Wireless Communication Systems, Interrogators and Methods of Communicating Within a Wireless Communication System

Abstract

The present invention relates to wireless communication systems, interrogators and methods of communicating within a wireless communication system. One aspect of the present invention provides a wireless communication system including at least one remote communication device configured to communicate a return link wireless signal; an interrogator including: a communication station configured to receive the return link wireless signal and to generate a return link communication signal corresponding to the return link wireless signal; communication circuitry coupled with the communication station and configured to communicate the return link communication signal; and a housing remotely located with respect to the communication station and including circuitry configured to receive the return link communication signal from the communication circuitry and to process the return link communication signal.

1 - 37 . (canceled)  
     
     
         38 . A system to track radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, the system comprising: 
 a plurality of antennas;    a plurality of communication stations, each communication station being communicatively coupled to one or more of the plurality of antennas;    a plurality of communication circuitry units, each communication circuitry unit communicatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of communication stations; and    an interrogator communicatively coupled to the plurality of communication circuitry units, the interrogator being remotely located from the plurality of communication circuitry units and configured to cause the communication circuitry units to communicate with the RFID tags.    
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of antennas and the plurality of communication stations are configured to communicate via a spread spectrum signal.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the interrogator comprises one or more automatic gain control circuits to compare an incoming signal to a threshold value and adjust a power level.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the automatic gain control circuits each includes a variable gain amplifier, a coupler, a detector, and a loop filter.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the interrogator is communicatively coupled to the plurality of communication circuitry units by coaxial RF cables.  
     
     
         43 . A system to track radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, the system comprising: 
 a plurality of first antennas configured to transmit forward link wireless communications and a plurality of second antennas being configured to receive return link wireless communications;    low noise amplifiers communicatively coupled to respective ones of the plurality of first and second antennas;    automatic gain control circuits communicatively coupled to respective ones of the low noise amplifiers, the automatic gain control circuits adjusting at least one electrical characteristic of a signal received from the low noise amplifiers; and    a processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the automatic gain control circuits to process signals received from the automatic gain control circuits.    
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the forward link wireless communications comprise, a spread spectrum signal.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the return link wireless communications comprise a spread spectrum signal.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the plurality of first antennas and the plurality of second antennas are the same antennas.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the automatic gain control circuits and the processing circuitry are housed in a unit separate from the plurality of first and second antennas and the low noise amplifiers.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the unit is remotely located from the plurality of first and second antennas and the low noise amplifiers, the unit being communicatively coupled to the low noise amplifiers by coaxial RF cables.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the automatic gain control circuits are configured to compare an incoming signal to a threshold value.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the automatic gain control circuits each includes a variable gain amplifier, a coupler, a detector, and a loop filter.  
     
     
         51 . A method of tracking inventory, the method comprising: 
 positioning a plurality of transceivers in a first region, each transceiver comprising one or more antennas communicatively coupled to a communication station communicatively coupled to communication circuitry;    positioning an interrogator unit remotely from the plurality of transceivers, the interrogator unit being communicatively coupled to the plurality of transceivers; and    positioning one or more items having one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached thereto in the first region, the one or more RFID tags being configured to communicate wirelessly with one or more of the plurality of transceivers, thereby identifying at least some of the one more RFID tags.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the plurality of transceivers are configured to communicate via a spread spectrum signal.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the interrogator unit comprises an adjustment circuitry and processing circuitry, the interrogator unit being housed in a unit separate from the plurality of transceivers.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the adjustment circuitry comprises an automatic gain control circuit configured to compare an incoming signal to a threshold value.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the automatic gain control circuit includes a variable gain amplifier, a coupler, a detector, and a loop filter.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the communication station comprises a low noise amplifier communicatively coupled to one or more of the one or more antennas to increase a power level of a received signal.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the communication circuitry comprises RF coaxial cable.