Range extension for RFID hand-held mobile computers

• US 7,175,093 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• 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): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/021,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/383, 235/385, 235/462.46, 235/472.02, 235/382, 235/380, 235/472.01, 235/462.45, 235/486, 703/303
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• 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 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader

Abstract

A mobile computer and a reader are provided that may be constructed as a standard modular attachment (e.g. sled) for the computer that may be used only when RFID interrogation is desired. The sled may carry an antenna loop, integrated RFID reader electronics, and a dedicated battery that are separate from the actual mobile computer.

Claims

1. A Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) extension for a mobile computer lacking RFID functionality, comprising:

a standard modular attachment suitable for holding the mobile computer;

a battery carried by said standard modular attachment;

circuitry carried by said standard modular attachment and coupled to said battery for providing the RFID functionality, said circuitry including an electromagnetic transceiver and a RFID air interface decoder; and

modular attachment interface connected to said standard modular attachment for selectively coupling the mobile computer to said circuitry such that the mobile computer has access to the RFID functionality provided by said circuitry when the mobile computer is coupled to said modular attachment interface and is being held by said standard modular attachment, wherein said battery and said circuitry are separate from the mobile computer when the mobile computer is not being held by the standard modular attachment.

2. The RFID extension for the mobile computer lacking RFID functionality as in claim 1, further comprising a bar code scanner coupled to said modular attachment interface such that the mobile computer has access to data encoded in a bar code symbol scanned by said bar code scanner when the mobile computer is coupled to said modular attachment interface.

3. The RFID extension for the mobile computer lacking RFID functionality as in claim 1, further conprising an antenna loop connected to said standard modular attachment.

4. The RFID extension for the mobile computer lacking RFID functionality as in claim 3, wherein said standard modular attachment is a sled device.

5. A system, comprising:

a mobile computer lacking radio frequency identification (RFID) functionality and comprising a first modular attachment interface; and

a RFID extension for said mobile computer for selectively providing the RFID functionality to said mobile computer, said RFID extension comprising;

a standard modular attachment suitable for holding said mobile computer;

circuitry within said standard modular attachment configured to provide the RFID functionality, said circuitry including an electromagnetic transceiver and a RFID air interface decoder; and

a second modular attachment interface connected to said standard modular attachment for selectively coupling to said first modular attachment interface such that said mobile computer has access to the RFID functionality provided by said circuitry when said second modular attachment interface is coupled to said first modular attachment interface and said mobile computer is being held by said standard modular attachment, wherein said circuitry is separate from said mobile computer when said mobile computer is not be held by said standard modular attachment.

6. The system as in claim 5, wherein said RFID extension further comprises:

a bar code scanner coupled to said second modular attachment interface such that said mobile computer has access to data encoded in a bar code symbol scanned by said bar code scanner when said second modular attachment interface is coupled to said first modular attachment interface.

7. The system as in claim 5, further comprising an antenna loop connected to said standard modular attachment.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein said standard modular attachment is a sled device.

9. The system as in claim 7, further comprising a RFID tag that can be scanned by said RFID extension when said RFID extension and said RFID tag are separated by a distance greater than about twelve (12) inches.

10. A system, comprising:

a mobile computer lacking radio frequency identification (RFID) functionality and comprising a first modular attachment interface and a radio module;

a RFID extension for said mobile computer for selectively providing the RFID functionality for said mobile computer, said RFID extension comprising;

a standard modular attachment suitable for holding said mobile computer;

circuitry within said standard modular attachment for providing the RFID functionality, said circuitry including an electromagnetic transceiver and a RFID air interface decoder; and

a second modular attachment interface connected to said standard modular attachment for coupling to said first modular attachment interface such that said mobile computer has access to the RFID functionality provided by said circuitry when said second modular attachment interface is coupled to said first modular attachment interface and said mobile computer is being held by said standard modular attachment, wherein said circuitry is separate from said mobile computer when said mobile computer is not being held by said standard modular attachment;

a wired network and

an access point, for transmitting transmission data from said wired network to said mobile computers via a wireless medium and receiving reception data from said mobile computers to said wired network via said wireless medium and also for forming a transmission area that includes a space where association to said access point is possible by said mobile computer.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the transmission data and the reception data use a TCP/IP protocol, and wherein the wired network is connected to the internet.

12. The system as in claim 10, wherein the RFID extension further comprises:

a bar code scanner coupled to said modular attachment interface such that the mobile computer has access to data encoded in a bar code symbol scanned by said bar code scanner when the first modular attachment interface is coupled to said second modular attachment interface.

13. The system as in claim 10, further comprising an antenna loop connected to said standard modular attachment.

14. The system as in claim 13, wherein said modular attachment is a sled device.

15. The system as in claim 14, further a RFID tag that can be scanned by said RFID extension when said RFID extension and said RFID tag are separated by a distance greater than about twelve (12) inches.