Method of addressing messages and communications system

• US 7,672,260 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Keystone Technology Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Wood, Clifton W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US11/270,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/312
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A target radio frequency identification (RFID) device may include a receiver to receive valid bits common to a first set of random numbers and to receive a signal indicating a change in a number of time slots from a first number of a plurality of time slots to a second number of a plurality of time slots in which the target device may respond. The target device may include processing circuitry to generate a random number, to determine if the random number is in the first set, to generate a random value, and to randomly select a time slot. The target device may further include a transmitter to communicate a response if the random number is determined to be in the first set, and to communicate the random value during the randomly selected time slot.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first command from an interrogator in accordance with a first loop of an algorithm to identify a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the first command comprising a field indicating that no number of valid bits of a comparison value are transmitted with the first command;

responsive to the first command, receiving a first reply from the RFID device, the first reply comprising a first identifier randomly generated by the RFID device;

transmitting a second command from the interrogator in accordance with a second loop of the algorithm if the interrogator detects a collision in the first reply, the second command comprising a field indicating that one or more valid bits of the comparison value are transmitted with the second command, wherein the RFID device compares the valid bits of the comparison value with a portion of the first identifier, and, if equal, modulates an RF field provided by the interrogator to communicate a second reply to the interrogator in accordance with the algorithm, the second reply comprising at least a portion of the first identifier; and

transmitting an indication of a number of time slots in which the interrogator is to receive one or more responses from one or more RFID devices in a field of the interrogator, and in response, receiving the one or more responses in one or more time slots of the number of time slots, wherein each of the one or more responses comprises a second identifier randomly generated by each of the one or more RFID devices, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the interrogator communicating in a selected one of a first communication mode and a second communication mode, wherein in accordance with the first communication mode the interrogator is to receive a modulated RF field generated by an RFID device and in accordance with the second communication mode the interrogator is to provide an RF field to be modulated by an RFID device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the interrogator communicating at one of a selectable plurality of bit rates.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a wake up command from the interrogator and, in response, transitioning from a non-responsive state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-responsive state is a sleep state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is equal to the second identifier.

7. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:

a receiver to receive first and second commands, the first command to include an indication of a first number of valid bits of an identification number and, if the first number of valid bits is indicated to be greater than zero, the valid bits of the identification number itself, and the second command to include an indication of a first number of time slots in which the RFID device is to respond;

a random number generator; and

a transmitter to communicate a first response to the first command if the valid bits of the identification number, if any, match an equal number of bits of a first identifier randomly generated by the RFID device, and to communicate a second response to the second command in a randomly selected time slot of the indicated first number of time slots, wherein the first response includes at least a portion of the first identifier and the second response includes a second identifier randomly generated by the RFID device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first number of time slots is indicated by the first number of valid bits.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is to communicate by modulating an RF field provided by a remote device.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising memory storing a unique identification code, apart from any randomly generated identifiers, to identify the device.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising memory storing a unique identification code to identify a person with whom the device is associated.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is to communicate at one of a plurality of bit rates determined by a remote device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is to operate in a first communication mode during a first period of time and in a second communication mode during a second period of time, wherein in accordance with the first communication mode the device modulates an RF field generated by the remote device and in accordance with the second communication mode the device generates and modulates an RF field.

14. The device of claim 7, wherein the first and second identifiers are the same.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the receiver is to further receive a third command from an interrogator responsive to the interrogator detecting a collision in the first response, the third command to include an indication of a second number of valid bits of the identification number, wherein the second number of valid bits may be at least two bits greater than the first number of valid bits.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein the receiver is to further receive a third command from an interrogator responsive to the interrogator detecting a collision in the second response, the third command to include an indication of a second number of time slots different from the first number of time slots.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the receiver is to further receive a fourth command from a remote device responsive to the remote device detecting a collision in the first response, the fourth command to include an indication of a second number of valid bits of the identification number, wherein the second number of valid bits may be at least two bits greater than the first number of valid bits.

18. An initiating wireless device to initiate wireless communication with a target radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a first portion of a set of random numbers and to indicate a first number of time slots;

an antenna to provide an RF field to be modulated by a target RFID device to communicate signals to the initiating device;

a receiver to receive a response from a target RFID device that has generated a random number in the set and to receive one or more randomly generated identifiers from one or more target RFID devices during a time slot randomly selected from the first number of time slots by each of the one or more target RFID devices, respectively; and

processing circuitry to perform collision detection on the response, to cause the transmitter to transmit a second portion of a subset of the set of random numbers if a collision is detected on the response, and to determine the random number using the response if no collision is detected on the response.

19. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the transmitter is to indicate a number of bits of the first portion.

20. The initiating device of claim 19, wherein the first number of time slots is indicated by the number of bits of the first portion.

21. The initiating device of claim 19, wherein the transmitter is to communicate with the target RFID device at one of a plurality of bit rates determined by the initiating device.

22. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the first portion is zero in accordance with a first pass through a loop of an algorithm to enable the initiating device to detect the target RFID device, and the response is the random number.

23. The initiating device of claim 22, wherein the algorithm allows the second portion to be the first portion plus at least two additional bits in accordance with a second pass following the first pass, without an intermediate pass, through the loop of the algorithm.

24. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the transmitter is to transmit a wake up command to transition the target RFID device from a sleep state.

25. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is to determine a unique identification code stored in the target RFID device in addition to the random number.

26. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is to enable the subset to be less than half of the set.

27. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the one or more target RFID devices comprises the target RFID device.

28. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the receiver is to further receive an identification number to be used to identify a person with whom a target RFID device is associated.

29. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the initiating device is to operate in a first communication mode during a first period of time and in a second communication mode during a second period of time, wherein in accordance with the first communication mode the antenna provides the RF field and in accordance with the second communication mode the receiver receives an RF field provided by and modulated by a target RFID device.

30. The initiating device of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is to further perform collision detection on the one or more randomly generated identifiers and to cause the transmitter to indicate a second number of time slots, different from the first number of time slots, responsive to collision detection on the one or more randomly generated identifiers.

31. The initiating device of claim 30, wherein the processing circuitry enables the subset to be less than half of the set.

32. A target radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:

a receiver to receive an indication of a first number of valid bits common to a first set of random numbers, to receive the valid bits common to the first set if the first number is greater than zero, and to receive a signal indicating a change in a number of time slots from a first number of a plurality of time slots to a second number of a plurality of time slots in which the target device may respond;

processing circuitry to generate a random number, to determine if the random number is in the first set, to generate a random value, and to randomly select a time slot; and

a transmitter to communicate a response if the random number is determined to be in the first set, and to communicate the random value during the randomly selected time slot.

33. The target device of claim 32, wherein the transmitter is to communicate with an initiating wireless device at a selectable one of a plurality of bit rates selected by the initiating device.

34. The target device of claim 32, wherein in accordance with a first pass through a loop of an algorithm to detect the target device the first number of valid bits is zero and the response is the random number.

35. The target device of claim 34, wherein in accordance with a second pass through the loop of the algorithm successively following the first pass, the receiver is to receive an indication of a second number of valid bits common to a second set of random numbers, the processing circuitry is to determine if the random number is in the second set, and wherein in accordance with the algorithm the second number of valid bits may be greater than the first number of valid bits by at least two.

36. The target device of claim 35, wherein the algorithm includes the receiver receiving the signal indicating the change in the number of time slots and the random number is equal to the random value.

37. The target device of claim 32, wherein in response to receiving a command at the receiver, addressed to the target device, the processing circuitry is to transition the target device to a sleep state in which communication from the transmitter is suppressed.

38. The target device of claim 37, wherein the processing circuitry is to transition the target RFID device from the sleep state in response to receiving a wake up command at the receiver.

39. The target device of claim 32, further comprising memory storing an identification number, apart from the random value and the random number, wherein the transmitter is to communicate the identification number to identify a person with whom the target RFID device is associated.

40. The target device of claim 32, wherein the target device is to operate in a first communication mode during a first period of time and in a second communication mode during a second period of time, wherein in accordance with the first communication mode the transmitter is to communicate by modulating an RF field provided by a remotely located initiating wireless device and in accordance with the second communication mode the transmitter is to communicate by modulating an RF field provided by the target device.

41. The target device of claim 32, wherein the signal indicating the change in the number of time slots is to be sent by an initiating wireless device responsive to collision detection on the random value.

42. The target device of claim 32, wherein the receiver is to receive an indication of a second number of valid bits common to a second set of random numbers responsive to an initiating wireless device detecting a collision on the random number, the processing circuitry is to determine if the random number is in the second set, and wherein the second number of valid bits may be greater than the first number of valid bits by at least two.

43. The target device of claim 32, wherein the response comprises at least a portion of the random number.

44. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:

memory storing a unique number to identify to a person with whom the RFID device is associated;

a receiver coupled to an antenna to receive requests comprising values having varying numbers of valid bits in accordance with a first method to wirelessly identify the RFID device, and time slot information in accordance with a second method to wirelessly identify the RFID device;

a modulating circuit to modulate RF fields to communicate responses, wherein the responses comprise the unique number and identifiers that are randomly generated by the RFID device; and

processing circuitry to cause the modulating circuit to communicate responses based, at least in part, on comparisons between the valid bits of the values and bits randomly generated by the RFID device in accordance with the first method, and to cause the modulating circuit to communicate responses at time slots randomly selected using the time slot information in accordance with the second method.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the responses communicated in accordance with the first method to wirelessly identify the RFID device and the responses communicated in accordance with the second method to wirelessly identify the RFID device contain the same unique number but different identifiers randomly generated by the RFID device.

46. The device of claim 44, wherein the modulating circuit is to operate in a first communication mode in which the modulating circuit is to modulate an RF field produced by the device itself, and in a second communication mode in which the modulating circuit is to modulate an RF field produced by a remote device.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the receiver is to receive a wake up command, and, in response, the processing circuitry is to transition the device from a sleep state.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein the modulating circuit is to communicate at one of a plurality of selectable bit rates.

49. The device of claim 44, wherein the first method is a tree search algorithm and the second method is a slotted Aloha algorithm.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein the first method accommodates tree level skipping.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the second method is adaptive.

52. The device of claim 44, wherein the receiver is to receive a first request comprising a value having a first number of valid bits followed by a successive second request, the second request comprising a value having a second number of valid bits, wherein, in accordance with the first method, the second number of valid bits may be at least two bits greater than the first number of valid bits.

53. The device of claim 52, wherein, in accordance with the second method, the time slot information indicates a change in a number of available time slots in which the device may respond.

54. The device of claim 44, wherein, in accordance with the second method, the time slot information indicates a change in a number of available time slots in which the device may respond.