Methods and apparatuses to identify devices

• US 20050211787A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RUIZHANG TECHNOLOGY LIMITED COMPANY
• Original Assignee: John Stephen Smith, Roger G. Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, Roger G., Smith, John Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,262,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 7/08 by means detecting the change of an electrostatic or magnetic field, e.g. by detecting change of capacitance between electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10049 binary tree

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for identifying devices, such as RF tags, are described. In one exemplary method of an embodiment of the invention, a reader identifies tags without requiring or determining whether a response to an interrogation was a single response from a single tag or multiple responses from multiple tags. In another exemplary method of an embodiment, a method is performed by a tag in an identification system, and the method includes receiving a first data from a reader, and correlating the first data with a first corresponding portion of the tag'"'"'s identification code, and specifying a match if the first data matches the first corresponding portion, and receiving second data which, combined with the first data, is correlated with a second corresponding portion of the tag'"'"'s identification code.

Claims

1. A method performed by a reader for identifying tags, each having an identifier code, said method comprising:

transmitting data to a plurality of tags, said data specifying at least one identifier code; and

receiving at least one response indicating a match from said plurality of tags, wherein said reader does not attempt to distinguish between a single response indicating a match and a plurality of responses each indicating a match.

2-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method performed by a tag in order to identify the tag which has an identifier code, said method comprising:

receiving data from a reader; and

transmitting a single bit response to said reader in response to said data, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

13. A method performed by a reader in order to identify at least one tag which has an identifier code, said method comprising:

transmitting data from said reader; and

receiving, at said reader, a single bit response from at least one tag, said single bit response being in response to said data from said reader, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

14. A method as in claim 13 further comprising:

transmitting another data from said reader without regard to whether said receiving received a single response from one tag or a plurality of responses from a plurality of tags.

15. A method as in claim 13 wherein said reader does not attempt to distinguish between a single response from only one tag indicating a match and a plurality of responses from tags each indicating a match.

16. A method performed by a tag having an identifier code, said method comprising:

receiving, at said tag, data representing at least a portion of a test code from a reader;

processing said data in said tag and determining whether said test code has been properly received; and

silencing transmissions from said tag if said test code has not been properly received.

17-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for identifying tags, each having an identifier code, said method comprising:

transmitting data to a plurality of tags, said data specifying at least one identifier code; and

receiving at least one response indicating a match from said plurality of tags, wherein said reader does not attempt to distinguish between a single response indicating a match and a plurality of responses each indicating a match.

27-36. -36. (canceled)

37. A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for a tag in order to identify the tag which has an identifier code, said method comprising:

receiving data from a reader; and

transmitting a single bit response to said reader in response to said data, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

38. A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for a reader in order to identify at least one tag which has an identifier code, said method comprising:

transmitting data from said reader; and

receiving, at said reader, a single bit response from at least one tag, said single bit response being in response to said data from said reader, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

39. A computer readable medium as set forth in claim 38 further comprising:

transmitting another data from said reader without regard to whether said receiving received a single response from one tag or a plurality of responses from a plurality of tags.

40. A computer readable medium as set forth in claim 38 wherein said reader does not attempt to distinguish between a single response from only one tag indicating a match and a plurality of responses from tags each indicating a match.

41-58. -58. (canceled)

59. A tag comprising:

a receiver to receive data from a reader;

a processor coupled with said receiver, said processor is to process said data; and

a transmitter coupled with said processor, said transmitter is to transmit a single bit response to said reader in response to said data, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

60-62. -62. (canceled)

63. An apparatus to identify tags, said apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor to control data;

a transmitter coupled with said microprocessor, said transmitter is to transmit said data to a plurality of tags, said data specifying at least one identifier code; and

a receiver coupled with said microprocessor, said receiver is to receive at least one response from a plurality of tags, wherein said apparatus does not attempt to distinguish between a single response indicating a match and a plurality of responses each indicating a match.

64. An apparatus as in claim 63 further comprising:

a data bus coupled with said microprocessor.

65. An apparatus as in claim 64 further comprising:

a network interface coupled with at least one of said data bus and said microprocessor, said network interface is to allow communication with a network.

66-70. -70. (canceled)

71. An apparatus to identify at least one tag, which has an identifier code, said apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor to control data;

a transmitter coupled with said microprocessor, said transmitter is to transmit said data; and

a receiver coupled with said microprocessor, said receiver is to receive a single bit response from at least one tag, said single bit response being in response to said data, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

72. An apparatus as in claim 71 wherein said apparatus is to transmit another data without regard to whether said receiver received a single response from one tag or a plurality of responses from a plurality of tags.

73. An apparatus as in claim 71 wherein said apparatus does not attempt to distinguish between a single response from only one tag indicating a match and a plurality of responses from tags each indicating a match.

74-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A tag comprising:

means for receiving data from a reader;

means for processing said data; and

means for transmitting a single bit response to said reader in response to said data,

wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

89-91. -91. (canceled)

92. An apparatus to identify tags, said apparatus comprising:

means for controlling data;

means for transmitting said data to a plurality of tags, said data specifying at least one identifier code; and

means for receiving at least one response from a plurality of tags, wherein said apparatus does not attempt to distinguish between a single response indicating a match and a plurality of responses each indicating a match.

94-98. -98. (canceled)

99. An apparatus to identify at least one tag, which has an identifier code, said apparatus comprising:

means for controlling data;

means for transmitting data; and

means for receiving to receive a single bit response from at least one tag, said single bit response being in response to said data, wherein said data specifies at least a range of possible identifier codes.

100. An apparatus as in claim 99 wherein said apparatus is to transmit another data without regard to whether said means for receiving received a single response from one tag or a plurality of responses from a plurality of tags.

101. An apparatus as in claim 99 wherein said apparatus does not attempt to distinguish between a single response from only one tag indicating a match and a plurality of responses from tags each indicating a match.

102-108. -108. (canceled)