Light-activated RFID tag

• US 20070040683A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sheiman, Arthur, Oliver, Neal
• Application Number:
  US11/209,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• 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

Various embodiments of the invention may use the state of the output of a light sensor to permit transmission of an identification code from an activated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Alternately, the state of the output of the light sensor may be used to select one of multiple identification codes for transmission from the activated RFID tag.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag circuit to be activated by a received signal from an RFID reader; and

a light sensor coupled to the RFID tag circuit, the light sensor to control transmission through an antenna from the activated RFID tag circuit based on detection of light by the light sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light sensor is to produce an output signal to the RFID tag circuit to indicate whether the detected light has certain characteristics.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the certain characteristics are based at least partly on intensity of the detected light.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the certain characteristics are based at least partly on wavelengths of the detected light.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the certain characteristics are based at least partly on duration of the detected light.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the output signal is to have at least a first state and a second state.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the RFID tag circuit has an identification code; and

the first state is to indicate the identification code is to be transmitted from the activated RFID tag circuit and the second state is to indicate the identification code is not to be transmitted from the activated RFID tag circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the RFID tag circuit has a first identification code and a second identification code; and

the first state is to indicate the first identification code is to be transmitted from the activated RFID tag circuit and the second state is to indicate the second identification code is to be transmitted from the activated RFID tag circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the light sensor comprises at least two light detectors; and

the RFID tag comprises circuitry to combine a signal from each of the at least two light detectors to generate the output signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the light sensor comprises a photovoltaic cell to provide operational power to the RFID tag circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the antenna.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving a radio signal;

activating a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag circuit based on said receiving; and

transmitting a response to the radio signal based on a state of an output signal from a light sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting an identification code in the response if the output signal from the light sensor has a first state; and

not transmitting the response if the output signal from the light sensor has a second state.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting a first identification code in the response if the output signal from the light sensor has a first state; and

transmitting a second identification code in the response if the output signal from the light sensor has a second state.

15. A system, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag circuit to be activated by a received signal from an RFID reader;

a light sensor coupled to the RFID tag circuit, the light sensor to control transmission of at least one identification code through an antenna from the activated RFID tag circuit based on detection of light by the light sensor; and

an object coupled to the RFID tag circuit, the object to be identified by association with the at least one identification code.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the light sensor is to produce an output signal to the RFID tag circuit to indicate whether the detected light has certain characteristics.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the certain characteristics are based at least partly on characteristics selected from a list consisting of intensity of the detected light, wavelengths of the detected light, and duration of the detected light.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the output signal is to have at least a first state and a second state.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the RFID tag circuit has an identification code; and

the first state is to indicate the identification code is to be transmitted and the second state is to indicate the identification code is not to be transmitted.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the RFID tag circuit has a first identification code and a second identification code; and

the first state is to indicate the first identification code is to be transmitted and the second state is to indicate the second identification code is to be transmitted.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the light sensor comprises a photovoltaic cell to provide operational power to the RFID tag circuit