LPRF device wake up using wireless tag
A wireless transceiver includes: (a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and (b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component. The second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast.
1. A network including,
a plurality of wireless reader tags (WRTs), each WRT comprising,
a transceiver of electromagnetic energy configured to transmit and receive data signals between other of the plurality of WRTs,
a reader component for reading radio-frequency identification signals from wireless tags (WTs),
a detector for producing data signals representative of motion of an object proximate the WRT, and
a processor coupled to the reader component and to the detector and to the transceiver for forming signals indicative of radio-frequency identification signals read from WTs and data signals for transmission by the transceiver to other of the plurality of WRTs,
wherein each WRT is configured to
(i) maintain at least one common designation for purposes of filtering received data signals, the at least one maintained common designation comprising at least one maintained class designation, and
(ii) determine whether specific data in a received data signal corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, wherein the specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches an abstracted class of a maintained class designation of that WRT; and
a gateway configured to receive and transmit signals between the gateway and at least one of the plurality of WRTs.
2. The network of a plurality of WRTs according to claim 1 , wherein each WRT includes an ID that is unique with respect to each of the plurality of WRTs; and wherein the gateway is configured to transmit and receive signals including the unique IDs and data signals between the gateway and at least one of the plurality of WRTs.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the WRTs are located in a retail store, and wherein each WRT is associated with a product brand for sale in the retail store.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the WRTs are located in a retail store, and wherein each WRT is associated with a plurality of product brands for sale in the retail store, the WRT including stored therein a different designation for each associated product brand.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the WRTs are utilized to inventory the product brands with which the WRTs are associated.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein some data signals are indicative of product name.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein some data signals are indicative of product cost.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein some data signals are indicative of location of product within the retail store.
9. A network including,
a plurality of wireless reader tags (WRTs), each WRT comprising,
a transceiver of electromagnetic energy configured to transmit and receive data signals between other of the plurality of WRTs,
a reader component for reading radio-frequency identification signals from wireless tags (WTs),
a detector for producing data signals representing sensor derived information, and
a processor coupled to the reader component and to the detector and to the transceiver for forming signals indicative of radio-frequency identification signals read from WTs and data signals for transmission by the transceiver to other of the plurality of WRTs,
wherein each WRT is configured to
(i) maintain at least one common designation for purposes of filtering received data signals, the at least one maintained common designation comprising at least one maintained class designation, and
(ii) determine whether specific data in a received data signal corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, wherein the specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches an abstracted class of a maintained class designation of that WRT; and
a gateway configured to receive and transmit signals between the gateway and at least one of the plurality of WRTs.