# US 2008/0186174 A1 · Item level inventory with a radio frequency identification (RFID) system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0186174 A1 - Document ID: US20080186174A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/701,714 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Assignees: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation - Inventors: Mark Alexis; Gary Mark Shafer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186174A1 ## CPC - H04B 5/77: for interrogation - G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring} - G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing} - G07G 1/0036: {Checkout procedures} - G07G 1/009: {the reader being an RFID reader} - H04B 7/0697: {using spatial multiplexing} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS ## Abstract A radio frequency identification (RFID) system for item level inventory and a method for performing an RFID item level inventory may be provided. The method may include selectively controlling with an RF signal each of a plurality of multiplexers connected to a plurality of local antennas and selectively enabling with an RF signal the plurality of local antennas using the plurality of multiplexers to perform RFID interrogation on a plurality of RFID tags. The method further may include acquiring inventory information based on the RFID interrogation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for performing a radio frequency identification (RFID) inventory, the method comprising: selectively controlling with an RF signal each of a plurality of multiplexers connected to a plurality of local antennas; selectively enabling with an RF signal the plurality of local antennas using the plurality of multiplexers to perform RFID interrogation on a plurality of RFID tags; and acquiring inventory information based on the RFID interrogation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining identification information for each of the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising communicating with individual ones of the plurality of multiplexers based on the identification information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising selectively powering with the RF signal the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the selectively controlling comprises transmitting write commands to the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising receiving the RF signal at an antenna exposed outside a container, the antenna connected to at least one of the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising positioning an RFID interface device between stacks of cases on a pallet, the RFID interface device including the plurality of multiplexers and local antennas. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising routing control commands using the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising using an RFID interrogator to transmit the RF signals. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising configuring the plurality of multiplexers to appear as passive RFID tags to an RFID interrogator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising channeling RF energy from the RF signals through conducted paths between the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein acquiring inventory information comprises acquiring item level inventory information for each of a plurality of items. ### Claim 13 A method for controlling the acquisition of information during an RFID item level inventory, the method comprising: transmitting an identification (ID) request command to each of a plurality of multiplexers during an ID acquisition state, the ID request command activating multiplexers in a transmission range; identifying, using the plurality of multiplexers, antenna arrays available to acquire RFID tag information; and initiating an inventory acquisition process wherein each of a plurality of local antennas of the antenna arrays is selectively activated to acquire the RFID tag information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising setting an RF switch of each antenna array to a pass through mode during the ID acquisition state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the plurality of local antennas are selectively activated using write commands from an RFID interrogator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the write commands comprise control words written to a controller for the plurality of multiplexers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising selectively setting a switch and multiplexer control line to selectively activate the antenna arrays. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the RFID tag information comprises information relating to one or more items including at least one of a Universal Product Code (UPC), an Electronic Product Code (EPC), an item description, and a location of the item based on an interrogating controller and antenna. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) A method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising performing a plurality of inventory rounds to acquire the RFID tag information using each of the antenna arrays. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) Radio frequency identification (RFID) inventory information obtained by the process of claim 1.