Adaptable bandwidth RFID tags

• US 7,183,926 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Inventors: Hyde, John D., Diorio, Christopher J., Cooper, Scott Anthony, Sarajedini, Amir, Sundstrom, Kurt Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/823,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20050225435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 375/136, 375/137, 375/222, 375/275, 375/328, 455/257, 455/226.1, 455/266, 455/266.1, 455/176.1, 455/180.1, 455/180.4, 455/188.1, 455/191.3, 455/150.1, 3405681-5729, 340/2.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 340/10.51, 340/10, 340/10.52, 340/10.2, 700224-227
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• 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

RFID tags, tag circuits, and methods adapting the reception bandwidth. A tag has a decoder for decoding a first received wireless signal subject to a reception bandwidth setting. The tag also has a selector switch for transitioning to a different setting, such as by switching to using a different filter. A subsequently received second signal is decoded subject to the new reception bandwidth setting.

Claims

1. An RFID tag comprising:

a decoder operable to decode a first wireless signal received subject to a first reception bandwidth setting; and

a selector switch operable to select, responsive to the first decoded signal, one of a second reception bandwidth setting and a third reception bandwidth setting different from the second reception bandwidth setting, such that the decoder is operable to further decode a subsequently received second signal subject to the selected reception setting.

2. The tag of claim 1, in which the first reception bandwidth is the same as one of the second and the third reception bandwidth settings.

3. The tag of claim 1, in which the first reception bandwidth is different from the second and the third reception bandwidth settings.

4. The tag of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter, and

in which the selector switch adjusts a bandwidth of the filter.

5. The tag of claim 4, in which the filter is an active filter.

6. The tag of claim 4, in which the filter is a passive filter.

7. The tag of claim 4, in which the bandwidth is adjustable continuously over a range.

8. The tag of claim 4, in which the filter includes a capacitor and a switch configured to be switched at a variable rate.

9. The tag of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of filters in possible paths of the received signal, and

in which the selector switch is configured to route the received first and second signal through different ones of the paths.

10. The tag of claim 1, in which

the decoder is further adapted to generate a trigger signal responsive to decoding the first signal, and further comprising:

a filter bandwidth adjuster adapted to control the selector switch responsive to the trigger signal.

11. The tag of claim 1, in which

the decoder is further operable to compare the decoded signal to a preset code, and

the selector switch is operable to select responsive to the comparison.

12. The tag of claim 11, in which the preset code is at least a portion of a preamble.

13. The tag of claim 1, in which

the decoder is operable to determine an active data rate from the first signal, and

the selector switch is operable to select responsive to the active data rate.

14. The tag of claim 13, in which the decoded signal is a preamble that has a preassociated active data rate.

15. The tag of claim 13, in which the active data rate is determined by determining a bit period from received symbols of the decoded first signal.

16. The tag of claim 13, in which the decoded signal is a DATA RATE command indicating the active data rate.

17. A method for operating an RFID tag, comprising:

receiving a first wireless signal;

decoding the first signal subject to a first reception bandwidth setting;

selecting, responsive to the first decoded signal, one of a second reception bandwidth setting and a third reception bandwidth setting different from the second reception bandwidth setting;

receiving a second wireless signal; and

decoding the second signal subject to the selected setting.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the first reception bandwidth is the same as one of the second and the third reception bandwidth settings.

19. The method of claim 17, in which the first reception bandwidth is different from the second and the third reception bandwidth settings.

20. The method of claim 17, in which selecting is performed by adjusting a bandwidth of a filter.

21. The method of claim 17, in which selecting is performed by changing a path of the second received signal in response to the first received signal.

22. The method of claim 17, in which

the signal path includes a first filter, and

selecting routes the signal through a second filter.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating a trigger signal, and

in which selecting is performed responsive to the trigger signal.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting a fourth reception bandwidth setting different from the first, second, and third settings;

receiving a third wireless signal; and

decoding the third signal subject to the fourth setting.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

comparing the decoded signal to a preset code, and

in which selecting is performed responsive to the comparison.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the preset code is at least a portion of a preamble.

27. The method of claim 17, in which

decoding includes determining an active data rate from the first signal, and

selecting is performed responsive to the active data rate.

28. The method of claim 27, in which the decoded signal is a preamble that has a preassociated active data rate.

29. The method of claim 27, in which the active data rate is determined by determining a bit period from received symbols of the decoded first signal.

30. The method of claim 27, in which the decoded signal is a DATA RATE command indicating the active data rate.

31. A circuit for an RFID tag, comprising:

a decoder operable to decode a first wireless signal received subject to a first reception bandwidth setting; and

a selector switch operable to select, responsive to the first decoded signal, one of a second reception bandwidth setting and a third reception bandwidth setting different from the second, such that the decoder is operable to further decode a subsequently received second signal subject to the selected reception setting.

32. The circuit of claim 31, in which the first reception bandwidth is the same as one of the second and the third reception bandwidth settings.

33. The circuit of claim 31, in which the first reception bandwidth is different from the second and the third reception bandwidth settings.

34. The circuit of claim 31, further comprising:

a filter, and

in which the selector switch adjusts a bandwidth of the filter.

35. The circuit of claim 34, in which the filter is an active filter.

36. The circuit of claim 34, in which the filter is a passive filter.

37. The circuit of claim 34, in which the bandwidth is adjustable continuously over a range.

38. The circuit of claim 34, in which the filter includes a capacitor and a switch configured to be switched at a variable rate.

39. The circuit of claim 31, further comprising:

a plurality of filters in possible paths of the received signal, and

in which the selector switch routes the received first and second signal through different ones of the paths.

40. The circuit of claim 31,

in which the decoder is further adapted to generate a trigger signal responsive to decoding the first signal, and

further comprising:

a filter bandwidth adjuster adapted to control the selector switch responsive to the trigger signal.

41. The circuit of claim 31, in which

the decoder is further operable to compare the decoded signal to a preset code, and

the selector switch is operable to select responsive to the comparison.

42. The circuit of claim 41, in which the preset code is at least a portion of a preamble.

43. The circuit of claim 31, in which

the decoder is operable to determine an active data rate from the first signal, and

the selector switch is operable to select responsive to the active data rate.

44. The circuit of claim 43, in which the decoded signal is a preamble that has a preassociated active data rate.

45. The circuit of claim 43, in which the active data rate is determined by determining a bit period from received symbols of the decoded first signal.

46. The circuit of claim 43, in which the decoded signal is a DATA RATE command indicating the active data rate.