Switch status and RFID tag

• US 20060139180A1
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Philipose, Matthai, Smith, Joshua R., Lamarca, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,411,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches

Abstract

One or more switches may be coupled to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, so that the response of the RFID tag indicates the state of the switch(es). The RFID tag and the switch(es) may be coupled together in various ways so that the state of the switches affects the response of the RFID tag to an RFID reader.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to transmit a response to a signal from an RFID reader; and

a switch coupled to the RFID tag;

wherein the response is dependent on a state of the switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is configured to include an identification number in the response and to include at least one bit in the response whose state is dependent on the state of the switch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit the response if the switch is in one state and to not transmit the response if the switch is in another state.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit a first identification number if the switch is in a first state and to transmit a second identification number if the switch is in a second state.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch is electrically coupled between an RFID tag circuit and an antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a mechanically activated switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a magnetically activated switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a thermally activated switch.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an object on which the switch is disposed, such that a position of the object relative to a second part of the object may be determined based on a response of at least one bit of a response from the RFID tag.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the object comprises at least one element selected from a list consisting of:

a door, a window, a drawer, a lid, and a vent.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a radio frequency identification (RFID) poll; and

transmitting a response based on a state of an electrical switch.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the response with a first content if the switch is in a first state and transmitting the response with a second content if the switch is in a second state.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the response if the switch is in a first state and not transmitting the response if the switch is in a second state.

14. A method, comprising:

performing an operation based on a response to a poll by a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

wherein the response indicates a state of an electrical switch coupled to an RFID tag.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said performing the operation comprises performing a first operation if contents of the response indicate the switch is in a first state and performing a second operation if the contents of the response indicate the switch is in a second state.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said performing comprises performing the operation if the response was received by the RFID reader within a designated time, and not performing the operation if the response was not received by the RFID reader within the designated time.

17. An article comprising

a tangible machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause said computing platform to perform operations comprising:

performing an operation based on a response to a poll by a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

wherein the response indicates a state of an electrical switch coupled to an RFID tag.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein said performing the operation comprises performing a first operation if contents of the response indicate the switch is in a first state and performing a second operation if the contents of the response indicate the switch is in a second state.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein said performing comprises performing the operation if the response was received by the RFID reader within a designated time, and not performing the operation if the response was not received by the RFID reader within the designated time.