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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for locating a particular object among one or more objects,
comprising:
a host transceiver;
a local exciter positioned in proximity to the one or more objects, wherein
the local exciter receives a first signal transmitted by the host
transceiver;
a tag affixed to each of the one or more objects, wherein the tag affixed
to the particular object is excited by a second signal transmitted by the
local exciter, wherein the excited tag selectively modulates the second
signal from the local exciter, and the host transceiver directly receives
the signal modulated by the excited tag; and
a computer coupled to the host transceiver, wherein the computer receives
and sends data from and to the host transceiver.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is coupled to the host
transceiver through wire, radio frequency link, or optical link.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second signal is of a second
frequency, and the first signal is of a first frequency lower than the
second frequency.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each tag has a unique identification
code.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host transceiver receives the
modulated second signal at a distance of up to 50 feet.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local exciter is coupled to one or
more antennas.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local exciter comprises a
microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller switches the local exciter
between a low power stand-by mode and a normal reception mode.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller includes a
non-volatile memory, and wherein the microcontroller periodically wakes up
from the low power stand-by mode.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host transceiver autocorrelates
the modulated signal from the excited and selected tag, wherein the
signal-to-noise ratio of the modulated signal from the tag is improved.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optical reader for
reading optical information from the one or more objects, wherein data
corresponding to an identification code on the tag affixed to the
particular object is stored in a database accessed by the computer, and
wherein data corresponding to optical information read from the particular
object is stored in the database.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host transceiver monitors the
frequency of the second signal transmitted by the local exciter and
adjusts a receiver frequency in the host transceiver to the frequency
transmitted by the local exciter.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag includes a writeable memory.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects comprise documents.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus locates a particular
document in an office or other document storage areas.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects comprise files, wherein
the apparatus locates a particular file in an office or other document
storage areas.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is programmed so as to
control the apparatus to perform a search cycle, wherein the particular
object is located, wherein data representing the location of the
particular object is stored by the computer.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects comprise files or
documents.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the objects are stored in a
container.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the container includes an aperture
through which the second signal may pass.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the container comprises a filing
cabinet.
21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein tags are affixed in a peripheral
portion of the files or documents.
22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein tags are affixed on a tab protruding
from the files or documents.
23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein tags are affixed to a region of the
file or document that is within a distance of one half of a wavelength of
the second signal from an edge of the file or document, wherein the second
signal is of a second frequency.
24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host transceiver incorporates a
diversity antenna to maximize the reception of the signal generated by the
excited tag.
25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is adjusted over a range to achieve frequency diversity and to
improve the reception of the signal generated by the excited tag.
26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is monotonically related to a power supply voltage to enable
monitoring of the condition of a battery supply power to the local
exciter.
27. An apparatus for locating a particular object among one or more
objects, comprising: a host transceiver;
a movable exciter, wherein the movable exciter receives a first signal from
the a host transceiver;
a tag affixed to each of the one or more objects, wherein the tag affixed
to the particular object is excited by a second signal transmitted by the
movable exciter, wherein the excited tag selectively modulates the second
signal from the movable exciter, and the host transceiver directly
receives the signal modulated by the excited tag; and
a computer coupled to the host transceiver, wherein the computer receives
and sends data from and to the host transceiver.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the computer is coupled to the host
transceiver through wire, radio frequency link, or optical link.
29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second signal is of a second
frequency, and the first signal is of a first frequency lower than the
second frequency.
30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein each tag has a unique identification
code.
31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the microcontroller includes a
non-volatile memory, and wherein the microcontroller periodically wakes up
from the low power stand-by mode.
32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the host transceiver receives the
modulated second signal at a distance of up to 50 feet.
33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the movable exciter comprises a
microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller switches the movable exciter
between a low power stand-by mode and a normal reception mode.
34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the host transceiver autocorrelates
the modulated signal from the excited tag, wherein the signal-to-noise
ratio of the modulated signal from the tag is improved.
35. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising an optical reader for
reading optical information from the one or more objects, wherein data
corresponding to an identification code on the tag affixed to the
particular object is stored in a database accessed by the computer, and
wherein data corresponding to optical information read from the particular
object is stored in the database.
36. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the host transceiver monitors the
frequency of the second signal transmitted by the movable exciter and
adjusts a receiver frequency in the host transceiver to the frequency
transmitted by the movable exciter.
37. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the tag includes a writeable memory.
38. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the objects comprise documents.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the apparatus locates a particular
document in an office or other document storage area.
40. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the objects comprise files, wherein
the apparatus locates a particular file in an office.
41. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the computer is programmed so as to
control the apparatus to perform a search cycle, wherein the particular
object is located, wherein data representing the location of the
particular object is stored by the computer.
42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the search cycle is initiated at the
computer.
43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the search cycle is initiated at the
movable exciter.
44. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the objects comprise files or
documents.
45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the objects are stored in a
container.
