RFID TAGS WITH CDMA COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES

• US 20140292491A1
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: MALTSEFF, Paul A., PAYNE, Ronald D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,779,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications

Abstract

An apparatus for use in an RFID data collection system includes an antenna portion for wirelessly exchanging signals and a memory portion for storing RFID data. A signal processing portion is coupled among the antenna portion and the memory portion. The signal processing portion is configured to receive RFID data and to at least encode or decode the received RFID data via at least one spreading code, such as a mutually orthogonal code. Other configurations are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An RFID tag, comprising:

at least one antenna; and

a processor coupled with the at least one antenna, the processor;

generating an initial protocol communication based on orthogonal code stored in memory, wherein the initial protocol communication indicates that the RFID tag is capable of code division multiple access (CDMA) communication,

encoding the orthogonal code to produce a CDMA encoded signal indicating that the RFID tag is capable of code CDMA communications,

transmitting data from the at least one antenna using a non-CDMA encoded initial protocol communication, and

transmitting the CDMA-encoded signal from the at least one antenna.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag comprises first and second antennas for transmitting the CDMA encoded signal.

3. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag is a passive tag.

4. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the processor receives and processes CDMA encoded signals.

5. A semiconductor device for use in an RFID tag, the device comprising:

a processor that receives incoming data stored by the RFID tag and generates an initial protocol communication based on the stored data, the initial protocol communication indicating that the RFID tag is capable of spread spectrum communication; and

an encoder that receives the incoming data stored by the RFID tag and converts the stored RFID data into a spread spectrum signal using a pseudo-random code.

6. The semiconductor device for use with an RFID tag of claim 5 wherein the pseudo-random code is an orthogonal code.

7. The semiconductor device for use with an RFID tag of claim 5 wherein the pseudo-random code is a chipping sequence.

8. The semiconductor device for use with an RFID tag of claim 5 wherein the pseudo-random code is a frequency hopping code.

9. The semiconductor device for use with an RFID tag of claim 5 wherein the RFID tag includes the at least two transmitting antennas, and wherein the at least two transmitting antennas are spatially separated.

10. The semiconductor device for use with an RFID tag of claim 5, further comprising memory, coupled to the encoder circuitry, for storing the RFID tag data and the pseudo-random code.

11. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one device to perform a method for decoding data received from an RFID tag, the method comprising:

receiving initial RFID data from the RFID tag, wherein the initial RFID data indicates that the RFID tag is capable of code division multiplexing (CDM);

determining that CDM communications are possible based on the initial RFID data;

entering a CDM mode if the CDM communications are possible, the CDM mode for communicating CDM encoded RFID tag data;

receiving RFID tag data from the RFID tag, and decoding the CDM encoded RFID tag data; and

,

outputting the decoded CDM RFID tag data for data storage or automated data processing.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the operating protocol communication via a non-CDM encoded protocol.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the RFID tag comprises first and second antennas for transmitting the CDMA encoded signal.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the RFID tag is a passive tag.