RFID system having a field reprogrammable RFID reader

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprising:

• a first RFID reader storing old reader programming;
• new reader programming having a new revision identifier correlated thereto, wherein said new reader programming is divided into a plurality of segments, each segment of new reader programming having a programming segment identifier correlated thereto;
• a plurality of RFID administrator transponders, each having an administrator transponder memory including a revision identification and propagation section and a segment content and security section, said revision identification and propagation section storing said new revision identifier, said segment content and security section of each of said plurality of RFID administrator transponders storing a different segment of new reader programming, and said administrator transponder memory storing said programming segment identifier correlated to said stored segment of new reader programming;
• first writing means for writing said new revision identifier, said segment of new reader programming and said correlated programming segment identifier stored in said administrator transponder memory to said first RFID reader, thereby enabling said first RFID reader to reprogram itself with said new reader programming;
• one or more additional RFID readers storing said old reader programming;
• a plurality of user transponders, each having a user transponder memory including a user identification section storing user identification data, a revision identification and propagation section, and a segment content and security section;
• second writing means for writing said new revision identifier stored in said first RFID reader to said revision identification and propagation section of said user transponder memory, for writing one of said plurality of segments of new reader programming stored in said first RFID reader to said segment content and security section of said user transponder memory, and forwriting said correlated programming segment identifier stored in said first RFID reader to said user transponder memory;
• third writing means for writing said segment of new reader programming stored in said user transponder memory to said one or more additional RFID readers in response to said one or more additional RFID readers reading said new revision identifier and said correlated programming segment identifier, thereby enabling each of said one or more additional RFID readers to reprogram itself with said new reader programming.

A method for reprogramming a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader in an RFID system comprising:

• storing old reader programming in a first RFID reader;
• providing new reader programming having a new revision identifier correlated thereto, said new reader programming divided into a plurality of segments, each segment of new reader programming having a programming segment identifier correlated thereto;
• storing said new revision identifier, said plurality of segments of new reader programming, and said correlated programming segment identifiers in a plurality of administrator transponders, wherein said new revision identifier and a different programming segment and correlated programming segment identifier are stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders, and further wherein a sufficient number of administrator transponders are provided to store all said segments of new reader programming in said plurality of administrator transponders;
• reading said new revision identifier stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders with said first RFID reader;
• and
• writing each programming segment and correlated programming segment identifier stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders to said first RFID reader in response to said first RFID reader reading said new revision identifier, thereby reprogramming said first RFID reader with said new reader programming.

A method for reprogramming a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader in an RFID system comprising:

• storing old reader programming in a first RFID reader
• providing new reader programming having a new revision identifier correlated thereto, said new reader programming divided into a plurality of segments, each segment of new reader programming having a programming segment identifier correlated thereto;
• storing said new revision identifier, said plurality of segments of new reader programming, and said correlated programming segment identifiers in a plurality of administrator transponders, wherein said new revision identifier and a different programming segment and correlated programming segment identifier are stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders;
• reading said new revision identifier stored in each of said plurality of RFID transponders with said first RFID reader;
• writing each programming segment and correlated programming segment identifier stored in each of said plurality of RFID administrator transponders to said first RFID reader in response to said first RFID reader reading said new revision identifier, thereby reprogramming said first RFID reader with said new reader programming;
• writing a programming segment request correlated to one of said plurality of segments of new programming correlated to a programming segment identifier to a user transponder in response to a second RFID reader comparing a programming segment identifier stored in said user transponder and a programming segment identifier stored in said second RFID reader;
• writing said segment of new reader programming correlated to said programming segment request and stored in an other RFID reader of said RFID system other than said second RFID reader to said user transponder in response to said other RFID reader comparing a programming segment identifier stored in said other RFID reader and said programming segment request stored in said user transponder;
• and
• writing said segment of new reader programming correlated to said programming segment request stored in said user transponder to said second RFID reader.

A method for programming a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader in an RFID system comprising:

• providing reader programming having a programming identifier correlated thereto and divided into a plurality of segments, each segment of reader programming having a programming segment identifier correlated thereto;
• storing said programming identifier, said plurality of segments of reader programming and said correlated programming segment identifiers in a plurality of administrator transponders, wherein said programming identifier, a different programming segment and correlated programming segment identifier are stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders, and further wherein a sufficient number of administrator transponders are provided to store all said segments of reader programming in said plurality of administrator transponders;
• reading said programming identifier stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders with a first RFID reader;
• writing said programming identifier to said first RFID reader;
• and
• writing each programming segment and correlated programming segment identifier stored in each of said plurality of administrator transponders to said first RFID reader, thereby programming said first RFID reader with said reader programming.