Combined biometric reader/RFID circuit

• US 6,672,512 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Bridgelall, Raj
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/910,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20020008143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.46, 235/472.02
• US Class Current: 235/462.46
• 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 7/0004 Hybrid readers

Abstract

A circuit that combines the functionality of a biometric reader and an RFID circuit is provided. This circuit uses certain functional blocks for processing both t h e biometric signals and the RFID signals. As a result, the space and power consumed by the circuit are substantially reduced such that the circuit can be formed to fit a free-standing, hand-held reader device. The circuit also may use a single interface from a hand-held device to central processing unit to process digital signals from both the biometric reader and the RFID circuit. In addition, in one embodiment, the circuit may also simultaneously process biometric data signals and RFID signals.

Claims

1. A biometric reader/RFID circuit for use in a free-standing reader device, and that provides an interrogation signal to an identification tag, receives a data signal from an identification tag, and that provides a digital signal to a processing unit, the circuit comprising:

a biometric reader circuit;

an RFID circuit;

wherein the processing unit is coupled to receive a data acquisition command, and, in response to the data acquisition command, to instruct at least one of the biometric reader circuit and the RFID circuit to provide the interrogation signal, to receive the data signal, and to transmit the data signal; and

a data acquisition circuit which is adapted to receive the data signal from at least one of the biometric reader circuit and the RFID circuit, to process the data signal into an analog signal and then into the digital signal, and to transmit the digital signal to the processing unit.

2. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a summing circuit.

3. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a multiplexer.

4. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a gain control and filter circuit for processing the data signal into the analog signal that is suitable for digitization.

5. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a digitizer.

6. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a comparator.

7. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a differentiator.

8. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit comprises a peak detector.

9. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit is further adapted to receive the data signals from both the biometric reader circuit and the RFID circuit simultaneously, to process the data signals into analog signals and then into digital signals, and to transmit each digital signal to the first processing unit.

10. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the biometric reader/RFID circuit fits into a modular space provided for an SE1200 scan engine.

11. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the biometric reader/RFID circuit is resident in a hand-held reader device.

12. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit transmits the digital signal to the processing unit with an eight pin interface.

13. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein a scanning field emitted by a biometric reader portion of the biometric reader/RFID circuit is substantially equivalent in directional orientation to an RF field emitted by an RFID portion of the biometric reader/RFID circuit.

14. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition circuit is adapted to simultaneously produce digital signals in response to the data signals produced by both the biometric reader circuit and by the RFID circuit.

15. The biometric reader/RFID circuit of claim 1, wherein multiple processing units are utilized.

16. A method of reading a biometric data and an RFID tag using a hand-held reading device, comprising:

providing at least one of a biometric data interrogation signal and an RFID interrogation signal to at least one identification tag;

receiving at least one data signal from the at least one identification tag in response to the at least one biometric data interrogation signal and the RFID interrogation signal;

transforming the at least one data signal into an analog signal;

digitizing the analog signal within the reading device into a digital signal; and

transmitting the digital signal to a central processing unit.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the providing comprises simultaneously providing a biometric data interrogation signal and an RFID interrogation signal to at least one identification tag.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting comprising transmitting through an eight pin interface.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting comprises substantially simultaneously transmitting a digital signal which results in a response to a biometric data interrogation signal and transmitting a digital signal which results in response to an RFID interrogation signal.

20. A biometric reader/RFID circuit for mounting in a hand-held reading device, said circuit comprising:

means for providing at least one of a biometric data interrogation signal and an RFID interrogation signal to at least one identification tag;

means receiving at least one data signal from the at least one identification tag in response to the at least one biometric data interrogation signal and the RFID interrogation signal;

means for transforming the at least one data signal into an analog signal;

means for digitizing the analog signal within the reading device into a digital signal; and

means for transmitting the digital signal to a central processing unit.

21. The circuit of claim 20 wherein the means for providing comprises simultaneously a means for providing a biometric data interrogation signal and an RFID interrogation signal to at least one identification tag.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the means for transmitting comprising means for transmitting through an eight pin interface.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the means for transmitting comprises a means for transmitting substantially simultaneously a digital signal in response to a biometric data interrogation signal and a digital signal in response to an RFID interrogation signal.