Patents Assigned to Impinj, Inc.
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Patent number: 9239941Abstract: A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag IC stores an identifier and a check code. The IC determines whether the stored identifier is corrupted by comparing it to the check code. If the stored identifier does not correspond to the check code then the IC may terminate operation or indicate an error. The IC may also reconstruct the correct identifier from the check code.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventor: Christopher J. Diorio
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Patent number: 9213871Abstract: A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader containing a reader key authenticates an RFID tag containing a tag key by receiving a reader challenge from a verification authority; determining a reader response based at least on the reader challenge and the reader key; sending a first message including at least the reader response but not the reader key to the verification authority; receiving a tag identifier from the tag; challenging the tag with a tag challenge; receiving a tag response based at least on the tag challenge and the tag key but not including the tag key; sending a second message including at least the tag identifier and the tag response to the verification authority; and receiving an electronically-signed reply from the verification authority. The reader validates the verification authority reply by checking the signature. The verification authority may notify a designated party if a response is incorrect.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Scott A. Cooper
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Patent number: 9213870Abstract: A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader containing a reader key authenticates an RFID tag containing a tag key by receiving a reader challenge from a verification authority; determining a reader response based at least on the reader challenge and the reader key; sending a first message including at least the reader response but not the reader key to the verification authority; receiving a tag identifier from the tag; challenging the tag with a tag challenge; receiving a tag response based at least on the tag challenge and the tag key but not including the tag key; sending a second message including at least the tag identifier and the tag response to the verification authority; and receiving an electronically-signed reply from the verification authority. The reader validates the verification authority reply by checking the signature. The verification authority may notify a designated party if a response is incorrect.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Scott A. Cooper
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Patent number: 9189904Abstract: Methods and systems are described for authorizing an item with an RFID tag to leave a facility. In one embodiment, a mobile device receives or determines an exit code (EC) to write into the tag in response to providing authorizing information. The EC may be based on information stored in the tag such as the tag's item identifier or other tag information (collectively an item identifier or II), a ticket value, other information such as the OC, a mobile identity or location, or any other suitable information. Upon verification of the EC, the tagged item is allowed to leave the facility. In another embodiment, the mobile device stores an item identifier (II) associated with the tag and provides authorizing information. Upon verifying the authorizing information and confirming that the stored II corresponds to the tagged item's II, the tagged item is allowed to leave the facility.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2014Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Scott A. Cooper, Matthew Robshaw, Tan Mau Wu
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Patent number: 9183717Abstract: An RFID loss-prevention system (LPS) based on synthesized-beam readers (SBRs) permits authorized items to leave a facility and may perform a security action if an unauthorized item leaves the facility. A checkout reader first authorizes an item tagged with an RFID tag to exit a facility by reading an identifier from the tag, obtaining an exit authorization, and sending the identifier to a database. An SBR configured to direct at least two beams along a facility exit path reads tagged items exiting the facility, determines at least one of a travel direction and a tag location, and uses the determination to indicate that a tag is exiting or has exited the facility. The LPS then uses the database to determine if the exiting/exited tag is authorized to leave the facility.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2014Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Diorio, Alberto Pesavento
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Patent number: 9178277Abstract: A synthesized-beam transceiver system steers a beam of a two-dimensional antenna array by activating a first subset of antenna elements to orient the beam in a first direction and subsequently activating a second subset of the antenna elements to orient the beam in a different direction. The system also electrically connects antenna elements that are inactive, not in the first subset, or not in the second subset to a reference potential of the array.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2012Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Vincent Moretti, Omer Onen, Ronald A. Oliver
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Patent number: 9165170Abstract: An RFID tag is configured to adjust its current clock frequency to conserve tag power while receiving a reader signal and/or backscattering a signal. The tag may determine whether to adjust its current clock frequency based on one or more timing parameters, which may be determined from a reader command and/or from a signal to be backscattered. The counting rate and/or limit of a tag counter and/or the power supplied to a tag component may also be adjusted. The current tag clock frequency may be adjusted during the signal reception/backscattering process and optionally restored once the process is completed.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2015Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Vadim Gutnik, Scott A. Cooper, John D. Hyde, Theron Stanford
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Patent number: 9142881Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) for an RFID tag and a tag including such an IC are provided where the IC includes at least two rectifiers and two antenna ports for connecting to two respective antennas with at least three of the four antenna terminals not sharing a reference potential of the IC. According to other embodiments, the antenna ports are also electrically isolated from each other.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2009Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Ronald A. Oliver, Harley K. Heinrich, Christopher J. Diorio
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Patent number: 9129169Abstract: RFID reader systems, readers, components, software and methods cause RFID tags to backscatter a combination made from at least portions of a first code and a second code, without transmitting any commands in the interim. The first and/or second codes may include a tag response to a reader challenge. In a number of embodiments, a separate command does not have to be sent for reading the second code along with the first code, thereby saving time in inventorying the tags. Plus, the combination can enable reading tag codes during tag manufacturing that are not otherwise readily available to read in the field. In some embodiments, the combination may further include one or more error-checking codes.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Scott A. Cooper
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Patent number: 9129168Abstract: RFID reader systems, readers, components, software and methods cause RFID tags to backscatter a combination made from at least portions of a first code and a second code, without transmitting any commands in the interim. The first and/or second codes may include a tag response to a reader challenge. In a number of embodiments, a separate command does not have to be sent for reading the second code along with the first code, thereby saving time in inventorying the tags. Plus, the combination can enable reading tag codes during tag manufacturing that are not otherwise readily available to read in the field. In some embodiments, the combination may further include one or more error-checking codes.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Scott A. Cooper
