RFID reader and active tag
First Claim
1. An RFID reader and active tag (RAT) for interrogating a plurality of RFID tags occupying a space, comprising:
- a first antenna;
a second antenna orthogonally aligned with the first antenna;
an RFID interface operable to generate RF transmissions to the interrogate RFID tags;
a fixed phase variable gain beam forming interface coupled to the first and second antennas and to the RFID interface, the variable gain beam forming interface being operable to independently adjust a set of gains for the RE transmissions from the RFID interface to the antennas so as to steer an interrogating RF transmission throughout the space to obtain RFID data from the RFID tags within the space;
a third antenna; and
a wireless interface configured to communicate through the third antenna with an access point, the wireless interface being operable to transmit the RFID data to the access point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, an RFID reader and active tag (RAT) includes: a first antenna; a second antenna orthogonally aligned with the first antenna; an RFID interface operable to generate RF transmissions to the interrogate RFID tags; a fixed phase variable gain beam forming interface coupled to the first and second antennas and to the RFID interface, the variable gain beam forming interface being operable to independently adjust a set of gains for the RF transmissions from the RFID interface to the antennas so as to steer an interrogating RF transmission throughout the space to obtain RFID data from the RFID tags within the space; a third antenna; and a wireless interface configured to communicate through the third antenna with an access point, the wireless interface being operable to transmit the RFID data to the access point.
11 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An RFID reader and active tag (RAT) for interrogating a plurality of RFID tags occupying a space, comprising:
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a first antenna; a second antenna orthogonally aligned with the first antenna; an RFID interface operable to generate RF transmissions to the interrogate RFID tags; a fixed phase variable gain beam forming interface coupled to the first and second antennas and to the RFID interface, the variable gain beam forming interface being operable to independently adjust a set of gains for the RE transmissions from the RFID interface to the antennas so as to steer an interrogating RF transmission throughout the space to obtain RFID data from the RFID tags within the space; a third antenna; and a wireless interface configured to communicate through the third antenna with an access point, the wireless interface being operable to transmit the RFID data to the access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for interrogating a plurality of RFID tags occupying a space using a first antenna and a second antenna orthogonally aligned with the first antenna, comprising:
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producing an RF interrogating signal for interrogating the RFID tags; amplifying the RF interrogating signal through a first variable gain amplifier to drive the first antenna; amplifying the RF interrogating signal though a second variable gain amplifier to drive the second antenna; and changing a gain for the first variable gain amplifier and a gain for the second variable gain amplifier such that a resulting RF transmission from the first and second antennas steers through the space to interrogate all the RFID tags to obtain RFID data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An RFID reader and active tag (RAT), comprising:
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a first beam forming means for interrogating a plurality of RFID tags using at least a first set of two antennas coupled to a first fixed phase feed network, the beam forming means being configured to adjust gains in the first fixed phase feed network to scan with respect to the plurality of RFID tags; and a second means for uploading RFID data from the interrogated plurality of RFID tags to an external access point. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification