Patent ID: 7589618
Filing Date: 2009-09-15
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader system for communicating with RFID tags using a plurality of communication channels, comprising: an antenna; and an operational processing block coupled to the antenna and operable to: cause a first wireless signal to be transmitted via the antenna to the RFID tags, the first wireless signal having a frequency carrier in a first one of the channels; determine whether or not objectionable interference has been detected based on one of a reply from at least one RFID tag and RF energy received in at least one of the channels available for communicating with the RFID tags; choose a second one of the channels other than the first channel, the second channel being chosen in an unbiased manner if it is determined that no objectionable interference has been detected, the unbiased manner including not favoring any channel over another so as to avoid any interference, the second channel being alternately chosen in a biased manner different from the unbiased manner if it is determined that objectionable interference has been detected, the biased manner including disfavoring at least one channel over another in view of the detected interference; and cause a second signal to be transmitted to the RFID tags, the second signal having a frequency carrier in the second channel.