SELECTIVELY ADDRESSING TRANSPONDERS

• US 20130154799A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Friendly Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Friendly Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Moran, Humberto
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/9.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous

Abstract

Selectively addressing transponders A method of selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set (17) of transponders (2₁, 2₂, 2₃, 2₄, 2₅) is described. The method comprise transmitting a first set of one or more commands (25; 25₁, 25₂) selected to be not executable by a first subset (24; 24₂) of transponders or to be executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders (23; 23₁, 23₂) in the set, and transmitting a second set of one or more commands (26; 25₃) such that the second set of commands are received by the transponders while the second subset of transponders are still executing the first set of commands.

Claims

1. A method of selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the method comprising:

transmitting a first set of one or more commands, the first set of commands selected to be not executable by a first subset of transponders or to be executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders in the set; and

transmitting a second set of one or more commands for execution by the first subset of transponders such that the second set of commands is received by transponders while the second subset of transponders are still executing the first set of commands.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting a third set of one or more commands for execution by the second subset of transponders, such that the third set of commands is received by the transponders while the first set of transponders are still executing the second set of commands.

3. A method according to claim 1, or the method further comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders;

wherein one or more commands specify a range or list of timestamps.

4. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders;

wherein the first set of one or more commands specify a range or list of timestamps selected such that the range or list excludes the first subset of transponders and so the first set of commands are not executable by the first subset of transponders.

5. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders;

wherein the second or subsequent set of one or more commands specify a range or list of timestamps selected such that the range or list excludes a subset of transponders and so the set of commands are not executable by the subset of transponders.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first subset of transponders comprises at least two transponders and the method further comprises:

transmitting a fourth set of one or more commands, the fourth set of commands selected to be not executable by a first group of one or more transponders in the first subset of transponders or to be executable in a shorter time by the first group of transponders than by a second group of one or more transponders in the first subset; and

transmitting a fifth set of one or more commands for execution by the first group of transponders such that the fifth set of commands is received by transponders while the second group of transponders are still executing the fourth set of commands.

7. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

selecting suitable one or more commands from a plurality of commands based on statuses of the transponders.

8. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

retrieving pre-selected suitable one or more commands.

9. A method according claim 1, comprising:

transmitting the first set of commands at a first power level; and

transmitting the second set commands at a second, different power level, optionally, a higher power level.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting one or more further sets of commands at different power levels.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transponders are radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transponders are passive transponders

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transponders conform to the EPC Global standard.

17. Apparatus for selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the apparatus comprising:

a controller; and

a transmitter, optionally a transceiver;

wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a method according to claim 1.

19. A system comprising:

apparatus for selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the apparatus comprising;

controller; and

a transmitter, optionally a transceiver;

wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a method according to claim 1; and

a set of transponders.

14. A method of selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the method comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders; and

transmitting a set of one or more commands for execution by a subset of transponders identified by a range or list of timestamps specified in the set of commands.

15. (canceled)

16. A computer readable medium storing a computer program.

18. Apparatus for selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the apparatus comprising:

a controller; and

a transmitter, optionally a transceiver;

wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit a first set of one or more commands, the first set of commands selected to be not executable by a first subset of transponders in the set or to be executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders in the set, and to transmit a second set of one or more commands such that the second set of commands is received by transponders while the second subset of transponders are still executing the first set of commands.