Identification system with separation and direction capability and improved noise rejection

• US 4,459,474 A
• Filed: 05/18/1981
• Issued: 07/10/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles A. Walton
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Walton
• Inventors: Walton, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lev, Robert
• Application Number:
  US06/264,856
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 375/91, 375/66, 375/62, 375/81, 375/119, 340/696, 340/825.31, 340/825.36, 340/825.37, 340/825.34, 340/825.49, 235/380, 235/449, 235/439, 235/487, 235/491, 343/763, 455/134, 328/165, 328/167, 331/2, 360/2
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• 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: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity

Abstract

An electronic identification system having a portable identifier with the ability to transmit by radio or audio signal the contents of an included memory upon interrogation or command to identify the user. The identifier transmits a plurality of radio frequencies intermittently to represent the memory data in digital form. The transmitted data includes a description of the proper bearer of the identifier so that a local check can be made to ascertain that the identifier is being carried by the proper person. The reader system not only identifies the bearer, but also makes a proportional recording of the transmitted data. With dual receivers and dual receiving antennas together with the proportional recording, it is possible to determine the direction of movement of the identifier through a portal into a limited access area. With proportional recording it is also possible to analyze the memory data and separate the signals from several identifiers which may have been transmitted in a time overlapping manner. Noise is cancelled by transmitting two differing radio frequencies and subtracting the signals of the two frequencies and by redundant transmission of the basic information.

Claims

1. An electronic identification and memory data transmission system, comprising:

a portable identifying device bearing electronically stored identification and other data;

one or more radio frequency oscillators for generating radio frequency output signals;

a logic circuit to read the stored data;

modulation means acting responsive to said stored data to modulate the said oscillators output signals;

an antenna to radiate the said modulated signals;

a reader to receive and store the said radiated signals at analog levels proportional in nature to the signal levels received;

a data processor to process said proportional stored signals; and

each reader including two or more reading systems, each with a proportional memory system and a data processor adapted to read and compare all the radiated signals.

2. An electronic identification and memory data transmission system as defined in claim 1 in which the reader includes two or more antennas placed in the direction of movement of the bearer of the portable identifying device;

said reader records the rise and fall of the signal strength as the bearer passes the said several antennas; and

said data processor includes means to compare the amplitudes of the received signals to determine the direction of motion of the bearer.

3. An electronic identification and memory data transmission system as defined in claim 1 in which the data processor being programmed to determine by amplitude and by phasing tests the difference between two identifier output signals and to emit identification data responsive to the two or more identifier signals.

4. An electronic identification and memory data transmission system as defined in claim 3 in which the reader includes means to emit interrogation impulses;

and

said portable identifying device includes means acting responsive to receipt of said interrogation pulses to cause the output signals to be radiated.

5. An electronic identification and memory data transmission system as defined in claim 4 in which the portable identifying device includes means to emit responses at various bit timings responsive to when the interrogation pulse stimulated a response from the identifying device, and in which the data processor of the reader system includes means to recognize these differing timings to distinguish among transmissions from several portable identifying devices.

6. An electronic identification and memory data transmission system, comprising:

a portable identifying device bearing electronically stored identification and other data;

one or more radio frequency oscillators for generating radio frequency output signals;

a logic circuit to read the stored data;

modulation means acting responsive to said stored data to modulate the said oscillators output signals;

an antenna to radiate the said modulated signals;

a reader to receive and store the said radiated signals at analog levels proportional in nature to the signal levels received;

a data processor to process said proportional stored signals;

said reader including a receiving antenna which has greater reception ability in some directions than others and which continuously rotates in multiple directions;

said reader stores information indicating the direction of rotation of the said antenna; and

said data processor includes a data analyzer which analyzes this direction in conjunction with signal strength to determine the direction of motion of the said portable identifying device and its bearer.