Configurable RFID tag with protocol and band selection

• US 20080084310A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, For Sander, Nikitin, Pavel, Kodukula, Venkata
• Granted Patent: US 7,952,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/208 Use of an ATM as a switch or hub
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter

Abstract

A multi-band and/or multi-protocol, configurable, RFID tag is provided. The tag can include one or more electrical or mechanical selectors for selecting from among multiple frequency bands and communication protocols. In some embodiments, a signal band and protocol can be detected automatically and selection among bands and protocols can be performed automatically. In some embodiments, one or more externally accessibly switches can be actuated by a user to select a band and/or protocol.

Claims

1. A configurable radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a first antenna for receiving an RFID signal;

multiple RF matching elements for operating at multiple frequency bands;

a band selector coupled to the first antenna for selecting one of the RF matching elements;

a protocol selector for selecting a protocol; and

an RFID processor for processing the signal according to the selected protocol.

2. The tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID processor is configured to communicate according to multiple protocols.

3. The tag of claim 1, further comprising multiple RFID processors coupled to the multiple RF matching elements, wherein the protocol selector is coupled to a second antenna and to the multiple RFID processors for selecting one of the RFID processors, and wherein each of the multiple RFID processors is configured to operate according to a different protocol.

4. The tag of claim 1, further comprising multiple RFID processors coupled to the multiple RF matching elements and wherein the protocol selector is coupled to a second antenna and to the multiple RFID processors for selecting one of the RFID processors.

5. The tag of claim 1, wherein the band selector is an electrically operated switch.

6. The tag of claim 1, wherein the band selector is a mechanically operated switch.

7. The tag of claim 1, wherein the band selector further comprises a circuit element for decoupling the first antenna from the RF matching elements in an OFF position.

8. The tag of claim 1, wherein the multiple RF matching elements further comprise one or more resistors, inductors and/or capacitors.

9. The tag of claim 1, wherein the tag can be reconfigured to operate at a different band or according to a different protocol.

10. The tag of claim 1, further comprising a common impedance point for coupling the multiple RF matching elements to the RFID processor.

11. The tag of claim 1, further comprising a band detector for detecting the band of the received signal and wherein the band selector selects one of the RF matching elements automatically based on the detected band.

12. The tag of claim 1, further comprising a protocol detector for detecting the protocol of the received signal and wherein the protocol selector selects a protocol automatically based on the detected protocol.

13. The tag of claim 1, wherein the tag is enclosed in a rigid body.

14. A method for configuring a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

receiving an RFID signal;

detecting a frequency band of the signal;

selecting an RF matching element based on the detected band;

detecting a protocol of the signal;

selecting an RFID processor based on the detected protocol; and

processing the signal in the selected RFID processor according to the detected protocol.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a command to switch the tag to an OFF position so that it does not respond to interrogation.

16. A method for configuring a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

transmitting an RFID signal using a first band and according to a first protocol wherein the signal comprises a command to operate in a second band or according to a second protocol.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for storing information;

means for receiving a radio frequency identification (RFID) signal;

means for selecting one of multiple RF optimizations or RFID protocols; and

,

means for processing the received RFID signal, wherein the means for processing is coupled among the means for storing, the means for receiving and the means for selecting,

wherein the apparatus is sized and configured to be carried by a container or article, and wherein the article lacks a power supply.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for automatically detecting one of multiple RF bands of the RFID signal or automatically detecting one of the multiple RFID protocols.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for selecting includes both means for selecting one of multiple RF optimizations and means for selecting one of multiple RFID protocols.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a command to switch the tag to an OFF position so that it does not respond to interrogation.

21. A configurable radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

an antenna for receiving an RFID signal;

multiple RF matching elements for operating at multiple frequency bands;

a band selector coupled to the antenna for selecting one of the RF matching elements;

a protocol selector for selecting a protocol;

a material selector for tuning the antenna according to the selected material; and

an RFID processor for processing the signal according to the selected protocol.