Controller for accessing multiple radio frequency identification (RFID) readers

• US 20060145813A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Haller, Stephan, Kubach, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) controller within an RFID system includes an RFID interrogator interface configured to receive signals from RFID interrogators and configured to manage the RFID interrogators based on instructions received from an application program. The RFID interrogators are configured to receive data from an RFID tag. The controller also includes a controller core configured to process the signals received from the RFID interrogator interface and to provide the data to the application.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) controller within an RFID system, comprising:

an RFID interrogator interface configured to receive signals from RFID interrogators and configured to manage the RFID interrogators based on instructions received from an application, program the RFID interrogators configured to receive data from an RFID tag; and

a controller core configured to process the signals received from the RFID interrogator interface and to provide the data to the application program.

2. The controller of claim 1 wherein the RFID interrogator interface notifies the application program which RFID interrogator received the data from the RFID tag.

3. The controller of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a selection of data processing units and an arrangement of data processing units;

wherein the controller core is configured to modify processing of the signals from RFID interrogator interface based on the selection and the arrangement of the data processing units.

4. The controller of claim 3 further comprising an administrative services component to store configuration files based on the arrangement and the selection of the data processing units.

5. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the RFID interrogators are antennas associated with an RFID interrogator, the antennas configured to receive data from the RFID tag;

the RFID interrogator interface is configured to receive signals from the antennas and is configured to manage the antennas based on instructions received from the application program.

6. The controller of claim 5 wherein the RFID interrogator interface notifies the application program which antenna received the data from the RFID tag.

7. A radio frequency identification (RFID) controller within an RFID system, comprising:

an RFID interrogator interface configured to;

receive data provided by one of a plurality of RFID interrogators, wherein the plurality of RFID interrogators are coupled to the RFID interrogator interface and are each configured to read the data from an RFID tag; and

provide an indication to an application program of which one of the plurality of RFID interrogators received the data from the RFID tag, wherein the application program uses the data from the RFID tag;

a user interface configured to receive a selection and an arrangement of data processing units for use in processing the data received by the RFID interrogator interface; and

a controller core configured to process the data received by the RFID interrogator interface according to the selection and the arrangement of data processing units received from the user interface, and to provide the processed data to the application program.

8. The controller of claim 7 further comprising an administrative services component to store configuration files based on the arrangement and the selection of the data processing units.

9. The controller of claim 7 wherein:

the plurality of RFID interrogators comprises a plurality of antennas associated with an RFID interrogator that is coupled to the RFID interrogator interface, each of the antennas configured to receive data from one or more RFID tags; and

the RFID interrogator interface is configured to receive, from one of the plurality of antennas, data received by the one of the plurality of antennas from an RFID tag, and to provide an indication to an application program of which one of the plurality of antennas received the data from the RFID tag.

10. A method of processing radio frequency identification (RFID) data comprising:

connecting a first RFID interrogator and a second RFID interrogator to an RFID interrogator interface;

detecting an RFID tag at the first RFID interrogator or the second RFID interrogator; and

notifying the application program of which one of the first RFID interrogator or the second RFID interrogator detected the RFID tag.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising reading or writing commands from the application program to the RFID interrogators.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a configuration input from a user, the configuration input including an arrangement of data processing units to process RFID data;

receiving RFID data relating to the detected RFID tag from the first RFID interrogator or the second RFID interrogator; and

processing the RFID data based on the configuration input.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein processing the RFID data comprises changing the processing of RFID data from an existing process to a new process based on the configuration input.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein connecting the first RFID interrogator and the second RFID interrogator to the RFID interrogator interface comprises connecting a first RFID antenna and a second RFID antenna to an RFID interrogator interface through an RFID interrogator.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein detecting an RFID tag at the first RFID interrogator or the second RFID interrogator comprises detecting an RFID tag at the first RFID antenna or the second RFID antenna.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein notifying the application program of which one of the first RFID interrogator or the second RFID interrogator detected the RFID tag comprises notifying the application program of which one of the first RFID antenna or the second RFID antenna detected the RFID tag.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

reading or writing commands from the application program to the RFID antennas; and

redirecting the commands to the RFID interrogator through which the RFID antennas are connected to the RFID interrogator interface.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving a configuration input from a user, the configuration input including an arrangement of data processing units to process RFID data;

receiving RFID data relating to the detected RFID tag from the first RFID antenna or the second RFID antenna; and

processing the RFID data based on the configuration input.