Electronic reader for reading a special characteristic of an object

• US 6,611,198 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pyramid Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Keri Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Lindseth, Dale, Kwong, Jon, Whiston, Kenneth Alan, Geiszler, Kenneth J., Walker, Russel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/411,141
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.41, 340/10.1, 340/10.33, 340/10.3, 340/10.34, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 340/10.5, 340/10.52, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.58, 340/5.2, 375/323, 375/147, 375/260, 375/349, 375/51, 342/98, 342/102, 455/205, 455/207, 455/303, 455/304
• US Class Current: 340/10.41
• 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

An object identification system and method detects the presence of a target object in a field of inspection and in one aspect of the invention, generates a first signal if the object is left in the field of inspection for more than a minimum threshold period of time. In a second aspect a second signal is generated if the object is introduced to the field of inspection more than a minimum threshold number of times (having been withdrawn from the field of inspection in the interim) within a minimum threshold period of time.

Claims

1. An identification system including a reader for reading an object and providing a first output signal if said object has certain predetermined characteristics readable by said reader, said system comprising:

a detector detecting the presence of the object in a field of inspection of said detector;

a timer responsive to said detector and started by the detection of the object in said field of inspection; and

a processor responsive to said detector and said timer, said processor generating a second output signal if the object is disposed within said field of inspection at least a predetermined period of time,

wherein said detector includes an antenna, a PSK receive path disposed between said antenna and a first circuit node, an FSK receive path disposed between said antenna and said first circuit node, and a first filter for attenuating a first RF frequency disposed between said first circuit node and a second circuit node,

said PSK receive path includes a second filter for attenuating said first RF frequency and passing frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency, and said FSK receive path includes a discriminator and a third filter, said third filter for attenuating frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency and above and passing RF frequencies less than one-fourth of said first RF frequency.

2. An identification system according to claim 1, wherein the reader and object comprise an RFID system.

3. An identification system according to claim 1, wherein said second output signal is generated if the object is held in said field of inspection in excess of two seconds.

4. An identification system according to claim 1, wherein said second output signal is utilized to send an alert signal to a central monitoring system.

5. An identification system including a reader for reading an object and providing a first output signal if said object has certain predetermined characteristics readable by said reader, said system comprising:

a detector detecting the presence of the object in a field of inspection of said detector;

a timer responsive to said detector and started by the detection of the object in said field of inspection;

a counter counting the number of times the object is presented to the field of inspection while said timer is active; and

a processor responsive to said timer and said counter, said processor generating a second output signal if the object is disposed within said field of inspection at least a first number of times while said timer is active,

wherein said detector includes an antenna, a PSK receive path disposed between said antenna and a first circuit node, an FSK receive path disposed between said antenna and said first circuit node, and a first filter for attenuating a first RF frequency disposed between said first circuit node and a second circuit node,

said PSK receive path includes a second filter for attenuating said first RF frequency and passing frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency, and

said FSK receive path includes a discriminator and a third filter, said third filter for attenuating frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency and above and passing RF frequencies less than one-fourth of said first RF frequency.

6. An identification system according to claim 5, wherein the reader and object comprise an RFID system.

7. An identification system according to claim 5, wherein said second output signal is generated if the object is held in said field of inspection in excess of two seconds.

8. An identification system according to claim 5, wherein said second output signal is utilized to send an alert signal to a central monitoring system.

9. A method for responding to the presentation of an object to a reader in an identification system, the object having certain predetermined characteristics readable by said reader, said method comprising:

detecting the presence of the object in a field of inspection of the reader;

initiating a timer in response to said detecting; and

generating a signal in response to the object being disposed in the field of inspection in excess of a predetermined amount of time,

wherein said reader includes an antenna, a PSK receive path disposed between said antenna and a first circuit node, an FSK receive path disposed between said antenna and said first circuit node, and a first filter for attenuating a first RF frequency disposed between said first circuit node and a second circuit node,

said PSK receive path includes a second filter for attenuating said first RF frequency and passing frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency, and

said FSK receive path includes a discriminator and a third filter, said third filter for attenuating frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency and above and passing RF frequencies less than one-fourth of said first RF frequency.

10. A method for responding to the presentation of an object to a reader in an identification system, the object having certain predetermined characteristics readable by said reader, said method comprising:

detecting each presentation of the object to a field of inspection of said reader;

initiating a timer in response to a first detected presentation; and

counting each presentation from said first detector presentation; and

generating a signal in response to the object being presented to the field of inspection at least a predetermined number of times within a predetermined amount of time,

wherein said reader includes an antenna, a PSK receive path disposed between said antenna and a first circuit node, an FSK receive path disposed between said antenna and said first circuit node, and a first filter for attenuating a first RF frequency disposed between said first circuit node and a second circuit node,

said PSK receive path includes a second filter for attenuating said first RF frequency and passing frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency, and

said FSK receive path includes a discriminator and a third filter, said third filter for attenuating frequencies approximately one-half of said first RF frequency and above and passing RF frequencies less than one-fourth of said first RF frequency.