RF-ID system with sensor and method of sending additional signals

• US 20050007250A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Dong-hyun, Ku, Ja-nam, Won, Jong-hwa
• Granted Patent: US 7,106,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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

In a radio frequency identification (RF-ID) system and method of sending additional signals, the radio frequency identification (RF-ID) system includes a tag portion including a sensor, the tag portion for outputting a composite signal including additional data from the sensor and basic data necessary for certification, an antenna for receiving the composite signal output from the tag portion, and a RF-ID reader portion for retrieving the composite signal received from the antenna and for decoding the basic data and the additional data.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RF-ID) system, comprising:

a tag portion including a sensor, the tag portion for outputting a composite signal including additional data from the sensor and basic data necessary for certification;

an antenna for receiving the composite signal output from the tag portion; and

a RF-ID reader portion for retrieving the composite signal received from the antenna and for decoding the basic data and the additional data.

2. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tag portion comprises:

a coil for generating an inductive current in response to a magnetic wave from the antenna and for serving as an internal antenna for the tag portion to output the composite signal;

an integrated circuit driven by the inductive current for retrieving the basic data to be output as a radio frequency signal;

the sensor being driven by the inductive current for measuring a present status of an object associated with the tag portion; and

a sensor signal generator for embedding the additional data measured by the sensor with the radio frequency signal output from the integrated circuit to form the composite signal.

5. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor signal generator shifts the carrier frequency of the basic data in accordance with the additional data from the sensor.

6. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensor signal generator includes a variable capacitor connected to the coil.

7. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the variable capacitor is in parallel with the coil.

8. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor signal generator varies the amplitude of the basic data carrier in accordance with the additional data from the sensor.

9. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sensor signal generator includes a variable resistor connected to the coil.

10. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the variable resistor is in parallel with the coil.

11. The RF-ID system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tag portion is a sticker, and the coil, the integrated circuit and the sensor are mounted on an adhesive surface of the sticker.

3. The RF-ID system as claimed in 2, wherein the tag portion further comprises a constant voltage supplying circuit that converts the inductive current generated by the coil into a constant voltage to be supplied to the integrated circuit and the sensor.

4. The RF-ID system as claimed in 2, further comprising an input data detection unit for detecting input data in addition to the magnetic wave received from the RF-ID reader to control the integrated circuit to retrieve data in response to the input data, the tag portion and the RF-ID reader performing a two-way wireless certification.

12. A method for confirming measured information in a radio frequency identification (RF-ID) system including a tag portion and a RF-ID reader, comprising:

detecting measured data with a sensor in the tag portion;

retrieving basic data stored in the tag portion;

creating a composite signal including the basic data and the measured data;

outputting the composite signal from the tag portion;

receiving the composite signal in the RF-ID reader; and

decoding the basic data and the measured data the RF-ID reader.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

outputting a magnetic wave from the RF-ID reader;

inducing a current from the magnetic wave received by the tag portion; and

driving the detecting and retrieving using the current.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising converting the current into a constant voltage before the driving.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein creating the composite signal comprises frequency-shifting a carrier frequency of a carrier frequency signal carrying the basic data.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein creating the composite signal comprises varying an amplitude of a carrier frequency signal carrying the basic data.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein decoding the basic data and the measured data comprises:

receiving a composite signal of the basic data and the measured data;

demodulating the basic data;

detecting the measured data; and

confirming the basic data and the measured data.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein detecting the measured data comprises detecting at least one of a frequency shift and an amplitude variation in a carrier frequency carrying the basic data.

19. A tag portion for use in a radio frequency identification (RF-ID) system, comprising:

a coil for outputting a current upon receiving a magnetic wave and for serving as an antenna;

an integrated circuit, driven by the coil, for retrieving basic data stored in a memory;

a sensor, driven by the coil, for detecting additional data corresponding to a present status of an object associated with the tag portion; and

a composite signal output unit for providing a composite signal having both the basic data and the additional data to the coil to be transmitted.

20. The tag portion as claimed in claim 19, wherein the composite signal output unit receives the basic data on a carrier frequency and alters the carrier frequency in accordance with the additional data.

21. The tag portion as claimed in claim 20, wherein the composite signal output unit alters the carrier frequency by at least one of shifting a frequency of the carrier frequency and varying an amplitude of the carrier frequency.