Low cost DTOA location processing system based on multiple readers-to-single processor architecture
First Claim
1. For use with a system for locating objects within a monitored environment, wherein wireless transmissions from tags associated with objects are detected at a plurality of spaced apart tag transmission readers, and outputs of said tag transmission readers are processed to locate said tags and thereby their associated objects within a monitored environment, a method comprising the steps of:
- (a) time-division-multiplexing said outputs of said tag transmission readers to a shared processor which is operative to process outputs of and identify first-to-arrive tag transmissions at said tag transmission readers; and
(b) processing signals representative of said first-to-arrive tag transmissions as identified by said shared processor so as to geolocate said tags and thereby their associated objects within said monitored environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A time division multiplexed reader to shared RF channel processor signal transport network for a geolocation system in which the number of readers is relatively small, allowing the use of only a single shared RF channel processor. The differential signal transport delays among respective segments of the network creates an inherent set of time division multiplexed time slots for the various readers, that allows the shared RF channel processor to receive and process the output of each reader in a known, independent time frame.
140 Citations
20 Claims
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1. For use with a system for locating objects within a monitored environment, wherein wireless transmissions from tags associated with objects are detected at a plurality of spaced apart tag transmission readers, and outputs of said tag transmission readers are processed to locate said tags and thereby their associated objects within a monitored environment, a method comprising the steps of:
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(a) time-division-multiplexing said outputs of said tag transmission readers to a shared processor which is operative to process outputs of and identify first-to-arrive tag transmissions at said tag transmission readers; and
(b) processing signals representative of said first-to-arrive tag transmissions as identified by said shared processor so as to geolocate said tags and thereby their associated objects within said monitored environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. For use with a system for locating objects, wherein wireless transmissions from tags associated with objects are detected at a plurality of spaced apart tag transmission readers, a subsystem for processing outputs of said tag transmission readers to locate said tags and thereby their associated objects within a monitored environment, said system comprising:
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a shared reader processor that is operative to process outputs of and identify first-to-arrive tag transmissions at said tag transmission readers; and
a transport path arrangement coupled between said tag transmission readers and said shared reader processor that is adapted to time-division-multiplex outputs of said tag transmission readers to said shared processor, and wherein signals representative of first-to-arrive tag transmissions identified by said shared reader processor are processed to geolocate said tags and thereby their associated objects within said monitored environment. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A communication subsystem for use with a system for locating objects, wherein wireless transmissions from tags associated with objects are detected at a plurality of spaced apart tag transmission readers, comprising:
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a shared reader processor that is operative to process outputs of and identify first-to-arrive tag transmissions at said tag transmission readers supplied thereto;
a transport path arrangement coupled between said tag transmission readers and said shared reader processor and being operative to time-division-multiplex outputs of said tag transmission readers to said shared processor; and
a location processor which is operative to process signals representative of said first-to-arrive tag transmissions identified by said shared reader processor to geolocate said tags and thereby their associated objects within said monitored environment.
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Specification