Inventory systems with sensor-driven tag read points

1. A method for operating a reader, comprising:

supplying power from the reader to an external sensor using a single cable that (A) connects the reader to both an external antenna and the external sensor and (B) is used for data communications between the reader, the external antenna and the external sensor;

receiving, by the reader via the single cable, a sensor signal comprising information indicating the external sensor's detection of an individual's presence in proximity thereto, where the sensor signal has a frequency that is outside the antenna's transmit frequency;

initiating tag read operations of the reader in response to the sensor information's reception at the reader; and

communicating an interrogation signal for tag reading from the reader to the external antenna via the single cable, where the interrogation signal has a frequency which is outside the external sensor's receive frequency band.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reader is 1-Wire enabled and communicates with the external sensor and the external antenna via a 1-Wire protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external sensor is disposed in the same housing as the external antenna.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing operations by the reader to control or program the sensor using the single cable.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising dynamically selecting a value for at least one transceiver parameter of the reader in response to the sensor information's reception at the reader.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the value is dynamically selected prior to interrogation signals communication from the reader.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one transceiver parameter comprises a transmit power parameter, a transmit frequency parameter, and a receive signal strength threshold parameter.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the reader via the single cable, a response signal from at least one tag.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the response signal has a frequency which is outside the external sensor's receive frequency band.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the tag has at least one of a Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) capability and an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) capability.

11. A method for operating a reader, comprising:

receiving, by the reader via a single cable, a sensor signal comprising information indicating an external sensor's detection of an individual's presence in proximity thereto, where the sensor signal has a frequency that is outside the antenna's transmit frequency and the single cable that (A) connects the reader to both an external antenna and the external sensor and (B) is used for data communications between the reader, the external antenna and the external sensor;

initiating tag read operations of the reader in response to the sensor information's reception at the reader; and

communicating an interrogation signal for tag reading from the reader to the external antenna via the single cable, where the interrogation signal has a frequency which is outside the external sensor's receive frequency band.

12. A system, comprising:

a sensor;

an antenna;

a reader; and

a single cable that (A) connects the reader to both the antenna and the sensor and (B) is used for data communications between the reader, the antenna and the sensor;

wherein the reader:

supplies power to the sensor via the single cable;

receives, via the single cable, a sensor signal comprising information indicating the sensor's detection of an individual's presence in proximity to the reader, the sensor signal having a frequency that is outside the antenna's transmit frequency;

initiates tag read operations in response to the reception of the information; and

communicates an interrogation signal for tag reading to the antenna via the single cable, where the interrogation signal has a frequency which is outside the external sensor's receive frequency band.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the reader is 1-Wire enabled and communicates with the sensor and the antenna via a 1-Wire protocol.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor is disposed in the same housing as the antenna.

15. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising performing operations by the reader to control or program the sensor using the single cable.

16. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising dynamically selecting a value for at least one transceiver parameter of the reader in response to the sensor signal's reception at the reader.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the value is dynamically selected prior to interrogation signals communication from the reader.

18. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one transceiver parameter comprises a transmit power parameter, a transmit frequency parameter, and a receive signal strength threshold parameter.

19. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the reader further receives, via the single cable, a response signal from at least one tag.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the response signal has a frequency which is outside the external sensor's receive frequency band.

21. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the tag has at least one of a Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) capability and an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) capability.