Techniques for radio frequency identification and electronic article surveillance receivers

• US 7,463,155 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Narlow, Douglas A., Patterson, Hubert A., Romer, Kevin, Shafer, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/144,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20060273910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/10.32, 340/10.33, 340/10.4, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/825.7, 340/825.72, 340/825.73, 455/101, 455/561
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method to combine radio frequency identification and electronic article surveillance receivers into a single device are described wherein a first selection signal is sent to switch a first switch to a first state to connect a receiver to a first antenna in order to detect a first type of security tag in a first operating mode and a second selection signal is sent to switch the first switch to a second state to connect the receiver to a second antenna to detect a second type of security tag in a second operating mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna system having multiple antennas;

a first switch to connect to said antenna system;

a receiver to connect to said switch;

a processor to connect to said first switch, said processor to switch said first switch to a first state to connect said receiver to a first antenna in order to detect a first type of security tag in a first operating mode, and said processor to switch said first switch to a second state to connect said receiver to a second antenna to detect a second type of security tag in a second operating mode; and

an amplifying module to connect to said receiver, said amplifying module to comprise a second switch, a third switch, and an amplifier, said processor to switch said second switch and said third switch to a first state to connect said second switch to said third switch through said amplifier, and switch said second switch and said third switch to a second state to connect said second switch to said third switch without said amplifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is a digital signal processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first type of security tag is a radio frequency identification security tag.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second type of security tag is an electronic article surveillance security tag.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first antenna is a radio frequency identification antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second antenna is an electronic article surveillance antenna.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a generator to connect to a third antenna, said processor to control when said generator transmits an electric field using said third antenna to reduce interference with said receiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter to couple to said first switch, said transmitter to transmit a first interrogation signal for said first type of security tag when said first switch is in said first state, and said transmitter to transmit a second interrogation signal for said second type of security tag when said first switch is in said second state.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna system having multiple antennas;

a first switch to connect to said antenna system;

a receiver to connect to said switch;

a processor to connect to said first switch, said processor to switch said first switch to a first state to connect said receiver to a first antenna in order to detect a first type of security tag in a first operating mode, and said processor to switch said first switch to a second state to connect said receiver to a second antenna to detect a second type of security tag in a second operating mode, said second antenna comprising an electronic article surveillance receive antenna; and

an amplifying module to connect to said receiver, said amplifying module to comprise a second switch, a third switch, and an amplifier, said processor to switch said second switch and said third switch to a first state to connect said second switch to said third switch through said amplifier, and switch said second switch and said third switch to a second state to connect said second switch to said third switch without said amplifier.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said processor is a digital signal processor.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first type of security tag is a radio frequency identification security tag.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said second type of security tag is an electronic article surveillance security tag.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first antenna is a radio frequency identification antenna.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said second antenna is to connect to said first switch through said amplifier.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a fourth switch to connect to said antenna system;

a transmitter to connect to said fourth switch; and

wherein said processor is to connect to said fourth switch, said processor to switch said fourth switch to a first state to connect said transmitter to said first antenna in order to transmit a first interrogation signal for said first type of security tag, and said processor to switch said fourth switch to a second state to connect to a third antenna to transmit a second interrogation signal for said second type of security tag.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said third antenna comprises an electronic article surveillance transmit antenna.

17. A method, comprising:

sending a first selection signal to switch a first switch to a first state to connect a receiver to a first antenna in order to detect a first type of security tag in a first operating mode;

sending a second selection signal to switch said first switch to a second state to connect said receiver to a second antenna to detect a second type of security tag in a second operating mode; and

sending a third and fourth selection signals to switch second and third switches to a first state to connect said second switch to said third switch through an amplifier, and switch said second switch and said third switch to a second state to connect said second switch to said third switch without said amplifier.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising amplifying a received signal from said first antenna when in said first operating mode.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting a first interrogation signal for said first type of security tag when said first switch is in said first state; and

transmitting a second interrogation signal for said second type of security tag when said first switch is in said second state.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said first selection signal switches a fourth switch to a first state to connect a transmitter to said first antenna in order transmit a first interrogation signal for said first type of security tag, and said second selection signal switches said fourth switch to a second state to connect said transmitter to a third antenna to transmit a second interrogation signal for said second type of security tag.