Patent ID: 7116212
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. An interrogator for a radio identification system having a plurality of tags, the plurality of tags including a first subset of tags operating only within a first frequency band, the plurality of tags including a second subset of tags operating only within a second frequency band, the first subset of tags excluding each tag from the second subset of tags, said interrogator comprising: (a) a first radio frequency module having a transmitter configured to transmit an output signal at a first frequency to the first subset of tags, the first radio frequency module including a receiver configured to receive return signals transmitted by the first subset of tags operating at the first frequency, the first frequency being within the first frequency band, the transmitter and the receiver of the first radio frequency module being operable over the first frequency band, the first frequency band including a plurality of frequencies each being outside the second frequency band; (b) a second radio frequency module having a transmitter configured to transmit an output signal at a second frequency to the second subset of tags, the second radio frequency module having a receiver configured to receive return signals transmitted by the second subset of tags operating at the second frequency, the transmitter and the receiver of the second radio frequency module being operable over the second frequency band, the second frequency band including a plurality of frequencies each being outside the first frequency band; (c) a controller module coupled to said first and second radio frequency modules, said controller module including a controller configured to control the transmitter associated with the first frequency and the transmitter associated with the second frequency, the controller module including a decoder configured to decode return signals received from said tags.