Abstract:
A system and related device for converting encoded data from one format into one or more formats, including barcode and radio frequency identification tag formats, the system including a programmer configured to read a barcode and using the barcode data encoded thereon automatically write the data to a radio frequency (RF) tag and to read the contents of a RF tag and automatically generate a barcode with the information contained in the tag or information related thereto, preferably without decoding the encoded data.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0001]     This invention was made with U.S. Government support under Contract DE-AC06-76RL01830 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. Government has certain rights in the invention. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention pertains to the reading and storing of data on machine-readable labels and, more particularly, to adevice and method for reading, converting, and programming data in multiple media, including radio frequency identification tags and barcode labels.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Various methods and systems exist for encoding data in machine-readable form, including devices that produce barcodes and related optical devices for reading barcodes, as well as radio devices such as transponders and radio frequency identification devices (RFID) or tags. These devices store information regarding an associated object that is tagged or labeled to permit machines to read the data associated with the object.  
         [0006]     Barcodes generally consist of strips of dark and light indicia containing data that is optically read, and as such they provide a link between production, manufacturing, sales, and distribution of materials and the information associated with these materials. Printed data can be easily and automatically read by means of reading devices or scanners.  
         [0007]     A barcode symbol consists of a barcode formed of colored bars and spaces. Barcode symbology can take many forms, such as normal code  39  shown in  FIG. 1 , which is a variable length symbology that can encode up to forty-four characters; extended 3 of 9 code that is a general purpose code capable of storing any ASCII character, code  93 , which was designed to complement code  39  but has the advantage of being smaller; interleaved 2 of 5 used in the distribution industry for carton labeling where every interleaved 2 of 5 characters actually encodes two digits, one in the bars and one in the white spaces; code  128  that can handle any ASCII character and has eleven modules that may be either black or white with each character using three bars and three spaces; Codabar that is a general purpose barcode used primarily for numeric data and character symbols; the Zip+4 barcode used by the post office for sorting letters that is made up of tall and short bars with even spacing between the bars; UPC-A and UPC-E code that uses numeric symbology in retail applications for medium to small packages; and PDF417 that is a high density two-dimensional barcode symbology capable of encoding the entire ASCII set, the PDF standing for “portable data file” because it can encode as many as 2,725 data characters.  
         [0008]     Barcode hardware typically consists of devices for producing and printing barcodes on labels, packages, and objects, and devices for reading and decoding the information encoded in the barcode, referred to as readers. Readers commonly take the form of wands that are a contact device dragged across the barcode in order to read and decode it. These are the least expensive of the barcode readers, and typically have a look and feel of a pen or pencil. Another reader is a charged coupled device (CCD) that utilizes solid-state technology to provide contact and non-contact scanning capabilities. While this device has an increased range and larger barcode reading capability than wands, the limitation is that the CCD technology can only scan as wide as the scan head. Laser technology provides high speed and longer focal length reading capabilities, but at the expense of utilizing moving parts, such as a mirror system. Focal ranges vary from three inches to thirty inches in most laser-configured readers.  
         [0009]     While barcodes are a relatively recent technology and remain in continuous evolution and increasing use, such as on moving objects, delivery notes, warehouse schedules, labels, it is essential that the barcode be legible and that visual access to the barcode be available to enable reading. Barcodes cannot be read through adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, rain, and other impediments to optical access.  
         [0010]     A more recent technology is remote communication utilizing wireless equipment that typically relies on radio frequency (RF) technology, which is employed in many industries. One application of RF technology is in locating, identifying, and tracking objects, such as animals, inventory, and vehicles.  
         [0011]     RF identification (RFID) tag systems have been developed that facilitate monitoring of remote objects. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a basic RFID system  10  includes two components: an interrogator or reader  12 , and a transponder (commonly called an RF tag)  14 . The interrogator  12  and RF tag  14  include respective antennas  16 ,  18 . In operation, the interrogator  12  transmits through its antenna  16  a radio frequency interrogation signal  20  to the antenna  18  of the RF tag  14 . In response to receiving the interrogation signal  20 , the RF tag  14  produces an amplitude-modulated response signal  22  that is modulated back to the interrogator  12  through the tag antenna  18  by a process known as backscatter.  
