RFID TAG FACILITY WITH ACCESS TO EXTERNAL DEVICES

• US 20100134257A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Original Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Inventors: Hamlin, Robert W., Benoit, Steven, Puleston, David, Mats, Leonid
• Granted Patent: US 8,390,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.400
• 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: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, where the passive RFID tag contains an RF network node and communication facility. The RF network node includes an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID reader signal, a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RF network node. The communication facility communicates at least in part with an external display facility. The distribution of power to the RF network node functional blocks is controlled using the power management block to select between an extended operational time and an increase in available functionality.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the passive RFID tag containing an RF network node and communication facility, wherein the RF network node includes an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID reader signal, a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RF network node, and the communication facility communicates at least in part with an external display facility; and

controlling the distribution of power to the RF network node functional blocks using the power management block to select between an extended operational time and an increase in available functionality.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, the passive RFID tag having a plurality of RF network nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication facility communicates with the external display facility through a serial communications interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the serial communications interface is an I²C bus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications facility communicates with the external display facility through an intermediate electronics.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications facility interfaces with the intermediate electronics through a serial communications interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the intermediate electronics includes at least one of a multiplexer and de-multiplexer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the external display facility is an electronic paper display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, the passive RFID tag interfacing with a sensor facility.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the external display facility at least in part displays data related to data collected from the sensor facility.

11. A method, comprising:

providing an RFID chip, that in addition to interfacing with at least one of a plurality of RF antennas for communicating with an RFID reader, also has a wired communication interface to at least one other electronic device for the purposes of providing increased functionality to the RFID chip.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, the RFID chip and the at least one other electronic device are interconnected by an interposer arrangement for the purposes of facilitating mechanical assembly.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one other electronic device is a second RFID chip.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one other electronic device is a display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the display is an electronic paper display.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one other electronic device is a sensor.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising an intermediate electronics device providing an interface between the RFID chip and the at least one other electronic device.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the wired communication occurs over a communications bus.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications bus is serial.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communications bus is an I2C serial bus.