Method and apparatus for a radio frequency identification repeater

• US 7,741,970 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Timothy, Miller, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US11/618,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20080157968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,269 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/572.7, 340/505, 340/425.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

The present method enables an RFID repeater to be used in conjunction with an RFID tag to allow data in the RFID tag to be read using wireless packet switched technologies. For example, the present method enables an RFID repeater to be coupled with an RFID tag. The RFID repeater reads and records the data from the RFID tag and then transmits the retrieved data from the RFID tag over a wireless packet network.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

retrieving data from a RFID tag by a RFID repeater, wherein said RFID repeater is coupled to said RFID tag via an adhesive material; and

communicating said retrieved data from said RFID tag by said RFID repeater to a server via a wireless packet switched network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless packet switched network employs at least one of:

a Wi-Fi protocol, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) protocol, a cellular protocol, or a Zigbee protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving comprises:

reading said data by a RFID reader residing in said RFID repeater;

deactivating said RFID reader after reading said data; and

storing said data in a memory residing in said RFID repeater.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said retrieved data is read via a pair of antennae between said RFID repeater and said RFID tag.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein reading of the RFID tag data by the RFID reader is commanded remotely to refresh the data stored in the memory of the RFID repeater.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said RFID tag comprises an active RFID tag or a passive RFID tag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicating comprises:

sending said retrieved data to said server via a wireless access point or a base station that provides connectivity to said server.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said connectivity comprises a wired Local Area Network (LAN) or a wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

9. A communication system, comprising:

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag; and

a RFID repeater for retrieving data from said RFID tag, wherein said RFID repeater is coupled to said RFID tag via an adhesive material, and wherein said RFID repeater is for communicating said retrieved data from said RFID tag to a server via a wireless packet switched network.

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said wireless packet switched network employs at least one of:

a Wi-Fi protocol, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) protocol, a cellular protocol, or a Zigbee protocol.

11. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said RFID repeater comprises a RFID reader for reading said data from said RFID tag, wherein said RFID reader is deactivated after reading said data, and wherein said data is stored in a memory residing in said RFID repeater.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein said retrieved data is read via an antenna disposed on said RFID repeater and an antenna disposed on said RFID tag.

13. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said RFID tag comprises an active RFID tag or a passive RFID tag.

14. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said RFID repeater communicates said retrieved data by sending said retrieved data to said server via a wireless access point or a base station that provides connectivity to said server.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein said connectivity comprises a wired Local Area Network (LAN) or a wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method for communicating with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

retrieving data from a RFID tag by a RFID repeater, wherein said RFID repeater is coupled to said RFID tag via an adhesive material; and

communicating said retrieved data from said RFID tag by said RFID repeater to a server via a wireless packet switched network.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein said retrieving comprises:

reading said data by a RFID reader residing in said RFID repeater;

deactivating said RFID reader after reading said data; and

storing said data in a memory residing in said RFID repeater.