Software-defined multi-mode rfid read devices
AssigneeCareFusion 303, Inc.
InventorsMark RAPTIS, Graham ROSS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices and methods for reading multiple types of RFID tags having different frequencies and or encoding schemes are disclosed. One or more search signals covering a plurality of RFID bands are transmitted. A presence indication of an RFID tag in one of the plurality of RFID bands is detected. An interrogating signal having a carrier frequency tuned to a frequency at which the presence indication is detected is transmitted. A tag response signal comprising tag information associated with the RFID tag is received. A digital response signal based on the tag response signal is digital signal processed to obtain the tag information.
Claims21
1-36. (canceled)
A method, comprising:
- transmitting a broadband signal covering the entire bandwidth of an RFID band;
- selecting a target frequency in the RFID band based on a response to the broadband signal from an RFID tag;
- and
- transmitting an interrogating signal with a selected antenna from one of at least two antennas, a first one of the at least two antennas associated with the RFID band and a second one of the at least two antennas associated with a different RFID band, the interrogating signal comprising a baseband signal and a carrier signal having the selected target frequency.
A radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:
- first and second antennas respectively associated with first and second RFID bands;
- an antenna selection switch switchably coupled to the first and second antennas;
- and
- a processor operatively coupled to the antenna selection switch, the processor configured to:
- operate the first antenna to transmit a first search signal comprising a first broadband signal covering the first RFID band;
- operate the second antenna to transmit a second search signal comprising a second broadband signal covering the second RFID band;
- select a target frequency in the first RFID band or the second RFID band based on a response to the first and second broadband signals;
- operate the antenna selection switch to select one of the first and second antennas based on the selected target frequency;
- and
- operate the selected one of the first and second antennas to transmit a modulated interrogating signal comprising a carrier frequency signal at the target frequency modulated by a baseband signal.
A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:
- at least two antennas respectively associated with at least two RFID bands associated with first and second target frequencies wherein the first target frequency is at least twice the second target frequency;
- an antenna selection switch selectably coupled to one of the at least two antennas;
- and
- a processor operatively coupled to the antenna selection switch, the processor configured to:
- operate one of the at least two antennas to transmit a broadband signal covering the entire bandwidth of one of the at least two RFID bands;
- determine a target frequency in the one of the at least two RFID bands based on a response to the broadband signal;
- operate the antenna selection switch to select the one of the at least two antennas that is associated with the one of the at least two RFID bands;
- and
- operate the selected one of the at least two antennas to transmit an interrogating signal comprising a baseband signal and a carrier signal having the determined target frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.