Interrogation of RFID communication units
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising a radio unit configured to transmit:
- a first radio signal on a first frequency band in order to interrogate first communication units compatible to a first radio frequency identification system; and
a second radio signal on a second frequency band in order to interrogate second communication units compatible to a second radio frequency identification system, the second radio frequency band being different from the first frequency band;
wherein the first radio signal is configured to provide a clock reference for the second communication units by continuously powering periods of the first radio signal so as to synchronize the second communication units with the apparatus in terms of timing synchronized with the first radio signal transmission frequency and the radio unit is further configured to interrogate the first and second communication units substantially simultaneously.
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Abstract
A dual mode interrogation is carried out by sending narrow band radio frequency interrogation (RFID) signal for narrow band RFID communication units, the narrow band signal comprising substantially continuous periods, and by sending a high data rate RFID interrogation signal during the substantially continuous periods of the narrow band RFID signal so that two different types of RFID communication units are interrogated substantially simultaneously.
80 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising a radio unit configured to transmit:
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a first radio signal on a first frequency band in order to interrogate first communication units compatible to a first radio frequency identification system; and a second radio signal on a second frequency band in order to interrogate second communication units compatible to a second radio frequency identification system, the second radio frequency band being different from the first frequency band; wherein the first radio signal is configured to provide a clock reference for the second communication units by continuously powering periods of the first radio signal so as to synchronize the second communication units with the apparatus in terms of timing synchronized with the first radio signal transmission frequency and the radio unit is further configured to interrogate the first and second communication units substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method in an apparatus, comprising:
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transmitting a first radio signal on a first frequency band in order to interrogate first communication units compatible to a first radio frequency identification system; transmitting a second radio signal on a second frequency band in order to interrogate second communication units compatible to a second radio frequency identification system, the second radio frequency band being different from the first frequency band; and performing substantially simultaneously the interrogating of the first and second communication units; wherein the first radio signal is configured to provide a clock reference for the second communication units by continuously powering periods of the first radio signal so as to synchronize the second communication units with the apparatus in terms of timing synchronized with the first radio signal transmission frequency. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first radio block configured to receive from a first frequency band a first radio signal comprising first radio signal cycles, which first radio signal being a narrowband interrogation signal for radio identification communication units compatible to a first radio frequency identification system; a clock extractor configured to produce from the narrowband interrogation signal a timing reference synchronized with the first radio signal cycles; a second radio block configured to receive from a second frequency band a second radio signal, the second radio signal being an interrogation signal for radio identification communication units compatible to a second radio frequency identification system;
wherein the first radio signal is configured to provide a clock reference for the second communication units by continuously powering periods of the first radio signal so as to synchronize the second communication units with the apparatus in terms of timing synchronized with the first radio signal transmission frequency;wherein the second radio block is further configured to process the second interrogation signal during the receiving of the first interrogation signal and the producing of the timing reference. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method in an apparatus, comprising:
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receiving from a first frequency band a first radio signal comprising first radio signal cycles, which first radio signal being a narrowband interrogation signal for radio identification communication units compatible to a first radio frequency identification system; producing from the narrowband interrogation signal a timing reference synchronized with the first radio signal cycles; receiving from a second frequency band a second radio signal, the second radio signal being an interrogation signal for radio identification communication units compatible to a second radio frequency identification system;
wherein the first radio signal is configured to provide a clock reference for the second communication units by continuously powering periods of the first radio signal so as to synchronize the second communication units with the apparatus in terms of timing synchronized with the first radio signal transmission frequency; andprocessing the second interrogation signal while receiving the first interrogation signal and producing the timing reference. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for transmitting a first radio signal on a first frequency band in order to interrogate first communication units compatible to a first radio frequency identification system; means for transmitting a second radio signal on a second frequency band in order to interrogate second communication units compatible to a second radio frequency identification system, the second radio frequency band being different from the first frequency band , wherein the first radio signal is configured to provide a clock reference for the second communication units by continuously powering periods of the first radio signal so as to synchronize the second communication units with the apparatus in terms of timing synchronized with the first radio signal transmission frequency; and means for performing substantially simultaneously the interrogating of the first and second communication units.
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Specification