Radio frequency indentification device communications systems, wireless communication devices, wireless communication systems, backscatter communication methods, radio frequency identification device communication methods and a radio frequency identification device

• US 20040066752A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Pratt, Richard M., Hughes, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US10/263,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20040066752A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs

Abstract

Radio frequency identification device communications systems, wireless communication devices, wireless communication systems, backscatter communications methods, radio frequency identification device communications methods and a wireless communication are provided. In one aspect, a radio frequency identification device communications system includes a reader configured to output a plurality of first wireless communication signals, a radio frequency identification device configured to receive the first wireless communication signals and to output a plurality of second wireless communication signals and wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to output some of the second wireless communication signals according to a first modulation frequency and responsive to the first wireless communication signals, and to output others of the second wireless communication signals according to a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency and responsive to stimulus internal of the radio frequency identification device.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification device communications system comprising:

a reader configured to output a plurality of first wireless communication signals;

a radio frequency identification device configured to receive the first wireless communication signals and to output a plurality of second wireless communication signals; and

wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to output some of the second wireless communication signals according to a first modulation frequency and responsive to the first wireless communication signals, and to output others of the second wireless communication signals according to a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency and responsive to stimulus internal of the radio frequency identification device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the stimulus is generated within the radio frequency identification device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises a stimulus device configured to generate the stimulus.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the stimulus device is external of the radio frequency device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the reader is configured to communicate a predefined one of the first wireless communication signals responsive to the reception of one of the others of the second wireless communication signals.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the reader is configured periodically monitor for the reception of the others of the second wireless communication signals.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to synchronize communication of selected ones of the second wireless communication signals responsive to the first wireless communication signals and to asynchronously communicate the others of the second wireless communication signals.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises digital circuitry, and further comprising a battery configured to provide operational electrical energy to the digital circuitry.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises digital circuitry configured to receive operational electrical energy from received radio frequency energy.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to output the others of the second wireless communication signals independent of the first wireless communication signals.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to output the others of the second wireless communication signals not responsive to the first wireless communication signals.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to output the some and the others of the second wireless communication signals using backscatter modulation.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device is configured to detect the presence of radio frequency energy and to output the others of the second wireless communication signals responsive to the detection.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises a passive device.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises a semi-passive device.

16. A wireless communication device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to process a plurality of first wireless communication signals from a reader and to control outputting of a plurality of second wireless communication signals to the reader using backscatter modulation; and

wherein the communication circuitry is further configured to synchronize communication of selected ones of the second wireless communication signals responsive to the first communication signals and to asynchronously communicate selected others of the second wireless communication signals.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to asynchronously communicate the selected others of the second wireless communication signals responsive to a stimulus unrelated to the first wireless communication signals.

18. The device of claim 17 further comprising a stimulus device coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to generate the stimulus.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry comprises digital circuitry, and further comprising a battery configured to provide operational electrical energy to the digital circuitry.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry comprises digital circuitry configured to receive operational electrical energy from received radio frequency energy.

21. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to backscatter modulate according to a first modulation frequency to output the selected ones of the second wireless communication signals and according to a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency to output the selected others of the second wireless communication signals.

22. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry comprises radio frequency identification device communication circuitry.

23. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to output the selected others of the second wireless communication signals independent of the first wireless communication signals.

24. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to output the selected others of the second wireless communication signals not responsive to the first wireless communication signals.

25. The device of claim 16 wherein the communication circuitry is configured to detect the presence of radio frequency energy and to asynchronously communicate the selected others of the second wireless communication signals responsive to the detection.

26. A wireless communications system comprising:

a reader configured to output a plurality of first wireless signals and to receive a plurality second wireless signals;

a plurality of communication devices configured to receive the first wireless signals and to output the second wireless signals using backscatter modulation; and

wherein the communication devices are individually configured to implement the backscatter modulation utilizing a plurality of different modulation frequencies.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the communication devices comprise radio frequency identification devices.

28. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

an antenna configured to communicate wireless signals;

radio frequency identification device communication circuitry coupled with the antenna and configured to process a plurality of first wireless signals received from a reader and to control the outputting of a plurality of second wireless signals using the antenna to implement radio frequency identification device communications with the reader; and

wherein the radio frequency identification device communication circuitry is configured to utilize a first modulation frequency to control the outputting of a first one of the second wireless signals and a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency to control the outputting of a second one of the second wireless signals.

29. A backscatter communications method comprising:

providing a reader and a communication device;

outputting a plurality of first wireless communication signals using the reader;

receiving the first wireless communication signals using the communication device; and

communicating a plurality of second wireless communication signals using the communication device, the communicating comprising;

first backscatter modulating using the communication device according to a first modulation frequency and responsive to receiving at least one of the first wireless communication signals; and

second backscatter modulating using the communication device according to a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency and independent of the first wireless communication signals.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising providing a stimulus independent of the first wireless communication signals, and wherein the second backscatter modulating comprises modulating responsive to the stimulus.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the providing the stimulus comprises providing using a stimulus device.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising communicating a predefined one of the first wireless communication signals using the reader responsive to receiving one of the second wireless communication signals having the second modulation frequency using the reader.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

receiving radio frequency energy within the communication device; and

processing the first wireless communication signals within the communication device using the radio frequency energy.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

providing operational energy within the communication device using a battery; and

processing the first wireless communication signals within the communication device using the operational energy.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the providing comprises providing the communication device comprising a radio frequency identification device.

36. The method of claim 29 further comprising detecting the presence of radio frequency energy, and wherein the second backscatter modulating is responsive to the detecting.

37. A radio frequency identification device communications method comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device;

receiving a plurality of first wireless communication signals from a reader using the radio frequency identification device;

providing a stimulus unrelated to the first wireless communication signals; and

communicating a plurality of second wireless communication signals using the radio frequency identification device, wherein the communicating comprises communicating at least some of the second wireless communication signals responsive to the providing the stimulus.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the providing the stimulus comprises providing using a stimulus device.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the communicating comprises asynchronously communicating the at least some of the second wireless communication signals and communicating others of the second wireless communication signals synchronized with the first wireless communication signals.

40. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

receiving radio frequency energy within the radio frequency identification device; and

processing the first wireless communication signals within the radio frequency identification device using the radio frequency energy.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

providing operational energy within the radio frequency identification device using a battery; and

processing the first wireless communication signals within the radio frequency identification device using the operational energy.

42. The method of claim 37 wherein the communicating comprises communicating others of the second wireless communication signals according to a first modulation frequency and communicating the at least some of the second wireless communication signals according to a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein the communicating comprises communicating others of the second wireless communication signals responsive to the receiving and communicating the at least some of the second wireless communication signals independent of the receiving.

44. The method of claim 37 wherein the communicating comprises backscatter modulating.

45. The method of claim 37 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the at least some of the second wireless communication signals not responsive to the receiving.

46. The method of claim 37 further comprising detecting the presence of radio frequency energy, and wherein the communicating the at least some of the second wireless communication signals is responsive to the detecting.

47. A radio frequency identification device communications method comprising:

providing a reader;

providing a radio frequency identification device;

communicating a plurality of first wireless communication signals using the reader;

receiving the first wireless communication signals using the radio frequency identification device;

backscatter modulating using the radio frequency identification device and according to a first modulation frequency to communicate some of a plurality of second wireless communication signals responsive to the receiving the first wireless communication signals;

providing a stimulus unrelated to the first wireless communication signals;

backscatter modulating using the radio frequency identification device and according to a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency to communicate others of the second wireless communication signals, wherein the backscatter modulating according to the second modulation frequency comprises backscatter modulating independent of the receiving the first wireless communication signals and responsive to the providing the stimulus;

receiving the some and the others of the second wireless communication signals using the reader; and

communicating a predefined one of the first wireless communication signals responsive to receiving at least one of the others of the second wireless communication signals.