Systems and methods to co-locate RFID reader networks with in-band sensor networks
AssigneeZebra Technologies Corporation
InventorsSean Connolly, Mark W. Duron, Jimmy Chabra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods to co-locate RFID readers with in-band sensor networks, such as LoRa sensor networks, are disclosed herein. An example arrangement is a co-located device that includes a dual-mode transceiver configured to communicate with targets operating in a first protocol (e.g., RFID) and other targets operating in a second protocol (e.g., LoRa). The example arrangement includes a dual-mode controller that operates the dual-mode transceiver to communicate via the first protocol during a first time period while disabling communication via the second protocol and to communicate via the second protocol in a second time period while disabling communication via the first protocol.
Claims17
A dual-mode arrangement for in-band communication according to a first protocol and to a second protocol, the arrangement comprising:
- a dual-mode transceiver configured to communicate with targets operating according to the first protocol and configured to receive signals from targets operating in the second protocol;
- and
- a dual-mode controller coupled to the dual-mode transceiver and configured to operate the dual-mode transceiver to communicate with the targets operating according to the first protocol during a first time period and configured to operate the dual-mode transceiver to receive signals from the targets operating according to the second protocol during a second time period, wherein
- the dual mode controller is further configured to
- operate the dual-mode transceiver as a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader according to the first protocol,
- operate the dual-mode transceiver as a Low Power Long Range (LoRa) gateway according to the second protocol, and
- prevent the dual-mode transceiver from communicating with the targets operating according to the first protocol during the second time period and further configured to prevent the dual-mode transceiver from receiving the signals from the targets operating according to the second protocol during the first time period,
- wherein the targets operating according to the first protocol operate over a first frequency range and the targets operating according to the second protocol operate over a second frequency range that at least partially overlaps the first frequency range.
A system comprising:
- a plurality of dual-mode transceiver stations within a venue, each dual-mode transceiver station configured to communicate with targets operating according to a first protocol in the venue during a first time period and configured to receive signals from targets operating according to a second protocol in the venue during a second time period, wherein each dual-mode transceiver station is further configured to operate as a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader according to the first protocol, operate as a Low Power Long Range (LoRa) gateway according to the second protocol, and prevent communicating with the targets operating according to the first protocol during the second time period and to prevent receiving the signals from the targets operating according to the second protocol during the first time period;
- and
- a dual-mode controller coupled to each of the plurality of dual-mode transceiver stations and configured to switch operation of each of the plurality of the dual-mode transceiver stations between the first time period and the second time period in response to a determination of venue-based metrics determined from the targets operating according to the first protocol and/or from the targets operating according to the second protocol in the venue,
- wherein the targets operating according to the first protocol operate over a first frequency range and the targets operating according to the second protocol operate over a second frequency range that at least partially overlaps the first frequency range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.