Method an system for reading a dynamic set of tags bearing distinct ID codes

• US 6,650,228 B1
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Crochon, Elisabeth, Vacherand, François
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hung
• Application Number:
  US09/261,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.2, 340/3.51, 340/10.33, 340/10.31, 340/10.32, 340/10.52, 340/10.51, 235/375, 342/44, 342/51
• US Class Current: 340/10.33
• 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 7/10019 resolving collision on the communication channels between simultaneously or concurrently interrogated record carriers. collision between the communication channels used by wireless communication devices, where the solution is not particularly adapted for RFIDs or the like, H04W74/08

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for reading a dynamic set of tags present in the electromagnetic field of a polling device, consisting in updating cyclically a list of tags present in the electromagnetic field and minimizing the time for checking the presence of tags already identified, by assigning to each of these tags a sequence number whose binary size is significantly smaller than that of the ID code and that allows to realize a “call” of the tags present by enumeration.

Claims

1. Method for reading a dynamic set of tags, each with a distinct ID code and located in the electromagnetic field of a polling device, the method comprising:

identifying a previously unidentified tag via successive reading of their codes by means of transmitting and receiving signals between the polling device and the tags, characterized in that comprises carrying out a first read cycle during which each tag identified is locked and during which a sequence number is assigned to the tag identified, so as to allow for creating a list of all tags present in the field of the polling device; and

carrying out, during subsequent read cycles, an update of the list by reactivating the tags already listed, checking, from the reactivated tags, those tags still present in the field and those tags that have left the field, and adding the tags that have entered the field.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when updating the tag list, the sequence numbers of the tags are modified according to when the tags go out of or into the field, the sequence numbers of the list are consecutive.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sequence number of any particular tag is determined concurrently by particular tag and by the polling device, from the information exchanged by the tags and the polling device when the tags are identified.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the sequence number is initialized at the polling device and at each tag.

5. A method for reading a set of tags, each tag comprising a distinct ID code and located in the electromagnetic field of a polling device, the method comprising:

initially identifying one or more tags present in the field, the step of initially identifying comprising;

identifying a tag through reading of the ID code, the reading occurring through transmitting and receiving signals between the polling device and the tags;

placing the read ID code into a list;

assigning a sequence number to the tag identified;

placing the identified tag in a list of tags present in the field of the polling device;

at the tag, locking the tag, the locking keeping the tag from being identified again; and

updating the list.

6. The method of claim 5, the step of updating comprising:

unlocking any tags already listed and present in the field;

checking, from the unlocked tags, those tags still present in the field; and

changing the list based on the results of the step of checking from the unlocked tags.

7. The method of claim 5, the step of updating comprising:

checking for new tags present in the field; and

changing the list based on the results of the step of checking for new tags.