The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 11, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 23, 1996
Robert Steven Reis, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Vikram Verma, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Domingo Antonio Mihovilovic, Mountain View, CA (US);
Peter Scott Bertrand, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Richard Kenneth Stevens, Cupertino, CA (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A communication system for identifying, locating, tracking and communicating for other purposes with large numbers of tags in a time and energy efficient manner. The tags are associated with items located in a communication region that is interrogated by an interrogator on a one-to-many basis using broadcast commands, on a one-to-one basis using directed commands or on a combination basis using both methods. Identification occurs through organized transmission and reception of signals between the tags and the interrogator. A batch collection protocol uses a combined one-to-many and one-to-one communication system that effectively resolves communication contentions. The batch collection protocol employs a plurality of collection periods which communicate with large or unknown numbers of portable tags.