Systems And Methods For Controlling Serially Connected Transmitters In RFID Tag Tracking

A system for monitoring a plurality of RFID tags, the system comprising:

• a plurality of serially connected transmitters along a transmit path, a serially connected transmitter configured to:
• relay a received transmitter selection signal when a transmitter selection signal identifies a selected transmitter as being further along the transmit path than the serially connected transmitter;
• transmit an identification impulse when the transmitter selection signal identifies the serially connected transmitter as being the selected transmitter;
• operate in a standby mode when the transmitter selection signal identifies the selected transmitter as being closer on the transmit path than the serially connected transmitter;
• a reader responsive to a plurality of transmit paths that include a plurality of serially connected transmitters on a transmit path, the reader being configured to send the transmitter selection signal along a selected transmit path, the transmitter selection signal identifying one of the plurality of serially connected transmitters along the selected transmit path as the selected transmitter for transmitting the identification impulse.

A method for monitoring a plurality of RFID tags, the system comprising:

• sending a receiver selection signal along a receive path that includes a plurality of serially connected receivers, a serially connected receiver configured to:
• relay a received receiver selection signal when the receiver selection signal identifies a selected receiver as being further along the receive path than the serially connected receiver;
• listen for an RFID response signal when the receiver selection signal identifies the serially connected receiver as being the selected receiver;
• operate in a standby mode when the receiver selection signal identifies the selected receiver as being closer on the receive path than the serially connected receiver;
• sending a transmitter selection signal along a transmit path that includes a plurality of serially connected transmitters, a serially connected transmitter configured to:
• relay a received transmitter selection signal when the transmitter selection signal identifies a selected transmitter as being further along the transmit path than the serially connected transmitter;
• transmit an identification impulse when the transmitter selection signal identifies the serially connected transmitter as being the selected transmitter;
• operate in a standby mode when the transmitter selection signal identifies the selected transmitter as being closer on the transmit path than the serially connected transmitter;
• transmitting an identification impulse from the selected transmitter;
• and
• receiving an RFID response signal at the selected receiver.