Wireless communication systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- an interrogator capable of operating in a normal mode and a maintenance mode;
wireless communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless signals including at least one of outputting data to the interrogator and receiving data from the interrogator; and
a command control coupled with the wireless communication circuitry and being configured to output control signals to control the selection of operation of the interrogator between the normal mode and the maintenance mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes wireless communication systems, interfacing devices, communication methods, methods of interfacing with an interrogator, and methods of operating an interrogator. According to one embodiment, a wireless communication system includes a remote communication device; an interrogator configured to output a forward link wireless communication and receive a reply link wireless communication from the remote communication device responsive to the forward link wireless communication; and an interface device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interrogator being configured to be controlled by the interface device.
33 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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an interrogator capable of operating in a normal mode and a maintenance mode; wireless communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless signals including at least one of outputting data to the interrogator and receiving data from the interrogator; and a command control coupled with the wireless communication circuitry and being configured to output control signals to control the selection of operation of the interrogator between the normal mode and the maintenance mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A wireless communication system comprising:
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at least one remote communication device; an interrogator configured to output a forward link wireless communication and receive a reply link wireless communication from the remote communication device responsive to the forward link wireless communication; and a maintenance device configured to interface with the interrogator using a wireless medium, the interrogator configured to detect the presence of the maintenance device and output data to the maintenance device responsive to the detection.
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8. A communication method comprising:
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providing an interrogator and at least one remote communication device; communicating intermediate the interrogator and the remote communication device; providing an interface device; detecting the presence of the interface device using the interrogator; reading control information from the interface device using the interrogator; and communicating data between the interrogator and the interface device responsive to the control information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A communication method comprising:
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providing an interrogator and at least one remote communication device; communicating intermediate the interrogator and the remote communication device; providing an interface device; detecting the presence of the interface device using the interrogator; and communicating data intermediate the interrogator and the interface device responsive to the detecting.
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23. A system for performing radio frequency communications, the system comprising:
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a first device comprising; one or more first antennas; and a first integrated circuit communicatively coupled to the one or more first antennas to communicate via the one or more first antennas using wireless communications, the first integrated circuit being configured to communicate in a first mode and a second mode; and a second device comprising; one or more second antennas; and a second integrated circuit communicatively coupled to the one or more second antennas to communicate a first command to the first device via the one or more second antennas using wireless communications; wherein the first device is configured to receive identification numbers from a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in the first mode; wherein the first device is configured to wirelessly provide the identification numbers to the second device via a spread spectrum communications technique in the second mode, the first device capable of receiving the identification numbers from the plurality of RFID tags without participation by the second device; and wherein the one or more first antennas of the first device include an antenna to communicate with the plurality of the RFID tags and a separate antenna to communicate with the second device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An interrogator comprising:
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one or more memories; a radio frequency (RF) section configured to handle two-way wireless communications with an interface device; and a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and the RF section, the microcontroller configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, at least one of the first mode and the second mode allowing the interrogator to receive data via the RF section from at least one radio frequency device; wherein the microcontroller determines identification information for each of at least one radio frequency device without presence of the interface device; and the two-way wireless communications is configured to enable a transfer of a plurality of bits from the interrogator to the interface device; and
to enable a transfer of a plurality of bits from the interface device to the interrogator; andwherein the microcontroller is configured to receive control signals from the interface device via the RF section. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A system for performing radio frequency communications, the system comprising:
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a first device comprising; one or more first antennas; and a first integrated circuit communicatively coupled to the one or more first antennas to communicate via the one or more first antennas using wireless communications, the first integrated circuit being configured to communicate in a first mode and a second mode; and a second device comprising; one or more second antennas; and a second integrated circuit communicatively coupled to the one or more second antennas to communicate a first command to the first device via the one or more second antennas using wireless communications; wherein the first device is configured to receive identification information from at least one radio frequency device in the first mode; wherein the first device is configured to wirelessly provide the identification information to the second device via a spread spectrum communications technique in the second mode, the first device configured to receive the identification information from the least one radio frequency device without participation by the second device; and wherein the one or more first antennas of the first device includes an antenna to communicate with the at least one radio frequency device and a separate antenna to communicate with the second device.
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35. A method for communicating data in a radio frequency system, the method comprising:
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detecting, by a first device, a second device via a wireless communication of data, the first device operating in a first mode configured to wirelessly receive identification information from a plurality of remote communication devices via a communication technique, the first device being capable of operating in the first mode without the second device, the first device including one or more antennas to communicate with the remote communication devices and the second device; receiving at the first device control signals from the second device; causing the first device to communicate in a second mode; transferring data from the first device to the second device while the first device is in the second mode, the data including the identification information, the first device capable of using a spread spectrum communications technique; and causing the first device to communicate in the first mode. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for communicating data in a radio frequency system, the method comprising:
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detecting, by a first device, a second device via a wireless communication of data, the first device operating in a first mode enabled to wirelessly receive identification information from a plurality of remote communication devices via a communication technique, the first device being capable of operating in the first mode without the second device, the first device including one or more antennas to communicate with the remote communication devices and the second device; receiving at the first device control signals from the second device; and transferring data from the first device to the second device, the data including the identification information, the first device capable of using a spread spectrum communications technique. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification