Patent ID: 8351968

Claim:
A wireless communication system comprising: at least one remote communication device configured to communicate a return link wireless signal responsive to a forward link wireless signal; and an interrogator including; a communication station configured to output the forward link wireless signal, to receive the return link wireless signal outputted from the remote communication device and to generate a return link communication signal corresponding to the return link wireless signal; communication circuitry coupled with the communication station and configured to communicate the return link communication signal, said communication circuitry comprising a plurality of wireless transceivers that collectively comprise a plurality of communication paths and a plurality of associated communication ranges; and a housing remotely located with respect to the communication station and including circuitry configured to receive the return link communication signal from the communication circuitry and to process the return link communication signal; wherein the communication circuitry is controlled by a controller that can switch between communications paths after all return link communications have been received within a respective communications path.