Network control
First Claim
1. A device, comprising:
- a plurality of ports adapted to convey traffic signals, wherein at least one of said plurality of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals;
a switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between a pair of ports, wherein at least one port of said pair of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals; and
a controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said electrically connected communication path between said pair of ports in response to a decoded command signal, wherein a traffic signal may be conveyed between said pair of ports.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a network control module permits any or all of power signals, traffic signals and controller command signals to be carried on as few as one wire or cable to a first port of the network control module. In another aspect, a “peripheral array” includes a network control module (in any one of a number of different possible embodiments), with one or more peripheral devices, such as antennas, attached to or coupled with the network control module outputs. In one embodiment, RFID “smart shelving” may be fabricated in sections, with several (for example, 4, 8 or 16) antennas in each section, and as few as one cable coupling adjacent sections. Additional embodiments are described and claimed.
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Citations
110 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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a plurality of ports adapted to convey traffic signals, wherein at least one of said plurality of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals;
a switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between a pair of ports, wherein at least one port of said pair of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals; and
a controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said electrically connected communication path between said pair of ports in response to a decoded command signal, wherein a traffic signal may be conveyed between said pair of ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A network, comprising:
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a first peripheral array having a first plurality of ports adapted to convey traffic signals, and wherein at least one of said first plurality of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals;
a first plurality of peripheral devices coupled to one or more of said ports of said first peripheral array;
a first switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between a pair of ports;
a first controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said electrically connected communication path between said pair of ports in response to a decoded command signal, wherein a traffic signal may be conveyed between said pair of ports; and
a bypass port and bypass switch whereby signals entering said peripheral array can be directed via said bypass switch to said bypass port; and
a second peripheral array having a second plurality of ports adapted to convey traffic signals, and wherein at least one of said second plurality of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals;
a second plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said ports of second peripheral array;
a second switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports of said second plurality of ports to provide a second electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between a pair of ports of said second peripheral array;
a second controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches of second switch network to provide said second electrically connected communication path between said pair of ports in response to a decoded command signal, wherein a traffic signal may be conveyed between said pair of ports; and
whereby a traffic signal from said bypass port of said first peripheral array may be directed to said second peripheral array, and may also be directed via said second electrically connected communication path of said second peripheral array to a peripheral device coupled to a port of said second peripheral array. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method, comprising:
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receiving signals which include traffic signals and command signals, conveyed by a common conductor, at a first port of a device adapted to convey said traffic signals and command signals;
decoding command signals received at said first port;
in response to a decoded command signal, controlling selected switches of a switch network of said device to couple said first port to a selected second port of said device to provide an electrically connected communication path between said first port and said selected second port;
forwarding traffic signals along said communication path; and
conveying traffic signals at said selected second port out of said device. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A device, comprising:
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a plurality of ports adapted to convey traffic signals, wherein at least one of said plurality of ports adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals;
network means for selectively coupling ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between a pair of ports, wherein at least one port of said pair of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals; and
controller means for decoding command signals and controlling said network means to provide said electrically connected communication path between said pair of ports in response to a decoded command signal wherein a traffic signal may be directed between said pair of ports. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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98. A network, comprising:
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a first peripheral array having a plurality of ports, at least one of which is a first port adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals, at least one of which is a bypass port adapted to convey traffic signals, and a plurality of which are additional ports adapted to convey traffic signals;
a plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said additional ports, a switch network disposed within said array and having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between said first port and a selected additional or bypass port;
a controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said electrically connected communication path between said first port and a selected additional or bypass port in response to a decoded command signal wherein a traffic signal may be directed from said first port to a peripheral device coupled to a selected additional port and wherein a traffic signal may be directed from said first port to said bypass port; and
a second peripheral array having a first port series connected to said bypass port of said first peripheral array, a second plurality of additional ports adapted to convey traffic signals;
a second plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said second plurality of additional ports, a second switch network disposed within said second peripheral array and having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports of said second peripheral array to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between said first port of second peripheral array and a selected port of said second plurality of said second peripheral array;
a second controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches of said second switch network to provide an electrically connected communication path between said first port of second peripheral array and a selected port of said second plurality of said second peripheral array in response to a decoded command signal wherein a traffic signal may be directed from said first port of second peripheral array to a peripheral device coupled to a selected port of said second plurality of said second peripheral array.
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99. A peripheral array, comprising:
a module having a single first port adapted to convey signals which include a radio frequency identification (RFID) traffic signals and RF command signals;
a plurality of additional ports adapted to convey RFID traffic signals;
a switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals from said first port to a selected port of said additional ports;
a controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said electrically connected communication path between ports in response to a decoded command signal wherein a traffic signal may be directed from said first port to a selected port of said additional ports and wherein said traffic signal facilitates detection and identification of marked or tagged items;
a plurality of antennas, each antenna being coupled to a port of said additional ports and adapted to transmit said RFID traffic signals by electromagnetic radiation, inductive coupling, and capacitive coupling; and
an enclosure enclosing said switch network, controller and antennas.
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100. A device, comprising:
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a module, wherein the module comprises;
said plurality of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals;
a switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between a pair of ports, wherein at least one port of said pair of ports is adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals; and
a controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said electrically connected communication path between said pair of ports in response to a decoded command signal, wherein a traffic signal may be conveyed between said pair of ports. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107)
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108. A network, comprising:
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an array having a plurality of ports, at least one of which is a first port adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals, and a plurality of which are additional ports adapted to convey traffic signals;
a plurality of peripheral devices coupled to said ports, a first switch network disposed within said peripheral array and having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals between said first port and a selected port;
a first controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said communication path between said first port and a selected port in response to a decoded command signal wherein a traffic signal may be directed from said first port to a selected port; and
a network control device having a second plurality of ports, at least one of which is a port series connected to a port of said first peripheral array and adapted to convey traffic signals and command signals, and a plurality of which are ports adapted to convey traffic signals;
a second switch network having switches and conductive paths adapted to selectively couple ports to provide an electrically connected communication path for traffic signals from a port coupled with first peripheral array to a selected port of said second plurality of ports; and
a second controller adapted to decode command signals and control said switches to provide said communication path between ports in response to a decoded command signal wherein a traffic signal may be directed from a port coupled with first peripheral array to said selected port of said second plurality of ports. - View Dependent Claims (109, 110)
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Specification