Method and system of universal RFID communication

• US 8,061,607 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Tech LLC (OnAsset Intelligence Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OnAsset Intelligence Incorporated
• Inventors: Crossno, Adam, Key, Dennis Shawn, Puttagunta, Viswanath, Viswaraju, Ravi Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US12/331,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/375, 235/435, 235/449, 235/451, 340/572.1, 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 235/439
• 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: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are provided for a universally operable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader base unit. An RFID base unit is provided that can communicate with at least two different types of RFID tags, one at a time, that are commercially available as well as communicate with data collecting entities using any of at least two communication standards. The reader comprises a microprocessor (microcontroller) portion having at least one set of plug-in connectors. The reader then operates in different operational logic processes in accordance with the types and parameters of attached plug-in modules. The plug-in modules will typically comprise RF frequency modules for communicating with the RFID tags as well as a communication standard model for communicating with a computer network. Additionally, the plug-in modules contain memory that contains data and code used by the microprocessor in performing the operations obtainable by specific types of plug-in modules. If upgrading of the operating system is required, such upgrading can be accomplished through the use of an associated port such as a microcontroller interface port, a memory stick slot or using a computer in conjunction with a communication module.

Claims

1. Signal detection apparatus comprising:

microcontroller and associated memory comprising a part of a base unit portion of a multi-use signal detector wherein the base unit of said detection apparatus is adapted for use with at least one of a plurality of different types of plug-in modules; and

at least one plug-in module interfacing with the microcontroller of said base unit, said plug-in module comprising circuitry for assisting a given signal detection task and memory including function routines accessible by and used by said microcontroller in completing a given signal detection task; and

said microcontroller, during an initialization routine initiated upon interfacing a plug-in module with a base unit, performs at least one of (a) storing stores the address of functional routines contained in the memory portion of said given plug-in module and (b) downloading at least one of any functional routines contained in the memory portion of said given module.

2. Signal detection apparatus comprising:

microcontroller and associated memory comprising a part of a base unit portion of a multi-use signal detector wherein the base unit of said detection apparatus is adapted for use with at least one of a plurality of different types of plug-in modules;

at least one plug-in module interfacing with the microcontroller of said base unit, said plug-in module comprising circuitry for assisting a given signal detection task and memory including an initialization routine accessible by and used by said microcontroller in ascertaining what types of modules are presently available for use by said microcontroller; and

said microcontroller, during an initialization routine initiated upon interfacing a plug-in module with a base unit, stores the address of functional routines contained in the memory portion of said given module.

3. A microcontroller base unit for determining the types and functionality of memory containing plug-in modules operationally attached to said microcontroller base unit, comprising:

circuitry operable to check the logic signal obtained from a set of plug-in module connector pins wherein said logic signal is uniquely representative of each potential type of plug-in module to determine which types of plug-in modules have been attached;

circuitry operable to access the memory of each type of plug-in module and to retrieve data from the module memory of each plug-in module wherein the retrieved data is used by said microcontroller in determining the manner in which data is obtained and processed by each of said plug-in modules;

circuitry operable to activate at least one functional routine in a plug-in module via the calling of a stored address obtained during the retrieval of data from the module memory; and

circuitry operable to retrieve data from said plug-in modules and to transmit same to a data sink for use by an end user.

4. A method used by a microcontroller for determining the types and functionality of memory containing plug-in modules attached to a microcontroller base unit, comprising:

checking the logic signal obtained from a set of connector pins representing each potential type of plug-in module to determine which types of plug-in modules have been attached;

sequentially accessing the memory of each type of plug-in modules and retrieving data from the module memory of each plug-in module wherein the retrieved data is used by said microcontroller in determining the manner in which data is obtained and processed;

activating at least one functional routine in a plug-in module via the calling of a stored address obtained during the retrieval of data from the module memory; and

retrieving data from and transmitting same to a data sink for use by an end user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the base unit is a RFID reader and the data retrieved is obtained from RFID tags.

6. Data retrieval apparatus comprising:

a base module comprising a microcontroller and base module programmable memory, said microcontroller operating in accordance with code in said base module programmable memory;

at least one plug-in module operationally interconnected to said base module, said at least one plug-in module including a memory portion addressable by said microcontroller, said memory portion having at least one of (a) an initialization routine and (b) functional routines;

said microcontroller, during an initialization routine initiated upon accessing the initialization routine of a given module, stores the address of functional routines contained in the memory portion of said given module; and

means within said base module to access said at least one of items a and b.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

said data retrieval apparatus comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader; and

said microcontroller utilizes a user program associated with a given module.

8. Data reader apparatus comprising:

a base module comprising a microcontroller, base module programmable memory and connectors adapted to operationally interconnect with plug-in modules, said microcontroller operating in accordance with code in said base module programmable memory; and

at least one plug-in RF generator module and at least one plug-in communication module attached to and operationally interconnected with said base module, said modules each including a memory portion addressable by said microcontroller during an initialization routine, said memory portion comprising one or more routines usable by said plug-in module upon command by said microcontroller in performing data retrieval and transmission operations, at least one of said routines in each of said plug-in modules being accessible by said base module for performing a specialized function of that plug-in module upon command by said base module.