METHOD FOR SWITCHING AN RFID TAG FROM DEEP SLEEP TO ACTIVE MODE

• US 20100214079A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ingecom SARL
• Original Assignee: Ingecom SARL
• Inventors: Desjeux, Oliver
• Application Number:
  US12/705,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214079A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.340
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0705 the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement
• 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 by which an active tag can be switched from a deep sleep mode to an operating mode is based on a detector embedded on an active tag providing a wake up pulse to a state-machine of the tag in response to external energy pulse that will open an radio frequency listen window in which a reader can send any usual command, among them a wake-up command or a configuration command.

Claims

1. A method for switching an active RFID tag from a deep sleep mode into an active mode, the method comprises the steps of:

providing the active RFID tag with a microcontroller, an antenna, a transmitter connected with the antenna, and a battery; and

providing a detector connected to the active RFID tag for receiving an external energy pulse providing a wake-up pulse to the microcontroller, the wake-up pulse having an effect of opening a brief radio frequency listen window allowing the active RFID tag to receive a message containing an instruction to switch to an active mode.

2. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 1, which further comprises forming the detector as a low-frequency magnetic field detector embedded on the active RFID tag for receiving the external energy pulse being a low-frequency trigger providing the wake-up pulse to the microcontroller.

3. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 2, which further comprises forming the low-frequency magnetic field detector as a coil.

4. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 2, which further comprises setting the low-frequency trigger to be below 30 MHz.

5. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 1, which further comprises receiving the external energy pulse by capacitive coupling and forming the detector with two plates.

6. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 5, which further comprises disposing the plates on outer sides of a plastic case and both of the plates are separated by the plastic case.

7. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 1, which further comprises supplying the message for instructing the active RFID tag to provide its identity on a RF specific channel for registration purposes.

8. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 7, which further comprises broadcasting the message to a plurality of active RFID tags.

9. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 2, which further comprises setting the low-frequency trigger to be 125 kHz.

10. The method for switching the active RFID tag according to claim 2, which further comprises setting the low-frequency trigger to be 13.56 MHz.

11. An active RFID tag, comprising:

a microcontroller;

an antenna;

a transmitter connected to said antenna;

a battery; and

a detector for receiving an external energy pulse providing a wake-up pulse to said microcontroller, the wake-up pulse having an effect of opening a brief radio frequency listen window allowing the active RFID tag to receive a message containing an instruction to switch to an active mode.

12. The active RFID tag according to claim 11, wherein said detector is a low-frequency magnetic field detector embedded on the active RFID tag for receiving the external energy pulse being a low-frequency trigger providing the wake-up pulse to said microcontroller.

13. The active RFID tag according to claim 12, wherein said low-frequency magnetic field detector is a coil.

14. The active RFID tag according to claim 12, wherein the low-frequency trigger is below 30 MHz.

15. The active RFID tag according to claim 11, wherein said detector is formed by two plates for receiving the external energy pulse by capacitive coupling.

16. The active RFID tag according to claim 15, further comprising a plastic case, said plates are disposed on outer sides of said plastic case and are separated from each other by said plastic case.

17. The active RFID tag according to claim 12, wherein the low-frequency trigger is in a range of 125 kHz to 13.56 MHz.

18. The active RFID tag according to claim 12, wherein the low-frequency trigger is 125 kHz.

19. The active RFID tag according to claim 12, wherein the low-frequency trigger is 13.56 MHz.