INTERROGATORS, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, METHODS OF OPERATING AN INTERROGATOR, METHODS OF OPERATING A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND METHODS OF DETERMINING RANGE OF A REMOTE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 6,414,626 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Ovard, David, Greef, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/378,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 342/127, 342/46, 342/47, 342/56, 342/118, 342/125, 342/126, 342/133, 342/135, 342/146, 342/147, 340/3.1, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 342/127
• 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

Abstract

Interrogators, wireless communication systems, methods of operating an interrogator, methods of operating a wireless communication system and methods of determining range of a remote communication device are provided. According to a first aspect, an interrogator includes communication circuitry configured to output a plurality of wireless signals toward a radio frequency identification device and to receive a plurality of wireless signals from the radio frequency identification device; and a processor coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to determine a range of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator responsive to the received wireless signals. A method of operating an interrogator of another aspect includes outputting a plurality of wireless signals toward a radio frequency identification device; receiving a plurality of wireless signals 1s from the radio frequency identification device; and determining range of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator after the receiving.

Claims

1. An interrogator comprising:

communication circuitry configured to output a plurality of wireless signals toward a radio frequency identification device and to receive a plurality of wireless signals from the radio frequency identification device; and

a processor coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to determine a range of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator responsive to the received wireless signals.

2. The interrogator according to claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to determine the phase of individual ones of the received wireless signals and to determine the range responsive to the phase determination.

3. The interrogator according to claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of different magnitudes.

4. The interrogator according to claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of increasing magnitudes over time.

5. The interrogator according to claim 1 wherein the processor utilizes the range determination from an initial received wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received wireless signal.

6. The interrogator according to claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to output a continuous wave signal comprising the outputted wireless signals and the received wireless signals comprise backscatter modulated wireless signals.

7. An interrogator comprising:

communication circuitry configured to output a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies and to receive a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies from a remote communication device; and

a processor coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to determine a phase of individual ones of the received wireless signals and to determine a range of the remote communication device relative to the interrogator responsive to the phase determination of the received wireless signals.

8. The interrogator according to claim 7 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of different magnitudes.

9. The interrogator according to claim 7 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of increasing magnitudes over time.

10. The interrogator according to claim 7 wherein the processor utilizes the range determination from an initial received wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received wireless signal.

11. The interrogator according to claim 7 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to output a continuous wave signal comprising the wireless signals and the received wireless signals comprise backscatter modulated wireless signals.

12. An interrogator comprising:

communication circuitry configured to output a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies and to receive a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies from a remote communication device, the communication circuitry being further configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals and to provide adjustments of increased frequency magnitude over time; and

a processor coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to determine a phase of individual ones of the received wireless signals and to determine a range of the remote communication device responsive to the phase determination of the received wireless signals.

13. The interrogator according to claim 12 wherein the processor utilizes the range determination from an initial received wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received wireless signal.

14. The interrogator according to claim 12 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to output a continuous wave signal comprising the outputted wireless signals and the received wireless signals comprise backscatter modulated wireless signals.

15. A wireless communication system comprising:

a remote communication device configured to receive a plurality of forward wireless signals and to output a plurality of return wireless signals responsive to the received forward wireless signals;

an interrogator configured to output the forward wireless signals toward the remote communication device and receive the return wireless signals from the remote communication device, the interrogator being further configured to determine a range of the remote communication device relative to the interrogator; and

wherein the interrogator is configured to output the forward wireless signals comprising a continuous wave signal, and the return wireless signals comprise backscatter modulated wireless signals.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the interrogator is configured to determine the range of the remote communication device responsive to the return wireless signals received within the interrogator.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the interrogator is configured to determine a phase of individual ones of the return wireless signals and to determine the range of the remote communication device responsive to the phase determination.

18. The system according to claim 15 wherein the interrogator is configured to adjust the frequency of the forward wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of different magnitudes.

19. The system according to claim 15 wherein the interrogator is configured to adjust the frequency of the forward wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of increasing magnitudes over time.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein the interrogator utilizes the range determination from an initial return wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent return wireless signal.

21. The system according to claim 15 wherein the interrogator comprises a coherent interrogator.

22. A wireless communication system comprising:

a radio frequency identification device configured to receive a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies and selectively backscatter modulate the received wireless signals; and

an interrogator configured to output the plurality of wireless signals at the plurality of frequencies and receive the backscatter modulated wireless signals from the radio frequency identification device, the interrogator being further configured to determine the phase of the received backscatter modulated wireless signals and to determine a range of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator responsive to the phase determination.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein the interrogator is configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of different magnitudes.

24. The system according to claim 22 wherein the interrogator is configured to adjust the frequency of the outputted wireless signals, and to provide frequency adjustments of increasing magnitudes over time.

25. The system according to claim 22 wherein the interrogator utilizes the range determination from an initial received wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received wireless signal.

26. A method of operating an interrogator comprising:

outputting a plurality of wireless signals toward a radio frequency identification device;

receiving a plurality of wireless signals from the radio frequency identification device; and

determining distance of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator after the receiving.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the outputting includes outputting the wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies and the receiving includes receiving the wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies, and further comprising determining a phase of individual ones of the received wireless signals and the determining distance being responsive to the determining phase.

28. The method according to claim 26 further comprising adjusting the frequency of the outputted wireless signals by a plurality of different frequency magnitudes.

29. The method according to claim 26 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted wireless signals by a plurality of frequency magnitudes; and

increasing the frequency magnitudes during the adjusting.

