Integrated electronic tag reader and wireless communication link

An object identification system comprising:

• an electronic tag including identification information, and means for encoding the identification information and reflecting a radio frequency signal including the encoded identification information;
• and
• a portable reader including
• an antenna;
• a source for generating a radio frequency interrogation signal;
• a transceiver for transmitting the radio frequency interrogation signal to the electronic tag through the antenna and for receiving the reflected radio frequency signal returned from the electronic tag;
• a signal processor for processing the reflected radio frequency signal to decode the encoded identification information from the electronic tag;
• a modulator for combining the decoded identification information and the radio frequency interrogation signal for transmission by the transceiver to a remote host unit;
• and
• a portable housing adapted to accommodate the antenna, the transceiver, the source, the signal processor and the modulator to allow for identification of objects at locations removed from the remote host unit.

A method of identifying an object by a reader comprising the steps of:

• providing a reader including a transceiver for generating a first radio frequency signal for interrogation of an electronic tag associated with an object;
• transmitting by the transceiver the first radio frequency signal to the electronic tag;
• receiving a modulated radio frequency signal at the transceiver from the electronic tag responsive to the first radio frequency signal, the modulated radio frequency signal including encoded identification information associated with the electronic tag;
• decoding the identification information;
• modulating the first radio frequency signal using the decoded identification information;
• transmitting by the transceiver the modulated first radio frequency signal to a remote host.

A method of identifying an object by a reader comprising the steps of:

• providing an object identification reader including a transceiver for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals;
• receiving at the transceiver request data including object identification data from a host for facilitating the identification of an object;
• decoding the request data;
• transmitting by the transceiver a first signal to an electronic tag associated with the object;
• receiving a modulated radio frequency signal at the transceiver from the electronic tag responsive to the first signal, the modulated radio frequency signal including encoded information associated with the object including object identification data;
• decoding the encoded information;
• comparing the decoded information with the decoded request data, and if the object has been requested by the host then
• modulating the first signal by combining the first signal and the decoded information;
• and
• transmitting by the transceiver the modulated first signal to the host.

An portable electronic tag reader adapted to receive instructions from a remote host, interrogate electronic tags and relay data retrieved from the tags to the remote host, the portable reader comprising;

• an antenna;
• a radio frequency source for generating a radio frequency interrogation signal;
• a transceiver for receiving instructions from the remote host via the antenna, for transmitting the radio frequency interrogation signal to an electronic tag through the antenna and for receiving a radio frequency signal returned from the electronic tag including encoded data;
• a signal processor for processing instructions from the remote host, for initiating the interrogation of an electronic tag and for processing the radio frequency signal returned from the electronic tag to decode the encoded data;
• a modulator for combining the decoded data and the radio frequency interrogation signal for transmission by the transceiver to the remote host;
• and
• a portable housing adapted to accommodate the antenna, the transceiver, the source, the signal processor and the modulator to allow for identification of objects at locations removed from the remote host.