Method and apparatus pertaining to radio-frequency identification tags
First Claim
1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag configured to unilaterally detect its own motion relative to an RFID-tag reader, comprising:
- an antenna;
a rectifier operably coupled to the antenna and configured to rectify a signal transmitted by the RFID-tag reader and provide a corresponding rectified output;
an analog-to-digital converter operably coupled to receive the rectified output and provide a corresponding digitized representation of the rectified output;
a control circuit operably coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and configured to carry out a unilateral motion detection capability by;
dynamically establishing a detection range;
monitoring the digitized representation of the rectified output and comparing the digitized representation to the detection range to thereby determine the RFID tag'"'"'s own relative movement with respect to the RFID-tag reader; and
upon detecting the relative movement, automatically re-setting a read state of the RFID tag to permit the RFID tag to respond to interrogations of the RFID-tag reader;
wherein the control circuit is further configured to selectively enable and disable the unilateral motion detection capability in response to transmitted content received via the antenna as part of an externally-sourced wireless transmission.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A presently-powered RFID tag can itself determine its own relative movement with respect to a reader. This RFID tag can responsively alter its read state to thereby permit the RFID tag to respond to a subsequent read inquiry. By one approach the RFID tag assesses its own movement by monitoring the strength of its received power. By another approach, the RFID tag has a power source that becomes electrically charged via radio-frequency energy received by the tag antenna and that power source is configured to become operably discharged at a point in time that corresponds to a typical null-sensing duration of time for a given application setting for that RFID tag.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag configured to unilaterally detect its own motion relative to an RFID-tag reader, comprising:
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an antenna; a rectifier operably coupled to the antenna and configured to rectify a signal transmitted by the RFID-tag reader and provide a corresponding rectified output; an analog-to-digital converter operably coupled to receive the rectified output and provide a corresponding digitized representation of the rectified output; a control circuit operably coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and configured to carry out a unilateral motion detection capability by; dynamically establishing a detection range; monitoring the digitized representation of the rectified output and comparing the digitized representation to the detection range to thereby determine the RFID tag'"'"'s own relative movement with respect to the RFID-tag reader; and upon detecting the relative movement, automatically re-setting a read state of the RFID tag to permit the RFID tag to respond to interrogations of the RFID-tag reader; wherein the control circuit is further configured to selectively enable and disable the unilateral motion detection capability in response to transmitted content received via the antenna as part of an externally-sourced wireless transmission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for use with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having its own selectively-enabled element configured to enable the RFID tag to unilaterally seek to detect its own motion relative to its environment, the method comprising:
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receiving an externally-sourced wireless transmission; retrieving transmitted content from the externally-sourced wireless transmission; when the transmitted content comprises content to enable automatic motion detection capability, enabling the selectively-enabled element to thereby enable the RFID tag to unilaterally seek to detect its own motion relative to its environment; and when the transmitted content comprises content to not enable automatic motion detection capability, not enabling the selectively-enabled element to thereby not enable the RFID tag to unilaterally seek to detect its own motion relative to its environment. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification