SYNCHRONIZATION TECHNIQUES IN MULTI-TECHNOLOGY/MULTI-FREQUENCY RFID READER ARRAYS

• US 20070057057A1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy Identification Technology Group AB (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Smith, Thad, Andresky, David, Clark, Philip, Cummings, Nathan, Malone, Michael, Fossen, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,967,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/451
• 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 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for provisioning the use of multiple readers and/or wireless communication protocols within a defined area are provided. More specifically, a coordinator or the like can be used to manage the activation and deactivation of the multiple readers and/or communication protocols within a single reader such that interference between disparate technologies is avoided.

Claims

1. A method of controlling multiple radio frequency identification (RFID) communication protocols in a common area, comprising:

activating a first communication protocol;

determining that an RFID device capable of communicating via the first communication protocol is not within the common area; and

activating a second communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating the first communication protocol prior to activating the second communication protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting an amount of time that the first communication protocol is active based on at least one of time of day, use history, and RFID device population information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a monitoring agent is used as part of the adjusting step.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a single RFID reader employs the first and second communication protocols.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is employed by a first RFID reader and the second communication protocol is employed by a second RFID reader.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising a coordinator coordinating the first and second RFID readers.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the first RFID reader performing the determining step;

the first RFID reader sending a message to the second RFID reader indicating to the second RFID reader that no RFID device capable of communicating via the first communication protocol was within the active area; and

the first RFID reader deactivating the first communication protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the message sent from the first RFID reader to the second RFID reader comprises a control token, and wherein the second RFID reader is only capable of activating the second communication protocol when the second RFID reader is in possession of the control token.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein an amount of time the second RFID reader is in possession of the control token varies based on a state of the common area.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the control token is first passed from the first RFID reader to a coordinator then the coordinator passes the control token to the second RFID reader.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the second RFID reader receiving the message sent from the first RFID reader; and

the second RFID reader activating the second communication protocol.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a period of time that should pass before switching from the first communication protocol to the second communication protocol;

identifying that the period of time has passed since the first communication protocol was activated; and

switching between the first and second communication protocols.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring RF activity in the common area; and

adjusting a determined period of time based on monitoring the RF activity in the common area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined period is adjusted based on a historical activity in the common area.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined period is adjusted based on at least one of time of day, week, month, and year.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that an RFID device capable of communicating via the second communication protocol is not within the common area; and

switching the active communication protocol from the second communication protocol to a third communication protocol.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the third communication protocol is different from the first and second communication protocol.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the third communication protocol is the first communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol has at least one of a different modulation method, encoding method, error detection method, error correction method, data framing method, data communications speed, and RF frequency from the second communication protocol.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an RFID device capable of communicating via the second communication protocol within the common area; and

initiating communications with the detected RFID device via the second communication protocol.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying at least one non-interfering communication protocol that will not substantially disrupt communications via the second communication protocol with the RFID device;

activating the at least one non-interfering communication protocol.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one non-interfering communication protocol and second communication protocol are active at substantially the same time.

24. A system for controlling multiple radio frequency identification (RFID) communication protocols in a common area, comprising:

a first means for communicating operable to communicate with an RFID device via a first communication protocol;

a second means for communicating operable to communicate with an RFID device via a second communication protocol; and

a means for coordinating the first and second means for communicating such that both the first and second means for communicating are operable to communicate with one or more RFID devices within the common area without substantially interfering with one another.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for coordinating is operable to deactivate the first means for communicating prior to activating the second means for communicating.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first and second means for communicating are associated with a single RFID reader.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first means for communicating is associated with a first RFID reader and the second means for communicating is associated with a second RFID reader.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for coordinating is associated with the first RFID reader, wherein the means for coordinating is operable to determine that no RFID device capable of communicating via the first communication protocol is within the common area, send a message to the second RFID reader indicating to the second RFID reader that no RFID device capable of communicating via the first communication protocol was within the common area, and deactivate the first means for communicating.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the second RFID reader is operable to receive the message sent from the first RFID reader and activate the second means for communicating.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for coordinating is operable to determine a period of time that should pass before switching an active means for communicating from the first means to the second means for communicating, identify that the period of time has passed since the first communication protocol was activated, and switch the active means for communicating from the first means to the second means for communicating.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a means for monitoring RF activity in the common area that is operable to communicate with the means for coordinating such that the means for coordinating can adjust the determined period of time based on monitored RF activity in the common area.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the second means for communicating is operable to detect an RFID device capable of communicating via the second communication protocol within the common area and initiate communications with the detected RFID device via the second communication protocol.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for controlling is operable to identify at least one non-interfering communication protocol that will not disrupt communications via the second communication protocol with the RFID device and activate the at least one non-interfering communication protocol.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein the first communication protocol has at least one of a different modulation method, encoding method, error detection method, error correction method, data framing method, data communications speed, and RF frequency from the second communication protocol.

35. An array of RFID readers, comprising:

a first RFID reader operable to communicate with RFID devices via a first communication protocol in an common area;

a second RFID reader operable to communicate with RFID devices via a second communication protocol in the common area; and

a coordinator operable to manage the activity of the first and second RFID readers such that the first RFID reader does not substantially interfere with the second RFID reader.

36. The array of claim 35, wherein the coordinator is embodied in at least one of the first and second readers.

37. The array of claim 35, wherein the coordinator is connected to the first RFID reader by a first communication line and is connected to the second RFID reader by a second different communication line.

38. The array of claim 35, wherein the coordinator is connected to at least one of the first and second RFID readers by a communications bus.

39. The array of claim 35, wherein the coordinator communicates with at least one of the first and second RFID readers by at least one of serial asynchronous communications, I²C, SPI, and Wiegand communication methods.

40. The array of claim 35, wherein the first communication protocol has at least one of a different modulation method, encoding method, error detection method, error correction method, data framing method, data communications speed, and RF frequency from the second communication protocol.

41. The array of claim 35, wherein the coordinator is operable to deactivate the first RFID reader prior to activating the RFID reader.

42. The array of claim 35, wherein coordinator is operable to determine that no RFID device capable of communicating via the first communication protocol is within the common area, send a message to the second RFID reader indicating to the second RFID reader that no RFID device capable of communicating via the first communication protocol was within the common area, and deactivate the first RFID reader.

43. The array of claim 42, wherein the second RFID reader is operable to receive the message sent from the first RFID reader and become active upon receipt of the message.

44. The array of claim 35, wherein the second RFID reader is operable to detect an RFID device capable of communicating via the second communication protocol within the common area and initiate communications with the detected RFID device via the second communication protocol.

45. The array of claim 35, wherein the coordinator is operable to identify at least one non-interfering communication protocol that will not disrupt communications of the second RFID device and activate the at least one non-interfering communication protocol.

46. The array of claim 35, wherein the first and second readers are in a common enclosure.

47. The array of claim 35, wherein the first reader is made by a first manufacturer and the second reader is made by a second different manufacturer.

49. The device of claim 45, wherein the processor is operable to deactivate the first means for communicating prior to activating the second means for communicating.

50. The device of claim 45, wherein the processor comprises at least one of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable logic device (PLD), and application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

51. The device of claim 45, wherein the processor is operable to determine a period of time that should pass before switching from an active first technology module to a second technology module, identify that the period of time has passed since the first technology module was activated, and activate the second technology module.

52. The device of claim 45, wherein the second technology module is communicating with an RFID device, and wherein the processor is operable to identify at least one non-interfering technology module that will not disrupt communications via the second communication protocol with the RFID device and activate the at least one non-interfering technology module.

53. The device of claim 45, wherein the first communication protocol has at least one of a different modulation method, encoding method, error detection method, error correction method, data framing method, data communications speed, and RF frequency from the second communication protocol.

48. A device for communicating with RFID devices via multiple communication protocols, comprising:

a first technology module operable to communicate with RFID devices via a first communication protocol;

a second technology module operable to communicate with RFID devices via a second communication protocol; and

a processor operable to coordinate the activity of the first and second technology modules such that the first technology module does not substantially interfere with the second technology module.