Item finding using radio frequency and optical signaling

1. A system for locating a particular item from among a plurality of items identifiable by radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with the items, comprising:

an interrogator for radio frequency (RF) signaling the tags to detect unique identifiers associated with the tags in a field of view of the interrogator; and

an optical signaler for optically signaling one of the tags in the field of view to designate the particular item to be located,

wherein the optical signaler includes an optical sensor on each tag, and an optical designator supported by a user for aiming and directing a light beam to the optical sensor on the one tag to designate the one tag,

wherein the optical designator is a laser source for emitting the light beam as a laser beam to the optical sensor on the one tag, and wherein the optical sensor is a laser light detector for detecting the laser beam incident on the one tag,

wherein the laser beam has a significantly narrow beam width enabling the selection of only one RFID tag at a time as selected RFID tag;

wherein more than one RFID tag responds to the RF signal from the interrogator with a reply to be received by the interrogator, but an optical-activated RFID tag that is detecting the laser beam includes a message in its reply that includes both an unique identification of the optical-activated RFID tag and information indicating that the optical-activated RFID tag is being optically designated.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an antenna coupled to the interrogator for transmitting an interrogation signal to, and for receiving response signals from, the tags; and a processor for processing the response signals to detect the unique identifiers.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a mobile housing in which the interrogator is supported for movement.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a battery supported by the housing for supplying electrical power to the interrogator.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a modulator for modulating the light beam.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical signaler includes an indicator light associated with each tag, and wherein the indicator light is illuminated in response to the interrogation signal to designate the one tag.

7. A system for locating a particular item from among a plurality of items identifiable by radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with the items, comprising:

means for radio frequency (RF) signaling the tags to detect unique identifiers associated with the tags in a field of view; and

means for optically signaling one of the tags in the field of view to designate the particular item to be located,

wherein the optical signaling means includes an optical sensor on each tag, a means for aiming and directing a laser beam to the optical sensor on the one tag to designate the one tag, and a means for detecting the laser beam incident on the one tag,

wherein the laser beam has a significantly narrow beam width enabling the selection of only one RFID tag at a time as selected RFID tag;

wherein more than one RFID tag responds to a RF signal from the means for RF signaling with a reply to be received by the interrogator, but an optical-activated RFID tag that is detecting the laser beam includes a message in its reply that includes both an unique identification of the optical-activated RFID tag and information indicating that the optical-activated RFID tag is being optically designated.

8. A method of locating a particular item from among a plurality of items identifiable by associating radio frequency identification (RFID) tags with the items, comprising the steps of:

radio frequency (RF) signaling the tags, by an interrogator, to detect unique identifiers associated with the tags in a field of view; and

optically signaling one of the tags in the field of view to designate the particular item to be located,

wherein optically signaling one of the tags includes mounting an optical sensor on each tag, aiming and directing a laser beam to the optical sensor on the one tag to designate the one tag, and detecting the laser beam incident on the one tag,

wherein the laser beam has a significantly narrow beam width enabling the selection of only one RFID tag at a time as selected RFID tag;

wherein more than one RFID tag responds to the RF signal from the interrogator with a reply to be received by the interrogator, but an optical-activated RFID tag that is detecting the laser beam includes a message in its reply that includes both an unique identification of the optical-activated RFID tag and information indicating that the optical-activated RFID tag is being optically designated.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of transmitting an interrogation signal to, and receiving response signals from, the tags; and the step of processing the response signals to detect the unique identifiers.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of moving a mobile housing in which the RF signaling step is performed.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of supplying electrical power within the housing in which the RF signaling step is performed.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of optically signaling includes associating an indicator light with each tag, and the step of illuminating the indicator light in response to the interrogation signal to designate the one tag.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of modulating the laser beam.