RADIO FREQUENCY INTEGRATION PLATFORM AND NETWORK THEREFOR

• US 20080036601A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Les Thompson, Louis H. Thompson, Ray Hamilton, Sheree Hagan
• Original Assignee: Les Thompson, Louis H. Thompson, Ray Hamilton, Sheree Hagan
• Inventors: Hamilton, Ray, Thompson, Les, Hagan, Sheree, THOMPSON, Louis H.
• Application Number:
  US11/837,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20080036601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system for monitoring a radio frequency identification (RFID) network, including a plurality of radio frequency (RF) antennas that transmit signals representative antenna data, an RF switch for isolating a signal from an antenna, a RF switch controller for controlling the RF switch, and a reader for reading the signals from the antennas, wherein the system only requires one reader to monitor the RFID network. A radio frequency integration platform (RFIP) monitors a plurality of RFID networks. The RFIP includes an RFIP server and an RFIP database for managing antenna and RFID network data.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency antennas, each antenna capable of transmitting a signal representative antenna data, and a reader for reading the signals from said antennas, wherein the system only requires one reader to monitor the radio frequency identification network.

2. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency switch for isolating a signal from an antenna and a radio frequency switch controller for controlling said radio frequency switch wherein said reader reads signals isolated by said radio frequency switch.

3. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 2, wherein said radio frequency switch controller controls said radio frequency switch to isolate each antenna signal for a specific amount of time so that said reader periodically reads each signal.

4. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 2, further comprising software employing a real-time “

time sliced”

methodology to control the radio frequency switch.

5. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 2, further comprising a central processing unit for processing antenna signals.

6. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 5, further comprising a data storage device for storing antenna data.

7. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 6, further comprising a network connection for transmitting antenna data to a network.

8. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 7, wherein said network connection is a wireless connection.

9. The system for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 2, further comprising a unit housing said reader, said radio frequency switch, and said radio frequency switch controller.

10. A method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network, comprising:

forming a radio frequency identification network by placing plurality of radio frequency antennas on objects, each antenna capable of transmitting a signal representative antenna data, and utilizing one reader to read the antenna signals.

11. The method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 10, further comprising isolating each of the signals from said antennas for a specific amount of time so that said reader periodically reads each of the signals.

12. The method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 10, further comprising utilizing a radio frequency switch to isolate each of the signals from said antennas and utilizing a radio frequency switch controller for controlling said radio frequency switch.

13. The method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 12, wherein said radio frequency switch isolates each of the signals from said antennas for a specific amount of time so that said reader periodically reads each of the signals.

14. The method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 10, further comprising processing the signals from said antennas.

15. The method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 14, further comprising storing the signals from said antennas in a memory device.

16. The method for monitoring a radio frequency identification network of claim 15, further comprising transmitting the signals from said antennas to a network.

17. A system for managing a plurality of radio frequency identification networks, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification networks, each radio frequency identification network including a plurality of radio frequency antennas, each antenna capable of transmitting a signal representative antenna data, a reader for reading the signals from said antennas, and a network connection, wherein the system only requires one reader to monitor each radio frequency identification network;

a server for controlling said plurality of radio frequency identification networks, said server interfaced said network connection of each radio frequency identification networks; and

a database for storing antenna and network data.

18. The system for managing a plurality of radio frequency identification networks of claim 17, further comprising software that provides a pluggable software architecture so that components can be added to the system.

19. A system for managing a plurality of radio frequency identification networks of claim 17, further comprising a data processor for processing antenna and network data.

20. A system for managing a plurality of radio frequency identification networks of claim 19, further comprising a data publisher for publishing data processed by said data processor.