         [0012]     The conventional RF tag  14  includes an amplitude modulator  24  with a switch  26 , such as a MOS transistor, connected between the tag antenna  18  and ground. When the RF tag  14  is activated by the interrogation signal  20 , a driver (not shown) creates a modulating on/off signal  27  based on an information code, typically an identification code, stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) of the RF tag  14 . The modulating signal  27  is applied to a control terminal of the switch  26 , which causes the switch  26  to alternately open and close. When the switch  26  is open, the tag antenna  18  reflects a portion of the interrogation signal  20  back to the interrogator  12  as a portion  28  of the response signal  22 . When the switch  26  is closed, the interrogation signal  20  travels through the switch  26  to ground, without being reflected, thereby creating a null portion  29  of the response signal  22 . In other words, the interrogation signal  20  is amplitude-modulated to produce the response signal  22  by alternately reflecting and absorbing the interrogation signal  20  according to the modulating signal  27 , which is characteristic of the stored information code. The RF tag  14  could also be modified so that the interrogation signal is reflected when the switch  26  is closed and absorbed when the switch  26  is open. Upon receiving the response signal  22 , the interrogator  12  demodulates the response signal  22  to decode the information code represented by the response signal. The conventional RFID systems thus operate with an oscillator or clock in which the RF tag  14  modulates a RF carrier frequency to provide an indication to the interrogator  12  that the RF tag  14  is present.  
         [0013]     The substantial advantage of RFID systems is the non-contact, non-line-of-sight capability of the technology. The interrogator  12  emits the interrogation signal  20  with a range from one inch to one hundred feet or more, depending upon its power output and the radio frequency used. Tags can be read through a variety of substances such as odor, fog, ice, paint, dirt, and other visually and environmentally challenging conditions where bar codes or other optically-read technologies would be useless. RF tags can also be read at remarkable speeds, in most cases responding in less than one hundred milliseconds.  
         [0014]     A typical RF tag system  10  often contains a number of RF tags  14  and the interrogator  12 . RF tags are divided into three main categories. These categories are beam-powered passive tags, battery-powered semi-passive tags, and active tags. Each operates in fundamentally different ways.  
         [0015]     The beam-powered RF tag is often referred to as a passive device because it derives the energy needed for its operation from the interrogation signal beamed at it. The tag rectifies the field and changes the reflective characteristics of the tag itself, creating a change in reflectivity that is seen at the interrogator. A battery-powered semi-passive RF tag operates in a similar fashion, modulating its RF cross-section in order to reflect a delta to the interrogator to develop a communication link. Here, the battery is the source of the tag&#39;s operational power. Finally, in the active RF tag, a transmitter is used to create its own radio frequency energy powered by the battery.  
         [0016]     The range of communication for such tags varies according to the transmission power of the interrogator  12  and the RF tag  14 . Battery-powered tags operating at 2,450 MHz have traditionally been limited to less than ten meters in range. However, devices with sufficient power can reach up to 200 meters in range, depending on the frequency and environmental characteristics.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     The disclosed embodiments of the invention are directed to a device and method that, in one embodiment, reads data from one medium and outputs encoded data in one or more other media. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the device reads data encoded in one form and converts the data to an at least one other form without decoding the data. For example, a reader is configured to scan a barcode and convert the barcode into a radio frequency signal encoded with the barcode data and to transmit the signal to an RFID tag that then stores the encoded data for later reading. The tag can be associated with the same object with which the barcode is associated.  
         [0018]     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a device for reading RFID tags and producing a barcode encoded with data read from the tag is provided. Ideally the device is portable, handheld, and self-contained, i.e., it does not require access to another computer, communication network, or other device except the device from which the encoded data is read and the device to which the converted data is written.  
         [0019]     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an RFID programmer is provided that is configured to read a barcode and to automatically program via radio frequency an associated RFID tag with the same information or with information related to the scanned barcode or to both.  
         [0020]     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a programmer is provided that can read RFID data and automatically produce a barcode related to the information contained within the RFID tag from which the RFID data is read. In accordance with another aspect of this embodiment of the invention, a barcode programmer is configured to read the contents of an RFID tag and automatically produce a barcode with either the same information or information related to that contained within the RFID tag.  
         [0021]     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a device for converting encoded data in multiple media is provided. The device is configured to read a barcode and to program an associated RFID tag with information that is the same or related to that encoded in the barcode or both. It is further configured to read the contents of an RFID tag and produce a barcode with either the same information or information related to that contained within the RFID tag or both.  
         [0022]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for converting encoded data from one media to another media is provided. The method includes reading the encode data from a first media, converting the encoded data into a second encoded form, and writing the data encoded in the second form to a second media. Ideally, the data is not decoded when it is converted.  