46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the container includes a n aperture
through which the second signal may pass.
47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the container comprises a filing
cabinet.
48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein tags are affixed in a peripheral
portion of the files or documents.
49. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein tags are affixed on a tab protruding
from the files or documents.
50. The apparatus of claim 44, where in tags are affixed to a region of the
file or document that is within a distance of one half of a wavelength of
the second signal from an edge of the file or document, wherein the second
signal is of a second frequency.
51. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the host transceiver incorporates a
diversity antenna to maximize the reception of the signal generated by the
excited tag.
52. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is adjusted over a range to achieve frequency diversity and to
improve the reception of the signal generated by the excited tag.
53. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is monotonically related to a power supply voltage to enable
monitoring of the condition of a battery supply power to the local
exciter.
54. An apparatus for reading the identification code on an RFID tag
attached to a particular object among one or more objects, comprising:
a host transceiver;
an exciter, wherein the exciter receives a first signal from the host
transceiver;
a tag affixed to each of the one or more objects, wherein the tag affixed
to the particular object is excited by a second signal transmitted by the
exciter, wherein the excited tag selectively modulates the second signal
from the exciter, and the host transceiver receives the signal modulated
by the excited tag, wherein the identification code is determined from the
received modulated signal;
a computer coupled to the host transceiver, wherein the computer receives
and sends data from and to the host transceiver.
55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the computer is coupled to the host
transceiver through wire, radio frequency link, or optical link.
56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the second signal is of a second
frequency, and the first signal is of a first frequency lower than the
second frequency.
57. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein each tag has a unique identification
code.
58. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising an optical reader for
reading optical information from the one or more objects, wherein data
corresponding to an identification code on the tag affixed to the
particular object is stored in a database accessed by a computer coupled
to the host transceiver, and wherein data corresponding to optical
information read from the particular object is stored in the database.
59. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the host transceiver monitors the
frequency of the second signal transmitted by the exciter and adjusts a
receiver frequency in the host transceiver to the frequency transmitted by
the exciter.
60. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the tag includes a writeable memory.
61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the identification code is
programmed into the writeable memory by the exciter.
62. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the apparatus locates a particular
document in an office.
63. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the objects comprise files or
documents.
64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the objects are stored in a
container.
65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the container includes an aperture
through which the second signal may pass.
66. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein tags are affixed in a peripheral
portion of the files or documents.
67. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein tags are affixed on a tab protruding
from the files or documents.
68. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein tags are affixed to a region of the
file or document that is within a distance of one half of a wavelength of
the second signal from an edge of the file or document, wherein the second
signal is of a second frequency.
69. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the host transceiver incorporates a
diversity antenna to maximize the reception of the signal generated by the
excited tag.
70. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is adjusted over a range to achieve frequency diversity and to
improve the reception of the signal generated by the excited tag.
71. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is monotonically related to a power supply voltage to enable
monitoring of the condition of a battery supply power to the local
exciter.
72. An automatic system for locating a particular object among a plurality
of objects, each of the objects having a tag affixed thereto, comprising:
one or more host transceivers, wherein each host transceiver comprises a
transmitter and a receiver;
one or more local exciters, wherein each local exciter comprises a receiver
and a transmitter, and wherein the one or more local exciters receives a
first signal from one of the one or more host transceivers, and, in
response to the first signal, the one or more local exciters selectively
transmit a second signal to tags affixed to one or more of the objects,
wherein the tag affixed to the particular object is excited by the second
signal, wherein the excited tag selectively modulates the second signal
and one or more of the host transceivers directly receives the signal
modulated by the excited tag; and
a computer coupled to the host transceiver, wherein the computer receives
and sends data from and to the one or more host transceivers.
73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the computer is coupled to the host
transceiver through wire, radio frequency link, or optical link.
74. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the second signal is of a second
frequency, and the first signal is of a first frequency lower than the
second frequency.
75. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein each tag has a unique identification
code.
76. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the one or more host transceivers
receive the modulated second signal at a distance of up to 50 feet.
77. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the one or more local exciters are
coupled to one or more antennas.
78. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the one or more local exciters
comprise a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller switches the one
or more local exciters between a low power stand-by mode and a normal
reception mode.
79. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein the microcontroller includes a
non-volatile memory, and wherein the microcontroller periodically wakes up
from the low power stand-by mode.
80. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the one or more host transceivers
autocorrelates the modulated signal from the excited tag, wherein the
signal-to-noise ratio of the modulated signal from the tag is improved.
81. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising an optical reader for
reading optical information from the one or more objects, wherein data
corresponding to an identification code on the tag affixed to the
particular object is stored in a database accessed by the computer, and
wherein data corresponding to optical information read from the particular
object is stored in the database.
82. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the one or more host transceivers
monitor the frequency of the second signal transmitted by the one or more
local exciters and adjusts a receiver frequency in the one or more host
transceivers to the frequency transmitted by the one or more local
exciters.
83. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the tag includes a writeable memory.
84. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the objects comprise documents.
85. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein the apparatus locates a particular
document in an office or other document storage area.
86. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the objects comprise files, wherein
the apparatus locates a particular file in an office or other document
storage area.
87. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the computer is programmed so as to
control the apparatus to perform a search cycle, wherein the particular
object is located, wherein data representing the location of the
particular object is stored by the computer.
88. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the objects comprise files or
documents.
89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the objects are stored in a
container.
90. The apparatus of claim 89, wherein the container includes an aperture
through which the second signal may pass.
91. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the container comprises a filing
cabinet.
92. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein tags are affixed in a peripheral
portion of the files or documents.
93. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein tags are affixed on a tab protruding
from the files or documents.
94. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein tags are affixed to a region of the
file or document that is within a distance of one half of a wavelength of
the second signal from an edge of the file or document, wherein the second
signal is of a second frequency.
95. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein a host transceiver sequentially
addresses the one or more local exciters, wherein the host transceiver
stops sequentially addressing the one or more local exciters if the
particular object is located.
96. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the host transceiver incorporates a
diversity antenna to maximize the reception of the signal generated by the
excited tag.
97. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is adjusted over a range to achieve frequency diversity and to
improve the reception of the signal generated by the excited tag.
98. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein a frequency transmitted by the local
exciter is monotonically related to a power supply voltage to enable
monitoring of the condition of a battery supply power to the local
exciter.
99. An apparatus for locating a particular object among a plurality of
objects, comprising:
a host transceiver, wherein the host transceiver transmits a first signal;
a local exciter, wherein the local exciter receives the first signal from
the host transceiver, and, in response, the local exciter transmits a
second signal;
a plurality of tags, wherein a tag is attached to each of the plurality of
objects, wherein the tag attached to the particular object is selectively
excited by the second signal, and wherein the excited tag selectively
modulates the second signal, wherein the selectively modulated second
signal is received by the host transceiver and the location of the
particular object is determined; and
a computer coupled to the host transceiver, wherein the computer receives
and sends data from and to the one or more host transceivers.
100. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the host transceiver incorporates a
diversity antenna to maximize the reception of the signal generated by the
excited tag.
101. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein a frequency transmitted by the
local exciter is adjusted over a range to achieve frequency diversity and
to improve the reception of the signal generated by the excited tag.
102. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein a frequency transmitted by the
local exciter is monotonically related to a power supply voltage to enable
monitoring of the condition of a battery supply power to the local
exciter.
103. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the host transceiver autocorrelates
the modulated signal from the excited tag, wherein the signal to noise
ratio of the modulated signal from the tag is improved.
104. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the computer receives and transmits
data from and to the host transceiver through wire, radio frequency link,
or optical link.
105. The apparatus of claim 99, further comprising an exciter coupled to
the host transceiver, wherein the exciter excites one or more of the tags,
and wherein the apparatus reads identification data from one or more of
the tags.
106. The apparatus of claim 99, further comprising an exciter coupled to
the host transceiver, wherein the exciter programs data into one or more
of the tags.
107. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the objects comprise documents.
108. The apparatus of claim 107, wherein the apparatus locates a particular
document in an office or other document storage area.
109. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the objects comprise files, wherein
the apparatus locates a particular file in an office or other document
storage area.
110. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the computer is programmed so as to
control the apparatus to perform a search cycle, wherein the particular
object is located, wherein data representing the location of the
particular object is stored by the computer.
111. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the objects comprise files or
documents.
112. The apparatus of claim 111, wherein the objects are stored in a
container.
113. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein the container includes an aperture
through which the second signal may pass.
114. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein the container comprises a filing
cabinet.
115. The apparatus of claim 111, wherein tags are affixed in a peripheral
portion of the files or documents.
116. The apparatus of claim 111, wherein tags are affixed on a tab
protruding from the files or documents.
117. The apparatus of claim 111, wherein tags are affixed to a region of
the file or document that is within a distance of one half of a wavelength
of the second signal from an edge of the file or document, wherein the
second signal is of a second frequency.
118. An apparatus for locating a particular object comprising:
one or more host transceivers, wherein each host transceiver comprises a
transmitter and a receiver;
one or more movable exciters, wherein each exciter comprises a receiver and
a transmitter, and wherein each exciter receives a first signal from the
one or more host transmitters, and after receiving the first signal, the
exciter transmits a second signal to a plurality of tags, wherein each tag
is attached to an object, and wherein after the plurality of tags receive
the second signal, the one or more host receivers receive a modulated
second signal from the particular one of the plurality of tags, wherein
the location of the particular object is determined; and
a computer coupled to the host transceiver, wherein the computer receives
and sends data from and to the one or more host transceivers.
119. The apparatus of claim 118, wherein the host transceiver incorporates
a diversity antenna to maximize the reception of the signal generated by
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