PASSIVE RF TAG WITH POWER CYCLING

• US 20150286848A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Inventors: Narendra, Siva G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0709 the source being an interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07766 comprising at least a second communication arrangement in addition to a first non-contact communication arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas

Abstract

A passive tag embedded in a package includes multiple conductive coils. A first coil receives radio frequency (RF) energy used to power the tag. Additional coils receive and/or transmit data signals, clock signals, and carrier signals. The RF energy and other signals may be at different frequencies. An RF probe includes a first coil to emit the RF energy to power the tag. The RF probe includes additional coils corresponding to the additional coils in the tag. The RF probe may turn off the RF signal used for power during communication. The RF energy may be rectified to provide DC power to circuits in the tag, or may be used directly for adiabatic circuits. The RF probe and the package may have complementary shapes to facilitate alignment of the coils.

Claims

1. A method of operating a passive integrated circuit comprising:

receiving radio frequency (RF) energy at a first frequency from a first conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit;

conditioning the radio frequency energy to power digital circuitry in the passive integrated circuit; and

transmitting data using a second conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit when reception of radio frequency energy at the first frequency from the first conductive coil has stopped.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting data comprises modulating an impedance presented to the second conductive coil when the second conductive coil is in the presence of a carrier signal at a second frequency.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second frequencies are the same.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second frequencies are different.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a carrier signal at a second frequency on a third conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an RF clock signal at a second frequency on a third conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving a carrier signal at a second frequency on a fourth conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit.

8. A method of operating a passive integrated circuit comprising:

receiving radio frequency energy at a first frequency from a first conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit;

conditioning the radio frequency energy to power digital circuitry in the passive integrated circuit; and

receiving data using a second conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit when reception of radio frequency energy at the first frequency from the first conductive coil has stopped.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein receiving data comprises demodulating digital data from a carrier signal at a second frequency.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second frequencies are the same.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second frequencies are different.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a carrier signal at a second frequency on a third conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving an RF clock signal at a second frequency on a third conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving a carrier signal at a second frequency on a fourth conductive coil having a plurality of turns affixed to the integrated circuit.

15. A method of operating a radio frequency (RF) probe to communicate with a passive tag, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal at a first frequency using a first conductive coil with a plurality of turns to provide a source of power to the passive tag;

stopping the transmission of the signal at the first frequency; and

communicating with the passive tag using a signal at a second frequency transmitted from a second conductive coil with a plurality of turns.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second frequencies are the same.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second frequencies are different.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein communicating with the passive tag comprises modulating digital data onto a carrier signal at the second frequency.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein communicating with the passive tag comprises sensing impedance changes present in a field near the second conductive coil.