Methods and apparatuses to identify devices
First Claim
1. A tag responsive to queries from a reader, the tag comprising:
- an antenna;
an Integrated Circuit (IC) coupled to the antenna, the IC configured toreceive from the reader a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and a first state flag for the tag,the IC configured to receive a second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and a second state flag for the tag, wherein the tag is configured to determine if the state of the tag matches to one of the first state flag or the second state flag, and the IC configured to reply to the first query command according to the first value of the probability parameter and to ignore the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag, wherein the IC is configured to reply to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and to ignore the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include systems with Readers and Tags in which a Reader queries the Tags with a parameter that includes a level of probability of reply according to which the Tags individually and randomly decide whether or not to reply. In one embodiment, the Tags can switch between two states: A and B. The query command also specifies a state (A or B) so that only the Tags in the specified state can reply. After successfully sending the Tag identification data from a Tag to the Reader, the Tag switches to the other state from the specified state. In one embodiment, the operations about the two states are symmetric. In one embodiment, the Tags can remember the parameters used in a query so that a short form of query command can be used to repeat the query with the same query parameters.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A tag responsive to queries from a reader, the tag comprising:
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an antenna; an Integrated Circuit (IC) coupled to the antenna, the IC configured to receive from the reader a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and a first state flag for the tag, the IC configured to receive a second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and a second state flag for the tag, wherein the tag is configured to determine if the state of the tag matches to one of the first state flag or the second state flag, and the IC configured to reply to the first query command according to the first value of the probability parameter and to ignore the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag, wherein the IC is configured to reply to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and to ignore the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus to query a tag configured to be in a state that corresponds to one of a first state flag or a second state flag, comprising:
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an antenna; and a reader, comprising; a receiver coupled to the antenna; a transmitter coupled to the antenna; a processor coupled to the receiver, the transmitter and a memory, the processor to control the transmitter and the receiver, the reader to broadcast a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and the first state flag, the reader further configured to broadcast a second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and the second state flag, the first query command to cause the tag to determine if the state of the tag matches the first state flag, and to reply to the first query command according to the first value of the probability parameter and to ignore the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag; and the second query command to cause the tag to determine if the state of the tag matches the second state flag, and to reply to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and to ignore the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions which when executed on a data processing system causes the system to perform a method to respond to queries from a reader, the method comprising:
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receiving from the reader a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and a first state flag for a tag; receiving a second query command, the second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and a second state flag, the tag configured to determine if the state of the tag matches to one of the first state flag or the second state flag; replying to the first query command according to the first value of the probability parameter and ignoring the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag, replying to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and ignoring the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions which when executed on a data processing system causes the system to perform a method to query a tag configured to be in a state that matches to one of a first state flag or a second state flag, the method comprising:
broadcasting a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and a first state flag to a tag, broadcasting a second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and a second state flag, the first query command to cause the tag to determine if the state of the tag matches the first state flag and to reply to the first query command according to the first value of a probability parameter and to ignore the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag; and the second query command to cause the tag to determine if the state of the tag matches the second state flag, and to reply to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and to ignore the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method at a tag to respond to queries from a reader comprising:
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receiving from the reader a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and a first state flag for a tag, the tag configured to be in a state that matches to one of the first state flag or the second state flag; receiving a second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and a second state flag; determining if the state of the tag matches the first state flag; replying to the first query command according to the first value of a probability parameter and ignoring the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag, replying to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and ignoring the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method to query a tag, the method comprising:
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broadcasting a first query command comprising a first value of a probability parameter and a first state flag; broadcasting a second query command comprising a second value of a probability parameter and a second state flag, the first query command to cause the tag to determine if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag and to reply to the first query command according to the first value of the probability parameter and to ignore the second query command, if the state of the tag matches to the first state flag; and the second query command to cause the tag to determine if the state of the tag matches the second state flag, and to reply to the second query command according to the second value of the probability parameter and to ignore the first query command, if the state of the tag matches to the second state flag. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification