Passive (non-contact) recharging of secondary battery cell(s) powering RFID transponder tags

• US 5,300,875 A
• Filed: 06/08/1992
• Issued: 04/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Tuttle, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peckman, Kristine L.
• Application Number:
  US07/894,879
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 320/61, 320/62, 320/64, 320/68, 320/20, 320/21, 320/22, 320/23, 320/24, 320/31, 320/32, 320/39, 320/40
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/181 Geophones
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1607 Supply circuits converters H02M; filters therefor H02M1/14; voltage stabilisers G05F1/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A concept of passively recharging the battery of battery backed electronic circuits and in particular utilizing these methods to recharge an RFID transponder'"'"'s secondary cell(s). The invention particularly relates to battery backed transponders which contain rechargeable batteries wherein the recharging circuitry of the present invention allows for passive (non-contact) recharging of a battery residing in a transponder unit that may or may not be directly accessible for handling. The passive recharging strategies disclosed include utilizing energy sources such as: 1) a radio frequency (rf) signal generated outside the package; 2) a seismic geophone; 3) seismic piezoelectric accelerometers; 4) photovoltaic cells located outside of the transponder package; 5) infrared p-v cells located inside of the package driven by the heated package; and/or 5) acoustic energy (sonic and ultrasonic) coupled to the recharging circuitry via an acoustic transducer.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) transceiver system comprising:

a) communication circuitry having control logic and memory;

b) a secondary battery unit for powering said communication circuitry;

c) a secondary battery trickle charging unit for charging said secondary battery unit; and

d) a power unit for supplying voltage and current to said secondary battery trickle charging unit, said power unit is selected from the group including a radio frequency receiving antenna system, a seismic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, photovoltaic cells and an acoustic transducer;

wherein said communication circuitry, said secondary battery unit, said secondary battery trickle charging unit and said power unit are all combined to form a single radio frequency transceiver package.

2. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said secondary battery unit comprises a single battery cell.

3. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said secondary battery unit comprises a plurality of battery cells.

4. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said photovoltaic cells are located on the outside of the package.

5. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said photovoltaic cells comprise infrared photovoltaic cells located on the inside of the package.

6. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said acoustic transducer is a sonic transducer.

7. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said acoustic transducer is an ultrasonic transducer.

8. The RF transceiver system of claim 7 wherein said ultrasonic transducer is selected from the group including piezoelectric, electrostatic, and magnetostrictive devices.

9. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said power unit is an a.c. power source.

10. The RF transceiver system of claim 1 wherein said power unit is a d.c. power source.

11. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

a) communication circuitry having controlling logic and memory;

b) a secondary battery unit for powering said memory;

c) a secondary battery trickle charging unit for charging said secondary battery; and

d) a power unit for supplying voltage and current to said secondary battery trickle charging unit, said power unit is selected from the group including a radio frequency receiving antenna system, a seismic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, photovoltaic cells and an acoustic transducer;

wherein said communication circuitry, said secondary battery unit, said secondary battery trickle charging unit and said power unit are all combined to form a single radio frequency identification (RFID) package.

12. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said secondary battery unit comprises a single battery cell.

13. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said secondary battery unit comprises a plurality of battery cells.

14. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said photovoltaic cells are located on the outside of the RFID package.

15. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said photovoltaic cells comprise infrared photovoltaic cells located on the inside of the RFID package.

16. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said acoustic transducer is a sonic transducer.

17. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said acoustic transducer is an ultrasonic transducer.

18. The RFID device of claim 17 wherein said ultrasonic transducer is selected from the group including piezoelectric, electrostatic, and magnetostrictive devices.

19. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said power unit is an a.c. power source.

20. The RFID device of claim 11 wherein said power unit is a d.c. power source.

21. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency (RF) transceiver package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by one of the power units selected from the group including a radio frequency receiving antenna system, a seismic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, photovoltaic cells and an acoustic transducer.

22. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency (RF) transceiver package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by infrared photovoltaic cells located on the inside of the package that are driven by heat dissipated by said package.

23. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency (RF) transceiver package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

`wherein said power is provided by a power unit located on the inside of the package.

24. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency (RF) transceiver package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by a power unit located on the outside of the package.

25. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency identification (RFID) package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by one of the power units selected from the group including a radio frequency receiving antenna system, a seismic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, photovoltaic cells and an acoustic transducer.

26. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency identification(RFID) package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by infrared photovoltaic cells located on the inside of the package that are driven by heat dissipated by said package.

27. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency identification (RFID) package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by a power unit located on the inside of the package.

28. A method for charging of a secondary battery unit in a radio frequency identification (RFID) package comprising the steps of:

a) providing power to a secondary battery trickle charging unit by a radio frequency power source;

b) conditioning said power to match the input requirements of said secondary battery trickle charging unit; and

c) using said conditioned power for trickle charging said secondary battery unit;

wherein said power is provided by a power unit located on the outside of the package.