Patent ID: 8542102

Claim:
A method of processing an electronic tag within an RFID network having a plurality of RFID read/write stations, in which a reader service signal is modulated on a read/write signal, the method comprising: determining at least one read/write station of the plurality of RFID read/write stations as a master read/write station, at least based on active connections, determining at least one read/write station of the plurality of the RFID read/write stations as an assistant of the master read/write station or a child of the master read/write station; wherein the master RFID read/write station has access to structure data associated with a topology of the network of RFID read/write stations and coordination data associated with a coordination plan, and, wherein each of the plurality of RFID read/write stations is configured to directly receive data from RFID tags; and sending the structure data and the coordination data to synchronize network operation of two or more of the RFID read/write stations, wherein the synchronization is based on using a number of time slots and a number of frequency channels associated with a service frequency channel or a service time slot, wherein the sending is performed periodically or on demand; wherein a sequence on the reader service signal is configured to change the service frequency channel (Reader Service Channel, RSK) of a child read/write station, in response to a the parent read/write station sending the sequence for delivery to the child read/write station; wherein the master or assistant is configured to transmit a response message in order to adapt the structure data or the coordination data, when a message is received from the child; and wherein the parent ensures that another child does not use a frequency channel/time slot pair within the RST/RSK that is requested by the child.