EP0689151A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for storage and communication of information
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1995-04-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A system and a method for storage and communication of information between at least one first information containing terminal (10) and a second terminal (12), are disclosed. A random number is generated (266) within the first terminal (10) in response to receipt of a begin signal from the second terminal (12), and the random number is compared with a count incremented and maintained by a digital counter (264) within the first terminal (10). When the random number is equal (70) to the count, the first terminal (10) transmits (72) a request-to-transmit signal (RTT) to the second terminal (12). If the second terminal (12) responds with a first acknowledgment, the first terminal (10) then sends (80) an information-containing signal to the second terminal (12). If the information-containing signal is correctly received, the second terminal (12) responds by transmitting a second acknowledgment which is received by the first terminal (10). The storage and communication of information method disclosed may be employed in a supermarket checkout system, with the first information-containing terminals (10) comprising RFID tags.
Inventors
- 👤 John P. Palmer
- 👤 Anaikuppam Marudarajan
- 👤 Joseph Tran
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10009; G06K7/10019; G06K7/10029; G06K7/10059; G06K7/0008; G07; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/0036; G07G1/0045; G07G1/0054
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of communicating between a plurality of data terminals and a network controller, comprising the steps of: (a) initializing each data terminal in response to receipt of a begin signal transmitted from the network controller to all the data terminals; (b) generating a random number within each data terminal following initialization; (c) incrementing a counter in each data terminal in response to the passage of successive time periods; (d) comparing the random number with the count maintained by the counter during successive time periods; (e) transmitting a request to transmit signal by the data terminal to the network controller when the random number in the data terminal equals the count maintained by the counter; and (f) transmitting a data-containing signal to the network controller if a first acknowledgment signal is received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after the data terminal transmits a request to transmit signal, which first acknowledgment signal does not specifically identify the requesting terminal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
196 words
A method of communicating between a plurality of data terminals and a network controller, comprising the steps of: (a) initializing each data terminal in response to receipt of a begin signal transmitted from the network controller to all the data terminals; (b) generating a random number within each data terminal following initialization; (c) incrementing a counter in each data terminal in response to the passage of successive time periods; (d) comparing the random number with the count maintained by the counter during successive time periods; (e) transmitting a request to transmit signal by the data terminal to the network controller when the random number in the data terminal equals the count maintained by the counter; (f) generating a new random number and repeating steps (c)-(e) if the first acknowledgment signal is not received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after the data terminal transmits a request to transmit signal; and (g) transmitting a data-containing signal to the network controller if a first acknowledgment signal which does not specifically identify the requesting terminal is received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after the data terminal transmits a request to transmit signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method according to Claim 2, further comprising the steps of: (a) suspending operation of the counter in the data terminal temporarily if the first acknowledgment signal is received from the network controller prior to the data terminal transmitting a request to transmit signal; and (b) resuming operation of the counter in the data terminal if a second acknowledgment signal is received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after suspension of operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method according to Claim 3, further comprising the step of retransmitting a data-containing signal if a second acknowledgment signal is not received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after the data terminal transmits a data-containing signal, and terminating communication if a second acknowledgment signal is received within the predetermined time period.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to Claim 4, further comprising the step of terminating communication if neither a first acknowledgment signal nor a second acknowledgment signal is received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after initialization of the data terminal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to Claim 5, further comprising the step of powering down and permanently disabling the data terminal if a third acknowledgment signal is received from the network controller after the second acknowledgment signal is received.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
25 words
The method according to any preceding Claim wherein the mode of transmission between the data terminal and the network controller is serial, wireless radio frequency.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
17 words
The method according to any preceding Claim wherein the data terminal is conformably attached to an article.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
28 words
The method according to any preceding Claim wherein the data-containing signal contains an article identification code which is read out from a memory device in the data terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
131 words
A data terminal for communication with a network controller, comprising: (a) a random number generator which generates a random number in response to a signal received from the network controller; (b) a counter which increments and maintains a count in response to the passage of successive time periods; (c) a comparator which compares the random number with the count maintained by the counter during successive time periods; and (d) a transmitter which transmits a request to transmit signal to the network controller when the random number in the data terminal equals the count maintained by the counter and which transmits a data-containing signal to the network controller in response to receipt of a first acknowledgment which does not Specifically identify the particular data terminal after transmitting a request to transmit signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The data terminal of Claim 10 wherein the random number generator generates a new random number if the first acknowledgment signal is not received from the network controller within a predetermined time period after transmission of the request to transmit signal by the transmitter.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
192 words
A system for communicating information between at least one first information containing terminal and a second terminal, comprising: a first information containing terminal including: a random number generator which generates a random number in response to a signal received from the second terminal; a counter which increments and maintains a count in response to the passage of successive time periods; a comparator which compares the random number with the count maintained by the counter during successive time periods; a transmitter which transmits a request to transmit signal to the second terminal when the random number in the first terminal equals the count maintained by the counter, and which transmits a data-containing signal to the second terminal in response to receipt of a first acknowledgment signal which does not specifically identify the particular first terminal after transmitting the request to transmit signal; a second terminal including: a transmitter which transmits a begin signal to at least one first terminal, and which transmits a first acknowledgment signal in response to receipt of a request to transmit signal from the first terminal; and a receiver which receives an information containing signal from the first terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of Claim 12 wherein the transmitter in the second terminal transmits a second acknowledgment signal in response to receipt of an information containing signal from the first terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of Claim 13 wherein the transmitter in the second terminal transmits a third acknowledgment signal in response to receipt of an information containing signal from each of the first terminals to which the second terminal transmitted the begin signal.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
28 words
The system of any of Claims 12 to 14 wherein the transmitter in the second terminal transmits a signal containing information to be stored within the first terminal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
28 words
The system of any of Claims 12 to 14 wherein the transmitter in the second terminal transmits a signal containing information to be used by the first terminal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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