RFID affected by sensor event

• US 20080048857A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TurboPatent Corp.
• Original Assignee: TurboPatent Corp.
• Inventors: Billmaier, David, Kellum, John, Billmaier, James, Billmaier, Kristopher
• Application Number:
  US11/811,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048857A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0043 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensor coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0056 for use in interrogation, identification or read/write systems record carriers G06K7/00, G06K19/00; for railways B61L3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0062 in RFID [Radio Frequency Identification] Systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

An RFID tag includes a writable memory, and a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest.

Claims

1. A RFID tag comprising:

a writable memory; and

a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest further comprises:

the sensor affecting the identification value returned when the RFID is read.

3. The RFID tag of claim 2, wherein sensor affecting the identification value returned when the RFID is read further comprises:

the sensor changing the identification value to fall into a range of either acceptable or unacceptable values.

4. The RFID tag of claim 3, wherein sensor changing the identification value to fall into a range of either acceptable or unacceptable values further comprises:

the sensor affecting one or more high order bits of the identification value.

5. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest further comprises:

the sensor coupled to affect data values that are separate from the identification value of the RFID.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest further comprises:

the RFID tag physically coupled to the sensor.

7. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest further comprises:

the sensor is a thermocouple.

8. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest further comprises:

the sensor persistently affecting the writable memory when one or more of temperature, radiation, sound, light, shock, vibration, pressure, humidity, moisture, or altitude define one or more events of interest.

9. A method comprising:

one or more sensors coupled to an RFID tag adapting one or more writable values of the RFID tag upon the occurrence of one or more environmental events; and

logic to read the RFID tag and to identify from the one or more writable values the occurrence of the one or more environmental events.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the logic to read the RFID tag and to identify from the one or more writable values the occurrence of the one or more environmental events further comprises:

logic to identify the RFID tag as having an identification value that falls within one or more rejected ranges.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the logic to read the RFID tag and to identify from the one or more writable values the occurrence of the one or more environmental events further comprises:

logic to identify the RFID tag as having an identification value that falls within one or more acceptable ranges.