Tag multiplication
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of short-range antennas comprising:
- an antenna selector for selecting from a plurality of antennas at least one antenna to be operatively coupled to a machine-readable tag; and
antenna logic operatively coupled with the antenna selector for controlling said antenna selector;
wherein the antenna logic controls the antenna selector to select from the plurality of antennas the at least one antenna in response to detecting activation of said at least one antenna for receiving a short-range scanning signal from a remote source to convey to the machine-readable tag.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent antenna system for extending the effective communication range of a machine-readable passive tag. The system includes intelligence that allows one of a plurality of extension antennas to be active at any given time in order to both facilitate communications and safeguard the system. The machine-readable tag and antenna system may be embedded in a structure. In a further embodiment, the system may include multiple passive tags that are active in correspondence to a display or advertisement currently being exhibited. The system includes means for operatively coupling a designated machine-readable tag to the embedded antenna network previously described.
18 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of short-range antennas comprising:
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an antenna selector for selecting from a plurality of antennas at least one antenna to be operatively coupled to a machine-readable tag; and
antenna logic operatively coupled with the antenna selector for controlling said antenna selector;
wherein the antenna logic controls the antenna selector to select from the plurality of antennas the at least one antenna in response to detecting activation of said at least one antenna for receiving a short-range scanning signal from a remote source to convey to the machine-readable tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for controlling a plurality of short-range antennas comprising:
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Controlling an antenna selector using antenna logic to select at least one antenna from a plurality of antennas to be operatively coupled to a machine-readable tag;
wherein the antenna logic controls the antenna selector to select from the plurality of antennas the at least one antenna in response to detecting activation of said at least one antenna for receiving a short-range scanning signal from a remote source to convey to the machine-readable tag. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for controlling a plurality of short-range antennas comprising:
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a computer readable program code for controlling an antenna selector using antenna logic to select at least one antenna from a plurality of antennas to be operatively coupled to a machine-readable tag;
wherein the computer readable program code causes the antenna logic to control the antenna selector to select from the plurality of antennas the at least one antenna in response to detecting activation of said at least one antenna for receiving a short-range scanning signal from a remote source to convey to the machine-readable tag. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system for controlling a plurality of short-range antennas comprising:
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a display structure for displaying a plurality of signs containing an indicia of an informative nature individually in succession;
a machine-readable tag affixed to each sign;
an antenna selector for selecting at least one antenna from a plurality of antennas to be operatively coupled to the machine-readable tag affixed to the sign currently being displayed; and
antenna logic operatively coupled with the antenna selector for controlling said antenna selector;
wherein the antenna logic controls the antenna selector to select from the plurality of antennas the at least one antenna in response to detecting activation of said at least one antenna for receiving a short-range scanning signal from a remote source to convey to the machine-readable tag. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification