Detection of multiple articles
DC
First Claim
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1. An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, wherein:
- the interrogator comprises transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders simultaneously, each independent interrogation signal being adapted to independently activate any one or more transponders receiving said signal, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders in response to any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; and
each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, so that on receipt of any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder.
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Abstract
An identification system comprises an interrogator and a plurality of transponders. The interrogator includes a transmitter which transmits at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders, and a receiver for receiving response signals from the transponders. The interrogator also includes processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the received response signals. Each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitter means connected to the code generator. On receipt of at least one of the transmitted interrogation signals the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies it. The interrogation signals may be transmitted continuously or intermittently. In a preferred embodiment, the interrogation signals are relatively narrow bandwidth signals at different frequencies. The receiving means of each transponder has a relatively broad reception bandwidth so that the transponder is responsive to one or more of the interrogation signals.
533 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, wherein:
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the interrogator comprises transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders simultaneously, each independent interrogation signal being adapted to independently activate any one or more transponders receiving said signal, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders in response to any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; and each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, so that on receipt of any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, wherein:
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the interrogator comprises transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders responsive to at least one of the interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, so that on receipt of at least one of the interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder; and the transmitter means of the interrogator transmits the at least two interrogation signals intermittently, with an interval between successive interrogation signals which is less than a minimum period within which transponders which have been disabled by a disable instruction in an interrogation signal reset themselves automatically.
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18. An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, wherein:
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the interrogator comprises transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders responsive to at least one of the interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; the transmitting means of the interrogator comprises a transmitting antenna, at least first and second transmitters for generating interrogation signals at respective different frequencies, and switch means for switching the outputs of the transmitters alternatively to the transmitting antenna; the receiver means and the processor means of the interrogator distinguish response signals from transponders in response to interrogation signals transmitted at the respective different frequencies of the at least first and second transmitters; each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, so that on receipt of at least one of the interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder; and the processor means detects duplicate transponder response signals transmitted on two or more of the respective different frequencies and disregards them.
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19. An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, wherein:
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the interrogator comprises transmitter means for transmitting an interrogation signal and an inhibiting signal having respective different frequencies to the transponders, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders responsive to the interrogation signal transmitted by said transmitter means, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; and each transponder comprises receiving means for receiving the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal transmitted by said transmitter means, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal being selected to fall within the reception bandwidth of the receiving means of the transponder, the transponder being adapted to transmit a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder on receipt of the interrogation signal, to be disabled by a turn-off instruction in the interrogation signal on successful identification of the transponder, and to remain disabled while it continues to receive the inhibiting signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An interrogator for identifying at least one transponder of a plurality of transponders, the interrogator comprising:
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transmitter means for simultaneously transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders, each independent interrogation signal being adapted to independently activate any one or more transponders receiving said signal; receiver means for receiving at least one response signal from any of the transponders in response to any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, each response signal including data identifying a respective transponder; and processor means for identifying the respective transponder from data contained in the at least one response signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An interrogator for identifying at least one transponder of a plurality of transponders, the interrogator comprising:
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transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the plurality of transponders; receiver means for receiving at least one response signal from any of the transponders in response to any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, each response signal including data identifying a respective transponder; and processor means for identifying the respective transponder from data contained in the at least one response signal, wherein the transmitter means transmits the at least two interrogation signals intermittently, with an interval between successive interrogation signals which is less than a minimum period within which transponders which have been disabled by a disable instruction in an interrogation signal reset themselves automatically.
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40. An interrogator for identifying at least one transponder of a plurality of transponders, the interrogator comprising:
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transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the plurality of transponders, wherein the transmitter means comprises a transmitting antenna, at least first and second transmitters for generating interrogation signals at respective different frequencies, and switch means for switching the outputs of the transmitters alternatively to the transmitting antenna; receiver means for receiving at least one response signal from any of the transponders in response to any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, each response signal including data identifying a respective transponder; and processor means for identifying the respective transponder from data contained in the at least one response signal, wherein; the receiver means and the processor means distinguish response signals from transponders in response to interrogation signals transmitted at the respective different frequencies of the at least first and second transmitters, and the processor means detects duplicate transponder response signals transmitted on two or more of the respective different frequencies to disregard them.
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41. An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, wherein:
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the interrogator comprises transmitter means for transmitting at least two independent interrogation signals to the transponders simultaneously at respective different interrogation frequencies, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders in response to any one or more of the interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; and each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, so that on receipt of any one or more of the independent interrogation signals transmitted by said transmitter means the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder, said response signal being on one or more of the respective different interrogation frequencies depending on which one or more of the independent interrogation signals are received by the transponder.
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
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Original AssigneeBritish Technology Group Ltd.
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InventorsVan Zyl, Clinton A., Marsh, Michael J. C., Oosthuizen, Marthinus J. R., Van Schalkwyk, Andries C., Lenarcik, Andrzej
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Primary Examiner(s)Peng, John K.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Wu, Daniel J.
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Application NumberUS08/154,329Time in Patent Office915 DaysField of Search340/825.54, 340/825.35, 340/825.73, 340/568, 340/572, 340/571, 340/505, 340/539, 340/870.31, 340/870.01, 342/44US Class Current340/10.2CPC Class CodesA47F 9/048 automaticallyG01S 13/24 using frequency agility of ...G01S 13/758 using a signal generator po...G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar syste...G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious ...G06K 7/0008 General problems related to...G06K 7/10059 transponder drivenG06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the ne...G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the fa...G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking ...G07G 1/0036 Checkout proceduresG07G 1/0054 with control of supplementa...G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft al...G07G 3/006 False operationG08B 13/2422 using acoustic or microwave...G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined ...G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing b...G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activato...G08B 13/2485 Simultaneous detection of m...G08B 13/2488 Timing issues, e.g. synchro...View All
