MULTI-PROTOCOL OR MULTI COMMAND RFID SYSTEM

• US 20080024279A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amtech Systems LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amtech Systems LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kao, Joseph, Catanach, Steven, GRAVELLE, Kelly, Melville, Michael, Tiernay, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,135,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• 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 7/016 Synchronisation of sensing process
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10069 the collision being resolved in the frequency domain, e.g. by hopping from one frequency to the other frequency hopping or spread spectrum techniques H04B7/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles

Abstract

A multi-protocol RFID interrogating system employs a synchronization technique (step-lock) for a backscatter RFID) system that allows simultaneous operation of closely spaced interrogators. The multi-protocol RFID interrogating system can communicate with backscatter transponders having different output protocols and with active transponders including: Title 21 compliant RFID backscatter transponders; IT2000 RFID backscatter transponders that provide an extended mode capability beyond Title 21; EGO™ RFID backscatter transponders, SEGO™ RFID backscatter transponders; ATA, ISO, ANSI AAR compliant RFID backscatter transponders; and IAG compliant active technology transponders. The system implements a step-lock operation, whereby adjacent interrogators arc synchronized to ensure that all downlinks operate within the same time frame and all uplinks operate within the same time frame, to eliminate downlink on uplink interference.

Claims

1. An interrogator having transmitter components for processing a transmit signal along a transmitter path, and receiver components for processing a received signal along a receiver path, said interrogator comprising:

an encoder generating a test signal having bits and transmitting the test signal through each of the transmitter components along the transmitter path and through each of the receiver components along the receiver path;

a decoder for receiving the test signal from a last component in one of the transmitter path or receiver path; and

,

a processor comparing the test signal generated by said encoder with the test signal received by said decoder, and determining that the transmitter and receiver components are operating properly if the test signal generated by said encoder matches the test signal received by said decoder.

2. The interrogator of claim 1, wherein the receiver components include a backscatter receiver for receiving signals from a backscatter transponder.

3. The interrogator of claim 1, wherein the receiver components include an active receiver for receiving signals from an active transponder.

4. An interrogator having receiver components for processing a received signal along a receiver path, said interrogator comprising:

an encoder generating a test signal having bits;

a test tag receiving the test signal from said encoder and transmitting a test signal to said interrogator for processing by the receiver components;

a decoder for receiving the test signal from a last component in the receiver path; and

,

a processor comparing the test signal generated by said encoder with the test signal received by said decoder, and determining that the receiver components are operating properly if the test signal generated by said encoder matches the test signal received by said decoder.

5. The interrogator of claim 4, wherein the receiver components include a backscatter receiver for receiving signals from a backscatter transponder.

6. The interrogator of claim 4, wherein the receiver components include an active receiver for receiving signals from an active transponder.

7. The interrogator of claim 4, wherein the receiver components include an antenna.