LONG RANGE RFID DEVICE FOR BATTERY MONITORING AND SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTING SAME

• US 20080157924A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zest Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelleflex Corporation
• Inventors: Batra, Naresh
• Granted Patent: US 8,941,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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 19/07749 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: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An RFID system according to one embodiment includes an electronic device being powered by a battery; an RFID device in electrical communication with the electronic device; and a mechanism for estimating a remaining potential energy of the battery, wherein a flag is set on the RFID device when an estimated remaining potential energy of the battery is below a predefined threshold. In an RFID system according to another embodiment, the RFID device stores an indication of a condition of the battery powering the electronic device. An RFID device according to yet another embodiment of the invention includes an interface for providing a direct physical connection to an electronic device that is powered by a battery; a memory for storing an indication of a condition of the battery powering the electronic device; and circuitry for sending the indication stored in the memory to a remote device via an air interface.

Claims

1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an electronic device being powered by a battery;

an RFID device in electrical communication with the electronic device; and

a mechanism for estimating a remaining potential energy of the battery,

wherein a flag is set on the RFID device when an estimated remaining potential energy of the battery is below a predefined threshold.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the RFID device includes circuitry for monitoring usage of the battery.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein a remote device queries the RFID device to determine whether the flag is set.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes circuitry for monitoring usage of the battery, the electronic device setting the flag on the RFID device.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a visual display device.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a sensor.

7. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an electronic device being powered by a battery; and

an RFID device in electrical communication with the electronic device,

wherein the RFID device stores an indication of a condition of the battery powering the electronic device.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the RFID device includes circuitry for monitoring usage of the battery.

9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein a flag is set on the RFID device when the condition of the battery is such that an estimated remaining potential energy thereof is below a predefined threshold.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein a remote device queries the RFID device to determine whether the flag is set.

11. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the electronic device includes circuitry for monitoring usage of the battery, the electronic device setting a flag on the RFID device when the condition of the battery is such that an estimated remaining potential energy thereof is below a predefined threshold.

12. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the electronic device includes a visual display device.

13. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the electronic device includes a sensor.

14. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device, comprising:

an interface for providing a direct physical connection to an electronic device that is powered by a battery;

a memory for storing an indication of a condition of the battery powering the electronic device; and

circuitry for sending the indication stored in the memory to a remote device via an air interface.

15. A device as recited in claim 14, wherein the indication is a single bit set to a state indicative of whether an estimated remaining potential energy of the battery is below a predefined threshold.

16. A method for indicating a condition of a battery, comprising:

estimating a remaining potential energy of a battery coupled to an electronic device;

setting a flag on an RFID device when the estimated remaining potential energy of the battery is below a predefined threshold; and

sending a state of the flag to a remote device via an air interface.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the RFID device is in communication with the electronic device via a direct physical connection.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein setting the flag includes setting the state of a single bit or series of bits in memory.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the RFID device includes circuitry for monitoring usage of the battery.

20. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein a flag is set on the RFID device when the condition of the battery is such that an estimated remaining potential energy thereof is below a predefined threshold.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein a remote device queries the RFID device to determine whether the flag is set.

22. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the electronic device includes circuitry for monitoring usage of the battery, the electronic device setting a flag on the RFID device when the condition of the battery is such that an estimated remaining potential energy thereof is below a predefined threshold.

23. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the electronic device includes a visual display device.

24. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the electronic device includes a sensor.