RFID tags and readers employing QT command to switch tag profiles
First Claim
1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system comprising:
- an RFID reader that includes;
a communication module for facilitating wireless communication with a plurality of RFID tags;
a processor configured to transmit a first command to at least one of the plurality of tags, the first command causing the at least one tag to transition between a private profile and a public profile; and
the at least one RFID tag adapted to;
when inventoried in the private profile, reply to the reader with a first identifier; and
when inventoried in the public profile,reply to the reader with a second identifier,retain the first identifier, andnot reply with the first identifier as long as the tag is in the public profile, wherein the tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
RFID readers transmit a Quiet Technology (QT) command to RFID tags causing at least one of the tags to transition between a private profile and a public profile. When a tag is inventoried in the private profile, it replies to the reader with contents from its private memory. When a tag is inventoried in the public profile, it replies to the reader with contents from its public memory, where the contents of the public memory may be a subset and/or modified version of the private memory contents, or entirely different altogether. The tag'"'"'s profile can be switched again by another QT command from the reader, or following a loss of power at the tag. An access password and/or a short-range mechanism may be employed to allow only authorized readers to transition tag profiles or interrogate the private memory contents of tags in the public profile.
30 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system comprising:
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an RFID reader that includes; a communication module for facilitating wireless communication with a plurality of RFID tags; a processor configured to transmit a first command to at least one of the plurality of tags, the first command causing the at least one tag to transition between a private profile and a public profile; and the at least one RFID tag adapted to; when inventoried in the private profile, reply to the reader with a first identifier; and when inventoried in the public profile, reply to the reader with a second identifier, retain the first identifier, and not reply with the first identifier as long as the tag is in the public profile, wherein the tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system of an RFID reader communicating with a plurality of RFID tags, the method comprising:
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transmitting from the reader a command, the command causing at least one of the plurality of tags to transition between a private profile and a public profile; replying from the at least one tag to the reader with a first identifier when inventoried in the private profile; replying from the at least one tag to the reader with a second identifier when inventoried in the public profile; retaining the first identifier at the at least one tag when inventoried in the public profile; and not replying from the at least one tag to the reader with the first identifier as long as the at least one tag is in the public profile, wherein the at least one tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for an interface converter operable to control a utility of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system comprising a reader communicating with a plurality of RFID tags and capable of causing at least one of the tags to transition between two profiles, the method comprising:
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receiving a high-down transmission to control the utility in a first manner for transmitting a command, the command causing the at least one of the tags to transition into one of a public profile and a private profile, wherein the at least one RFID tag is adapted to; when inventoried in the private profile, reply to the reader with a first identifier; and when inventoried in the public profile, reply to the reader with a second identifier, retain the first identifier, and not reply with the first identifier as long as the tag is in the public profile, wherein the tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier; and responsive to the high-down transmission, transmitting a low-down transmission to control the utility in the first manner, the low-down transmission being encoded differently than the high-down transmission at least in part. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification