Systems and methods for RFID tag arbitration
First Claim
1. An RFID (radio frequency identification device) tag comprising:
- a processor;
a memory configured to store an identification number that distinguishes the tag from other tags;
a transponder coupled to the memory and the processor, the tag being configured to arbitrate by selecting a random number, in response to an inventory query from a reader, and to respond to the reader depending on the random number selected, the tag being further configured for multiple concurrent inventory session arbitrations with multiple readers by separately storing random numbers for respective inventory session arbitrations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID (radio frequency identification device) tag comprising a processor; a memory configured to store an identification number that distinguishes the tag from other tags; a transponder coupled to the memory and the processor, the tag being configured to arbitrate by selecting a random number, in response to an inventory query from a reader, and to respond to the reader depending on the random number selected, the tag being further configured for multiple concurrent inventory session arbitrations with multiple readers by separately storing random numbers for respective inventory session arbitrations. RFID readers, systems, and methods are also provided.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. An RFID (radio frequency identification device) tag comprising:
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a processor; a memory configured to store an identification number that distinguishes the tag from other tags; a transponder coupled to the memory and the processor, the tag being configured to arbitrate by selecting a random number, in response to an inventory query from a reader, and to respond to the reader depending on the random number selected, the tag being further configured for multiple concurrent inventory session arbitrations with multiple readers by separately storing random numbers for respective inventory session arbitrations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An RFID reader configured to use arbitration to singulate unknown radio frequency identification tags in a field, different tags having different electronic product codes, the RFID reader comprising:
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a transponder; a processor; and a memory configured to store, for respective inventory session arbitrations, handles for previously singulated tags, the handle being a nickname for a tag and being different from the tag'"'"'s electronic product code, wherein, if an arbitration is interrupted, the reader is able to resume the arbitration without a need to cause singulated tags to generate new handles, even if another reader performs another arbitration session and causes tags to generate handles. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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a plurality of RFID tags, respective RFID tags including; a processor; a memory configured to store an identification number that distinguishes the tag from other tags; and a transponder coupled to the memory and the processor, the tag being configured to arbitrate by selecting a random number, in response to an inventory query from a reader, and to respond to the reader depending on the random number selected, the tag being further configured for multiple concurrent inventory session arbitrations with multiple readers by separately storing random numbers for respective inventory session arbitrations; and a plurality of RFID readers configured to use arbitration to singulate radio frequency identification tags, respective RFID readers including; a transponder; a processor; and a memory configured to store, for respective arbitration sessions, handles for singulated tags, the handles being nicknames for tags and being different from a tag'"'"'s identification number, wherein, if an arbitration is interrupted for one of the readers, that reader is able to resume and continue the arbitration without a need to cause singulated tags to generate new handles, even if another of the readers performs another arbitration and causes tags to generate handles. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system comprising
a plurality of RFID tags, respective RFID tags including a processor; -
a memory configured to store an identification number that distinguishes the tag from other tags; and a transponder coupled to the memory and the processor, the tags being configured to arbitrate by selecting a random number, in response to an inventory query from a reader, and to respond to the reader depending on the random number selected, the tags being further configured to separately storing random numbers for respective inventory session arbitrations; and a plurality of RFID readers configured to use arbitration to singulate radio frequency identification tags, respective RFID readers including; a transponder; a processor; and a memory configured to store, for respective arbitration sessions, handles for singulated tags, the handles being nicknames for tags and being different from a tag'"'"'s identification number, wherein, if an arbitration is interrupted for one of the readers, that reader is able to resume and continue the arbitration without a need to cause singulated tags to generate new handles, even if another of the readers performs another arbitration and causes tags to generate handles, wherein a second one of the readers is configured to selectively complete an arbitration started by a first one of the readers in response to having information from the inventory started by the first reader passed to the second reader. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method comprising:
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beginning a first RFID inventory session, using a first RFID reader, the first RFID reader being configured to store random numbers for tags that have been singulated; interrupting a first RFID inventory session; beginning a second RFID inventory session, and causing RFID tags to generate new random numbers for the second RFID inventory session, the RFID tags being configured to store the random numbers from the first inventory session during the second RFID inventory session; and resuming the first RFID inventory session. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A method comprising:
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providing a plurality of RFID tags, respective RFID tags including a processor;
a memory configured to store an identification number that distinguishes the tag from other tags; and
a transponder coupled to the memory and the processor, the tag being configured to arbitrate by selecting a random number, in response to an inventory query from a reader, and to respond to the reader depending on the random number selected, the tags being further configured to separately store random numbers for respective inventory session arbitrations;providing a plurality of RFID readers configured to use arbitration to singulate radio frequency identification tags, respective RFID readers including a transponder;
a processor; and
a memory configured to store, for respective arbitration sessions, handles for singulated tags, the handles being nicknames for tags and being different from a tag'"'"'s identification number;interrupting an arbitration for a first one of the readers; and resuming and continuing the arbitration for the first one of the readers without a need to cause singulated tags to generate new handles. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An RFID reader comprising:
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memory configured to store a session number, and to store last Q, and last RN16 information received from a tag in an arbitration session; and a transponder coupled to the memory and configured to selectively send a command to the tag to resume an interrupted arbitration session, the command including parameters for the session number, the last Q, and the last RN16 read from the tag by the reader.
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Specification