Selectively addressing transponders

• US 9,552,539 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Friendly Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Friendly Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Moran, Humberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US13/704,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 105, 340/5.29, 235/376, 235/385, 235/435, 235/436, 342/457, 342/44, 342/51, 455/404.2, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous

Abstract

A method of selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set (17) of transponders (2₁, 2₂, 2₃, 2₄, 2₅) is described. The method comprise transmitting a first set of one or more commands (25; 25₁, 25₂) selected to be not executable by a first subset (24; 24₂) of transponders or to be executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders (23; 23₁, 23₂) in the set, and transmitting a second set of one or more commands (26; 25₃) such that the second set of commands are received by the transponders while the second subset of transponders are still executing the first set of commands.

Claims

1. A method of selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the method comprising:

selecting a first command, such that the first command is not executable by a first subset of transponders or is executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders in the set;

transmitting the first command to the transponders; and

transmitting a second command to the transponders at a predetermined time for execution by the first subset of transponders, the predetermined time selected such that the second command is received by the set of transponders while the second subset of transponders is still executing the first command.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting a third command for execution by the second subset of transponders, such that the third command is received by the transponders while the first set of transponders are still executing the second command.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the first subset of transponders comprises at least two transponders and the method further comprises:

transmitting a fourth command, the fourth command selected to be not executable by a first group of one or more transponders in the first subset of transponders or to be executable in a shorter time by the first group of transponders than by a second group of one or more transponders in the first subset; and

transmitting a fifth command for execution by the first group of transponders such that the fifth command is received by transponders while the second group of transponders are still executing the fourth command.

4. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders;

wherein one or more commands specify a range or list of timestamps.

5. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders;

wherein the first command specifies a range or list of timestamps selected such that the range or list excludes the first subset of transponders and so the first command is not executable by the first subset of transponders.

6. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting timestamps at intervals for receipt and storage by transponders as they join the set of transponders;

wherein the second or subsequent specifies a range or list of timestamps selected such that the range or list excludes a subset of transponders and so the commands are not executable by the subset of transponders.

7. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

selecting suitable one or more commands from a plurality of commands based on statuses of the transponders.

8. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

retrieving pre-selected suitable one or more commands.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

transmitting the first command at a first power level; and

transmitting the second command at a second, different power level, optionally, a higher power level.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting one or more further commands at different power levels.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transponders are radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transponders are passive transponders.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transponders conform to the Electronic Product Code Global standard.

14. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium encoded with a computer program which, when executed by an interrogator device, causes the interrogator device to perform a method according to claim 1.

15. Apparatus for selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the apparatus comprising:

a controller; and

a transmitter, optionally a transceiver;

wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a method according to claim 1.

17. A system comprising:

apparatus for selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the apparatus comprising;

controller; and

a transmitter, optionally a transceiver;

wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a method according to claim 1; and

a set of transponders.

16. Apparatus for selectively addressing one or more transponders in a set of transponders, the apparatus comprising:

a controller; and

a transmitter, optionally a transceiver;

wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit a first command, the first command selected, based on statuses of the transponders, to be not executable by a first subset of transponders in the set or to be executable in a shorter time by the first subset of transponders than by a second subset of transponders in the set, and to transmit a second command to the transponders at a predetermined time for execution by the first subset of transponders, the predetermined time selected such that the second command is received by the set of transponders while the second subset of transponders are still executing the first command.