Media access control and signaling protocol for low power, large-scale wireless networks
First Claim
1. A communication network for tracking and controlling merchandise, comprising:
- a) a network to track and update price and merchandise parameters, further comprising;
i) an electronic tag coupled to merchandise;
ii) an access devices operating in each of a plurality of access points, wherein each access point communicates with a plurality of said electronic tags within a communication vicinity of each of the plurality of access points, whereby each of the electronic tags are identified by an address;
iii) a controller communicating with said plurality of access points and a point of sales terminal to maintain inventory control and price information;
b) said plurality of access points located on ceilings or walls of a store and communicating with a plurality of the electronic tags within a communication vicinity of each of said access points with wireless signals comprising a plurality of communication channels;
c) said electronic tags register with a first access point and re-register with a second access point when moved to a communication vicinity of said second access; and
d) said electronic tags listen to signal beacons broadcast from the access points for an identification (ID) of the electronic tags and respond with an acknowledgement when the ID of a particular tag is received after which data is transmitted to the particular tag.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implementation of a signaling protocol for low power and large scale wireless networks provides a media access control (MAC) that produces a low rate two-way communication link between a commercial infrastructure and a very large number of small, low-cost devices known as electronic tags. The numerous tags attached to merchandise or shelves communicate with a number of access points (AP) distributed throughout a facility containing merchandise for sale or storage. A store controller maintains the pricing database for the point of sale (POS) registers of the facility. Price changes are transmitted in real time to the tag, thus updating the merchandise tags and the point of sales (POS) registers simultaneously. The tags contain a controller and a battery in which conservation of power is crucial to the life of the tags.
25 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A communication network for tracking and controlling merchandise, comprising:
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a) a network to track and update price and merchandise parameters, further comprising;
i) an electronic tag coupled to merchandise;
ii) an access devices operating in each of a plurality of access points, wherein each access point communicates with a plurality of said electronic tags within a communication vicinity of each of the plurality of access points, whereby each of the electronic tags are identified by an address;
iii) a controller communicating with said plurality of access points and a point of sales terminal to maintain inventory control and price information;
b) said plurality of access points located on ceilings or walls of a store and communicating with a plurality of the electronic tags within a communication vicinity of each of said access points with wireless signals comprising a plurality of communication channels;
c) said electronic tags register with a first access point and re-register with a second access point when moved to a communication vicinity of said second access; and
d) said electronic tags listen to signal beacons broadcast from the access points for an identification (ID) of the electronic tags and respond with an acknowledgement when the ID of a particular tag is received after which data is transmitted to the particular tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of messaging in a network to conserve power, comprising:
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a) awakening by an electronic tag to receive a message beacon from an access point;
b) going back to sleep if address of the message beacon is not that of the electronic tag;
c) going back to sleep if address of the message beacon is that of the electronic tag to wait for data transmission; and
d) conducting a data transaction with said access point during a communication data slot. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for registering an electronic tag, comprising;
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a) generating a page to a first reserved address and transmitting the page from an access point to an electronic tag previously commissioned;
b) selecting a sub-slot by said electronic tag and posting tag identification numbers;
c) detecting the posting by the electronic tag; and
d) registering the electronic tag with the access point if the posting by the electronic tag places a short identification number (SID) into a second reserve address, otherwise return to step a) and repeat the process. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of updating and electronic tag, comprising:
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a) generating an update for an electronic tag by a controller in a store;
b) coupling said update to all access points within the store;
c) determining a global trade identification number (GTIN) for the product being affected and ignoring the update by an access point not serving the product with the GTIN;
d) performing a paging operation to communicate the update to electronic tags comprising the GTIN; and
e) responding with an acknowledgement (ACK) from the electronic tags upon completion of the update, whereas no response assumes the product coupled to the electronic tag has moved, is no longer in the communication vicinity of access point and is removed from a database of the access point. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of replacing a failed access point, comprising:
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a) replacing a failed access point with a new access point;
b) forming a group store identification (SID) for affected electronic tags associated with the failed access point;
c) transmitting the group SID to the electronic tags;
d) comparing most significant bits of the group SID by each of the affected electronic tags to the SID contained within each electronic tag;
e) responding by the electronic tags to the new access point with a unit identification number (UID and a global trade identification number (GTIN) for each electronic tag determining a match of the most significant of the group SID; and
f) creating a full SID by the new access point for each electronic tag responding to the group SID. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for electronic communication with merchandise on sale within a store, comprising:
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a) a means for coupling an electronic identification device (tag) to merchandise on display within a store;
b) a means for distributing wireless communication devices (access points) throughout a store and coupled to a controller to communicate with a plurality of said electronic identification devices within said store;
c) a means for registering said tag to one of said access points;
d) a means for identifying a wireless message intended for said tag, whereby said tag is in low power state when not communicating with said access point; and
e) a means for updating price and merchandise parameters using wireless signaling between said access point and said tag. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification