WIRELESS RFID NETWORKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140301379A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Radiofy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Radiofy, LLC
• Inventors: Shoarinejad, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US14/245,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301379A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• 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 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a wireless access point that acquires and processes radio frequency identification (RFID) information. The wireless access point may be coupled to a network of RFID readers over a wireless network. The RFID readers may read a plurality of RFID tags and transmit information to one or more readers. The readers may, in turn, transmit the RFID information to a wireless access point. The wireless access point may include a middleware layer for performing a variety of RFID data processing functions. In one embodiment, the wireless RFID reader network may be used to improve positioning of readers and tags, and may include a GPS system or position assisted GPS system at the reader and/or tag level.

Claims

1. A wireless access point apparatus for acquiring and processing radio frequency identification (RFID) information, comprising:

a first physical layer interface to a wireless link, wherein said first physical layer interface communicates first RFID data to said wireless access point from a plurality of RFID readers, wherein said plurality of RFID readers read a plurality of RFID tags, and wherein said first RFID data results from reading said plurality of RFID tags;

a second physical layer interface to a wired or wireless link, wherein said second physical layer interface communicates second RFID data from said wireless access point to a server;

wherein said wireless access point executes processing including;

receiving, from a first RFID reader of said plurality of RFID readers, first tag information related to a first RFID tag of said plurality of RFID tags; and

storing said first tag information as said first RFID data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point executes processing further including:

processing said first RFID data; and

transmitting said second RFID data to said server, wherein said second RFID data corresponds to said first RFID data having been processed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said step of processing said first RFID data includes:

filtering said first RFID data to remove redundant data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point executes processing further including:

determining a distance between each of said plurality of RFID readers; and

configuring a read request of said plurality of RFID readers, selectively, according to said step of determining said distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point executes processing further including:

updating said first RFID data when said first RFID tag moves from a first coverage area to a second coverage area, wherein said first coverage area is associated with said first RFID reader and said second coverage area is associated with a second RFID reader of said plurality of RFID readers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point and said plurality of RFID readers are configured in a star network configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point and said plurality of RFID readers are configured in a mesh network configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point and said plurality of RFID readers are configured in a hybrid network configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first tag information includes a position of said first RFID tag.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless access point executes further processing comprising:

receiving, from said first RFID reader, registration information indicating that said first RFID reader is in a first coverage area, wherein said first coverage area corresponds to said wireless access point;

storing said registration information;

transmitting said registration information to said server;

receiving, from said server when said first RFID reader has moved into a second coverage area corresponding to another wireless access point, revised registration information; and

updating said registration information with said revised registration information.

11. A method of acquiring and processing radio frequency identification (RFID) information, comprising:

reading, by a first RFID reader of a plurality of RFID readers, a first RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags;

transmitting, on a wireless network link, first tag information related to said first RFID tag from said first RFID reader to a wireless access point;

storing, on said wireless access point, said first tag information as first RFID data;

processing, by said wireless access point, said first RFID data; and

transmitting, on a wired or wireless network link, second RFID data from said wireless access point to a server, wherein said second RFID data corresponds to said first RFID data having been processed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of processing said first RFID data includes:

filtering said first RFID data to remove redundant data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a distance between each of said plurality of RFID readers; and

configuring, by said wireless access point, a read request of said plurality of RFID readers, selectively, according to said step of determining said distance.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating, by said wireless access point, said first RFID data when said first RFID tag moves from a first coverage area to a second coverage area, wherein said first coverage area is associated with said first RFID reader and said second coverage area is associated with a second RFID reader of said plurality of RFID readers.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said first tag information includes a position of said first RFID tag.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, on said wireless network link from said first RFID reader to said wireless access point, registration information indicating that said first RFID reader is in a first coverage area, wherein said first coverage area corresponds to said wireless access point;

storing, on said wireless access point, said registration information;

transmitting, on said wired or wireless network link, said registration information from said wireless access point to said server;

transmitting, on said wired or wireless network link, revised registration information from said server to said wireless access point, when said first RFID reader has moved into a second coverage area corresponding to another wireless access point; and

updating, on said wireless access point, said registration information with said revised registration information.

17. A wireless access point apparatus for acquiring and processing radio frequency identification (RFID) information, comprising:

a first physical layer interface to a wireless link, wherein said first physical layer interface communicates first RFID data to said wireless access point from a plurality of RFID readers, wherein said plurality of readers read a plurality of RFID tags, and wherein said first RFID data results from reading said plurality of RFID tags;

a second physical layer interface to a wired or wireless link, wherein said second physical layer interface communicates second RFID data from said wireless access point to a server;

wherein said wireless access point executes processing including;

receiving, from more than one RFID reader of said plurality of RFID readers, a plurality of first tag information related to a first RFID tag of said plurality of RFID tags;

estimating a position of said first RFID tag based on said plurality of first tag information and on a position of each of said more than one RFID reader; and

transmitting said second RFID data to said server, wherein said second RFID data includes said position of said first RFID tag.

18. The wireless access point of claim 17, wherein said step of estimating said position is based on a region of overlapping coverage of said more than one RFID reader.

19. The wireless access point of claim 17, wherein said step of estimating said position is based on a received power, angle of reception, time of arrival, a carrier phase.

20. The wireless access point of claim 19, wherein said step of estimating said position is based on a differential measurement between two tags or two readers.

21. -32. (canceled)