30. The method according to claim 26 wherein the outputting comprises outputting a continuous wave signal at the plurality of frequencies and the receiving comprises receiving backscatter modulated signals.

31. The method according to claim 26 wherein the determining distance comprises utilizing a distance determination corresponding to an initial received wireless signal to determine the distance from a subsequent received wireless signal.

32. A method of operating an interrogator comprising:

outputting a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies toward a remote communication device;

receiving a plurality of wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies from the remote communication device;

determining phase for individual ones of the received wireless signals; and

determining range of the remote communication device relative to the interrogator responsive to the determining.

33. The method according to claim 32 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted wireless signals by a plurality of different frequency magnitudes.

34. The method according to claim 32 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted wireless signals by a plurality of frequency magnitudes; and

increasing the frequency magnitudes during the adjusting.

35. The method according to claim 32 wherein the outputting comprises outputting a continuous wave signal at the plurality of frequencies and the receiving comprises receiving backscatter modulated signals.

36. The method according to claim 32 wherein the determining range comprises utilizing the range determination corresponding to an initial received wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received wireless signal.

37. A method of operating a wireless communication system comprising:

first outputting a plurality of forward wireless signals using an interrogator;

first receiving the forward wireless signals from the interrogator using a remote communication device;

second outputting a plurality of return wireless signals using the remote communication device responsive to the receiving;

second receiving the return wireless signals from the remote communication device using the interrogator;

determining the range of the remote communication device relative to the interrogator after the receiving; and

wherein the first outputting comprises outputting a continuous wave signal at the plurality of frequencies and the second receiving comprises receiving backscatter modulated signals.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the determining includes determining responsive to the received return wireless signals.

39. The method according to claim 37 wherein the first outputting includes outputting the forward wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies and the second receiving includes receiving the return wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies, and further comprising determining a phase of individual ones of the received forward wireless signals and the determining range being responsive to the determining phase.

40. The method according to claim 37 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted forward wireless signals by a plurality of different frequency magnitudes.

41. The method according to claim 37 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted forward wireless signals by a plurality of frequency magnitudes; and

increasing the frequency magnitudes during the adjusting.

42. The method according to claim 37 wherein the determining range comprises utilizing the range determination corresponding to an initial received return wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received return wireless signal.

45. The method according to claim 40 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted forward wireless signals by a plurality of frequency magnitudes; and

increasing the frequency magnitudes during the adjusting.

43. A method of operating a wireless communication system comprising:

outputting a plurality of forward wireless signals using an interrogator;

receiving the forward wireless signals from the interrogator using a radio frequency identification device;

selectively backscatter modulating the forward wireless signals using the radio frequency identification device;

receiving the backscattered wireless signals using the interrogator;

determining the phase of the backscattered wireless signals; and

determining the range of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator after the determining phase.

44. The method according to claim 43 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted forward wireless signals by a plurality of different frequency magnitudes.

46. The method according to claim 43 wherein the determining range comprises utilizing the range determination corresponding to an initial received return wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received return wireless signal.

47. A method of determining range of a remote communication device comprising:

outputting a plurality of forward wireless signals toward a remote communication device at a plurality of frequencies using an interrogator;

receiving a plurality of return wireless signals from the remote communication device at a plurality of frequencies using the interrogator;

first determining a phase of individual ones of the received return wireless signals; and

second determining a range of the remote communication device relative to the interrogator after the first determining, wherein the second determining includes utilizing the range determination corresponding to an initial received return wireless signal to determine the range from a subsequent received return wireless signal.

48. The method according to claim 47 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted forward wireless signals by a plurality of different frequency magnitudes.

49. The method according to claim 47 further comprising:

adjusting the frequency of the outputted forward wireless signals by a plurality of frequency magnitudes; and

increasing the frequency magnitudes during the adjusting.

50. The method according to claim 47 wherein the outputting comprises outputting a continuous wave signal at the plurality of frequencies and the receiving comprises receiving backscatter modulated signals.

51. A method of operating a wireless communication system comprising:

providing a wireless communication system comprising a coherent interrogator and a radio frequency identification device;

outputting a plurality of wireless signals using the interrogator including;

providing a predefined list of values corresponding to a communication range of the wireless communication system;

outputting a forward link wireless signal;

outputting a continuous wave signal; and

varying the frequency of the continuous wave signal during the outputting according to the predefined list of values;

receiving the forward link wireless signal and the continuous wave signal using the radio frequency identification device;

processing the forward link wireless signal;

selectively outputting a plurality of return link wireless signals using the radio frequency identification device after the processing, the return link wireless signals comprising a plurality of frequencies corresponding to the varying and the outputting the return link wireless signals including backscatter modulating the continuous wave wireless signal;

receiving the backscattered return link wireless signals using the interrogator;

first determining a phase of individual ones of the backscattered return line wireless signals; and

second determining the range of the radio frequency identification device relative to the interrogator after the first determining.

52. A method of operating a wireless communication system comprising:

first outputting a plurality of forward wireless signals using an interrogator;

first receiving the forward wireless signals from the interrogator using a remote communication device;

second outputting a plurality of return wireless signals using the remote communication device responsive to the receiving;

second receiving the return wireless signals from the remote communication device using the interrogator; and

determining the range of the remote communication device relative to the interrogator after the receiving;

wherein the first outputting includes outputting the forward wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies and the second receiving includes receiving the return wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies, and further comprising determining a phase of individual ones of the received forward wireless signals and the determining range being responsive to the determining phase.