Method and apparatus for varying signals transmitted by a tag
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry which includes:
- a receiver section configured to receive near field wireless signpost signals of primarily magnetic character transmitted at a first frequency allowing transmission over a first distance, the received signpost signals including a signpost code and the first distance is up to about twelve (12) feet; and
a transmitter section configured to transmit wireless beacon signals to a remote reader at a second frequency allowing transmission over a second distance, the transmitted wireless beacon signals including a beacon code associated with said tag, said transmitter section being responsive to receipt by said receiver section of a respective said signpost signal for including in at least one said beacon signal an information portion that is based on the received signpost signal, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance and the second frequency is different from the first frequency and substantially higher than the first frequency.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10, 240, 300) includes a signpost (11, 241-256, 322, 612, 623, 626-628, 652, 661, 682, 686, 703) which transmits signpost signals (24) that are received by a tag (12, 271-275, 301-316, 395-397, 616-618, 641-643, 653, 656-657, 662-664, 679, 708, 711). The tag in turn transmits radio frequency beacon signals (72) which are received by a reader (13, 261, 319, 521-530). The tag can vary the duration of the beacon signals, for example in dependence on whether it is currently receiving a signpost signal. Further, the tag can dynamically vary the transmission rate and/or transmission power of the beacon signals, for example following receipt of a signpost signal. Varying these parameters can facilitate compliance with governmental regulations.
-
Citations
42 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry which includes:
-
a receiver section configured to receive near field wireless signpost signals of primarily magnetic character transmitted at a first frequency allowing transmission over a first distance, the received signpost signals including a signpost code and the first distance is up to about twelve (12) feet; and a transmitter section configured to transmit wireless beacon signals to a remote reader at a second frequency allowing transmission over a second distance, the transmitted wireless beacon signals including a beacon code associated with said tag, said transmitter section being responsive to receipt by said receiver section of a respective said signpost signal for including in at least one said beacon signal an information portion that is based on the received signpost signal, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance and the second frequency is different from the first frequency and substantially higher than the first frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method, comprising the steps of:
-
receiving, in a receiver section of a tag, wireless signpost signals that each include a signpost code transmitted at a first frequency allowing transmission over a first distance that is up to about twelve (12) feet, said wireless signpost signals being near field signals of primarily magnetic character; and transmitting from a transmitter section of said tag wireless beacon signals to a remote reader at a second frequency that is different from and greater than the first frequency and allows transmission over a second distance that is greater than the first distance which each include a beacon code associated with said tag, said transmitting step including the step of causing said transmitter section to be responsive to receipt by said receiver section of a respective said signpost signal for including in at least one said beacon signal an information portion that is based on the received signpost signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry which includes:
-
a receiver section configured to receive wireless signpost signals that each include a digital word having bits serially modulated onto a predetermined carrier frequency using amplitude modulation, the digital word comprising a preamble, a signpost code, a flag, an error control portion, and a command portion separate and mutually exclusive of the preamble, the command portion including a tag command field, a control command field, and a parameter field, wherein the parameter field includes a parameter for implementing a command specified by the control command field; and a transmitter section configured to transmit wireless beacon signals which each include a digital beacon word associated with said tag, the digital beacon word including a preamble, a format field, a tag type field including information related to the use of the tag, an error control field, a beacon code, and an asset type field, said transmitter section being responsive to receipt by said receiver section of a respective said signpost signal for further including in the digital beacon word the received signpost code and the received tag command field or control command field as a confirmation that the tag has received the tag command or control command; wherein said tag is responsive to said command portion of a respective said digital word received by said tag for effecting a control function within said tag. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving in a receiver section of a tag wireless signpost signals that each include a digital word having bits serially modulated onto a predetermined carrier frequency using amplitude modulation, the digital word comprising a preamble, a signpost code, a flag, an error control portion, and a command portion separate from and mutually exclusive of said preamble, the command portion including a tag command field, a control command field, and a parameter field, wherein the parameter field includes a parameter for implementing a command specified by the control command field; transmitting from a transmitter section of said tag wireless beacon signals which each include a digital beacon word associated with said tag, the digital beacon word including a preamble, a format field, a tag type field including information related to the use of the tag, an error control field a beacon code, and an asset type field, said transmitting step including the step of causing said transmitter section to be responsive to receipt by said receiver section of a respective said signpost signal for further including in the digital beacon word the received signpost code and the received tag command field or control command field as a confirmation that the tag has received the tag command or control command; and effecting a control function within said tag in response to said command portion of a respective said signpost signal received by said tag. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
Specification