RFIDS, interrogators, indication systems, methods of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator, methods of activating an observable indicator, and methods of indicating bi-directional functionality of a radio connection
First Claim
1. A method of indicating bi-direction functionality of a radio connection, comprising:
- transmitting an interrogation signal on a forward link of the radio connection;
receiving, from an RFID comprising an observable indicator, a reply signal on a return link of the radio connection responsive to the interrogation signal, the reply signal being configured to identify the RFID; and
sending an indicate signal to the RFID on the forward link responsive to the reply signal, the indicate signal being configured to instruct the RFID to activate the observable indicator effective to indicate bi-directional functionality of the radio connection.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments includes RFIDs capable of activating an observable indicator upon receiving an indicate signal. Some embodiments includes RFIDs capable of activating an observable indicator based on a position of a manually operated switch. Some embodiments include interrogators capable of verifying a radio connection prior to sending an indicate signal to an RFID. Some embodiments include indication systems. Some embodiments include methods of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator. Some embodiments include re-assessing a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator subsequent to an environment change. Some embodiments include methods of activating an observable indicator based on the position of a manually operated switch. Some embodiments include methods of indicating bi-directional functionality of a radio connection with an observable indicator of an RFID.
122 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of indicating bi-direction functionality of a radio connection, comprising:
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transmitting an interrogation signal on a forward link of the radio connection; receiving, from an RFID comprising an observable indicator, a reply signal on a return link of the radio connection responsive to the interrogation signal, the reply signal being configured to identify the RFID; and sending an indicate signal to the RFID on the forward link responsive to the reply signal, the indicate signal being configured to instruct the RFID to activate the observable indicator effective to indicate bi-directional functionality of the radio connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An RFID, comprising:
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an observable indicator; indication circuitry configured to selectively activate the observable indicator; and communication circuitry configured to; send a reply signal via a radio connection in response to an interrogation signal received via the radio connection; receive an indicate signal sent by an interrogation in response to the reply signal; and enable the indication circuitry to activate the observable indicator after receiving the indicate signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An interrogator, comprising:
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at least one antenna configured to send and receive signals via a radio connection; and communication circuitry configured to; transmit an interrogation signal via the radio connection to an RFID, the RFID comprising an observable indicator configured to selectively indicate bi-directional functionality of the radio connection, receive a reply signal sent by the RFID via the radio connection in response to the interrogation signal; and send via the radio connection an indicate signal configured to instruct the RFID to activate the observable indicator in response to receiving the reply signal.
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14. An indication system, comprising:
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an interrogator; and an RFID configured to; send a reply signal via a radio connection in response to an interrogation signal received via the radio connection from the interrogator; receive an indicate signal sent by the interrogator in response to the reply signal; and activate an observable indicator after receiving the indicate signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. An indication system, comprising:
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an RFID configured to selectively indicate bi-directional functionality of a radio connection via an observable indicator; and an interrogator configured to; transmit, on the radio connection, and interrogation signal to the RFID; receive a reply signal sent by the RFID in response to the interrogation signal via the radio connection; and send an indicate signal configured to instruct the RFID to activate the observable indicator in response to the reply signal.
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19. A method of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator, comprising:
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providing an RFID comprising an observable indicator; placing the RFID in a plurality of locations; and while the RFID is in each location; transmitting an interrogation signal using the interrogator; if the interrogator receives a reply signal from the RFID in response to the interrogation signal, sending an indicate signal to the RFID; activating the observable indicator if the indicate signal is received by the RFID; classifying the location as within the range if the observable indicator is activated at the location due to the indicate signal; and classifying the location as outside the range is the observable indicator is not activated at the location. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator, comprising:
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providing a plurality of RFIDs, each RFID comprising an observable indicator; placing each RFID in a different location; transmitting an interrogation signal using the interrogator; sending one or more indicate signals to those RFIDs of the plurality from which the interrogator receives a reply signal in response to the interrogation signal; activating the observable indicators of those RFIDs of the plurality that receive one of the indicate signals; and classifying the bi-directional communication range by identifying those RFIDs of the plurality with an activated observable indicator as within the bi-directional communication range and those RFIDs of the plurality with a de-activated observable indicator as outside the bi-directional communication range. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. The method of 22 further comprising:
re-assessing the bi-directional communication range after an environment surrounding the interrogator has changed such that propagation of signals transmitted by the interrogator subsequent to the environment change will be affected by the environment change by; transmitting an additional interrogation signal using the interrogator; sending one or more additional indicate signals configured to activate the observable indicators of those RFIDs of the plurality from which the interrogator receives a reply signal in response to the additional interrogation signal; and re-assessing the bi-directional communication range by identifying those RFIDs of the plurality with an activated observable indicator resulting from the additional indicate signals as within the bi-directional communication range and those RFIDs of the plurality with a de-activated observable indicator resulting from the additional indicate signals as outside the bi-directional communication range.
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28. A method of activating an observable indicator, comprising:
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providing an RFID comprising the observable indicator and a manually operated switch configured to switch between an enabled position and non-enabled position; receiving a signal at the RFID, the signal being configured to activate the observable indicator for a period of time; and activating the observable indicator for portions of the period of time during which the manually operated switch is in the enabled position. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An RFID, comprising:
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an observable indicator; a manually operated switch configured to switch between an enabled position and a non-enabled position; communication circuitry configured to receive a signal; and indication circuitry configured to activate the observable indicator in response to the communication circuitry receiving the signal only if the manually operated switch is in the enabled position. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An indication system, comprising:
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an interrogator configured to send a signal configured to activate an observable indicator for a period of time; and an RFID comprising a manually operated switch configured to switch between an enabled position and a non-enabled position, the RFID being configured to activate the observable indicator upon receiving the signal from the interrogator for portions of the period of time during which the manually operated switch is in the enabled position. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification