RFID TAGS, RFID ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS FOR ANTI-THEFT AND DATA TRANSMISSION PURPOSES

• US 20080093463A1
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Heng-Chih, Chang, Wei, Yung, Henry Tin-Hang
• Granted Patent: US 7,926,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 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: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip

Abstract

An RFID tag is integrated with a processor of an electronic product for anti-theft purpose. The RFID tag receives an enable mark when the electronic product is checked out at a point of sale. Only when the processor receives the enable mark from the RFID tag can the start-up sequence of the electronic product be executed. An RFID tag is integrated with a sensor of an electronic product for data transmission purpose. Data measured by the sensor can be stored in the memory of the RFID tag and outputted via the antenna of the RFID tag.

Claims

1. An electronic device having a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

an RFID tag circuit including;

an input/output (I/O) interface;

a memory for storing data;

a first path-controlling circuit for receiving a first signal via the I/O interface, receiving a second signal in a wireless manner, and outputting one of the first and second signals;

a baseband circuit coupled to the first path-controlling circuit and the memory for processing signals outputted by the first path-controlling circuit, accessing data stored in the memory, and outputting an output signal; and

a second path-controlling circuit coupled to the baseband circuit for outputting signals outputted by the baseband circuit via the I/O interface or in a wireless manner; and

an integrated circuit coupled to the I/O interface for transmitting signals with the RFID tag circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit is capable of accessing the data stored in the memory.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit is capable of outputting a control signal to the RFID tag circuit for controlling the first path-controlling circuit.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit is capable of providing power for operating the RFID tag circuit.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit transmits signals to the RFID tag circuit based on a protocol of the RFID tag circuit.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises:

an antenna for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal in a wireless manner;

a rectifier for transforming the RF signal into a direct current (DC) signal; and

a power management module coupled to the rectifier for generating power for operating the RFID tag circuit based on the DC signal.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises a detecting circuit coupled between the I/O interface and the power management module for controlling a path through which the first signal is transmitted to the power management module.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the detecting circuit includes a diode and a resistor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises a demodulator for demodulating the second signal.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises:

a modulator coupled to the second path-controlling circuit for modulating the output signal of the baseband circuit; and

an antenna for outputting the modulated output signal of the baseband circuit.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises an oscillator coupled to the baseband circuit for generating clock signals for operating the baseband circuit.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the first path-controlling circuit is a multiplexer and the second path-controlling circuit is a demultiplexer.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises a filter coupled between the I/O interface and the first path-controlling circuit.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag circuit further comprises a battery for providing power for operating the RFID tag circuit.

15. An RFID tag comprising:

an I/O interface;

a memory for storing data;

a first path-controlling circuit for receiving a first signal via the I/O interface, receiving a second signal in a wireless manner, and outputting one of the first and second signals;

a baseband circuit coupled to the first path-controlling circuit and the memory for processing signals outputted by the first path-controlling circuit, accessing data stored in the memory, and outputting an output signal; and

a second path-controlling circuit coupled to the baseband circuit for outputting signals outputted by the baseband circuit via the I/O interface or in a wireless manner.

16. The RFID tag of claim 15 further comprising:

an antenna for receiving an RF signal in a wireless manner;

a rectifier for transforming the RF signal into a DC signal; and

a power management module coupled to the rectifier for generating power for operating the RFID tag based on the DC signal.

17. The RFID tag of claim 16 wherein further comprising a detecting circuit coupled between the I/O interface and the power management module for controlling a path through which the first signal is transmitted to the power management module.

18. The RFID tag of claim 17 wherein the detecting circuit includes a diode and a resistor.

19. The RFID tag of claim 15 further comprising a battery for providing power.

20. The RFID tag of claim 15 further comprising:

an antenna for receiving an RF signal; and

a demodulator generating the corresponding second signal by demodulating the RF signal.

21. An anti-theft method using RFID tags comprising:

integrating an RFID tag with a processor of an electronic device;

writing an enable mark into a memory of the RFID tag;

the processor confirming whether the memory of the RFID tag includes the enable mark during a start-up sequence; and

the processor enabling the electronic device after accessing the enable mark.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

the processor disabling the electronic device when unable to access the enable mark.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the enable mark is transmitted from an RFID reader to the RFID tag.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the enable mark is written into the memory of the RFID tag at a point of sale (POS).

25. A method for transmitting data using RFID tags comprising:

integrating an RFID tag with a sensing device;

writing data measured by the sensing device into a memory of the RFID tag; and

outputting data stored in the memory of the RFID tag via an antenna of the RFID tag.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising receiving data outputted via the antenna of the RFID tag using an RFID reader.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

transmitting a control signal for controlling the sensing device to the memory of the RFID tag using the RFID reader; and

the sensing device accessing the control signal stored in the memory of the RFID tag.