         [0023]     As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing, the disclosed embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to convert encoded data from one media to another in a convenient, rapid, and inexpensive fashion. A user can exploit the advantages of each media by maximizing their use, the environments where they perform the best, and providing quick and efficient conversion of encoded data, ideally without requiring decoding of this data. This enhances security by not providing access to the underlying information as it moves from one media to another.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a known barcode system;  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a known radio frequency identification system;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of a first embodiment of the present invention in the form of a system for reading and writing encoded data in multiple media;  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the invention used in conjunction with barcoded data and radio frequency identification tags;  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the invention for use with barcoded data and radio frequency identification tags; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart representative of one method for converting encoded data in multiple media in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     Referring initially to  FIG. 3 , shown therein is a system  50  for converting encoded data in multiple media. The system  50  shown in this embodiment of the invention includes a programmer  52  configured to interrogate an RFID tag  54  with radio frequency signals  56 , preferably in the range of 800 MHz to 2,500 MHz, and to receive modulated backscatter signals  58  from the tag  54 . The tag  54  is configured to store information or data regarding an object  64  associated with the tag, such as the identity of the object, the origination of the object, the date the object was created, the destination of the object, operational information regarding the object, cost and sales information, manufacturer information, and the like. In one embodiment this information is stored in binary format in the tag  54  and retrieved upon receipt of the interrogation signal from the programmer  52  for modulation of the interrogation signal  56 .  
         [0032]     The programmer  52  is structured to process the returned modulated signal  58  and convert it to another format or medium, preferably a barcode  60  printed on a label  62 . More particularly, the programmer  52  recovers the binary code from the returned signal and generates a barcode signal therefrom. The bar code signal is further processed to create a barcode in a particular format, such as the normal code  39 . Ideally, this conversion takes place without the binary code being decoded into the raw data by the programmer  52 . As such, the circuitry is greatly simplified and the process takes place at a high speed as compared to a system that decodes the data and then encodes it into another format.  
         [0033]     The returned modulated signal  58  can be decoded for use by other systems if desired. However, this decoding would preferably take place outside the conversion process. The barcode signal is processed to cause a label with the barcode thereon to be generated for application to the object or packaging associated with the object.  
         [0034]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the system  66  includes an interrogator  68  with an antenna  70  configured to send RF signals  72  to a tag  74  and to receive return signals  76  therefrom. In addition, the interrogator  68  includes a barcode head  78  configured to read a barcode  80  on a label  82  applied to an item  84 . In this embodiment, the barcode head  78  reads the barcode  80 , such as with an optical signal  86 , and retrieves data stored in the barcode  80 . In this example, the data can be in hexadecimal format. The interrogator  68  is configured to process the data in hexadecimal format and convert the same to RF signals for transmission to the tag  74 , where the signals are received and processed for writing to a memory (not shown) in hexadecimal format. Alternatively, the data read from the barcode  80  can be converted from hexadecimal into binary or other format before being written to the tag  74 . Once the data is stored in the tag  74 , the tag  74  can be applied to the item  84  or to a container or package (not shown) in which the item is packed for storage or shipping.  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  represents another embodiment of the invention wherein a multimedia system  90  is shown that is configured similar to the system  66  of  FIG. 4  in that a programmer station  92  is provided for converting RFID data to barcode format. The station  92  has an RF interrogator  94  as a component thereof for RF communication with a tag  96  that in this aspect of the invention is attached to a shipping container  98 . The station  92  also includes a microprocessor  100  for converting data read from the tag to barcode format and a printer  102  for generating a label  104  with the barcode  106  thereon.  
         [0036]     In use, the shipping container  98  arrives in warehouse or other receiving facility with the tag  96  associated with it, such as attached to the container  98  or packaged inside the container  98 . As items  108  in the container  98  are unpacked and removed, the interrogator  94  communicates with the tag to recover data regarding the items  108  stored therein. The microprocessor  100  converts the data to barcode format and a label  104  is printed for application to each item  108 . The barcode  106  may be unique to each item  108  or common as to all items  108  as required.  
         [0037]     It is to be understood that the process described above can be reversed. That is, as items  108  are prepared for packaging, a scan head  110  on the station  92  can scan the barcode  106 , and the data recovered from the barcode is converted to a format for RF transmission and writing to the tag  96 . In this manner, the contents of the container  98  can be inventoried at the time of packing and the data is stored on the tag  96  to accompany the container. The data may also be transmitted from the station  92  to other stations or facilities for further processing.  
         [0038]     Hence, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the method in accordance with another embodiment of the invention generally involves a first step  112  of reading encoded data, such as a barcode or interrogating an RFID tag and storing  114  the same in a first format, such as a binary format. It is to be understood that other formats may be used if desired, although the binary format is typically used in most low-cost RFID tags. The step of storing the data  114  may be skipped, and the data immediately converted to another format. In either case, the data is preferably not decoded to a usable format, such as into text or Arabic numbers. In this embodiment, a decision box  116  indicates an evaluation of the source of the encoded data, such as in this case whether it came from a barcode format. If so, then the process moves to a step of transmitting  118  the data via RF signals to a tag for a step of writing  120  to a memory in the tag. In the alternative, if the original format was not a barcode, then the process moves to the step of generating a barcode  122  on a label with the data encoded thereon.  
         [0039]     All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.  
         [0040]     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.