US 2009/0264079 A1Published application

Determining presence of radio frequency communication device

AssigneeTerahop Networks, Inc.

InventorRobert W. Twitchell, JR.

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A RF data communication device operates in at least two states. In a first state, the device transmits a response to an RF transmission if specific data therein represents an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices and if specific data therein corresponds to a class maintained by the device. The device does not transmit a response if specific data in the RF transmission is not representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices, or if specific data therein does not correspond to at least one maintained class. In a second state, the device does not transmit a response when specific data is included therein that is representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices and specific data therein corresponds to at least one maintained class.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication device comprising a data packet radio component that selectively reveals its presence in response to RF transmissions, the wireless two-way RF data communication device configured to operate in at least two states comprising:

(a) a first state, in which the wireless two-way RF data communication device,
(i) receives RF transmissions;
(ii) maintains at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device;
(iii) identifies specific data in a received RF transmission;
and
(iv) in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified,
(A) transmits a response,
(I) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and
(II) if the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and
(B) does not transmit a response,
(I) if the identified specific data does not include data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, or
(II) if the identified specific data does not correspond to at least one maintained common designation;
and
(b) a second state mutually exclusive to the first state, in which the wireless two-way RF data communication device,
(i) receives RF transmissions;
(ii) maintains at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device;
(iii) identifies specific data in a received RF transmission;
and
(iv) does not transmit a response to the received RF transmission in which specific data is identified when,
(A) the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and
(B) the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation,
whereby the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively communicates its presence in response to RF transmissions.

19 more elements

A data communications network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication devices, each wireless two-way RF data communication device forming a node of the data communications network and each wireless two-way RF data communication device including a memory having stored therein at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device;
(b) wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device is configured to operate in at least two states comprising:
(i) a first state, in which the wireless two-way RF data communication device,
(A) receives RF transmissions;
(B) identifies specific data in a received RF transmission;
and
(C) in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified,
(I) transmits a response,
(1) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and
(2) if the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and
(II) does not transmit a response,
(1) if the identified specific data does not include data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, or
(2) if the identified specific data does not correspond to at least one maintained common designation;
and
(ii) a second state mutually exclusive to the first state, in which the wireless two-way RF data communication device,
(A) receives RF transmissions;
(B) identifies specific data in a received RF transmission;
and
(C) does not transmit a response to the received RF transmission in which specific data is identified when,
(I) the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and
(II) the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation,
whereby the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively communicates its presence in response to RF transmissions.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/491,301Filed 25 Jun 2009
Priority: 1 Jan 2006
Published: 22 Oct 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06Q 10/08
Administration; Management: logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
G01S 13/825
Wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted: with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
H04W 84/18
Network topologies: self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
Y02D 30/70
Reducing energy consumption in communication networks: in wireless communication networks

Family

Application60/766,223Us provisional application · filed 1 Jan 2006
Application11/618,931Continuation · filed 1 Jan 2007
Application12/343,822Continuation · filed 24 Dec 2008
Application12/491,301Continuation
US 2007/0155327 A1Published application
US 2009/0103462 A1Published application
US 7,904,071 B2Related patent
US 7,907,941 B2Related patent
US 8,045,929 B2Related patent
US 2009/0264079 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.