Wireless data input to RFID reader

• US 6,828,902 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Soundcraft Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Soundcraft Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Casden, Martin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/944,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.3, 340/10.41, 340/928, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.22, 341/32, 341/176, 342/42
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• 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 7/0008 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

A wireless data input system has one or more switches on a keypad or the like and a number of individually addressable RFID tags. Each switch operates to enable a corresponding subset of the individually addressable RFID transponder tags, such that a unique permutation of tag codes recognized by a RFID reader identifies actuation of each particular switch or key.

Claims

1. A method for wireless linkage of a keypad to an induction type RFID reader comprising the steps of:

providing a keypad having a plurality of manually operable switch keys;

providing a plurality of individually addressable RFID transponder tags;

connecting each of said switch keys to a plurality of said RFID transponder tag and an antenna such that actuating each of said switch keys places a corresponding permutation of said transponder tags in operative connection with said antenna for inductively transmitting a unique set of tag identification codes of said tags to the RFID reader; and

program means executable by microprocessor means in the RFID for recognizing said unique set of tag identification codes as representative of actuation of a particular key on said keypad.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said further comprising the step of executing program means by the reader associated with actuation of said particular key.

3. An RFID system comprising:

an RFID reader having RF sensing means operatively connected to a microprocessor for interrogating a population of individually addressable RFID tags; and

a remote data input unit comprising an antenna, a plurality of individually addressable RFID transponder tags each having a unique tag code, and one or more switches, each of said one or more switches operable for connecting a corresponding permutation of said RFID transponder tags to said antenna thereby to power said corresponding permutation in a radio frequency field of said reader to enable reading by the said RFID reader of a unique set of tag codes corresponding to said permutation of tags.

4. The RFID system of claim 3 wherein each of said one or more switches is a manually operable switch key on a keypad.

5. The RFID reader system of claim 3 wherein said data input unit comprises a portable housing containing said antenna and said individually addressable RFID transponder tags, and said one or more switches is mounted on said housing.

6. A wireless keyboard having a plurality of switch keys, each key operable for enabling a corresponding set of individually addressable RFID transponder tags in an induction field of an RFID reader, each said set comprising a unique combination of tag codes, such that said RFID reader can be programmed to recognize actuation of particular ones of said switch keys thereby to receive data input from said keyboard.