Battery powered wireless transceiver having LPRF component and second wake up receiver

• US 7,209,771 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Jr., Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, S.
• Application Number:
  US10/514,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20050215280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/343.5, 455/343.1, 455/522, 455/500
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless transceiver includes a low power radio frequency (LPRF) component that powers down to conserve energy and powers up in response to a signal; and a second receiver that provides the signal in response to receipt of a radio frequency broadcast. The broadcast is targeted to activate particular transceivers by including, in the broadcasts, identifications such as class designations, in which case the transceivers power up and form networks. A transceiver may include one or more identifications and may include a unique identification of the transceiver itself. The LPRF component may be a Bluetooth radio, but the overall transceiver itself only draws about 10 to 15 μA while actively awaiting and screening for a targeted broadcast.

Claims

1. A wireless transceiver, comprising:

(a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and

(b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component;

(c) wherein said second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast; and

(d) wherein the wireless transceiver includes an energy source.

2. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the second receiver is physically connected to the LPRF communications component.

3. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the energy source is used by the LPRF communications component for both transmitting and receiving.

4. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the LPRF communications component powers down to an off state when no longer receiving or transmitting data, the LPRF communications component drawing approximately no current when powered down to off.

5. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the second receiver when awaiting for and receiving a transmission draws current that is at least one magnitude of order less than the current that the LPRF communications component draws when awaiting for and receiving a transmission.

6. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, further including a reader for reading one or more wireless tags disposed externally to and in proximity of the wireless transceiver, the reader being physically connected to the LPRF communications component for data exchange therebetween.

7. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the LPRF communications component comprises a Bluetooth radio.

8. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a battery of the LPRF communications component and wherein the second receiver includes a second energy source comprising a second battery.

9. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein one of the group of a modified FSK radio, PM radio, and AM radio comprises the second receiver.

10. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the second receiver draws on the order of approximately 10 to 15 μ

A of electric current when awaiting for and receiving a transmission.

11. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency broadcast, to which the second receiver responds by powering up the LPRF communications component, includes an identification that is stored within the wireless transceiver.

12. The wireless transceiver of claim 11, wherein the identification is permanently stored within the second receiver and uniquely identifies the wireless transceiver.

13. The wireless transceiver of claim 11, wherein the second receiver responds to the radio frequency broadcast by powering up the LPRF communications component only if the radio frequency broadcast includes the identification.

14. The wireless transceiver of claim 11, wherein the identification uniquely identifies the wireless transceiver.

15. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, further comprising a reader component used to read one or more wireless tags (WTs) that are disposed externally to and in proximity thereof in response to the radio frequency broadcast, wherein the wireless transceiver draws on the order of approximately 10 to 15 μ

A of electric current when awaiting for and receiving the radio frequency broadcast.

16. The wireless transceiver of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver further comprises a reader component for reading one or more wireless tags (WTs) that are disposed externally to and in proximity thereof, the reader component disposed in electronic communication with the LPRF communications component for data exchange therebetween.

17. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the LPRF communications component comprises a Bluetooth radio.

18. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the second receiver comprises one of the group of a modified FSK radio, PM radio, and AM radio.

19. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the LPRF communications component draws on the order of approximately 40 mAh of electric charge when powered up and receiving transmissions.

20. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the LPRF communications component draws on the order of approximately 10 mA of electric current when powered down to a standby mode.

21. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the LPRF communications component draws approximately no electric current when powered down to an off state.

22. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the second receiver draws on the order of 10 to 15 μ

A of electric current when awaiting for and receiving the radio frequency broadcast.

23. The wireless transceiver of claim 22, wherein one of the group of a modified FSK radio, PM radio, and AM radio comprises the second receiver.

24. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the LPRF communications component, reader component, and second receiver are hardwired within a housing of the wireless transceiver.

25. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the second receiver generates the electronic signal by providing power to voltage regulators that supply power to the LPRF communications component.

26. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the LPRF communications component is programmed to power down to an off state when no longer actively transmitting or receiving.

27. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein a wireless tag comprises the second receiver, the wireless tag including:

(a) a radio frequency detector component,

(b) a memory component, and

(c) an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) component.

28. The wireless transceiver of claim 27, wherein the memory component stores an identification in read/write memory or in read only memory.

29. The wireless transceiver of claim 27, wherein the ASIC component permanently stores an identification.

30. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency broadcast, to which the second receiver responds by providing the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component, includes therein an identification that is stored within the wireless transceiver.

31. The wireless transceiver of claim 30, wherein the identification is permanently stored within the wireless transceiver and uniquely identifies the wireless transceiver.

32. The wireless transceiver of claim 30, wherein the second receiver responds to the radio frequency broadcast by providing the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component only if the radio frequency broadcast includes the identification.

33. The wireless transceiver of claim 30, wherein the identification represents a wireless transceiver class.

34. The wireless transceiver of claim 30, wherein the identification represents a WT class.

35. The wireless transceiver of claim 30, wherein the identification uniquely identifies the wireless transceiver.

36. The wireless transceiver of claim 30, wherein the identification represents a selected plurality of wireless transceivers.

37. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, further comprising a sensor component physically connected to the LPRF communications component for data exchange therebetween.

38. The wireless transceiver of claim 37, wherein the sensor component includes a motion detector.

39. The wireless transceiver of claim 37, wherein the sensor component includes a digital camera.

40. The wireless transceiver of claim 37, wherein the sensor component includes a microphone.

41. The wireless transceiver of claim 37, wherein the sensor component includes a thermometer.

42. The wireless transceiver of claim 37, wherein the sensor component includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

43. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, further comprising an external network communications component physically connected to the LPRF communications component for data exchange therebetween.

44. The wireless transceiver of claim 43, wherein the external network communications component comprises a satellite transceiver.

45. The wireless transceiver of claim 43, wherein the external network communications component comprises a cellular transceiver.

46. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the second receiver includes an antenna.

47. The wireless transceiver of claim 46, wherein the LPRF communications component includes an antenna.

48. The wireless transceiver of claim 47, wherein the antenna of the LPRF communications component is different from that of the second receiver.

49. The wireless transceiver of claim 47, wherein the antenna of the LPRF communications component is the same as that of the second receiver.

50. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the second receiver includes a first battery.

51. The wireless transceiver of claim 50, wherein the LPRF communications component includes a second battery.

52. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein a transceiver comprises the second receiver.

53. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the WTs that are read by the reader component are associated with assets to be tracked.

54. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the WTs that are read by the reader component each comprises a radio-frequency transponder.

55. The wireless transceiver of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency of the broadcast is approximately 2.4 GHz.