RF COMMUNICATION DEVICE WITH ENERGY ENHANCEMENT

• US 20100060456A1
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2008
• 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 8,547,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A method of operating a radio frequency (RF) communication device includes internally storing energy received by the RF communication device, and using that energy to enhance communication by the RF communication device upon occurrence of a predetermined event. The energy received by the RF communication device may be energy transmitted by a shelf or other display unit that an object with the RF communication device is located on. The predetermined event may be any of a wide variety of events. The energy storage may be accomplished in a battery, capacitor, or other energy storage device. The use of energy to enhance communication may be used to provide increased power for sending, receiving, or detecting signals. The enhanced power may be provided continuously, and/or may include periods of power enhancement alternating with periods of non-enhancement.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radio frequency (RF) communication device, the method comprising:

storing energy received by the RF communication device in an energy storage device of the RF communication device; and

upon occurrence of a predetermined event, using the energy stored in the energy storage device to enhance communication by the RF communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the using includes providing pulsed energy to a chip of the RF communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing pulsed energy only occurs after the energy stored in the energy storage device passes below a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing includes providing the energy for 1% or less of a period of each cycle.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the energy received and stored by the RF communication device includes energy transmitted by a display unit;

and

wherein the predetermined event includes moving the RF communication device away from the display unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event includes the RF communication device reaching a predetermined temperature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is an environmental condition in the vicinity of the RF communication device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting the environmental condition using a sensor of the RF chip.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event includes receipt of a predetermined signal by the RF communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the enhancing communication includes improving functionality of the RF communication device as an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the enhancing communication includes enhancing communication through a first antenna of the RF communication device;

and

wherein the storing energy includes receiving energy through a second antenna of the RF communication device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device includes a capacitor.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device includes a battery.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is part of chip.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the energy storage device is part of an interposer that includes the chip.

16. A radio frequency (RF) communication device comprising:

an RF chip;

a first antenna coupled to the RF chip for communicating information between the RF communication device and an external reader/detector device;

an energy storage device coupled to the RF chip for providing power to the RF chip; and

a second antenna coupled to the energy storage device, for providing power to the energy storage device.

17. The RF communication device of claim 16, wherein the energy storage device is a battery.

18. The RF communication device of claim 16, wherein the energy storage device is a capacitor.

19. The RF communication device of claim 16, further comprising:

a first rectifier coupled to the first antenna; and

a second rectifier coupled to the second antenna.

20. A radio frequency (RF) communication device comprising:

an interposer that includes;

an RF chip; and

conductive leads electrically coupled to contacts on the RF chip;

an antenna electrically coupled to the conductive leads; and

a battery that includes;

an electrolyte layer; and

parts of the antenna and one of conductive leads on opposite respective sides of the electrolyte layer, wherein the parts of the antenna and the one of the conductive leads serve as electrodes for the battery.