RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TAG READER AND METHOD

• US 20090065580A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Data Acquisitions Limited
• Original Assignee: Data Acquisitions Limited
• Inventors: Davies, Samuel Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,087,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

A system that includes a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader, said reader includes a reading section, a processing section, memory and a transmitting section; wherein the reading section is configured to read tag data stored on one or more RFID tags, the processing section is configured to process this data and the transmitting section is configured to transmit the result as transmitted data; such that the transmitting section is also configured to transmit updated tag data to the or each of the RFID tags, said updated tag data replacing some or all of the tag data stored on the RFID tag to be updated. The system further includes one or more RFID tags, an intermediate database and a customer database such that the intermediate database is configured to receive the transmitted data, convert it into intermediate data, which is in a format accepted by the customer database, then transmit this to the customer database.

Claims

1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader that includes a reading section, a processing section, memory and a transmitting section;

wherein the reading section is configured to read tag data stored on one or more RFID tags, the processing section is configured to process this data and the transmitting section is configured to transmit the result as transmitted data;

such that the transmitting section is also configured to transmit updated tag data to the or each of the RFID tags, said updated tag data replacing some or all of the tag data stored on the RFID tag to be updated.

2. The tag reader as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said reader includes an instruction list such that the reading, processing, storage and transmission of the tag data is determined by the instruction list.

3. The tag reader as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the instruction list can be updated.

4. The tag reader as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the reading section is configured to scan one or more frequency bands to read the or each RFID tag within range.

5. The tag reader as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the reading section is configured to accept tag data in more than one format.

6. The tag reader as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the tag data is stored in memory before it is sent to the transmitting section.

7. The tag reader as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the processing section is configured to convert the data to a standard format.

8. A system that includes the tag reader as claimed in claim 1 that includes one or more RFID tags, an intermediate database and a customer database such that the intermediate database is configured to receive the transmitted data, convert it into intermediate data, which is in a format accepted by the customer database, then transmit this to the customer database.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the intermediate database processes and/or stores the transmitted data before converting it into intermediate data.

10. The system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the customer database is configured to process the customer data and create a customer update signal which is transmitted to the intermediate database.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the intermediate database is configured to process the customer update signal and generate a reader update signal which is transmitted to the tag reader.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that the reader is configured to receive the tag reader update signal, process it, and generate updated tag data which is transmitted to one or more RFID tag.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the or each RFID tag is configured to check the updated tag data for authenticity then accepting and storing it if authentic.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the tag reader is configured to receive the tag reader update signal, process it, and update the instruction list.

15. The system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the customer update signal also updates one or more of the following list:

the tag reader instruction list, the tag reader processing steps, the intermediate database, the processing undertaken by the intermediate database and the specific tag data, whether directly or indirectly.

16. The system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the customer database is configured to further process the transmitted data generating customer data which is stored and/or further processed.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the intermediate database stores the transmitted data and customer data.

18. A method by which the system as claimed in claim 8 operates characterised in that it includes the following steps:

A. tag data is read, processed and transmitted as transmitted data by a tag reader;

B. the transmitted data is received by an intermediate database;

C. the transmitted data is processed by the intermediate database generating intermediate data;

D. the intermediate data is transmitted in customer compatible format to a customer database;

E. the customer database receives and processes the intermediate data.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that the customer database generates customer data in step E.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that some or all of the customer data is stored and/or transmitted to one or more external location.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that the customer database or intermediate database, as part of the processing, determines if the tag data presently stored on the or each RFID tag needs updating.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that if the customer database determines the tag data needs updating then the following steps are undertaken:

A. the customer database generates a customer update signal and transmits it;

B. the intermediate database receives the customer update signal and processes it to generate a reader update signal which it transmits;

C. the reader receives the tag reader update signal, and processes it to generate updated tag data which it transmits;

D. the or each RFID tag receives the updated tag data and updates the tag data.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that the updated tag data generated in step H is independently generated for the or each RFID tag.

24. The method as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that if the customer database determines the tag data does not need updating then it awaits the next transmission of intermediate data.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that the update signals or updated tag data is authenticated before processing or storage occurs.

26. The method as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the customer database or intermediate database, as part of the processing, determines if the tag data presently stored on the or each RFID tag needs updating.