Patent ID: 8237549

Claim:
A combination of a separate radio frequency identification (RFID) device and a separate RFID blocking device, each being adapted to be positioned separately into a container so that the separate RFID device and the separate RFID blocking device are each adjacent the other, the combination comprising: a separate RFID device adapted to be positioned in a container; and a separate RFID blocking device adapted to be positioned in the container adjacent the separate RFID device to detect and block an attempted read of the otherwise separate RFID device from the container when an RFID interrogation device is positioned to read the separate RFID device from the container, the separate RFID blocking device being positioned to operatively receive power from the RFID interrogation device during an attempted read of the separate RFID device and including an incoming signal demodulator to demodulate an incoming signal and an RFID signal disruptor positioned to produce disrupting signals responsive to the attempted read of the separate RFID device by the RFID interrogation device, the RFID signal disruptor including an RFID signal generator to generate an RFID signal at the same data rate as the demodulated signal and a signal mixer and frequency generation module, the signal mixer and frequency generation module combining the incoming signal with the RFID signal generated at substantially the same data rate as the demodulated incoming signal to thereby form the disrupting signals in a blocking zone extending adjacent the separate RFID device, the blocking zone being defined as a region of disrupting signals being generated from the separate RFID blocking device when positioned adjacent the separate RFID device so that the disrupting signals disrupt the ability of the separate RFID device to receive an interrogation signal from the RFID interrogation device when the RFID interrogation device is positioned to read the separate RFID device from the container, the separate RFID blocking device further being adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the separate RFID device to thereby allow an attempted read of the separate RFID device by the RFID interrogation device when the separate RFID device is no longer positioned adjacent the separate RFID blocking device.