Frequency hopping spread spectrum scheme for RFID reader
First Claim
1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:
- An RFID base station adapted to communicate via radio frequency signals having a sequence of carrier frequencies comprising a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency each having an allotted amount of transmission time with said RFID base station comprising;
a transmitter adapted to transmit said radio frequency (RF) signals; and
a processor electrically connected to said transmitter;
said processor prior to the sending of a particular radio frequency signal, being adapted to determine the amount of remaining time available on said first carder frequency before expiration of the allotted amount of transmission time;
said processor prior to the sending of said particular radio frequency signal, being adapted to determine the amount of time it would take to perform a particular transaction;
and said processor prior to the sending of said particular RF signal, being adapted to prematurely force a change to said second carrier frequency for the sending of said particular radio frequency signal before said amount of remaining time available on said first carder frequency expires when said amount of remaining time on said first carder frequency is less than said amount of time it would take to perform said particular transaction.
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Abstract
A system and method is provided for implementing forced frequency “hops” if the time it takes to perform a particular transaction is greater than the time available on a particular carrier frequency. In one embodiment of the present invention, a radio frequency identification (RFID) base station processor (in conjunction with program information stored in a base station memory) is adapted to (i) determine the amount of time available on a particular carrier frequency (e.g., pursuant to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations, European Telecommunications Standardization Institute (ETSI) regulations, etc.), (ii) determine the amount of time it would take to perform a particular transaction, and (iii) force the base station to “hop” to another carrier frequency if the transaction time is longer than the available time. In one embodiment of the present invention, the time it would take to perform a particular transaction is the time it would take to perform the next transaction. In another embodiment of the present invention, the time it would take to perform a particular transaction is the time it would take to perform the longest (or “worst-case”) transaction. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, a transaction is defined as the transmission of information (e.g., data, commands, etc.) or both the transmission of information and the reception of related information.
25 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:
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An RFID base station adapted to communicate via radio frequency signals having a sequence of carrier frequencies comprising a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency each having an allotted amount of transmission time with said RFID base station comprising; a transmitter adapted to transmit said radio frequency (RF) signals; and a processor electrically connected to said transmitter; said processor prior to the sending of a particular radio frequency signal, being adapted to determine the amount of remaining time available on said first carder frequency before expiration of the allotted amount of transmission time; said processor prior to the sending of said particular radio frequency signal, being adapted to determine the amount of time it would take to perform a particular transaction; and said processor prior to the sending of said particular RF signal, being adapted to prematurely force a change to said second carrier frequency for the sending of said particular radio frequency signal before said amount of remaining time available on said first carder frequency expires when said amount of remaining time on said first carder frequency is less than said amount of time it would take to perform said particular transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for improving transmission rates in a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) base station, comprising:
performing a first transaction with at least one RFID transponder over a first carrier frequency;
prior to sending a particular radio frequency signal, determining the amount of remaining time available on said first carrier frequency;
prior to sending said particular radio frequency signal, determining the amount of time it would take to perform a particular transaction;
prematurely forcing said RFID base station to hop to a second carrier frequency to send said particular radio frequency signal before said amount of time available on said first carrier frequency expires when said amount of remaining time on said first carrier frequency is less than said amount of time it would take to perform said particular transaction.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for improving transmission rates in a radio-frequency-identification communication station, comprising
(a) prior to performing a transaction by the transmission of a radio frequency signal where there is remaining time for transmission via a first carrier frequency, determining whether the transmission rate of the radio-frequency-identification communication station would be improved by prematurely forcing the radio-frequency-identification communication station to hop to a second carrier frequency to send said radio frequency signal, (b) when the transmission rate of the radio-frequency-identification communication station would be improved, prematurely forcing the radio-frequency-identification communication station to hop to said second carrier frequency to send said radio frequency signal, and (c) when the transmission rate of the radio-frequency-identification communication station would not be improved, performing the transaction by the transmission of said radio frequency signal at said first carrier frequency.
Specification