RFIDS, interrogators, indication systems, methods of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator, methods of activating an observable indicator, and methods of indicating bi-directional functionality of a radio connection

An RFID, comprising:

• an observable indicator;
• indication circuitry configured to selectively activate the observable indicator;
• and
• communication circuitry configured to:
• send a reply signal via a radio connection in response to an interrogation signal received via the radio connection;
• receive an indicate signal sent by an interrogation in response to the reply signal;
• and
• enable the indication circuitry to activate the observable indicator after receiving the indicate signal.

An interrogator, comprising:

• at least one antenna configured to send and receive signals via a radio connection;
• and
• communication circuitry configured to:
• transmit an interrogation signal via the radio connection to an RFID, the RFID comprising an observable indicator configured to selectively indicate bi-directional functionality of the radio connection,
• receive a reply signal sent by the RFID via the radio connection in response to the interrogation signal;
• and
• send via the radio connection an indicate signal configured to instruct the RFID to activate the observable indicator in response to receiving the reply signal.

An indication system, comprising:

• an interrogator;
• and
• an RFID configured to:
• send a reply signal via a radio connection in response to an interrogation signal received via the radio connection from the interrogator;
• receive an indicate signal sent by the interrogator in response to the reply signal;
• and
• activate an observable indicator after receiving the indicate signal.

An indication system, comprising:

• an RFID configured to selectively indicate bi-directional functionality of a radio connection via an observable indicator;
• and
• an interrogator configured to:
• transmit, on the radio connection, and interrogation signal to the RFID;
• receive a reply signal sent by the RFID in response to the interrogation signal via the radio connection;
• and
• send an indicate signal configured to instruct the RFID to activate the observable indicator in response to the reply signal.

A method of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator, comprising:

• providing an RFID comprising an observable indicator;
• placing the RFID in a plurality of locations;
• and
• while the RFID is in each location:
• transmitting an interrogation signal using the interrogator;
• if the interrogator receives a reply signal from the RFID in response to the interrogation signal, sending an indicate signal to the RFID;
• activating the observable indicator if the indicate signal is received by the RFID;
• classifying the location as within the range if the observable indicator is activated at the location due to the indicate signal;
• and
• classifying the location as outside the range is the observable indicator is not activated at the location.

A method of determining a bi-directional communication range of an interrogator, comprising:

• providing a plurality of RFIDs, each RFID comprising an observable indicator;
• placing each RFID in a different location;
• transmitting an interrogation signal using the interrogator;
• sending one or more indicate signals to those RFIDs of the plurality from which the interrogator receives a reply signal in response to the interrogation signal;
• activating the observable indicators of those RFIDs of the plurality that receive one of the indicate signals;
• and
• classifying the bi-directional communication range by identifying those RFIDs of the plurality with an activated observable indicator as within the bi-directional communication range and those RFIDs of the plurality with a de-activated observable indicator as outside the bi-directional communication range.

The method of 22 further comprising:

• re-assessing the bi-directional communication range after an environment surrounding the interrogator has changed such that propagation of signals transmitted by the interrogator subsequent to the environment change will be affected by the environment change by:
• transmitting an additional interrogation signal using the interrogator;
• sending one or more additional indicate signals configured to activate the observable indicators of those RFIDs of the plurality from which the interrogator receives a reply signal in response to the additional interrogation signal;
• and
• re-assessing the bi-directional communication range by identifying those RFIDs of the plurality with an activated observable indicator resulting from the additional indicate signals as within the bi-directional communication range and those RFIDs of the plurality with a de-activated observable indicator resulting from the additional indicate signals as outside the bi-directional communication range.

A method of activating an observable indicator, comprising:

• providing an RFID comprising the observable indicator and a manually operated switch configured to switch between an enabled position and non-enabled position;
• receiving a signal at the RFID, the signal being configured to activate the observable indicator for a period of time;
• and
• activating the observable indicator for portions of the period of time during which the manually operated switch is in the enabled position.

An RFID, comprising:

• an observable indicator;
• a manually operated switch configured to switch between an enabled position and a non-enabled position;
• communication circuitry configured to receive a signal;
• and
• indication circuitry configured to activate the observable indicator in response to the communication circuitry receiving the signal only if the manually operated switch is in the enabled position.