RFID readers systems and methods for hopping away from a frequency channel with RF interference
First Claim
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1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader system for communicating with RFID tags using a plurality of communication channels, comprising:
- an antenna; and
an operational processing block coupled to the antenna and operable to;
cause a first wireless signal to be transmitted via the antenna to the RFID tags, the first wireless signal having a frequency carrier in a first one of the channels;
determine whether or not objectionable interference has been detected based on one of a reply from at least one RFID tag and RF energy received in at least one of the channels available for communicating with the RFID tags;
choose a second one of the channels other than the first channel, the second channel being chosen in an unbiased manner if it is determined that no objectionable interference has been detected, the unbiased manner including not favoring any channel over another so as to avoid any interference, the second channel being alternately chosen in a biased manner different from the unbiased manner if it is determined that objectionable interference has been detected, the biased manner including disfavoring at least one channel over another in view of the detected interference; and
cause a second signal to be transmitted to the RFID tags, the second signal having a frequency carrier in the second channel.
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Abstract
RFID readers, systems, and methods are provided for overcoming the effects of RF interference. While a system is communicating in a channel, RF interference is monitored. If it is low, then the next channel to be hopped onto is chosen in an unbiased manner. But if interference is high, then the next channel to be hopped onto is chosen in a biased manner that disfavors at least one channel over another, in view of the detected interference. The choice of the next channel can thus result in diminishing communication in channels with a lot of RF interference.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader system for communicating with RFID tags using a plurality of communication channels, comprising:
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an antenna; and an operational processing block coupled to the antenna and operable to; cause a first wireless signal to be transmitted via the antenna to the RFID tags, the first wireless signal having a frequency carrier in a first one of the channels; determine whether or not objectionable interference has been detected based on one of a reply from at least one RFID tag and RF energy received in at least one of the channels available for communicating with the RFID tags; choose a second one of the channels other than the first channel, the second channel being chosen in an unbiased manner if it is determined that no objectionable interference has been detected, the unbiased manner including not favoring any channel over another so as to avoid any interference, the second channel being alternately chosen in a biased manner different from the unbiased manner if it is determined that objectionable interference has been detected, the biased manner including disfavoring at least one channel over another in view of the detected interference; and cause a second signal to be transmitted to the RFID tags, the second signal having a frequency carrier in the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for communicating with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and using a plurality of communication channels, comprising:
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causing a first wireless signal to be transmitted to the RFID tags, the first wireless signal having a frequency carrier in a first one of the channels; determining whether or not objectionable interference has been detected based on a reply from at least one RFID tag and RF energy received in at least one of the channels available for communicating with the RFID tags; choosing a second one of the channels other than the first channel, the second channel being chosen in an unbiased manner if it is determined that no objectionable interference has been detected, the unbiased manner including not favoring any channel over another so as to avoid any interference, the second channel being alternately chosen in a biased manner different from the unbiased manner if it is determined that objectionable interference has been detected, the biased manner including disfavoring at least one channel over another in view of the detected interference; and causing a second signal to be transmitted to the RFID tags, the second signal having a frequency carrier in the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A machine-readable storage medium with instructions encoded thereon for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader system to communicate with RFID tags using a plurality of communication channels, the RFID reader system including at least one antenna, the instructions such that, if read and executed by the RFID reader system, actions result comprising:
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causing a first wireless signal to be transmitted via the antenna of the RFID system to the RFID tags, the first wireless signal having a frequency carrier in a first one of the channels; determining at a processor of the RFID reader system whether or not objectionable interference has been detected based on a reply from at least one RFID tag and RF energy received in at least one of the channels available for communicating with the RFID tags; choosing at the processor of the RFID system a second one of the channels other than the first channel, the second channel being chosen in an unbiased manner if it is determined that no objectionable interference has been detected, the unbiased manner including not favoring any channel over another so as to avoid any interference, the second channel being alternately chosen in a biased manner different from the unbiased manner if it is determined that objectionable interference has been detected, the biased manner including disfavoring at least one channel over another in view of the detected interference; and causing a second signal to be transmitted via the antenna of the RFID system to the RFID tags, the second signal having a frequency carrier in the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification