Multi-protocol or multi command RFID system

• US 9,135,480 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amtech Systems LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amtech Systems LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gravelle, Kelly, Catanach, Steven J., Tiernay, Robert W., Kao, Joseph H., Melville, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US11/764,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,014 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340/10.42, 455/423, 455/67.4, 455/226.2, 235/492, 235/462.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/016 Synchronisation of sensing process
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10069 the collision being resolved in the frequency domain, e.g. by hopping from one frequency to the other frequency hopping or spread spectrum techniques H04B7/00
• 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: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles

Abstract

A multi-protocol RFID interrogating system employs a synchronization technique (step-lock) for a backscatter RFID system that allows simultaneous operation of closely spaced interrogators. The multi-protocol RFID interrogating system can communicate with backscatter transponders having different output protocols and with active transponders including: Title 21 compliant RFID backscatter transponders; IT2000 RFID backscatter transponders that provide an extended mode capability beyond Title 21; EGO™ RFID backscatter transponders, SEGO™ RFID backscatter transponders; ATA, ISO, ANSI AAR compliant RFID backscatter transponders; and IAG compliant active technology transponders. The system implements a step-lock operation, whereby adjacent interrogators arc synchronized to ensure that all downlinks operate within the same time frame and all uplinks operate within the same time frame, to eliminate downlink on uplink interference.

Claims

1. An interrogator for communication with RFID tags having transmitter components for processing transmit signals representing a plurality of communication protocols along a transmitter path, and receiver components for processing received signals for the plurality of communication protocols along a receiver path, said interrogator comprising:

an encoder generating first and second test signals having bits for the plurality of protocols and transmitting said test signals through each of the transmitter components along the transmitter path and through each of the receiver components along the receiver path;

a decoder for receiving said bits of said test signals from a last component in one of the transmitter path or receiver path; and

a processor comparing said test signals generated by said encoder with said received bits, and determining that the transmitter and receiver components are operating properly if all of said bits of the test signals generated by said encoder match all of said received bits, wherein said transmitter transmits

a first broadcasted signal corresponding to a first communication protocol through an antenna,

a second broadcasted signal corresponding to a second communication protocol through said antenna,

said first test signal corresponding to said first communication protocol directly to said receiver components, bypassing said antenna; and

said second test signal corresponding to said second communication protocol directly to said receiver components, bypassing said antenna.

2. The interrogator of claim 1, wherein the receiver components include a backscatter receiver for receiving signals from a backscatter transponder.

3. The interrogator of claim 2, where the transmitter components simulate a signal from a backscatter transponder and said simulated signal is looped back into said backscatter receiver to test the transmitter and the receiver during a first test mode.

4. The interrogator of claim 3, where the transmitter components also generate test signals for an active transponder during a second test mode.

5. The interrogator of claim 1, wherein the receiver components include an active receiver for receiving signals from an active transponder.

6. The interrogator of claim 1, wherein in said encoder generates said first and second test signals in synchronization with said broadcasted signals.

7. The interrogator of claim 1, wherein in the transmitter path comprises an active tag transmitter and a backscatter tag transmitter and said receiver path comprises an active tag receiver and a backscatter tag receiver.

8. An interrogator having receiver components for processing received signals for a plurality of communication protocols along a receiver path, said interrogator comprising:

an encoder generating a first test signal having bits for a first communication protocol, and a second test signal having bits for a second communication protocol,

a test tag responsive to at least one of said first or second of communication protocols, receiving at least the first or second test signal and transmitting a response signal to said interrogator for processing by the receiver components;

a decoder for receiving said response signal from a last component in the receiver path; and

,

a processor comparing said first or second test signal generated by said encoder with said response signal received by said decoder, and determining that the receiver components are operating properly if said first or second test signal generated by said encoder matches said response signal received by said decoder,

wherein said encoder further generates

a first non-test signal corresponding to said first communication protocol, and a

a second non-test-signal corresponding to said second communication protocol wherein said first and second test signals are arranged to only cause test tags to respond and said first and second non-test signals are arranges to only cause non-test tags to respond.

9. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein the receiver components include a backscatter receiver for receiving signals from a backscatter transponder.

10. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein the receiver components include an active receiver for receiving signals from an active transponder.

11. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein the receiver components include an antenna.

12. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein in said encoder generates said first and second test signals in synchronization with non-test signals.

13. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein said test tag is disabled for a period of time to allow the interrogator to communicate with non-test tags.

14. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein said first and second test signals and first and second non-test signals are generated in a sequence and said first and second test signals are not generated as often as said first and second non-test signals.

15. The interrogator of claim 8, wherein said interrogator is one of a plurality of interrogators operating in vicinity of each other and said interrogators are synchronized with each other so that generation of said first or second test signals by one interrogator does not interfere with reception of said non-test signals by the other interrogators.

16. A multi-protocol interrogator for transmitting data to and receiving data from RFID tags comprising:

active tag transmission components;

backscatter tag transmission components;

active tag receiver components;

backscatter tag receiver components;

an encoder;

a decoder; and

a microprocessor;

wherein said encoder generates a first test message for transmission by said active tag transmission components directly to said active tag receiver components bypassing any antenna;

said active tag receiver components receive said first test message;

said decoder decodes said first test message and

said microprocessor compares said first test message generated by said encoder with said decoded first test message received by said active tag receiver components and determines that said active tag transmitter and receiver components are operating properly if said first test signal generated by said encoder exactly matches said first test signal received by said decoder; and

wherein said encoder generates a second test message for transmission by said backscatter tag transmission components to a backscatter test tag;

said backscatter tag receiver components receive said second test message from said backscatter test tag;

said decoder decodes said second message and

said microprocessor compares said second test message generated by said encoder with said decoded second test message received by said backscatter tag receiver components and determines that said backscatter tag transmitter and receiver components are operating properly if said second test signal generated by said encoder exactly matches said second test signal received by said decoder.

17. The interrogator of claim 16, wherein said interrogator is one of a plurality of interrogators operating in vicinity of each other and said interrogators are synchronized with each other so that generation of said test signals by one interrogator does not interfere with reception of non-test signals by the other interrogators.