RFID DEVICE WTIH CONTROL LOGIC, AND METHOD

• US 20090027173A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,727,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 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 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) device has controllable features that allow for modification of its interaction with external devices, such as RFID readers. The RFID device may have multiple antennas, coupled to multiple contacts of a chip of the device. The chip may include a real or virtual switch for selectively coupling the chip to either of the antennas. The switch may be activated by an external signal sent to the RFID device. The RFID device also may be controlled by adjusting an adjustable modulator within the RFID device. The modulator may adjust outgoing signals from the RFID device to an appropriate level of signal strength, or to have other suitable characteristics. By control of the antenna couplings and/or the modulator settings of the RFID device, adjustments in performance of the RFID device may be made for suitable operation in a variety of situations and environments.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) comprising:

a chip; and

an antenna coupled to the chip for receiving and sending signals;

wherein the chip includes control logic that controls outgoing signals sent by the RFID device at least in part based on one or more of

     1) a non-informational characteristic of incoming signals received by the RFID device, and

     2) environment information received by an environment sensor of the RFID device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the control logic includes logic configured to control the outgoing signals is at least in part based on the non-informational characteristic of the incoming signals.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the control logic includes logic configured to control the outgoing signals is at least in part based on a signal strength of the incoming signals.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the control logic includes logic configured to control the outgoing signals is at least in part based on a data rate of the incoming signals.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the control logic controls the outgoing signals is at least in part based on the environment information received by the environment sensor.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the environment sensor includes one or more of a temperature senor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, an electric field sensor, a light sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a chemical sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the control logic is part of a processor of the chip that is operatively coupled to an adjustable modulator of the chip.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the control logic includes logic that adjusts the adjustable modulator to set a signal strength of the outgoing signals.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the control logic includes logic that adjusts the adjustable modulator to set a data rate of the outgoing signals.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the control logic controls the outgoing signals also at least in part based on a value in a memory of the processor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the control logic includes a lookup table that for determining control of the output signals based on one or more inputs.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the chip includes an adjustable modulator, controlled by the processor, that modulates the outgoing signals at least in part based on at least one value in a memory location of the chip, and the non-informational characteristic of the incoming signals.

13. A method of controlling a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming signal at the RFID device; and

controlling outgoing signals sent from the RFID device based at least in part on a non-informational characteristic of the incoming signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling the outgoing signals includes controlling non-informational characteristics of the outgoing signals with an adjustable modulator of the RFID device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling non-informational characteristics of the outgoing signals includes controlling a signal strength of the outgoing signals.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling non-informational characteristics of the outgoing signals includes controlling a data rate of the outgoing signals.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling includes using control logic of a processor of the RFID device to control the adjustable modulator.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling includes controlling based at least in part on a signal strength of the incoming signal.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling includes controlling based at least in part on a data rate of the incoming signal.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling includes controlling the outgoing signals based at least in part on a value in a memory in a chip of the RFID device.