Object Identification system with adaptive transceivers and methods of operation

• US 6,362,737 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RF Code Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RF Code Incorporated
• Inventors: Rodgers, James L., Coulthard, John J., Lastinger, Roc A., Fowler, Billy C., Rehman, Mohammad A., Jaecks, Howard K., Picard, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/372,274
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.6, 340/825.21, 340/825.47, 340/825.73, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340/10.31, 340/10.32, 340/10.33, 375/219, 375/377, 342/457, 342/44, 235/442
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/753 using frequency selective elements, e.g. resonator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/756 using a signal generator for modifying the reflectivity of the reflector G01S13/758 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/758 using a signal generator powered by the interrogation signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• 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 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/35 using two or more simultaneously fed points
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/14 : Length of element or elements adjustable telescopic elements H01Q1/10

Abstract

An object identification system includes a monitor and a plurality of transceivers that communicate over a common medium. The monitor includes a first transmitter, a first receiver, and a processor. Each transceiver includes a resonant circuit, a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna coupled to the resonant circuit. The processor performs a method for performing transceiver communication that includes the steps of: (a) transmitting from the first transmitter a first frequency for a first duration; (b) after lapse of the first duration, receiving via the first receiver a response signal from at least one of the resonant circuits; (c) determining a second frequency from the received response signal; and (d) performing transceiver communication using the second frequency. Transceivers of the type having a resonant circuit coupled to an antenna, when operating in close proximity to each other, may interfere with the response from a single transceiver by absorbing the energy intended to be received by the transceiver, absorbing the energy transmitted by the transceiver, or altering the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit. By determining the second frequency for transceiver communication, the monitor may establish communication with the single transceiver at a frequency better suited for transferring operative power to the transceiver, conducting an interrogation protocol for identifying the transceiver, or for data transfer.

Claims

1. A method of determining the identification of at least one radio frequency identification device of a plurality located within communication range of an antenna, the method comprising:

determining a frequency for interrogating, wherein determining comprises;

transmitting via the antenna, wherein transmitting is performed in a relatively narrow band manner with respect to receiving;

operating for a duration a squelch circuit that is coupled to the antenna;

receiving via the antenna after lapse of the duration to provide a received signal, wherein receiving is performed in a relatively wide band manner with respect to transmitting;

determining a property of the received signal; and

determining the frequency for interrogation in accordance with the property, wherein determining the frequency comprises;

comparing the property to a limit; and

if the comparison is unfavorable, ignoring receipt of the received signal;

interrogating to attempt to determine an identity of a device of the plurality; and

repeating the determining and interrogating until each device of the plurality has been given at least one opportunity to be identified.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting is begun before lapse of an expected duration of receiving the received signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting comprises selecting a frequency band for transmission from a range of frequencies comprising a first subrange and a second subrange so that successive selections are accomplished to maintain a difference below a predetermined amount, the difference being between an average transmitted power in the first subrange and an average transmitted power in the second subrange.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein selecting is accomplished according to a method comprising:

a. for an initial selection;

dividing the range of frequencies into a series of bands, the series having a number of members, each band identified by an integer band number; and

selecting a starting band number and selecting the substitute frequency as a frequency of the band corresponding to the starting band number; and

b. otherwise;

determining a current band number by adding a first constant to the band number associated with the immediately preceding selection, and selecting the substitute frequency as a frequency of the band corresponding to the current band number; and

if the current band number plus the first constant exceeds the number of members of the series, then

revising the starting band number by adding a second constant to the starting band number;

revising the current band number to the starting band number as revised; and

selecting a respective frequency of the band corresponding to the current band number.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

a. transmitting is performed in a relatively narrow band manner with respect to receiving; and

b. receiving is performed in a relatively wide band manner with respect to transmitting.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

a. the antenna comprises a circuit that provides a first configuration wherein the antenna is provided with a first Q and a second configuration wherein the antenna is provided with a second Q;

b. transmitting is performed at least in part with the first configuration; and

c. receiving is performed at least in part with the second configuration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

a. transmitting is repeated with at least one of the first signal and a respective substitute signal for the first signal, the respective substitute signal comprising energy in a respective selected frequency band selected from a sequence of frequency bands;

b. receiving is repeated for each transmission to provide a respective received signal;

c. property determination is repeated for each reception to provide a respective property for each respective received signal; and

d. frequency determination is performed in accordance with all respective properties.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein each respective property is determined with respect to each respective response in accordance with at least one of an amplitude, a phase, and a result of a fast fourier transform of a plurality of amplitudes.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein each respective property is determined in accordance with a comparison of a value of the respective response to a normalized value, the normalized value being based on a plurality of respective responses.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of respective responses used as a basis for normalization includes respective responses corresponding to at least one of transmissions at different times, transmissions at different selected frequency bands, transmissions from different antennas, reception from different antennas, reception using different detector bandwidths, and reception using synchronous detectors at different phases.

