Methods and apparatuses to identify devices
First Claim
1. A method to query a plurality of Tags, the method comprising:
- broadcasting one or more first query commands including a first value of a probability parameter, the first value of the probability parameter indicating a first probability of reply, wherein each of the plurality of Tags randomly determines whether or not to reply; and
detecting a reply in response to the first query command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include systems with Readers and Tags in which a Reader queries the Tags with a parameter that includes a level of probability of reply according to which the Tags individually and randomly decide whether or not to reply. In one embodiment, the Tags can switch between two states: A and B. The query command also specifies a state (A or B) so that only the Tags in the specified state can reply. After successfully sending the Tag identification data from a Tag to the Reader, the Tag switches to the other state from the specified state. In one embodiment, the operations about the two states are symmetric. In one embodiment, the Tags can remember the parameters used in a query so that a short form of query command can be used to repeat the query with the same query parameters.
188 Citations
94 Claims
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1. A method to query a plurality of Tags, the method comprising:
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broadcasting one or more first query commands including a first value of a probability parameter, the first value of the probability parameter indicating a first probability of reply, wherein each of the plurality of Tags randomly determines whether or not to reply; and
detecting a reply in response to the first query command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for a Tag to respond to queries from a Reader, the method comprising:
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receiving from the Reader a first query command including a first value of a probability parameter; and
deciding randomly whether or not to reply to the first query command, wherein a probability of reply is determined by the first value of the probability parameter. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 94)
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28. A Reader to query a plurality of Tags, the Reader comprising:
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means for broadcasting one or more first query commands including a first value of a probability parameter, the first value of the probability parameter indicating a first probability of reply, wherein each of the plurality of Tags randomly determines whether or not to reply; and
means for detecting a reply in response to the first query command. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A Tag responsive to queries from a Reader, the Tag comprising:
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means for receiving from the Reader a first query command including a first value of a probability parameter; and
means for deciding randomly whether or not to reply to the first query command, wherein a probability of reply is determined by the first value of the probability parameter. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A machine readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a data processing system causes the system to perform a method to query a plurality of Tags, the method comprising:
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broadcasting one or more first query commands including a first value of a probability parameter, the first value of the probability parameter indicating a first probability of reply, wherein each of the plurality of Tags randomly determines whether or not to reply; and
detecting a reply in response to the first query command. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A Tag responsive to queries from a Reader, the Tag comprising:
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an antenna;
an Integrated Circuit (IC) coupled to the antenna to;
receive from the Reader a first query command with a first value of a probability parameter; and
decide randomly whether or not to reply to the first query command, wherein a probability of reply is determined by the first value of the probability parameter. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. An apparatus to query a plurality of Tags, comprising:
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an antenna; and
a Reader, comprising;
a receiver coupled to the antenna;
a transmitter coupled to the antenna;
a processor coupled to the receiver, the transmitter and a memory, the processor to control the transmitter and the receiver, the Reader to broadcast one or more first query commands including a first value of a probability parameter, the first value of the probability parameter indicating a first probability of reply, wherein each of the plurality of Tags randomly determines whether or not to reply, and the Reader further to detect a reply in response to the first query command. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. A machine readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a data processing system causes the system to perform a method to respond to queries from a Reader, the method comprising:
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receiving from the Reader a first query command including a first value of a probability parameter; and
deciding randomly whether or not to reply to the first query command, wherein a probability of reply is determined by the first value of the probability parameter. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93)
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Specification