Inclusive or exclusive RFID tag interrogation and query round

• US 8,994,508 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zest Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelleflex Corporation
• Inventors: Dacus, Farron
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/553,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 104, 340/7.46, 340/3.52, 455/41.2, 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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: G06K 7/10108 interrogating only those RFIDs that fulfill a predetermined requirement, e.g. selecting all RFIDs having the same speed and moving in a cloud like fashion, e.g. on the same train; interrogating only RFIDs having a certain predetermined temperature, e.g. in the same fridge, another possibility being the active ignoring of a group of tags that fulfill a predetermined requirement, equivalent to the Boolean NOT operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/753 where the polling of the sub-stations is synchronous
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention allow for dynamic selection and query of different types of RFID tags into a session. Embodiments of the present invention also allow for dynamic activation of different types of RFID tags. In certain embodiments of the invention, an inclusive operation is performed on the RFID tags and in other embodiments an exclusive operation is performed.

Claims

1. A method for interrogating a plurality of RFID tags having a diverse set of RFID tag characteristics, the method comprising:

creating a command that identifies a first set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to a first set of RFID tags to be selected within the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to the plurality of RFID tags, wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics includes more than one RFID tag characteristics;

inserting bits within the command;

the bits comprising

at least one bit for identifying a type of tag interrogation to be performed and identifying a type of tag activation to be performed, wherein identifying said type specifies between an inclusive and an exclusive type, and

two or more additional bits, each identifying an individual characteristic of said first set of RFID tag characteristics,

wherein identification of said inclusive type and said exclusive type is used to specify a corresponding inclusive and exclusive operation to be performed in the plurality of RFID tags on the first set of RFID tag characteristics of the command with corresponding tag characteristics of said plurality of RFID tags to identify said first set of RFID tags to be selected;

transmitting the command to the plurality of RFID tags;

selecting said first set of RFID tags based at least in part on the first set of RFID tag characteristics and the at least one of the type of tag interrogation and the type of tag activation and a corresponding inclusive or exclusive operation being performed; and

interrogating the first set of RFID tags.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of tag interrogation is the exclusive interrogation where the RFID tags within the first set of RFID tags must have all the RFID tag characteristics in the first set of RFID tag characteristics to be selected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of tag interrogation is the inclusive interrogation where the RFID tags within the first set of RFID tags must have at least one of the RFID tag characteristics in the first set of RFID tag characteristics to be selected.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising activating the plurality of RFID tags prior to transmitting the command, wherein the first set of RFID tags includes less tags than the plurality of RFID tags that are activated.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics identified in the command includes a bit for identifying a tag class identifier.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics comprises a bit for identifying a security characteristic, and at least one characteristic related to at least one of a tag alarm status, a tag class, a sensor type, and a tag memory.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics includes a security characteristic.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics includes a sensor characteristic.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to transmitting the command,

creating an activation command that identifies a second set of RFID tag characteristics within the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics, the second set of RFID tag characteristics includes more than one RFID tag characteristics;

inserting a bit or bits within the activation command that identifies a type of tag activation to be performed based on the first and second RFID tag characteristics being the inclusive or exclusive type;

transmitting the activation command to the plurality of RFID tags; and

activating a second set of RFID tags based at least in part on the second set of RFID tag characteristics and the bit or bits in the activation command defining the inclusive or exclusive type,

wherein the first set of RFID tags are selected from the activated second set of RFID tags.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics includes at least one of an alarm characteristic, a memory characteristic, and a characteristic related to passive tags.

11. An RFID system comprising:

a plurality of RFID tags that have a diverse set of RFID tag characteristics; and

a reader configured to create a command that identifies a first set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to a first set of RFID tags to be selected within the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to the plurality of RFID tags;

wherein the command is used to query the plurality of RFID tags and to take the first set of RFID tags, within the plurality of RFID tags, into a query round, wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics includes more than one RFID tag characteristics;

wherein the reader is configured to transmit the command to the plurality of RFID tags;

the command comprising;

a flag for identifying a type of tag interrogation to be performed, wherein identifying said type specifies between an inclusive and an exclusive type; and

a plurality of bits, each identifying an individual characteristic of said first set of RFID tag characteristics,

wherein identification of said inclusive type and said exclusive type is used to specify a corresponding inclusive and exclusive operation to be performed in the plurality of RFID tags on the first set of RFID tag characteristics of the command with corresponding tag characteristics of said plurality of RFID tags to identify said first set of RFID tags to be selected;

wherein the command is configured to activate RFID tags that meet only one of the RFID tag characteristics within the first set of RFID tag characteristics when the flag defines as said inclusive type, and

wherein the command is configured to activate RFID tags that meet all of the indicated RFID tag characteristics within the first set of RFID tag characteristics when the flag defines as said exclusive type.

12. The RFID system of claim 11 wherein the flag is a single bit, and wherein the command is configured to activate the RFID tags without the reader transmitting any additional command.

13. The RFID system of claim 11 wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics identified in the command includes a tag class identifier, wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics comprises a security characteristic, and at least one RFID tag characteristics related to at least one of a tag alarm status, a tag class, a sensor type, and a tag memory.

14. The RFD system of claim 11 wherein the first set of REID tag characteristics includes at least three RFID tag characteristics.

15. The RFID system of claim 11 wherein the reader is configured to activate the plurality of RFID tags prior to transmitting the command, wherein the first set of RFID tags includes less tags than the plurality of RFID tags that are activated.

16. The RFID system of claim 11 wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics comprises at least one characteristic related to at least one of a tag alarm status, a tag class, a sensor type, a tag memory, and a tag security.

17. An RFID tag comprising:

an antenna coupled to receive an interrogation command from an RFID reader; and

a processor, coupled to receive the interrogation command, the processor being configured to process a first set of RFID tag characteristics of the RFID tag against an interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics selected from a diverse set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to a plurality of RFID tags by the RFID reader, the interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics being embedded within the interrogation command transmitted by the RFID reader that interrogates the plurality of RFID tags and takes the RFID tag into an interrogation round based at least in part on the first set of RFID tag characteristics having a predetermined relationship with the interrogation command; and

wherein the processor is configured to process bits in the interrogation command that define the relationship of the first set of RFID tag characteristics as being inclusive or exclusive with respect of the first set of RFID tag characteristics included in the interrogation command, and determine whether a response is to be transmitted to the RFID reader based on at least one of a type of tag interrogation and a type of tag activation indicated in the interrogation command and whether the RFID tag has the interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics indicated in the interrogation command;

the bits within the interrogation command comprising;

at least one bit for identifying the type of tag interrogation to be performed and identifying the type of tag activation to be performed, wherein identifying said type specifies between an inclusive and an exclusive type, and

two or more additional bits each identifying an individual characteristic of said first set of RFID tag characteristics,

wherein identification of said inclusive type and said exclusive type is used to specify a corresponding inclusive and exclusive operation to be performed on the interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics of the interrogation command with corresponding first set of RFID tag characteristics to identify the RFID tag is selected when the two sets match.

18. The RFID tag of claim 17 wherein the interrogation command is configured to activate RFID tags that meet only one of the RFID tag characteristics within the interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics when the bit in the interrogation command defines as inclusive type, and wherein the interrogation command is configured to activate RFID tags that meet all of the indicated RFID tag characteristics within the interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics when the bit in the interrogation command defines as exclusive type.

19. The RFID tag of claim 18 wherein the interrogation set of RFID tag characteristics embedded in the interrogation command comprise:

at least one characteristic related to tag security;

a tag class identifier,

wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics comprise;

a security characteristics, and

at least one characteristics related to at least one of a tag alarm status, a tag class, sensor type, and a tag memory, and

wherein the interrogation command is configured to cause less than all of the activated RFID tags to respond based on whether the at least one of identifying the type of tag interrogation to be performed and identifying the type of tag activation to be performed is said inclusive or exclusive type and which of the activated RFID tags has the RFID tag characteristic or characteristics indicated in the interrogation command.

20. The RFID tag of claim 17 wherein the RFID tag characteristics embedded in the interrogation command comprise at least one characteristic related to a sensor type.

21. The RFID tag of claim 17 wherein the RFID tag characteristics embedded in the interrogation command comprise at least one characteristic related to a tag memory.

22. The RFID tag of claim 17 wherein the RFID tag characteristics embedded in the interrogation command comprise at least one characteristic related to at least one of a tag alarm, a tag security, and a tag class.

23. A method for activating a first set of RFID tags within a plurality of RFID tags having a diverse set of RFID tag characteristics, the method comprising:

creating a single activation command that identifies a first set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to the first set of RFID tags to be selected within the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics corresponding to the plurality of RFID tags, the first set of RFID tag characteristics includes more than one characteristics;

inserting bits within the activation command;

the bits comprising;

at least one bit for identifying a type of tag activation to be performed, wherein identifying said type specifies an inclusive and an exclusive type, and

two or more additional bits each identifying an individual characteristic of said first set of RFID tag characteristics,

wherein identification of said inclusive type and said exclusive type is used to specify a corresponding inclusive and exclusive operation to be performed in the plurality of RFID tags on the first set of RFID tag characteristics of the activation command with corresponding tag characteristics of said plurality of RFID tags to identify said first set of RFID tags to be selected;

transmitting the activation command to the plurality of RFID tags; and

activating said first set of RFID tags based at least in part on the first set of RFID tag characteristics and the type of tag activation and a corresponding inclusive or exclusive operation being performed,

wherein the activation command is configured to activate RFID tags that meet at least one of the RFID tag characteristics within the first set of RFID tag characteristics when the at least one bit defines as the inclusive type, and

wherein the activation command is configured to activate RFID tags that meet all of the indicated RFID tag characteristics within the first set of RFID tag characteristics when the at least one bit defines as the exclusive type.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the type of tag activation is the exclusive type where the RFID tag must have all RFID tag characteristics in the first set of RFID tag characteristics to be selected,

wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics identified in the activation command includes a tag class identifier, and

wherein the diverse set of RFID tag characteristics comprises a security characteristic, and at least one characteristic related to at least one of a tag alarm status, a tag class, a sensor type, and a tag memory.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the type of tag activation is the inclusive type where the RFID tag must have at least one RFID tag characteristic within the first set of RFID tag characteristics to be selected.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics comprises a tag class identifier, wherein the tag class identifier is selected from a group consisting of a class 3 identifier and a class 3 plus identifier.

27. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

inserting a bit or bits within a query command that identifies a type of tag interrogation to be performed on the first set of RFID tags based on a second set of RFID tag characteristics;

wherein the type of tag interrogation specifies an inclusive or exclusive type and identification of said inclusive and said exclusive type is used to specify a corresponding inclusive and exclusive operation to be performed on the first set of RFID tag characteristics of the activation command with corresponding tag characteristics of the first set of RFID tags to identify said second set of RFID tags to be selected;

transmitting the query command to the activated first set of RFID tags;

selecting a second set of RFID tags from the activated first set of RFID tags based at least in part on the second set of RFID tag characteristics and the type of tag interrogation; and

interrogating the second set of RFID tags.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the second set of REID tag characteristics is different than the first set of RFID tag characteristics.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics comprises a memory characteristic.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein the first set of RFID tag characteristics comprises at least one of an alarm characteristic, a security characteristic, a sensor characteristic, and a tag class identifier.