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VARIABLY SPACED MULTI-POINT RFID TAG READER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

  • US 20120319822A1
  • Filed: 03/01/2011
  • Published: 12/20/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A timing system for determining a time of a passing at a reference line of a tracked RFID tag traveling along a route, the system comprising:

  • a first tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more antennas coupled to the radio frequency transceiver that are positioned at a first monitored position at a first offset distance from the reference line, the first tag reader system transmitting a first tag read request and receiving one or more first tag reads from the RFID tag, and transmitting over the communication interface a first tag read message including at least a portion of the received first tag reads;

    a second tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more second antennas coupled to the second radio frequency transceiver that are positioned at a second monitored position at a second offset distance from the reference line and spaced apart from the first monitored position along the route traveled by the RFID tag, the second tag reader system transmitting a second tag read request and receiving one or more second tag reads from the RFID tag and transmitting over its communication interface a second tag read message including at least a portion of the received second tag reads; and

    a timing system having a processor, a memory including storing of a tag reader normalization parameter, and a communication interface communicatively coupled to the communication interfaces of the first and second tag reader systems for receiving the transmitted first and second tag read messages, the timing system determining the time of passing of the RFID tag at the reference line responsive to the received first and second tag reads and the stored tag reader normalization parameter.

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