Device for remote dialog between a station and one or more portable objects
First Claim
1. A device for remote exchange of information between a station and at least one portable object, comprising:
- a station-dialog unit includingmeans for defining a range of action;
station-processing means for processing the information exchanged with the at least one portable object, by repeatedly generating, in a primary condition, an enquiry message in the range of action, followed by a silence zone, then selectively analyzing respective contents of a plurality of disjoint time intervals in the silence zone, until identification in one of the disjoint time intervals a specified response message associated with a single portable object, generating a selection message intended for the single portable object and entering a dialog condition for communication with the single portable object;
station-command means for selecting between the primary and dialog conditions of said station-processing means as a function of previously specified station-command criteria; and
an object-dialog unit in each portable unit, having an active state to mutually interact remotely with said station-dialog unit inside the range of action, includingcommunication means for performing the exchange of information with said station-dialog unit;
object-processing means for responding to reception of the enquiry message in an initialization condition in the active state, by randomly choosing one of the time intervals to generate the specified response message associated therewith and to generate an acknowledgement message upon reception of the selection message and then entering a transactional communication condition for communication with said station-dialog unit; and
object-command means for changing said object-processing means from the initialization condition to the transactional communication condition if another enquiry message is not received after transmission of the acknowledgement message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Inside a range of action defined by a station, the station is able to generate therein an enquiry message followed by a silence zone. The station then selectively analyzes the respective contents of a plurality of disjoint time intervals from this silence zone. In the event of obtaining in one of these time intervals, chosen randomly by a single portable object, a content identified as a specified response message associated with this portable object, the station generates a selection message intended for this portable object, which, on reception of this selection message, generates in its turn an acknowledgement message. There follows provision for a phase of transactional communication between the selected portable object and the station.
22 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A device for remote exchange of information between a station and at least one portable object, comprising:
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a station-dialog unit including means for defining a range of action; station-processing means for processing the information exchanged with the at least one portable object, by repeatedly generating, in a primary condition, an enquiry message in the range of action, followed by a silence zone, then selectively analyzing respective contents of a plurality of disjoint time intervals in the silence zone, until identification in one of the disjoint time intervals a specified response message associated with a single portable object, generating a selection message intended for the single portable object and entering a dialog condition for communication with the single portable object; station-command means for selecting between the primary and dialog conditions of said station-processing means as a function of previously specified station-command criteria; and an object-dialog unit in each portable unit, having an active state to mutually interact remotely with said station-dialog unit inside the range of action, including communication means for performing the exchange of information with said station-dialog unit; object-processing means for responding to reception of the enquiry message in an initialization condition in the active state, by randomly choosing one of the time intervals to generate the specified response message associated therewith and to generate an acknowledgement message upon reception of the selection message and then entering a transactional communication condition for communication with said station-dialog unit; and object-command means for changing said object-processing means from the initialization condition to the transactional communication condition if another enquiry message is not received after transmission of the acknowledgement message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
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17. An object-dialog unit in a portable object for interacting with a station, comprising:
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means for defining one of a plurality of states including a passive state and an active state to remotely interact with the station inside a range of action defined by the station, said object-dialog unit exchanging information with the station; object-processing means for responding, in an initialization condition in the active state, to reception of an enquiry message transmitted by the station and followed by a silence zone, by generating a specified response message intended for the station within a time interval chosen from a plurality of disjoint time intervals in the silence zone, and by generating an acknowledgement message, subsequent to transmission of the response message, upon receipt of a selection message transmitted by the station, and entering a transactional communication condition for communication with the station; and object-command means for changing said object-processing means from the initialization condition to the transactional communication condition if another enquiry message is not received after transmission of the acknowledgement message. - View Dependent Claims (18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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19. A station in a device for remote exchange of information between the station and at least one portable object, comprising:
a station-dialog unit including means for defining a range of action; station-processing means for processing the information exchanged with the at least one portable object, by repeatedly generating, in a primary condition an enquiry message in the range of action, followed by a silence zone, then selectively analyzing respective contents of a plurality of disjoint time intervals in the silence zone, until identifying in one of the disjoint time intervals a specified response message associated with a single portable object, generating a selection message intended for the single portable object and entering a dialog condition for communication with the single portable object; and station-command means for selecting between the primary and dialog conditions of said station-processing means as a function of previously specified station-command criteria.
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31. A method for remote exchange of information between a station and at least one portable object, comprising the steps of:
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(a) defining a range of action and specifying station command criteria; (b) repeatedly broadcasting from the station into the range of action, when the station is in a primary condition, an enquiry message followed by a silence zone having a plurality of disjoint time intervals; (c) responding to reception of the enquiry message, in each portable object in an initialization condition of an active state in the range of action, by randomly choosing one of the disjoint time intervals to generate a specified response message associated therewith; (d) selectively analyzing, in the station, respective contents of the disjoint time intervals in the silence zone; (e) identifying by the station, in the one of the disjoint time intervals, the specified response message associated with a single portable object; (f) selecting in the station between the primary condition and a dialog condition for communication with the single portable object, as a function of the station command criteria; (g) generating, upon selecting the dialog condition in the station, a selection message intended for the single portable object; (h) generating an acknowledgement message in the single portable object upon reception of the selection message; (i) changing, in the single portable object, from the initialization condition to a transactional communication condition if another enquiry message is not received after transmission of the acknowledgement message; and (j) exchanging transactional messages between the station in the dialog condition and the single portable object in the transactional communication condition. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method for remote exchange of information between a station and at least one portable object, comprising the steps of:
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(a) repeatedly broadcasting from the station an enquiry message followed by a silence zone having a plurality of disjoint time intervals; (b) responding, in each portable object receiving the enquiry message, by randomly choosing one of the disjoint time intervals to generate a specified response message associated therewith; (c) identifying by the station, in one of the disjoint time intervals, the specified response message associated with a single portable object; (d) generating in the station a selection message intended for the single portable object; (e) generating an acknowledgement message in the single portable object upon reception of the selection message; and (f) exchanging information between the station and the single portable object upon receipt of the acknowledgement message by the station.
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Specification