US 2014/0229246 A1 · RFID Frequency Translator

Abstract

An RFID-based system and method is disclosed which translates discrepant frequencies and protocols, for seamless communication across disparate devices. Any legal frequency is accepted, information transmitted in that frequency is translated then saved in allocated memory accessible to the other side, which receives and processes the information with an appropriate reader-equipped device such as cellphone, handheld device, or computer. HF for Near-Field Communication may be used as one frequency protocol, but is not limiting. A unique aspect is ability to power the translator at short range using the reader's field, eliminating a battery. A plurality of microcontrollers/memory modules is used. Microcontrollers receive information from one frequency interface by reading shared memory, then communicate to the other frequency interface by writing to its shared memory and signaling the presence of data. Microcontrollers monitor new data, await a response from the signaled interface, facilitating communication between two sides not otherwise in communication.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for translation between a plurality of frequencies in RFID data communication, comprising:

a plurality of RFID-equipped tags, each operating at a different RFID frequency protocol to communicate to an external RFID reader also operating at that same RFID frequency protocol;
a plurality of dual interface central processing units each coupled to at least two RFID-equipped tags;
and
a plurality of readable and writable memory modules, each module coupled to at least one of the dual interface central processing units as well as to at least one of the RFID-equipped tags;
wherein at least one memory module coupled to each of the RFID-equipped tags stores data transmitted by or received by that RFID-equipped tag from RFID-communication with an external RFID reader also operating at that same RFID frequency protocol;
wherein each readable and writable memory module has a flag bit to be set to signalize the presence of new data in the readable and writable memory module;
and wherein data from the at least one readable and writable memory module is written to at least one other memory module coupled to another of the RFID-equipped tags, so as to communicate this data from that RFID-equipped tag by RFID-communication to another external RFID reader also operating at the same RFID frequency protocol.

4 more elements

A method for translation between a plurality of frequencies in RFID data communication, comprising the steps of:

communicating by a plurality of RFID-equipped tags each to a specific external RFID reader by means of a specific RFID frequency protocol;
coupling each of the plurality of the RFID-equipped tags to at least one of a plurality of dual interface central processing units;
coupling each of a plurality of readable and writable memory modules to at least one of the dual interface central processing units as well as to at least one of the RFID-equipped tags;
coupling each of the plurality of dual interface central processing units to at least two RFID-equipped tags, each through at least one readable and writable memory module;
relaying information from an external RFID reader to at least one RFID-equipped tag by means of a specific RFID frequency protocol;
writing the information from the at least one RFID-equipped tag to at least one of the readable and writable memory modules coupled to that RFID-equipped tag;
reading the information by at least one of the dual interface central processing units coupled to the at least one readable and writable memory modules just written to;
processing of the information by at least one of the dual interface central processing units;
writing the processed information to at least one other readable and writable memory module coupled to at least one other RFID-equipped tag;
signaling the presence of the new processed information for the at least one other RFID-equipped tag by setting a flag bit in the at least one just written memory module;
and
relaying the processed information to at least one other external RFID reader from the at least one other RFID-equipped tag by means of at least one other RFID frequency protocol.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

RFID Frequency Translator

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RFID Frequency Translator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20