Tag interrogation with observable response signal
First Claim
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1. A method of discriminating among similar items, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. associating each of the items with a device responsive to a unique stimulus; and
b. exposing the items to a stimulus corresponding to a selected one of the items, the exposure causing the corresponding item, but not the other items, to impart an observable signal.
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Abstract
An identification tag identifies a unique item from among a plurality of items with a similar appearance. Tagged items are searched by scanning the items with an interrogation signal. The tag emits an observable signal to indicate when it receives an identification that matches the identification contained in the tag. When the reader'"'"'s interrogation is not present, the tag either sleeps at a very low power level or is passively unpowered.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of discriminating among similar items, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. associating each of the items with a device responsive to a unique stimulus; and
b. exposing the items to a stimulus corresponding to a selected one of the items, the exposure causing the corresponding item, but not the other items, to impart an observable signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An identification system, the system comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting an interrogation signal comprising a transmitted identification associated with a selected tag;
a plurality of tags each containing a tag identification uniquely identifying the tag, the tag being responsive to an interrogation signal whose transmitted identification matches the tag identification; and
associated with each of the tags, a transducer, in communication with the tag identification, for imparting an observable signal upon response of the tag identification to the interrogation signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An identification tag that identifies a unique object having a generic appearance, the tag comprising:
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a receiver for receiving an interrogation signal comprising an object identification;
a memory for storing a tag identification uniquely identifying the tag; and
a device for emitting an observable signal in response to the interrogation signal when the object identification matches the tag identification, wherein the object identification uniquely identifies the object from among a plurality of objects having a similar appearance. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification