EP0789254A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Detection of multiple articles
Assignee: ZIH Corp
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Filing: 1993-11-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-11-18
Abstract
Abstract An identification system comprises an interrogator and a plurality of transponders. The interrogator includes a transmitter which transmits an interrogation signal and an inhibiting signal 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 and means for disabling transponders. The transponders which are disabled remain disabled whilst they continue to receive the inhibiting signal. Each transponder comprises receiving means, a code generator, and transmitter means connected to the code generator. On receipt of the transmitted interrogation signal the transponder transmits a response signal containing data which identifies it.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael John Camille Marsh
- 👤 Andrzej Lenarcik
- 👤 Clinton Aiden Van Zyl
- 👤 Andries Christoffel Van Schalkwyk
- 👤 Marthinus Jacobus Rudolph Oosthuizen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F17/00; H; H01; H01Q; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/12; H01Q1/22; H01Q1/2208; H01Q1/2216; A; A47; A47F; A47F9/00; A47F9/02; A47F9/04; A47F9/046; A47F9/047; A47F9/048; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/08; G01S13/10; G01S13/24; G01S13/74; G01S13/75; G01S13/751; G01S13/758; G06K; G06K17/00; G06K17/0022; G06K7/00; G06K7/0008; G06K7/10; G06K7/10009; G06K7/10019; G06K7/10029; G06K7/10059; G06K7/10316; G06K7/10336; G06K7/10346; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/28; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/0036; G07G1/0045; G07G1/0054; G07G3/00; G07G3/003; G07G3/006; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/22; G08B13/24; G08B13/2402; G08B13/2405; G08B13/2422; G08B13/2451; G08B13/246; G08B13/2465; G08B13/2468; G08B13/2471; G08B13/2474; G08B13/2485; G08B13/2488; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/06; H01Q21/061; H01Q21/065; G01S13/87
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
An identification system comprising an interrogator and a plurality of transponders, the interrogator including transmitter means for transmitting an interrogation signal to the transponders, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; each transponder comprising receiving means for receiving the transmitted interrogation signal, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, the transponder being adapted to transmit a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder on receipt of the interrogation signal, and to be disabled by a turn-off instruction in the interrogation signal on successful identification of the transponder, characterized in that the interrogator transmits the interrogation signal and an inhibiting signal, and that a disabled transponder remains disabled while it continues receiving the inhibiting signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
An identification system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogation signal is a relatively directional signal, and the inhibiting signal is a relatively widely dispersed signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An identification system according to claim 2 wherein the inhibiting signal has a beam width which is at least 5 times greater than that of the interrogating signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the interrogation signal is a relatively high power signal and the inhibiting signal is a relatively low power signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
An identification system according to any one of the claims 1 to 4 wherein the turn-off instruction to the transponder is transmitted in both the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
An identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal have respective different frequencies which are selected to fall within the reception bandwidth of the receiving means of the transponders.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
An identification system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal are relatively narrow bandwidth signals, the receiving means of each transponder having a relatively broad reception bandwidth within which the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal fall.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
An identification system according to claim 7 wherein the interrogation signal is modulated with data, the data modulation bandwidth of the interrogation signal being less than the spacing between the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
An identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the transmitting means of the transponder comprises an antenna and means for modulating the reflectivity of the antenna, so that the response signal of the transponder comprises the interrogation signal carrier modulated with the data which identifies the transponder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
An identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal have respective different frequencies which are selected so that there are no overlapping nulls in the electric fields of the interrogation signals within a predetermined distance of the transmitter means of the interrogator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
An identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 10 including processor means for recording data received from each identified transponder and for relating the received data to stored data corresponding to the received data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
An identification system according to claim 11 wherein the processor means is adapted to store price or identification data of articles to which different transponders are attached, and to relate the identification codes of identified transponders thereto.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
An identification system according to claim 10 including display means for generating a display in which descriptions of the articles to which respective transponders are attached are associated with price data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
An identification system according to claim 13 including printer means for generating a printout of the display.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
An identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the interrogator is adapted to detect transponder response signals transmitted on the frequency of the inhibiting beam and to disregard them.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
An interrogator for identifying a plurality of transponders comprising the interrogator including transmitter means for transmitting an interrogation signal to the transponders, receiver means for receiving response signals from the transponders, and processor means for identifying the transponders from data in the response signals; characterized in that the interrogator transmits the interrogation signal and an inhibiting signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
An interrogator according to claim 16 wherein the interrogation signal is a relatively directional signal, and the inhibiting signal is a relatively widely dispersed signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
An interrogator according to claim 17 wherein the inhibiting signal has a beam width which is at least 5 times greater than that of the interrogating signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
An interrogator according to any one of claims 16 to 18 wherein the interrogation signal is a relatively high power signal and the inhibiting signal is a relatively low power signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
An interrogator according to any one of the claims 16 to 19 wherein a turn-off instruction is transmitted in both the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
An interrogator according to any one of claims 16 to 20 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal have respective different frequencies.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
An interrogator according to claim 16 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal are relatively narrow bandwidth signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
An interrogator according to claim 22 wherein the interrogation signal is modulated with data, the data modulation bandwidth of the interrogation signal being less than the spacing between the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
An interrogator according to any one of claims 16 to 23 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal have respective different frequencies which are selected so that there are no overlapping nulls in the electric fields of the interrogation signals within a predetermined distance of the transmitter means of the interrogator.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
An interrogator according to any one of claims 16 to 24 wherein the interrogator is adapted to detect transponder response signals transmitted on the frequency of the inhibiting beam and to disregard them.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
An interrogator according to any one of claims 16 to 24 wherein the interrogator is hand-held.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of identifying a plurality of transponders comprising the steps of transmitting an interrogation signal to the transponders, each transponder receiving the interrogation and transmitting a signal, containing data, in response, receiving the response signals from the transponders, identifying transponders from data in the response signals, detecting successful identification of any transponder, disabling any transponder; and characterized in that the interrogation signal and an inhibiting signal are transmitted, and that a disabled transponder remains disabled while it continues receiving the inhibiting signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 27 wherein the interrogation signal is relatively directional, and the inhibiting signal is relatively widely dispersed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the width of the inhibiting signal is at least 5 times greater than the width of the interrogating signal.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to any one of claims 27 to 29 wherein the interrogation signal is relatively high power and the inhibiting signal is relatively low power.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to any one of the claims 27 to 30 wherein a turn-off instruction is transmitted in both the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
35 words
A method according to any one of claims 27 to 30 wherein the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal are selected to fall within the reception bandwidth of the transponders.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal have relatively narrow bandwidth and the transponders have a relatively broad reception bandwidth within which the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal fall.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 33 wherein the interrogation signal is modulated with data, the data modulation bandwidth of the interrogation signal being less than the spacing between the respective different frequencies of the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
30 words
A method according to any one of claims 27 to 34 wherein the response signal of a transponder comprises the interrogation signal carrier modulated with data which identifies said transponder.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
52 words
A method according to any one of claims 27 to 35 wherein the interrogation signal and the inhibiting signal have respective different frequencies which are selected so that there are no overlapping nulls in the electric fields of the interrogation signals within a predetermined distance of the transmitter means of the interrogator.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to any one of claims 27 to 36 including recording data received from each identified transponder and relating the received data to stored data corresponding to the received data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 37 wherein the price or identification data of articles to which different transponders are attached are stored, and the identification codes of identified transponders are related thereto.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 38 including displaying descriptions of the articles to which respective transponders are attached and associating said articles with price data.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 39 including printing a printout of the display.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
25 words
A method according to any one of claims 27 to 40 wherein transponder response signals transmitted on the frequency of the inhibiting beam are disregarded.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
81 words
A transponder comprising receiving means for receiving an interrogation signal, a code generator, and transmitting means connected to the code generator, the transponder being adapted to transmit a response signal containing data which identifies the transponder on receipt of the interrogation signal, and to be disabled by a turn-off instruction in the interrogation signal, characterized in that the transponder receives the interrogation signal and an inhibiting signal, and that a disabled transponder remains disabled while it continues receiving the inhibiting signal.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
46 words
A transponder according to claim 42 wherein the transmitting means of the transponder comprises an antenna and means for modulating the reflectivity of the antenna, so that the response signal of the transponder comprises the interrogation signal carrier modulated with the data which identifies the transponder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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