RFID tags and readers employing QT command to switch tag profiles
First Claim
1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a communication module for facilitating wireless communication with a plurality of RFID tags; and
a processor configured to;
transmit a command to at least one of the plurality of tags, the command causing at least one tag to transition between a private profile and a public profile, wherein the command includes at least one from a set of;
a read/write field, a persistence field, a payload field, a CRC field, and an RN field, and wherein the at least one RFID tag is adapted to;
when inventoried in the private profile, reply to the RFID reader IC with a first identifier; and
when inventoried in the public profile,reply to the RFID reader IC with a second identifier,retain the first identifier,not reply with the first identifier as long as a tag is in the public profile, wherein the tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier; and
employ at least one of physical and logical protection to prevent unauthorized transitions between the private profile and the public profile.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
RFID readers transmit a Quiet Technology (QT) command to RFID tags causing at least one of the tags to transition between a private profile and a public profile. When a tag is inventoried in the private profile, it replies to the reader with contents from its private memory. When a tag is inventoried in the public profile, it replies to the reader with contents from its public memory, where the contents of the public memory may be a subset and/or modified version of the private memory contents, or entirely different altogether. The tag'"'"'s profile can be switched again by another QT command from the reader, or following a loss of power at the tag. An access password and/or a short-range mechanism may be employed to allow only authorized readers to transition tag profiles or interrogate the private memory contents of tags in the public profile.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a communication module for facilitating wireless communication with a plurality of RFID tags; and a processor configured to; transmit a command to at least one of the plurality of tags, the command causing at least one tag to transition between a private profile and a public profile, wherein the command includes at least one from a set of;
a read/write field, a persistence field, a payload field, a CRC field, and an RN field, and wherein the at least one RFID tag is adapted to;when inventoried in the private profile, reply to the RFID reader IC with a first identifier; and when inventoried in the public profile, reply to the RFID reader IC with a second identifier, retain the first identifier, not reply with the first identifier as long as a tag is in the public profile, wherein the tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier; and employ at least one of physical and logical protection to prevent unauthorized transitions between the private profile and the public profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader integrated circuit (IC) to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags, the method comprising:
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transmitting from a reader IC a command, the command causing at least one of the plurality of tags to transition between a private profile and a public profile, wherein the command includes at least one from a set of;
a read/write field, a persistence field, a payload field, a CRC field, and an RN field;receiving a reply from the at least one tag with a first identifier when the tag is inventoried in the private profile; receiving a reply from the at least one tag with a second identifier when the tag is inventoried in the public profile, wherein the at least one RFID tag is adapted to retain the first identifier when inventoried in the public profile; not reply to the reader IC with the first identifier as long as the at least one tag is in the public profile, wherein the at least one tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier; and employ at least one of physical and logical protection to prevent unauthorized transitions between the private profile and the public profile. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader comprising:
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an antenna; a transceiver; and a processor block configured to; transmit a command to at least one of a plurality of RFID tags, the command causing at least one tag to transition between a private profile and a public profile, wherein the command includes at least one from a set of;
a read/write field, a persistence field, a payload field, a CRC field, and an RN field, and wherein the at least one RFID tag is adapted to;when inventoried in the private profile, reply with a first identifier; and when inventoried in the public profile, reply with a second identifier, retain the first identifier, not reply with the first identifier as long as a tag is in the public profile, wherein the tag is configurable to subsequently return to the private profile and reply with the first identifier; and employ at least one of physical and logical protection to prevent unauthorized transitions between the private profile and the public profile. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification