RFID communication systems and methods, and RFID readers and systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of coordinating a plurality of radio frequency identification device (RFID) readers, the method comprising:
- controlling the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags, in communications range, at a time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of coordinating a plurality of RFID readers includes controlling the RFID readers such that only one of the readers performs an inventory of RFID tags at a time. A system for coordinating a plurality of RFID readers is also provided.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method of coordinating a plurality of radio frequency identification device (RFID) readers, the method comprising:
controlling the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags, in communications range, at a time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of coordinating a plurality of RFID readers capable of using different sessions, the RFID readers being configured to be used with RFID tags that maintain flags for respective sessions that indicate whether or not the tag has been inventoried for a session, the method comprising:
controlling the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags at a time. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
determining if multiple RFID readers have inventoried a common RFID tag and, if so, for those RFID readers, inventorying tags one RFID reader at a time. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of coordinating a plurality of RFID readers capable of using different sessions, the RFID readers being configured to be used with RFID tags that maintain flags for respective sessions that indicate whether or not the tag has been inventoried for a session, the method comprising:
controlling the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags at a time, wherein the inventorying tags one RFID reader at a time comprises restarting inventorying that may have already taken place. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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a first RFID reader beginning an inventory session, the RFID reader setting a flag on respective RFID tags that have been inventoried by the first RFID reader; storing information representing the tags that have been inventoried by the first RFID reader; interrupting the first RFID reader'"'"'s inventory session; resetting the flags on the tags that have been inventoried; a second RFID reader beginning an inventory session, the second RFID reader setting a flag on respective RFID tags that have been inventoried; storing information representing the tags that have been inventoried; resetting the flags set by the second RFID reader; and resuming the inventory session of the first RFID reader, the resuming including reflagging the tags for which information was stored representing the tags that were inventoried by the first RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of observing changes in RFID tag populations, the method comprising:
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controlling multiple RFID readers so that only one of the RFID readers conducts an inventory of RFID tags in communications range; storing a first list of tags inventoried by the RFID reader; repeating the inventory; storing a second list of tags inventoried in the repetition of the inventory; and comparing the first list to the second list to determine if tags are entering or leaving communications range of at least one of the RFID readers. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A system for coordinating a plurality of RFID readers, the system comprising:
a reader controller configured to control the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags, in communications range, at a time. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. An RFID communications system, comprising:
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a plurality of RFID readers capable of using different sessions, the RFID readers being configured to be used with RFID tags that maintain flags for respective sessions that indicate whether or not the tag has been inventoried for a session; and a controller configured to control the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags at a time. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A system comprising:
an RFID controller configured to determine if multiple RFID readers have inventoried a common RFID tag, by communicating with the multiple RFID readers and comparing lists of RFID tags inventories by RFID readers, and, if so, for those RFID readers, causing the RFID readers to inventory tags one RFID reader at a time. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. An RFID communications system, comprising:
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a plurality of RFID readers capable of using different sessions, the RFID readers being configured to be used with RFID tags that maintain flags for respective sessions that indicate whether or not the tag has been inventoried for a session; and a controller coupled to the RFID readers and configured to control the RFID readers such that only one of the RFID readers performs an inventory of RFID tags at a time, even though the RFID readers are capable of using different sessions, wherein the controller is configured to selectively cause a RFID reader to restart its inventory. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A system comprising:
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a first RFID reader configured to conduct an inventory session, the first RFID reader being configured to set a flag on respective RFID tags that have been inventoried by the first RFID reader and to store information representing the tags that have been inventoried by the first RFID reader as they are being inventoried, the first RFID reader being capable of being selectively interrupted in its inventory session, the first RFID reader being configured to reset the flags on the tags that have been inventoried in response to being interrupted; and a second RFID reader configured to conduct an inventory session, the first RFID reader being configured to set a flag on respective RFID tags that have been inventoried by the second RFID reader and to store information representing the tags that have been inventoried by the second RFID reader as they are being inventoried, and being configured to reset the flags set by the second RFID reader when it is time for the first RFID reader to resume its inventory session, wherein the first RFID reader is further configured to reflag the tags for which information was stored representing the tags that were inventoried by the first RFID reader prior to resuming its interrupted inventory session. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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- 55. An RFID reader configured to conduct an inventory session, the RFID reader being configured to set a flag on respective RFID tags that have been inventoried by the RFID reader and to store information representing the tags that have been inventoried by the RFID reader as they are being inventoried, the RFID reader being capable of being selectively interrupted in its inventory session, the RFID reader being configured to reset the flags on the tags that have been inventoried, in response to being interrupted, so that another RFID reader can conduct an inventory session.
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57. A system for observing changes in RFID tag populations, the system comprising:
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a first RFID reader; a reader controller configured to control multiple RFID readers so that only the first RFID reader conducts an inventory of RFID tags in communications range at a time, the reader controller causing the first RFID reader to conduct a first inventory session and the reader controller causing the first RFID reader to conduct a second inventory session after the first inventory session; a database for storing a first list of tags inventoried by the RFID reader in the first inventory session; and a second database for storing a second list of tags inventoried by the first RFID reader in the second inventory session, the reader controller being configured to compare the first list to the second list to determine if tags are entering or leaving communications range of the RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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Specification