Identification of objects using frequency characteristics of RFID tags
First Claim
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1. An apparatus that identifies an object, comprising:
- a plurality of RFID tags disposed with the object, wherein each RFID tag includes an integrated circuit for storing information in memory, processing information, and modulating or demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals;
an RFID reader that receives signals including information comprising content stored in memory from the plurality of RFID tags, the RFID reader further including a frequency detector that detects a plurality of frequencies over which the plurality of RFID tags transmit said information;
a frequency pattern generator that receives frequency information detected by the RFID reader and generates a frequency pattern based on the received frequency information, the frequency pattern having the general form {Af1;
Bf2;
. . . Xfn}, where A, B, . . . X are integers that indicate the number of RFID tags that transmit respective signals including information over each respective frequency f1, f2, . . . , fn, and n is a number of frequencies detected; and
an object identifier that receives the generated frequency pattern and compares the generated frequency pattern to known frequency patterns and, based on the comparison, identifies the object.
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Abstract
An apparatus that identifies an object includes a frequency detector (112) that detects a frequency over which an RFID tag (102) communicates, and an object identifier (120) that identifies the object based at least in part upon the detected frequency. The frequency detector may detect a plurality of frequencies over which a plurality of RFID tags transmit information. The apparatus also optionally includes a frequency pattern generator that generates a frequency pattern that is indicative of an identity of the object, wherein the object identifier compares the generated frequency pattern with known frequency patterns to determine the identity of the object.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus that identifies an object, comprising:
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a plurality of RFID tags disposed with the object, wherein each RFID tag includes an integrated circuit for storing information in memory, processing information, and modulating or demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals; an RFID reader that receives signals including information comprising content stored in memory from the plurality of RFID tags, the RFID reader further including a frequency detector that detects a plurality of frequencies over which the plurality of RFID tags transmit said information; a frequency pattern generator that receives frequency information detected by the RFID reader and generates a frequency pattern based on the received frequency information, the frequency pattern having the general form {Af1;
Bf2;
. . . Xfn}, where A, B, . . . X are integers that indicate the number of RFID tags that transmit respective signals including information over each respective frequency f1, f2, . . . , fn, and n is a number of frequencies detected; andan object identifier that receives the generated frequency pattern and compares the generated frequency pattern to known frequency patterns and, based on the comparison, identifies the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for identifying an object, comprising:
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disposing a plurality of RFID tags with an object wherein each RFID tag includes an integrated circuit for storing information in memory, processing information, and modulating or demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals; receiving signals from the plurality of RFID tags wherein the signals include information comprising content stored in memory of the RFID tags; detecting a plurality of frequencies over which the plurality of RFID tags transmit the signals including said information; determining a number of RFID tags that communicate signals including ad information over each of the detected frequencies; and generating a frequency pattern comprising a list of the detected frequencies and the number of RFID tags that communicate signals including said information over each of the detected frequencies based on the detected plurality of frequencies used by the plurality of RFID tags to transmit information and the determined number of RFID tags that communicate over each of the detected frequencies; and comparing the generated frequency pattern to known frequency patterns and identifying the object based at least in part upon the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the following acts:
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performing a frequency sweep to detect a plurality of frequencies over which a plurality of RFID tags transmit information and the number of RFID tags transmitting information at each detected frequency, wherein each RFID tag includes an integrated circuit for storing information, processing information, and modulating or demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals; generating a frequency pattern based on the detected plurality of frequencies and the detected number of RFID tags transmitting information at each detected frequency, wherein the frequency pattern is of the form {Af1;
Bf2;
. . . Xfn}, where A, B, . . . X are integers that indicate a number of RFID tags that transmit information over each detected frequency f1, f2, . . . , fn, and n is a number of frequencies detected; andidentifying an object based at least in part upon comparing the generated frequency pattern including the number of RFID tags that transmit information at each detected frequency to known frequency patterns.
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Specification