CONVERTING BETWEEN DIFFERENT RADIO FREQUENCIES

• US 20110205025A1
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Sirit Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Frederick, Thomas J., Roesner, Bruce B.
• Application Number:
  US12/710,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for converting between different radio frequencies. In some implementations, a method includes receiving a request from a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) reader configured to communicate with a first type of RFID tag. Independent of digital signal processing, the received request is automatically converted to a request compatible with a second type of RFID tag different from the first type of RFID tag. The converted request is transmitted to an RFID tag of the second type of RFID tag.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) reader configured to communicate with a first type of RFID tag;

automatically converting, independent of digital signal processing, the received request to a request compatible with a second type of RFID tag different from the first type of RFID tag; and

transmitting the converted request to an RFID tag of the second type of RFID tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically converting, independent of digital signal processing, the received request comprises automatically converting the receive request from a first frequency to a second frequency independent of digital signal processing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first frequency comprises 915 MegaHertz (MHz) signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency 5.9 GigaHertz (GHz) signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically converting the receive request from a first frequency to a second frequency comprises:

demodulating the received request from a first frequency to a baseband signal; and

directly modulating, independent of digital signal processing, the baseband signal to a second frequency to generate the converted request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically converting, independent of digital signal processing, the received request comprises automatically converting the receive request from a first RFID protocol to a second RFID protocol independent of digital signal processing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RFID protocol comprises Electronic Product Code (EPC) GEN 2.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second RFID protocol comprises Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a passive transceiver receives the request and transmits the converted request transparent to the RFID reader.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reply from the RFID tag compatible with the second RFID protocol;

converting the reply to a form compatible with the RFID reader; and

transmitting the converted reply to the RFID reader.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a slave transceiver as an RFID reader of the first type.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the RFID reader to update a communication frequency of transmitted signals; and

automatically updating a modulation frequency in response to at least the request.

13. An RF converter, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request from a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) reader configured to communicate with a first type of RFID tag;

a converting module configured to automatically convert, independent of digital signal processing, the received request to a request compatible with a second type of RFID tag different from the first type of RFID tag; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the converted request to an RFID tag of the second type of RFID tag.

14. The converter of claim 13, the converting module further configured to automatically convert the receive request from a first frequency to a second frequency independent of digital signal processing.

15. The converter of claim 14, wherein the first frequency comprises 915 MegaHertz (MHz) signals.

16. The converter of claim 13, wherein the second frequency 5.9 GigaHertz (GHz) signals.

17. The converter of claim 13, the converting module further configured to:

demodulate the received request from a first frequency to a baseband signal; and

directly modulate, independent of digital signal processing, the baseband signal to a second frequency to generate the converted request.

18. The converter of claim 13, the converting module further configured to automatically converting the receive request from a first RFID protocol to a second RFID protocol independent of digital signal processing.

19. The converter of claim 13, wherein the first RFID protocol comprises Electronic Product Code (EPC) GEN 2.

20. The converter of claim 18, wherein the second RFID protocol comprises Dedicated short-range communications (DSRC).

21. The converter of claim 13, wherein a passive transceiver receives the request and transmits the converted request transparent to the RFID reader.

22. The converter of claim 13, further comprising:

the receiver further configured to receive a reply from the RFID tag compatible with the second RFID protocol;

the converting module further configured to convert the reply to a form compatible with the RFID reader; and

transmitter further configured to transmit the converted reply to the RFID reader.

23. The converter of claim 13, wherein presenting a slave transceiver as an RFID reader of the first type.

24. The converter of claim 13, further comprising:

the receiver further configured to receive a request from the RFID reader to update a communication frequency of transmitted signals; and

the converting module further configured to automatically update a modulation frequency in response to at least the request.

25. A system, comprising:

a means for receiving a request from a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) reader configured to communicate with a first type of RFID tag;

a means for automatically converting, independent of digital signal processing, the received request to a request compatible with a second type of RFID tag different from the first type of RFID tag; and

a means for transmitting the converted request to an RFID tag of the second type of RFID tag.