Apparatus and method for saving power in RFID readers

• US 20060267730A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Mobile Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: PSC Scanning, Inc. (Datalogic ADC Incorporated)
• Inventors: Watkins, Patrick Scott, Steinke, Kurt Ellis
• Application Number:
  US11/139,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• 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 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling and/or reducing power consumption in an electronic tag reader (e.g. RFID). One preferred method includes the steps of configuring an automatic inventory command for excluding features; adjusting a search order for singulating RFID tags; activating a trigger control of the RFID reader for engaging power to begin reading the RFID tags; having the poll the RFID tags at a frequency for identifying said tags and hop to another frequency when the RFID tags are not located; the reader then terminating the reading after an interval when there are no new tags or when other criteria are met without the user deactivating the trigger control.

Claims

1. A method of reducing power consumption in an electronic tag reader comprising the steps of:

configuring said reader for excluding protocols and antennas;

selecting a software mechanism for automatically decreasing operating time of said reader;

activating a trigger control of said reader for engaging power to begin painting RFID tags;

deactivating said trigger control terminating said painting after an interval when there are no new tags.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said software mechanism initiates frequency hopping during said painting.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said frequency hopping terminates automatically when there are no more tags.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said software mechanism initiates polling during said painting, said polling performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said polling is automatically terminated after a time interval.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said software mechanism initiates a search order prior to said painting.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said software mechanism initiates singulation during said painting.

8. A method of reducing power consumption in an electronic tag reader comprising the steps of:

configuring said reader for excluding protocols and antennas;

selecting a manual mechanism for decreasing operating time of said reader;

activating a trigger control of said reader for engaging power to begin painting RFID tags;

deactivating said trigger control terminating said painting after an interval when there are no new tags.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said software mechanism initiates frequency hopping during said painting.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said frequency hopping terminates automatically when there are no more tags.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said software mechanism initiates polling during said painting, said polling performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said polling is automatically terminated after a time interval.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein said software mechanism initiates a search order prior to said painting.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein said software mechanism initiates singulation during said painting.

15. A method of reducing power consumption in an electronic tag reader comprising the steps of:

selecting a software mechanism for decreasing operating time of said reader;

activating a trigger control of said reader for engaging power to begin painting RFID tags;

deactivating said trigger control terminating said painting after an interval when there are no new tags.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said software mechanism initiates frequency hopping during said painting.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said frequency hopping terminates automatically when there are no more tags.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said software mechanism initiates polling during said painting, said polling performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said polling is automatically terminated after a time interval.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein said software mechanism initiates a search order prior to said painting.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein said software mechanism initiates singulation during said painting.

22. A method according to claim 15, wherein said software mechanism initiates a preselection mechanism prior to said painting.

23. A method of reducing power consumption in an electronic tag reader comprising the steps of:

selecting a manual mechanism for decreasing operating time of said reader;

activating a trigger control of said reader for engaging power to begin painting RFID tags;

deactivating said trigger control terminating said painting after an interval when there are no new tags.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said software mechanism initiates frequency hopping during said painting.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said frequency hopping terminates automatically when there are no more tags.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein said software mechanism initiates polling during said painting, said polling performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said polling is automatically terminated after a time interval.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein said software mechanism initiates a search order prior to said painting.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein said software mechanism initiates singulation during said painting.

30. A method according to claim 23, wherein said software mechanism initiates a preselection mechanism prior to said painting.

31. A data reader comprising:

a) a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator within said data reader for detecting data;

b) a processor connected to an output of said RFID interrogator;

c) a feedback mechanism connected to said output;

d) a preselection mechanism for configuring protocols and antennas;

and

e) a software mechanism for decreasing operating time of said reader.

32. The data reader according to claim 31, wherein said software mechanism is a frequency hopping algorithm used during painting that terminates automatically when there are no new tags.

33. The data reader according to claim 31, wherein said software mechanism is a polling algorithm performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

34. The data reader according to claim 33, wherein said polling algorithm is automatically terminated after a time interval.

35. The data reader according to claim 31, wherein said software mechanism is an automatically adjusted search order algorithm.

36. The data reader according to claim 31, wherein said software mechanism is a singulation algorithm.

37. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an optical data reader;

c) a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator for detecting data;

d) a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID interrogator;

e) a preselection mechanism for configuring protocols and antennas; and

f) a software mechanism for decreasing operating time of said reader.

38. The data reader according to claim 37, wherein said software mechanism is a frequency hopping algorithm used during painting that terminates automatically when there are no new tags.

39. The data reader according to claim 37, wherein said software mechanism is a polling algorithm performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

40. The data reader according to claim 39, wherein said polling algorithm is automatically terminated after a time interval.

41. The data reader according to claim 37, wherein said software mechanism is an automatically adjusted search order algorithm.

42. The data reader according to claim 37, wherein said software mechanism is a singulation algorithm.

43. The data reader according to claim 37, wherein said software mechanism is a preselection mechanism algorithm.

44. A data reader comprising:

a) a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator within said data reader for detecting data;

b) a processor connected to an output of said RFID interrogator;

c) a feedback mechanism connected to said output; and

d) a software mechanism for decreasing operating time and power consumption of said data reader.

45. The data reader according to claim 44, wherein said software mechanism is a frequency hopping algorithm used during painting that terminates automatically when there are no new tags.

46. The data reader according to claim 44, wherein said software mechanism is a polling algorithm performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

47. The data reader according to claim 46, wherein said polling algorithm is automatically terminated after a time interval.

48. The data reader according to claim 44, wherein said software mechanism is an automatically adjusted search order algorithm.

49. The data reader according to claim 44, wherein said software mechanism is a singulation algorithm.

50. The data reader according to claim 44, wherein said software mechanism is a preselection mechanism algorithm.

51. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an optical data reader;

c) a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator for detecting data;

d) a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID interrogator; and

e) a software mechanism for decreasing operating time and power consumption of said multiple-technology data reader.

52. The data reader according to claim 51, wherein said software mechanism is a frequency hopping algorithm used during painting that terminates automatically when there are no new tags.

53. The data reader according to claim 51, wherein said software mechanism is a polling algorithm performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

54. The data reader according to claim 53, wherein said polling algorithm is automatically terminated after a time interval.

55. The data reader according to claim 51, wherein said software mechanism is an automatically adjusted search order algorithm.

56. The data reader according to claim 51, wherein said software mechanism is a singulation algorithm.

57. The data reader according to claim 51, wherein said software mechanism is a preselection mechanism algorithm.

58. A data reader comprising:

a) a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator within said data reader for detecting data;

b) a processor connected to an output of said RFID interrogator;

c) a feedback mechanism connected to said output; and

d) a manual mechanism for decreasing operating time and power consumption of said data reader.

59. The data reader according to claim 58, wherein said manual mechanism initiates frequency hopping used during painting, said hopping automatically terminates when there are no new tags.

60. The data reader according to claim 58, wherein said manual mechanism initiates polling, said polling performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

61. The data reader according to claim 60, wherein said polling is automatically terminated after a time interval.

62. The data reader according to claim 58, wherein said manual mechanism initiates an automatically adjusted search order.

63. The data reader according to claim 58, wherein said manual mechanism initiates singulation.

64. The data reader according to claim 58, wherein said manual mechanism initiates a preselection mechanism.

65. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an optical data reader;

c) a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator for detecting data;

d) a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID interrogator; and

e) a manual mechanism for decreasing operating time and power consumption of said multiple-technology data reader.

66. The data reader according to claim 65, wherein said manual mechanism initiates frequency hopping used during painting, said hopping automatically terminates when there are no new tags.

67. The data reader according to claim 65, wherein said manual mechanism initiates polling, said polling performed at a plurality of duty cycle values below 100%.

68. The data reader according to claim 67, wherein said polling is automatically terminated after a time interval.

69. The data reader according to claim 65, wherein said manual mechanism initiates an automatically adjusted search order.

70. The data reader according to claim 65, wherein said manual mechanism initiates singulation.

71. The data reader according to claim 65, wherein said manual mechanism initiates a preselection mechanism.