RFID CIRCUITRY AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OF EVENTS PERTAINING TO AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110221575A1
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mincey, Tyler, Hodge, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,076,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• 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: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

An electronic device with RFID circuitry is provided. The electronic device is operative to instruct the RFID circuitry to provide a desired message indicative of an event associated with the electronic device. For example, if the electronic device experienced some type of system failure, the device may instruct the RFID circuitry to provide a message indicative of that failure.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

RFID circuitry comprising;

a first memory for storing first data;

a second memory for storing second data; and

selection circuitry operative to select either the first or second memory based on a selection signal; and

a processor operative to provide the selection signal to the RFID circuitry, wherein a state of the selection signal changes in response to receiving an event.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor system operative to provide the event to the processor.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the sensor system is a water detection system.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the sensor system comprises a water detection system, a shock sensor system, an electrical failure detection system, a security system, or any combination thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the selection circuitry is operative to change selection between the first memory and the second memory prior to a device failure.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein when the first memory is selected, the first data can be read by a reader device when the electronic device is powered off, and wherein when the second memory is selected, the second data can be read by a reader device when the electronic device is powered off.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor provides the selection signal by applying a voltage signal to the RFID circuitry.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second memory cannot be rewritten by the electronic device.

9. An electronic device comprising:

RFID circuitry operative to passively provide data, the RFID circuitry comprising rewritable memory for storing data received from control circuitry; and

sensor system operative to detect a trigger event;

RFID event handling circuitry operative to process software events that can be quantified and stored as data in the RFID circuitry; and

control circuitry operative to provide data to be written in the rewritable memory of the RFID circuitry in response to receiving an event from the sensor system or RFID event handling circuitry, wherein the RFID circuitry stores the data indicative of the received event in the rewritable memory.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the data stored in the RFID circuitry is associated with user interaction of media.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the data stored in the RFID circuitry provides a status notification of the electronic device.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the data stored in the RFID circuitry provides an error message.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the data stored in the RFID circuitry is updated according to a predetermined interval.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the data stored in the RFID circuitry is updated in response to user interaction with the device.

15. The device of claim 9 further comprising a communications bus for enabling the control circuitry to provide data to the RFID circuitry.

16. A method for using RFID circuitry in an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving an event; and

in response to receiving the event, selecting a memory in RFID circuitry that contains a message indicative of the event, the RFID circuitry operative to provide the message when it is read.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the event is one of a plurality of events that can be received, and wherein the memory is one of a plurality of memories in the RFID circuitry that each contain a message, and wherein the memory selected contains a message indicative of the received event.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein selecting a memory in RFID circuitry comprises providing a selection signal to selection circuitry in the RFID circuitry.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the selection signal comprises selectively asserting one or more communications lines interconnecting the RFID circuitry and control circuitry.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the event is derived from a sensor system.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the event is a water detection event, and wherein the memory indicative of the water detection event is selected before the electronic device experiences a failure.

22. A method for using RFID circuitry in an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a software event, the software event indicative of a user interaction with the electronic device; and

in response to receiving the software event, writing data to a memory in RFID circuitry, the data indicative of the software event, and wherein the RFID circuitry is operative to provide the data when it is read.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the software event is indicative of a media item that has been played back on the electronic device.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the software event is received at a predetermined time interval.