ACTIVE ENERGY HARVESTING FOR RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFCATION DEVICES

• US 20120126955A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bonwoong Koo, Moon J. Kim
• Original Assignee: Bonwoong Koo, Moon J. Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Moon J., Koo, Bonwoong
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.34
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0708 the source being electromagnetic or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal

Abstract

In general, embodiments of the present invention provide approaches for providing power to RFID transponders. In one embodiment, the RFID transponder is powered using a magnetic field generated by power lines. In another embodiment, the RFID transponder is powered using a field generated by a wireless network. In the case of the latter, the RFID transponder acts as a member of the wireless network. In so doing, the RFID transponder is granted user rights and controls, and can control devices that are available on the network

Claims

1. A method for providing power to radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices through power lines, comprising:

placing an RFID transponder within a field generated by a power line; and

powering the RFID transponder using the field generated by the power line.

2. The method of claim 1, the field being a magnetic field.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing interference using a wideband noisy RF carrier.

4. The method of claim 1, the field extending a range of the RFID transponder from the RFID reader.

5. The method of claim 1, the RFID transponder being an RFID tag or an RFID label, the RFID transponder being in communication with an RFID reader.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the RFID transponder being configured to request a higher level of power from the power line.

7. The method of claim 1, the field having a frequency of 60 Hz.

8. A method for providing power to radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices using a wireless network, comprising:

positioning an RFID transponder in range of the wireless network;

the RFID transponder acting as a member of the wireless network; and

the RFID transponder drawing power from a field generated by the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the RFID transponder gaining a set of user rights and controls on the wireless network.

10. The method of claim 9, the RFID transponder gaining a higher priority on the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls.

11. The method of claim 9, the RFID transponder requesting a higher level of power using the set of user rights and controls.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling devices accessible from the wireless network with the RFID transponder using the set of user rights and controls.

13. The method of claim 8, the field being a magnetic field.

14. The method of claim 8, the RFID transponder being an RFID tag or an RFID label, the RFID transponder in communication with a RFID reader.

15. A method for active energy harvesting for radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices, comprising:

positioning an RFID transponder in a field generated by a non-RFID power source; and

providing power to the RFID transponder using the non-RFID power source.

16. The method of claim 15, the non-RFID power source being a power line.

17. The method of claim 15, the non-RFID power source being a wireless network.

18. The method of claim 17, the wireless network being a cellular network.

19. The method of claim 17, the RFID transponder gaining a set of user rights and controls on the wireless network, and the RFID transponder gaining a higher priority on the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls.

20. The method of claim 19, the RFID transponder requesting a higher level of power using the set of user rights and controls.