MEMS Sensor Enabled RFID System and Method for Operating the Same

• US 20140125458A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Bachman, Mark, Zhang, Yang, McLaughlin, Scott
• Application Number:
  US14/064,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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

Abstract

A method for providing environmental monitoring of an item with an electronic system includes the steps of operating the electronic system in a deep-sleep mode at a minimal level of power consumption by disabling operation of nonessential portions of the electronic system; activating the electronic system at a monitoring rate to sense an environmental parameter to which the item is subjected; sensing a value of the environmental parameter to which the item is subjected; comparing the sensed environmental parameter with the value of the environmental parameter just previously sensed to derive a rate of change of the environmental parameter; adjusting the monitoring rate to track the rate of change of the environmental parameter; storing the value of the sensed environmental parameter; and returning the electronic system to the deep-sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method for providing environmental monitoring of an item with an electronic system comprising:

operating the electronic system in a deep-sleep mode at a minimal level of power consumption by disabling operation of nonessential portions of the electronic system;

activating the electronic system at a monitoring rate to sense an environmental parameter to which the item is subjected;

sensing a value of the environmental parameter to which the item is subjected;

comparing the sensed environmental parameter with the value of the environmental parameter just previously sensed to derive a rate of change of the environmental parameter;

adjusting the monitoring rate to track the rate of change of the environmental parameter;

storing the value of the sensed environmental parameter; and

returning the electronic system to the deep-sleep mode.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing electrical power to the electronic system only when a passive sensor senses the presence of a predetermined value of the environmental parameter.

3. The method of claim 2 where storing the value of the sensed environmental parameter is performed only when the value of the sense environmental parameter has changed from the previously sensed value.

4. The method of claim 2 where storing the value of the sensed environmental parameter is performed only when the value of the sense environmental parameter outside a predetermined threshold.