Hybrid architecture for radio frequency identification and packet radio communication

1. A radio frequency identification (“RFID”) packet radio system, the RFID packet radio system comprising:

an antenna;

a radio, the radio configured to receive and transmit packet radio signals and RFID signals, the receiving and the transmitting of the packet radio signals and the RFID signals occurring at a first frequency;

a processor, the processor configured to be in communication with the radio and to perform signal detection and demodulation, the processor configured to receive an RFID signal at the first frequency;

a transmit path, the transmit path configured to transport a packet radio signal to be transmitted and an RFID signal to be transmitted, from the radio to the antenna;

a first receive path, the first receive path configured to transport a received packet radio signal from the antenna to the radio;

a second receive path different from the first receive path, the second receive path configured to transport a received RFID signal from the antenna to the processor; and

a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism in the transmit path and the second receive path and configured to simultaneously transmit a first RFID signal and receive a second RFID signal enabling the RFID packet radio system to operate in a full duplex mode.

2. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1 , further comprising a coupler configured to selectively and communicatively couples the antenna to the radio and the processor.

3. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1 , wherein the second receive path and the transmit path are configured to simultaneously transport signals.

4. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1 , wherein the radio and the processor are located on different integrated circuit devices.

5. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1 , further comprising switches configured to select between the transmit path and the first receive path.

6. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1 , wherein the second receive path includes a detector, an amplifier and a slicer, the slicer configured to provide data to the processor.

7. The RFID packet radio system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a connector provided in parallel orientation to the antenna; and

an antenna switch, the antenna switch configured to select one of the antenna and the connector.

8. A radio frequency identification (“RFID”) communication system, the RFID communication system comprising:

a server; and

an RFID tag reader, the RFID tag reader in communication with the server, the RFID tag reader having a RFID packet radio, the RFID packet radio comprising:

an antenna;

a radio, the radio configured to receive and transmit packet radio signals and RFID signals, the receiving and the transmitting of the packet radio signals and the RFID signals occurring at a first frequency;

a processor, the processor being in communication with the radio and configured to perform signal detection and demodulation, the processor configured to receive an RFID signal at the first frequency;

a transmit path, the transmit path configured to transport a packet radio signal to be transmitted and an RFID signal to be transmitted, from the radio to the antenna;

a first receive path, the first receive path configured to transport a received packet radio signal from the antenna to the radio;

a second receive path different from the first receive path, the second receive path configured to transport a received RFID signal from the antenna to the processor; and

a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism in the transmit path and the second receive path and configured to simultaneously transmit a first RFID signal and receive the a second RFID signal enabling the RFID communication system to operate in a full duplex mode.

9. The RFID communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the RFID packet radio further comprises a coupler configured to selectively couple the antenna to the radio and the processor.

10. The RFID communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the second receive path and the transmit path are configured to simultaneously transport signals.

11. The RFID communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the radio and the processor are located on different integrated circuit devices.

12. The RFID communication system according to claim 8 , further comprising switches configured to select between the transmit path and the first receive path.

13. The RFID communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the second receive path includes a detector, an amplifier and a slicer, the slicer configured to provide data to the processor.

14. The RFID communication system according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a connector provided in parallel orientation to the antenna; and

an antenna switch configured to select one of the antenna and the connector.

15. A method of performing communication using a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) packet radio, the method comprising:

transmitting via a bi-directional coupling mechanism an RFID signal using the RFID packet radio;

transmitting a first packet radio signal at a first frequency at which the RFID signal is transmitted;

receiving, at the first frequency, via the bi-directional coupling mechanism at the RFID packet radio, simultaneous with the RFID signal transmission, an RFID backscatter signal, the RFID packet radio operating in a full duplex mode; and

receiving a second packet radio signal at the first frequency.

16. The method of performing full duplex communication according to claim 15 , further comprising applying RFID protocols at a processor to decode the received RFID backscatter signal.

17. The method of performing full duplex communication according to claim 15 , further comprising receiving the packet radio signal at the RFID packet radio at a different time interval than the packet radio signal transmission.