Hybrid architecture for radio frequency identification and packet radio communication

• US 8,610,543 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Alicot, Jorge F., Mohiuddin, Mohammad, Relihan, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Royit
• Application Number:
  US12/821,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20110317594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 109, 3405711-5719, 455/41.1, 455/41.3, 455/344, 370/279
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/10 Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (“RFID”) hybrid packet radio is provided having full duplex operability. The RFID packet radio includes an antenna and a radio that receives and transmits a packet radio signal and a RFID signal. A processor is provided in communication with the radio to perform signal detection and demodulation with respect to the RFID signal. A transmit path is provided to transport the packet radio signal and the RFID signal from the radio to the antenna. The RFID packet radio includes a first receive path for transporting a received packet radio signal from the antenna to the radio and a second receive path, different from the first receive path, to transport a received RFID signal from the antenna to the processor. The first receive path and the second receive path enable simultaneous transmission and reception of RFID signals.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) packet radio system, the RFID packet radio system comprising;

an antenna;

a radio, the radio configured to receive and transmit packet radio signals and RFID signals, the receiving and the transmitting of the packet radio signals and the RFID signals occurring at a first frequency;

a processor, the processor configured to be in communication with the radio and to perform signal detection and demodulation, the processor configured to receive an RFID signal at the first frequency;

a transmit path, the transmit path configured to transport a packet radio signal to be transmitted and an RFID signal to be transmitted, from the radio to the antenna;

a first receive path, the first receive path configured to transport a received packet radio signal from the antenna to the radio;

a second receive path different from the first receive path, the second receive path configured to transport a received RFID signal from the antenna to the processor; and

a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism in the transmit path and the second receive path and configured to simultaneously transmit a first RFID signal and receive a second RFID signal enabling the RFID packet radio system to operate in a full duplex mode.

2. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1, further comprising a coupler configured to selectively and communicatively couples the antenna to the radio and the processor.

3. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1, wherein the second receive path and the transmit path are configured to simultaneously transport signals.

4. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1, wherein the radio and the processor are located on different integrated circuit devices.

5. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1, further comprising switches configured to select between the transmit path and the first receive path.

6. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1, wherein the second receive path includes a detector, an amplifier and a slicer, the slicer configured to provide data to the processor.

7. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connector provided in parallel orientation to the antenna; and

an antenna switch, the antenna switch configured to select one of the antenna and the connector.

8. A radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) communication system, the RFID communication system comprising;

a server; and

an RFID tag reader, the RFID tag reader in communication with the server, the RFID tag reader having a RFID packet radio, the RFID packet radio comprising;

an antenna;

a radio, the radio configured to receive and transmit packet radio signals and RFID signals, the receiving and the transmitting of the packet radio signals and the RFID signals occurring at a first frequency;

a processor, the processor being in communication with the radio and configured to perform signal detection and demodulation, the processor configured to receive an RFID signal at the first frequency;

a transmit path, the transmit path configured to transport a packet radio signal to be transmitted and an RFID signal to be transmitted, from the radio to the antenna;

a first receive path, the first receive path configured to transport a received packet radio signal from the antenna to the radio;

a second receive path different from the first receive path, the second receive path configured to transport a received RFID signal from the antenna to the processor; and

a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism in the transmit path and the second receive path and configured to simultaneously transmit a first RFID signal and receive the a second RFID signal enabling the RFID communication system to operate in a full duplex mode.

9. The RFID communication system according to claim 8, wherein the RFID packet radio further comprises a coupler configured to selectively couple the antenna to the radio and the processor.

10. The RFID communication system according to claim 8, wherein the second receive path and the transmit path are configured to simultaneously transport signals.

11. The RFID communication system according to claim 8, wherein the radio and the processor are located on different integrated circuit devices.

12. The RFID communication system according to claim 8, further comprising switches configured to select between the transmit path and the first receive path.

13. The RFID communication system according to claim 8, wherein the second receive path includes a detector, an amplifier and a slicer, the slicer configured to provide data to the processor.

14. The RFID communication system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a connector provided in parallel orientation to the antenna; and

an antenna switch configured to select one of the antenna and the connector.

15. A method of performing communication using a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) packet radio, the method comprising;

transmitting via a bi-directional coupling mechanism an RFID signal using the RFID packet radio;

transmitting a first packet radio signal at a first frequency at which the RFID signal is transmitted;

receiving, at the first frequency, via the bi-directional coupling mechanism at the RFID packet radio, simultaneous with the RFID signal transmission, an RFID backscatter signal, the RFID packet radio operating in a full duplex mode; and

receiving a second packet radio signal at the first frequency.

16. The method of performing full duplex communication according to claim 15, further comprising applying RFID protocols at a processor to decode the received RFID backscatter signal.

17. The method of performing full duplex communication according to claim 15, further comprising receiving the packet radio signal at the RFID packet radio at a different time interval than the packet radio signal transmission.