Method and apparatus pertaining to use of multiple sessions with RFID tags

• US 9,158,950 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bruce W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACK-CHILDRESS, RAJSHEED O
• Application Number:
  US13/804,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• 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 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag

Abstract

At a facility having a first area and a second area that is at least substantially non-overlapping with the first area, these teachings provide for using at least a first RFID-tag reader to read RFID tags in a first inventory state in the first area using a first session protocol while also contemporaneously using a second session protocol to cause the RFID-tag reader to cause RFID tags in the first area to switch to that first inventory state. In a similar manner these teachings also provide for using a second RFID-tag reader to read RFID tags in the first inventory state in the second area using the second session protocol while also contemporaneously using the first session protocol to cause RFID tags in the second area to switch to the first inventory state.

Claims

1. A method of interacting with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags at a facility having a first area and a second area that is at least substantially non-overlapping with the first area, the method comprising:

using at least a first RFID-tag reader configured to read RFID tags in a first inventory state in the first area using a first session protocol while also contemporaneously using a second session protocol to cause the RFID tags in the first area to switch to the first inventory state with respect to the second session protocol;

using at least a second RFID-tag reader configured to read RFID tags in the first inventory state in the second area using the second session protocol while also contemporaneously using the first session protocol to cause the RFID tags in the second area to switch to the first inventory state with respect to the first session protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first area comprises a public area of the facility and the second area comprises a non-public area of the facility.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the facility comprises a retail-sales facility.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first session protocol comprises session 2 as specified by a standard denoted as EPC Radio-Frequency Identity Protocols Class-1 Generation-2 UHF RFID Protocol for Communications at 860 MHz-960 MHz Version 1.0.9 (standard) and the second session protocol comprises session 3 as specified by the standard.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first inventory state comprises inventory state A and a second inventory state comprises inventory state B, both as specified by the standard.

6. A method of interacting with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags at a facility having a first area and a second area that is at least substantially non-overlapping with the first area, the method comprising:

using a first plurality of RFID-tag readers that are each configured to read RFID tags in a first inventory state in the first area using a first session protocol while also contemporaneously using a second session protocol to cause the RFID tags in the first area to switch to the first inventory state with respect to the second session protocol;

using a second plurality of RFID-tag readers that are each configured to read RFID tags in the first inventory state in the second area using the second session protocol while also contemporaneously using the first session protocol to cause the RFID tags in the second area to switch to the first inventory state with respect to the first session protocol.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first area comprises a public area of the facility and the second area comprises a non-public area of the facility.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the facility comprises a retail-sales facility.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first session protocol comprises session 2 as specified by a standard denoted as EPC Radio-Frequency Identity Protocols Class-1 Generation-2 UHF RFID Protocol for Communications at 860 MHz-960 MHz Version 1.0.9 (standard) and the second session protocol comprises session 3 as specified by the standard.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first inventory state comprises inventory state A and a second inventory state comprises inventory state B, both as specified by the standard.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a facility having a first area and a second area that is at least substantially non-overlapping with the first area;

at least a first RFID-tag reader configured to read RFID tags in a first inventory state in the first area using a first session protocol and that is also configured to contemporaneously use a second session protocol to cause the RFID tags in the first area to switch to the first inventory state with respect to the second session protocol;

at least a second RFID-tag reader configured to read RFID tags in the first inventory state in the second area using the second session protocol and that is also configured to contemporaneously use the first session protocol to cause the RFID tags in the second area to switch to the first inventory state with respect to the first session protocol.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first area comprises a public area of the facility and the second area comprises a non-public area of the facility.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the facility comprises a retail-sales facility.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first session protocol comprises session 2 as specified by a standard denoted as EPC Radio-Frequency Identity Protocols Class-1 Generation-2 UHF RFID Protocol for Communications at 860 MHz-960 MHz Version 1.0.9 (standard) and the second session protocol comprises session 3 as specified by the standard.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first inventory state comprises inventory state A and a second inventory state comprises inventory state B, both as specified by the standard.