Communications: electrical – Selective – Interrogation response
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-02
2004-11-02
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Selective
Interrogation response
C340S870030, C340S870110, C340S870030, C340S870030, C340S870030, C340S007210, C342S118000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06812824
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to tracking systems and, more particularly, to systems designed to track articles and personnel.
2. Description of Related Art
Various techniques may be used to track articles and personnel. Global positioning systems and local positioning systems are examples that may be used depending on the particular items or persons being located. Included as part of these systems are various embodiments of hardware and software. The hardware may be used, for example, to collect data about the various entities being tracked or located.
Long range identification or tracking systems are designed to read large numbers of tags every few seconds, wherever they may roam in a bounded environment. For low cost and small size, these tags may be e usually low-powered, for example, emitting in the range of 1-10 mW. Under ideal conditions, read ranges up to about 100 meters can be realized. Alternatively, in a more cluttered indoor environment, read ranges more like 25 meters is typical. As a practical matter, an antenna placed every 20 meters or so is often needed for reliable coverage of a complete indoor space. In such instances, installing an antenna every 20 meters can pose a substantial installation challenge. In some cases, cable installation costs can exceed hardware costs, and the installation process can cause significant business disruption. Therefore, it is desirable to find additional uses for the same antennas such as enabling one installation to be used for several purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention is a system. The system includes a radio frequency identification tag, a wireless communication system, an antenna module, and a controller. The antenna moduel is used in transmitting and receiving signals from the radio frequency identification tag. The antenna module is also used in transmitting and receiving signals used in the wireless communication system. The controller is coupled to the antenna module. The controller is used in communications with the radio frequency identification tag and the wireless communication system.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention is a method for locating objects and operating a wireless communication system. Signals are transmitted and received using an antenna module from the radio frequency identification tag and from the wireless communication system. A controller is coupled to the antenna module and used in communications with the radio frequency identification tag and the wireless communication system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 31375 (1861-02-01), Dodsworth
patent: 3098971 (1963-07-01), Richardson
patent: 3273146 (1966-09-01), Hurwitz, Jr.
patent: 3289114 (1966-11-01), Rowen
patent: 3478344 (1969-11-01), Schwitzgebel et al.
patent: 3706094 (1972-12-01), Cole et al.
patent: 3707711 (1972-12-01), Cole et al.
patent: 3740742 (1973-06-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 3805265 (1974-04-01), Lester
patent: 3914762 (1975-10-01), Klensch
patent: 3944928 (1976-03-01), Augenblick et al.
patent: 3964024 (1976-06-01), Hutton et al.
patent: 3973200 (1976-08-01), Akerberg
patent: 4019181 (1977-04-01), Olsson et al.
patent: 4075632 (1978-02-01), Baldwin et al.
patent: 4114151 (1978-09-01), Denne et al.
patent: 4314373 (1982-02-01), Sellers
patent: 4347501 (1982-08-01), Akerberg
patent: 4364043 (1982-12-01), Cole et al.
patent: 4399437 (1983-08-01), Falck et al.
patent: 4459474 (1984-07-01), Walton
patent: 4471345 (1984-09-01), Barrett, Jr.
patent: 4481428 (1984-11-01), Charlot, Jr.
patent: 4494119 (1985-01-01), Wimbush
patent: 4495496 (1985-01-01), Miller, III
patent: 4549169 (1985-10-01), Moura et al.
patent: 4549264 (1985-10-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 4598275 (1986-07-01), Ross et al.
patent: 4605929 (1986-08-01), Skeie
patent: 4613864 (1986-09-01), Hofgen
patent: 4625207 (1986-11-01), Skeie
patent: 4636950 (1987-01-01), Caswell et al.
patent: 4651156 (1987-03-01), Martinez
patent: 4656463 (1987-04-01), Anders et al.
patent: 4658357 (1987-04-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 4691202 (1987-09-01), Denne et al.
patent: 4703327 (1987-10-01), Rossetti et al.
patent: 4724427 (1988-02-01), Carroll
patent: 4725841 (1988-02-01), Nysen et al.
patent: 4746830 (1988-05-01), Holland
patent: 4757315 (1988-07-01), Lichtenberg et al.
patent: 4777478 (1988-10-01), Hirsch et al.
patent: 4786907 (1988-11-01), Koelle
patent: 4799062 (1989-01-01), Sanderford, Jr. et al.
patent: 4814751 (1989-03-01), Hawkins et al.
patent: 4818855 (1989-04-01), Mongeon et al.
patent: 4818998 (1989-04-01), Apsell et al.
patent: 4819267 (1989-04-01), Cargile et al.
patent: 4862176 (1989-08-01), Voles
patent: 4888473 (1989-12-01), Rossi et al.
patent: 4888692 (1989-12-01), Gupta et al.
patent: 4897661 (1990-01-01), Hiraiwa
patent: 4918423 (1990-04-01), Fukuyama et al.
patent: 4918425 (1990-04-01), Greenberg et al.
patent: 4918493 (1990-04-01), Geissberger et al.
patent: 4924211 (1990-05-01), Davies
patent: 4952913 (1990-08-01), Pauley et al.
patent: 5025492 (1991-06-01), Viereck
patent: 5053774 (1991-10-01), Schuermann et al.
patent: 5062151 (1991-10-01), Shipley
patent: 5073781 (1991-12-01), Stickelbrocks
patent: 5095240 (1992-03-01), Nysen et al.
patent: 5099227 (1992-03-01), Geiszler et al.
patent: 5119104 (1992-06-01), Heller
patent: 5126746 (1992-06-01), Gritton
patent: 5144313 (1992-09-01), Kirknes
patent: 5150310 (1992-09-01), Greenspun et al.
patent: 5163004 (1992-11-01), Rentz
patent: 5164985 (1992-11-01), Nysen et al.
patent: 5194860 (1993-03-01), Jones et al.
patent: 5208756 (1993-05-01), Song
patent: 5216612 (1993-06-01), Cornett et al.
patent: 5218344 (1993-06-01), Ricketts
patent: 5221831 (1993-06-01), Geiszler
patent: 5222099 (1993-06-01), Hori et al.
patent: 5224034 (1993-06-01), Katz et al.
patent: 5249120 (1993-09-01), Foley
patent: 5252979 (1993-10-01), Nysen
patent: 5262784 (1993-11-01), Drobnicki et al.
patent: 5274670 (1993-12-01), Serizawa et al.
patent: 5276496 (1994-01-01), Heller et al.
patent: 5285480 (1994-02-01), Chennakeshu et al.
patent: 5287112 (1994-02-01), Schuermann
patent: 5289372 (1994-02-01), Guthrie et al.
patent: 5294931 (1994-03-01), Meier
patent: 5303393 (1994-04-01), Noreen et al.
patent: 5311185 (1994-05-01), Hochstein et al.
patent: 5311438 (1994-05-01), Sellers et al.
patent: 5311562 (1994-05-01), Palusamy et al.
patent: 5317309 (1994-05-01), Vercellotti et al.
patent: 5321605 (1994-06-01), Chapman et al.
patent: 5331545 (1994-07-01), Yajima et al.
patent: 5337044 (1994-08-01), Folger et al.
patent: 5343387 (1994-08-01), Honma et al.
patent: 5355137 (1994-10-01), Schurmann
patent: 5359250 (1994-10-01), Toda
patent: 5359322 (1994-10-01), Murray
patent: 5365516 (1994-11-01), Jandrell
patent: 5369570 (1994-11-01), Parad
patent: 5382784 (1995-01-01), Eberhardt
patent: 5420883 (1995-05-01), Swensen et al.
patent: 5424746 (1995-06-01), Schwab et al.
patent: 5426284 (1995-06-01), Doyle
patent: 5428547 (1995-06-01), Ikeda
patent: 5430889 (1995-07-01), Hulbert et al.
patent: 5440301 (1995-08-01), Evans
patent: 5444736 (1995-08-01), Kawashima et al.
patent: 5448221 (1995-09-01), Weller
patent: 5450492 (1995-09-01), Hook et al.
patent: 5455409 (1995-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5455851 (1995-10-01), Chaco et al.
patent: 5467268 (1995-11-01), Sisley et al.
patent: 5469170 (1995-11-01), Mariani
patent: 5471404 (1995-11-01), Mazer
patent: 5477225 (1995-12-01), Young et al.
patent: 5485163 (1996-01-01), Singer et al.
patent: 5499071 (1996-03-01), Wakabayashi et al.
patent: 5504936 (1996-04-01), Lee
patent: 5506584 (1996-04-01), Boles
patent: 5506864 (1996-04-01), Schilling
patent: 5517194 (1996-05-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 5521602 (1996-05-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 5526357 (1996-06-01), Jandrell
patent: 5528232 (1996-06-01), Verma et al.
patent: 5537105 (1996-07-01), Marsh et al.
patent: 5539394 (1996-07-01), Cato et al.
patent: 5539775 (1996-07-01), Tuttle et al.
patent: 5550547 (1996-08-01), Chan et al.
patent: 5552772 (1996-09-01), Janky et al.
patent: 5552790 (1996-09-01), Gunnarsson
patent: 5565858 (1996-10-01), Guthrie
patent: 5581486 (199
Goldinger James
Lanzl Colin
Werb Jay
Brown Vernal
Horabik Michael
RF Technologies, Inc.
Wolf Greenfield & Sacks P.C.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus combining a tracking system and a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus combining a tracking system and a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus combining a tracking system and a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3333239