Minimum voltage radio frequency indentification

• US 5,945,920 A
• Filed: 12/10/1997
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Maletsky, Kerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US08/988,504
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.54, 340/825.34, 340/825.63, 340/572, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.5, 361/56
• US Class Current: 340/10.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs

Abstract

A radio frequency identification device (RFID) which permits various read and write operations at various voltage levels. Certain read operations are permitted as soon as the voltage level in the RFID is sufficient for the circuitry to switch. Errors during such operations are accounted for by retry attempts. Security related operations require higher voltage levels which ensure higher reliability in such operations.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having a tank circuit for receiving and transmitting signals, the RFID tag further having a memory, comprising:

transmitting a power signal to the RFID tag, thereby inducing a voltage in the tank circuit;

detecting a first power supply voltage level, the first power supply voltage level being one in which at least one transistor in the RFID tag just begins to switch;

in response to detection of the first power supply voltage level, modulating a Q factor of the tank circuit in a manner which represents data stored in the RFID tag to effectively transmit the data;

detecting a second power supply voltage level greater than the first power supply voltage level; and

in response to detection of the second power supply voltage level, enabling write operations to a first portion of the memory.

2. The method of claim 1 further including producing the power supply voltage by rectifying the power signal and charging a capacitor.

3. The method of claim 1 further including receiving data for storage in the memory, the data including error detection bits.

4. The method of claim 1 further includes repeating the step of modulating the Q factor to effectively retransmit the data.

5. The method of claim 1 further including detecting a third power supply voltage level and enabling reading and writing of a second portion of the memory.

6. The method of claim 5 further including enabling reading and writing of a password stored in the RFID tag upon detecting the third power supply voltage level.

7. The method of claim 6 further including enabling reading and writing write-lock bits upon detecting the third power supply voltage level.

8. A method of operating a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the method comprising:

receiving a power signal on a radio frequency carrier transmitted to the RFID tag;

producing a supply voltage from the received power signal;

detecting when the supply voltage reaches a first voltage level, the first voltage level being one in which at least one transistor in the RFID tag just begins to switch;

enabling a first memory-read operation in response to detection of the first voltage level;

transmitting the data read;

detecting when the supply voltage reaches a second voltage level greater than the first voltage level and enabling a memory-write operation in response thereto; and

detecting when the supply voltage reaches a third voltage level greater than the second voltage level and in response thereto enabling a second memory-read operation to read a password stored in the RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 8 further including enabling a memory-write operation in response to detection of the third voltage level to write to the password.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of transmitting includes modulating a load resistor of a tank circuit.

11. The method of claim 10 further including repeating the step of modulating the load resistor to retransmit the data read.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of producing a supply voltage includes rectifying the received power signal and charging a capacitor.

13. The method of claim 8 further including providing a protected memory area and an unprotected memory area and storing the password in the protected memory area, wherein the first memory-read operation is directed to the unprotected memory area and the second memory-read operation is directed to the protected memory area.

14. The method of claim 13 further including enabling a memory-write operation directed to the protected memory area in response to detection of the third voltage level, and storing write-lock bits in the protected memory area.

15. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

first enabling means for providing a first enable signal;

second enabling means for providing a second enable signal;

a tank circuit including a load;

means for modulating the load to vary the Q factor of the tank circuit; and

a memory array having means for reading data contained therein and means for writing data thereinto;

the means for reading being coupled to the means for modulating to vary the Q factor of the tank circuit in response to data read from the memory array;

the means for reading being coupled to and enabled by the first enabling means;

the means for writing being coupled to and enabled by the second enabling means.

16. The RFID tag of claim 15 further including means for producing a supply voltage;

the first enable signal indicating that a supply voltage has reached a first voltage level;

the second enable signal indicating that the supply voltage has reached a second voltage level greater than the first voltage level.

17. The RFID tag of claim 16 further including an input over-voltage protection device, the protection device being triggered when the RFID tag reaches the second voltage level, the protection device coupled to enable the means for writing.

18. The RFID tag of claim 15 further including a third enabling means for providing a third enable signal, and second means for reading and writing the memory device being enabled by the third enabling means.

19. The RFID tag of claim 18 further including a password, wherein the second means for reading and writing is coupled to read and write the password.

20. The RFID tag of claim 19 further including write-lock bits, wherein the second means for reading and writing is coupled to read and write the write-lock bits.