ELECTRONIC ARTICLE SURVEILLANCE ENABLED RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A method for using an RFID system to support data communications for an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, the method comprising:
- receiving EAS data from one or more EAS system devices, the EAS data representing an EAS event;
transmitting the EAS data from a first RFID system device to a second RFID system device using an RFID air interface protocol; and
processing the EAS data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for exchanging data between one or more RFID readers and one or more EAS system devices in an RFID system using RFID air interface protocol. An RFID system includes one or more EAS system devices in data communication with one or more RFID readers over an interrogation zone. EAS system devices utilize RFID air interface protocol to transmit wireless data signals, which may include alarm event data, to the RFID readers, obviating the need to implement a separate communication infrastructure. The RFID readers may forward the alarm event data to an RFID backscatter enabled host computer for processing the received signals. The host computer may then schedule further interrogation of inventory items at locations where an alarm event has occurred. One or more multiplexers may facilitate the data exchange between RFID readers and the EAS system devices in order to provide an even more robust communication network.
39 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for using an RFID system to support data communications for an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, the method comprising:
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receiving EAS data from one or more EAS system devices, the EAS data representing an EAS event; transmitting the EAS data from a first RFID system device to a second RFID system device using an RFID air interface protocol; and processing the EAS data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An RFID system for supporting data communications with an electronic article surveillance system, the system comprising:
one or more RFID readers in data communication with one or more EAS system devices, wherein the one or more RFID readers communicate with the EAS system devices via an RFID air interface protocol. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An RFID multiplexer, comprising:
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a microcontroller controlling the operation of the multiplexer, the microcontroller interrogating the one or more EAS system devices in order to obtain information; and a storage unit for storing the information relating to the EAS system devices.
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Specification