11. A method of determining the identification of at least one radio frequency identification device of a plurality located within communication range of an antenna, the method comprising:

determining a frequency for interrogating, wherein determining comprises;

transmitting via the antenna;

operating for a duration a squelch circuit that is coupled to the antenna;

receiving via the antenna after lapse of the duration to provide a received signal;

determining a property of the received signal; and

determining the frequency for interrogation in accordance with the property;

interrogating to attempt to determine an identity of a device of the plurality; and

repeating the determining and interrogating until each device of the plurality has been given at least one opportunity to be identified, wherein;

transmitting is repeated with at least one of the first signal and a respective substitute signal for the first signal, the respective substitute signal comprising energy in a respective selected frequency band selected from a sequence of frequency bands;

receiving is repeated for each transmission to provide a respective received signal;

property determination is repeated for each reception to provide a respective property for each respective received signal; and

frequency determination is performed in accordance with all respective properties.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein each respective property is determined with respect to each respective response in accordance with at least one of an amplitude, a phase, and a result of a fast fourier transform of a plurality of amplitudes.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein each respective property is determined in accordance with a comparison of a value of the respective response to a normalized value, the normalized value being based on a plurality of respective responses.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of respective responses used as a basis for normalization includes respective responses corresponding to at least one of transmissions at different times, transmissions at different selected frequency bands, transmissions from different antennas, reception from different antennas, reception using different detector bandwidths, and reception using synchronous detectors at different phases.

15. A method of determining the identification of at least one radio frequency identification device of a plurality located within communication range of an antenna, the method comprising:

determining a frequency for interrogating, wherein determining comprises;

transmitting via the antenna, wherein transmitting is begun before lapse off an expected duration of receiving the received signal;

operating for a duration a squelch circuit that is coupled to the antenna;

receiving via the antenna after lapse of the duration to provide a received signal;

determining a property of the received signal; and

determining the frequency for interrogation in accordance with the property;

interrogating to attempt to determine an identity of a device of the plurality; and

repeating the determining and interrogating until each device of the plurality has been given at least one opportunity to be identified.

16. A method of determining the identification of at least one radio frequency identification device of a plurality located within communication range of an antenna, the method comprising:

determining a frequency for interrogating, wherein determining comprises;

transmitting via the antenna, wherein transmitting comprises selecting a frequency band for transmission from a range of frequencies comprising a first subrange and a second subrange so that successive selections are accomplished to maintain a difference below a predetermined amount, the difference being between an average transmitted power in the first subrange and an average transmitted power in the second subrange;

operating for a duration a squelch circuit that is coupled to the antenna;

receiving via the antenna after lapse of the duration to provide a received signal;

determining a property of the received signal; and

determining the frequency for interrogation in accordance with the property;

interrogating to attempt to determine an identity of a device of the plurality; and

repeating the determining and interrogating until each device of the plurality has been given at least one opportunity to be identified.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein selecting is accomplished according to a method comprising:

a. for an initial selection;

dividing the range of frequencies into a series of bands, the series having a number of members, each band identified by an integer band number; and

selecting a starting band number and selecting the substitute frequency as a frequency of the band corresponding to the starting band number; and

b. otherwise;

determining a current band number by adding a first constant to the band number associated with the immediately preceding selection, and selecting the substitute frequency as a frequency of the band corresponding to the current band number; and

if the current band number plus the first constant exceeds the number of members of the series, then

revising the starting band number by adding a second constant to the starting band number;

revising the current band number to the starting band number as revised; and

selecting a respective frequency of the band corresponding to the current band number.

18. A method of determining the identification of at least one radio frequency identification device of a plurality located within communication range of an antenna, the method comprising:

determining a frequency for interrogating, wherein determining comprises;

transmitting via the antenna, wherein transmitting is performed in a relatively narrow band manner with respect to receiving;

operating for a duration a squelch circuit that is coupled to the antenna;

receiving via the antenna after lapse of the duration to provide a received signal, wherein receiving is performed in a relatively wide band manner with respect to transmitting;

determining a property of the received signal; and

determining the frequency for interrogation in accordance with the property;

interrogating to attempt to determine an identity of a device of the plurality; and

repeating the determining and interrogating until each device of the plurality has been given at least one opportunity to be identified.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

a. the antenna comprises a circuit that provides a first configuration wherein the antenna is provided with a first Q and a second configuration wherein the antenna is provided with a second Q;

b. transmitting is performed at least in part with the first configuration; and

c. receiving is performed at least in part with the second configuration.