communicating information from the interrogator to the interface device responsive to the detecting.

32. The method according to claim 30 further comprising establishing communications intermediate the interrogator and the interface device responsive to the detecting.

33. The method according to claim 28 further comprising:

monitoring RF power of communications intermediate the interface device and the interrogator; and

adjusting communication power of the interrogator responsive to the monitoring.

34. The method according to claim 28 further comprising storing data corresponding to at least one of the interrogator and the remote communication device using the interrogator.

35. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicating intermediate the interrogator and interface device comprises communicating using a wireless medium.

36. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicating with the remote communication device comprises communicating before and after the communicating with the interface device.

37. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicating data with the interface device comprises reading data regarding the communications of the interrogator and the remote communication device from the interrogator.

38. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicating data with the interface device comprises writing data configured to control communications with the remote communication devices to the interrogator.

39. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicatings comprise communicatings using backscatter communications.

40. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicating data comprises at least one of writing data to the interrogator and reading data from the interrogator.

41. The method according to claim 28 wherein the communicating data comprises reading interrogator status information from the interrogator.

42. The method according to claim 28 wherein the providing the interface device comprises coupling a processing device with a remote communication device.

16. A wireless communication system comprising:

a remote communication device including a backscatter modulator;

an interrogator configured to output a forward link wireless communication and receive a reply link wireless communication from the remote communication device responsive to the forward link wireless communication, at least one of the forward link wireless communication and the reply link wireless communication containing data of a first clearance level; and

a maintenance device configured to interface with the interrogator in a wireless manner and receive data from the interrogator, the data received by the maintenance device having a higher clearance level than the first clearance level.

17. An interface device configured to interface with an interrogator of a communication system, the interface device comprising:

a remote communication device including a processor and wireless communication circuitry coupled to the processor and configured to communicate wireless signals; and

a computer coupled with the processor and configured to at least one of output data to the remote communication device for communication to the interrogator and receive data from the remote communication device and the interrogator.

19. A system comprising:

an interrogator capable of operating in a normal mode and a maintenance mode;

wireless communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless signals including at least one of outputting data to the interrogator and receiving data from the interrogator; and

a command control coupled with the wireless communication circuitry and being configured to output control signals to control the selection of operation of the interrogator between the normal mode and the maintenance mode.

25. A wireless communication system comprising:

a plurality of remote communication devices;

an interrogator configured to communicate with the remote communication devices; and

an interface device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interrogator being configured to communicate data corresponding to communications with the remote communication devices to the interface device.

26. A wireless communication system comprising:

a plurality of remote communication devices;

an interrogator configured to communicate with the remote communication devices; and

an interface device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interface device being configured to communicate software code to the interrogator.

27. A wireless communication system comprising:

at least one remote communication device;

an interrogator configured to output a forward link wireless communication and receive a reply link wireless communication from the remote communication device responsive to the forward link wireless communication; and

a maintenance device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interrogator configured to detect the presence of the maintenance device and output data to the maintenance device responsive to the detection.

28. A communication method comprising:

providing an interrogator and at least one remote communication device;

communicating intermediate the interrogator and the remote communication device;

providing an interface device;

reading control information from the interface device using the interrogator; and

communicating data between the interrogator and the interface device responsive to the control information.

43. A communication method comprising:

providing an interrogator and at least one remote communication device;

communicating intermediate the interrogator and the remote communication device;

providing an interface device;

detecting the presence of the interface device using the interrogator; and

communicating data intermediate the interrogator and the interface device responsive to the detecting.

44. A method of communicating using an interrogator of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

outputting a forward link communication;

receiving a reply link communication;

identifying an interface device responsive to the receiving; and

interfacing with the interface device via a wireless medium responsive to the identifying, the interfacing including receiving control information from the interface device.

45. The method according to claim 44 wherein the interfacing comprises communicating data intermediate the interface device and the interrogator.

46. The method according to claim 44 further comprising storing data corresponding to at least one of interrogator operations and interrogator communications.

47. The method according to claim 46 wherein the interfacing comprises outputting the stored data to the interface device.

48. The method according to claim 44 wherein the interfacing comprises receiving software code within the interrogator from the interface device.

50. The method according to claim 49 wherein the communicating comprises communicating using backscatter communications.

51. The method according to claim 49 wherein the communicating comprises at least one of communicating data from the interface device to the interrogator and communicating data from the interrogator to the interface device.

49. A method of interfacing with an interrogator of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

providing a communication system including an interrogator and at least one remote communication devices configured to communicate with the interrogator;

providing an interface device configured to communicate with the interrogator;

outputting an identification signal using the interface device;

identifying the interface device using the interrogator responsive to the outputting; and

communicating data intermediate the interrogator and the interface device via a wireless medium.

52. A method of operating an interrogator comprising:

outputting a forward link wireless communication;

receiving a reply link wireless communication from a remote communication device responsive to the outputting;

receiving an identification signal from an interface device responsive to the outputting; and

interfacing with the interface device responsive to the receiving the identification signal, the interfacing including receiving control information.

53. The method according to claim 52 wherein the receivings individually comprise receiving a backscatter communication.

54. The method according to claim 52 wherein the communicating comprises at least one of communicating data from the interface device to the interrogator and communicating data from the interrogator to the interface device.

55. A method of communicating within a backscatter system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of remote communication devices;

providing an interrogator;

providing an interface device;

outputting plural forward link wireless communications using the interrogator;

outputting continuous wave signals following the outputting of the forward link wireless communications;

receiving at least some of the forward link wireless communications within the remote communication devices and at least one of the forward link wireless communications within the interface device;

backscattering the continuous wave signal responsive to the receiving one forward link wireless communication using at least one remote communication device;

backscattering the continuous wave signal responsive to the receiving the forward link wireless communication using the interface device;

receiving the backscattered signals from the remote communication device and the interface device within the interrogator;

storing data within the backscattered signals from the remote communication device; and

interfacing with the interface device responsive to the receiving the backscatter signal from the interface device, the interfacing including communicating the stored data to the interface device.