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Patent number: 9111283Abstract: An authentication method includes RFID readers authenticating RFID tags using public-key cryptography. A tag manufacturer or other legitimate authority produces a tag private-public key pair and stores the tag private key in externally unreadable tag memory and the tag public key in externally readable tag memory. The authority produces a master private-public key pair and distributes the master public key to readers in the field. The authority generates a tag-specific electronic signature based on at least the tag public key and the master private key and stores this signature in externally readable tag memory. A reader authenticates the tag by retrieving the tag public key and electronic signature from the tag, verifying the authenticity of the tag public key using the master public key and the electronic signature, challenging the tag, receiving a response from the tag to the challenge, and verifying the response using the tag public key.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Scott A. Cooper
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Publication number: 20150227832Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) having a first circuit block electrically coupled to first and second antenna contacts. The first antenna contact is disposed on a first surface of the IC and the second antenna contact is disposed on a second surface of the IC different from the first surface. The first and second antenna contacts are electrically disconnected from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2013Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Ronald L. Koepp, Harley K. Heinrich, Theron Stanford, Ronald A. Oliver, Shailendra Srinivas
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Patent number: 9104923Abstract: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags may receive one or more encapsulated commands within the payload of an encapsulating command from an RFID reader. An encapsulated command includes at least a command code and an instruction. A tag may store the encapsulated command(s) or the instruction portion of the encapsulated command(s) for later execution. A sequence of encapsulated commands may be contained within one encapsulating command or spread across multiple encapsulating commands. The sequence of encapsulated commands, or the sequence of instructions associated with the encapsulated commands, may form a program. The tag may execute the instructions or program upon receipt, upon a trigger event, serially or in parallel, and/or may modify the instructions or program by adjusting parameters. The tag may later be told by a reader to execute the instructions or program via another command which, in some cases, may be sent prior to tag singulation.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Theron Stanford, Christopher J. Diorio, Harley Heinrich
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Patent number: 9087281Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) for an RFID tag includes two electrically isolated antenna ports for connecting to two antennas, with each antenna port configured to operate at a different frequency range and/or with a different communications protocol. In some embodiments a rectifier coupled to one of the antenna ports is operable to extract energy from an electromagnetic field in a first frequency range, and a demodulator coupled to the other antenna port is operable to demodulate symbols according to an RFID protocol in a second frequency range. In some embodiments the frequency ranges are disjoint, intersecting, or one is a proper subset of the other. In some embodiments each port is coupled to its own rectifier and/or its own modulator and/or its own demodulator. In some embodiments an RFID tag includes the IC and two antennas, each operable in one of the two frequency ranges.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2011Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Yael Maguire, Ronald A. Oliver, Christopher J. Diorio
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Patent number: 9087282Abstract: An RFID tag tuning circuit may be capable of adjusting the impedance matching between an RFID integrated circuit (IC) and an antenna on an RFID tag to increase the amount of power that the IC can extract from an incident RF wave. The tuning circuit switches a variable impedance coupling the antenna and the IC between several different impedance settings, where each impedance setting differs from an adjacent impedance setting by a respective impedance step size and at least one impedance step size has a different value than another impedance step size. The tuning circuit may switch the variable impedance by incrementing through a counter, decrementing through the counter, or performing some search algorithm. The tuning circuit may also initialize the variable impedance based on a default impedance setting or a random impedance setting derived from a random counter.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: John Hyde, Jay Kuhn, Theron Stanford, Harley Heinrich, Christopher Diorio, Ronald Oliver
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Patent number: 9076049Abstract: Systems, methods of operation, and software are provided, for encoding RFID tags with which a predefined group of items is tagged. Encoding is by writing applicable Electronic Product Codes (EPCs) to the tags, so as to identify the individual items in the group. A base code can be read from each tag, and the applicable EPC is then written to it.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2014Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Vincent C. Moretti, Christopher J. Diorio, John A. Schroeter
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Patent number: 9070066Abstract: A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) assembly includes an IC, a repassivation layer disposed on the IC, and an inductor disposed on the repassivation layer. The IC includes a gapped seal ring. The inductor may couple to an RFID tag antenna, thereby allowing the IC to transmit and receive RF signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2013Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Ron Oliver, Harley Heinrich, Ron Koepp, Christopher Diorio
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Patent number: 9064196Abstract: An RFID tag is configured to adjust its current clock frequency to conserve tag power while receiving a reader signal and/or backscattering a signal. The tag may determine whether to adjust its current clock frequency based on one or more timing parameters, which may be determined from a reader command and/or from a signal to be backscattered. The counting rate and/or limit of a tag counter and/or the power supplied to a tag component may also be adjusted. The current tag clock frequency may be adjusted during the signal reception/backscattering process and optionally restored once the process is completed.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2012Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Vadim Gutnik, Scott A. Cooper, John D. Hyde, Theron Stanford
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Patent number: 9053400Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) having a first circuit block electrically coupled to first and second antenna contacts. The first antenna contact is disposed on a first surface of the IC and the second antenna contact is disposed on a second surface of the IC different from the first surface. The first and second antenna contacts are electrically disconnected from each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio, Ronald L. Koepp, Harley K. Heinrich, Theron Stanford, Ronald A. Oliver, Shailendra Srinivas
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Patent number: 9031504Abstract: RFID tags, tag circuits, and methods are provided that reject at least in part the distortion caused to wireless signals by interference in the environment. When the received RF wave is converted into an unfiltered input (971), a filtered output (972) is generated that does not include an artifact feature deriving from the distortion. The filtered output is used instead of the unfiltered input, which results in tag operation as if there were less interference in the environment, or none at all.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: John D. Hyde, Kurt E. Sundstrom