Methods for enabling low-power RFID communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for an RFID tag having an internal clock comprising:
- listening for a periodic signal, wherein the periodic signal comprises a set of beacon signals;
synchronizing the internal clock to the set of beacon signals;
identifying a set of access points from the set of beacon signals;
selecting a first access point from the set of access points;
sending a join request to the first access point;
identifying the RFID tag to the first access point;
receiving an assigned time slot;
communicating with the first access point according to the assigned time slot;
directing a second access point of the set of access points to listen to communication between the RFID tag and the first access point;
combining data received by the first and second access points to create a combined dataset; and
calculating a data quality metric based on the combined dataset.
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Abstract
A system and method for enabling low-powered RFID communication that includes at an RFID tag listening for a periodic signal containing beacon signals; synchronizing the internal clock to those beacon signals; identifying access points from the beacon signals; selecting an access point; sending a join request to the access point; identifying the tag to the access point; receiving an assigned time slot; and communicating with the access point in that time slot.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for an RFID tag having an internal clock comprising:
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listening for a periodic signal, wherein the periodic signal comprises a set of beacon signals; synchronizing the internal clock to the set of beacon signals; identifying a set of access points from the set of beacon signals; selecting a first access point from the set of access points; sending a join request to the first access point; identifying the RFID tag to the first access point; receiving an assigned time slot; communicating with the first access point according to the assigned time slot; directing a second access point of the set of access points to listen to communication between the RFID tag and the first access point; combining data received by the first and second access points to create a combined dataset; and calculating a data quality metric based on the combined dataset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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listening for a periodic signal associated with a set of time slots comprising beacon signal slots and communication slots using a first access point of a set of access points; selecting an unoccupied beacon signal slot; broadcasting a beacon signal during the unoccupied beacon signal slot using the first access point; receiving a join request from an RFID tag at the first access point; transmitting an acknowledgment to the RFID tag from the first access point; receiving identification from the RFID tag at the first access point; assigning a communication slot to the RFID tag; communicating with the RFID tag during the communication slot using the first access point; directing a second access point of the set of access points to listen to communication between the RFID tag and the first access point; combining data received by the first and second access points to create a combined dataset; and calculating a data quality metric based on the combined dataset. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for managing RFID tags in an access point network comprising:
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physically locating a set of access points to create a set of access point locations; associating each of the set of access points with beacon signal slots and communication slots such that the beacon signal slots associated with any one of the set of access points are not associated with any other of the set of access points; coordinating communication over a periodic signal, wherein the periodic signal comprises beacon signals transmitted by the set of access points; directing a first access point of the set of access points to listen to communication between and RFID tag and a second access point of the set of access points; combining data received by the first and second access points to create a combined dataset; and calculating a data quality metric based on the combined dataset. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification