Remote detection employing RFID

• US 7,298,272 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Malone, Christopher G., Larson, Thane M., Nicholes, Martin O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/118,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 3405681-5729, 340 101- 106, 257/679, 439/180, 439/152, 439/266, 439/396, 361/834, 361/837, 700/215, 700/221, 700225-227, 700/229
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• 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: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409

Abstract

A system for remote detection using and RFID system including a transceiver, a transponder and a fuse configured within the transponder. The transceiver is configured to send and receive radio frequency signals. The transponder is configured to receive radio frequency signals from the transceiver and to send radio frequency signals to the transceiver. The transceiver is configured to send radio frequency to the transponder thereby preventing the fuse from blowing while the radio frequency signal is received.

Claims

1. A remote detection system, comprising:

a transceiver configured to send and receive radio frequency signals;

a transponder configured to receive radio frequency signals from the transceiver and to send radio frequency signals to the transceiver;

a fuse within one of the transponder and the transceiver;

wherein the transceiver is configured to send a radio frequency signal to the transponder thereby preventing the fuse from blowing while the radio frequency signal is received and wherein the fuse is configured to blow in response to no longer receiving the radio frequency signal from the transceiver.

2. The remote detection system of claim 1, wherein the transponder further includes a transponder memory configured to store a unique identification code.

3. The remote detection system of claim 2, wherein the transceiver is further configured to interrogate the transponder in order to receive the identification code.

4. The remote detection system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is unable to receive the identification code once the fine is blown.

5. The remote detection system of claim 4 further comprising a trusted platform module in which the transponder is embedded, wherein the trusted platform module is disabled once the fuse is blown.

6. The remote detection system of claim 4 further comprising a trusted platform module in which the transceiver is embedded, wherein the trusted platform module is disabled once the fuse is blown.

7. The remote detection system of claim 1, wherein the transponder is an active transponder further comprising analog circuitry configured with a battery.

10. The remote detection system of claim 1, wherein the fuse is embedded in the transponder.

11. The remote detection system of claim 1, wherein the fuse is embedded in the transceiver.

8. A remote detection system, comprising:

a transceiver configured to send and receive a radio frequency signal signals;

a transponder configured to receive radio frequency signals from the transceiver and to send radio frequency signals to the transceiver;

a fuse within one of the transponder and the transceiver;

wherein the transceiver is configured to send radio frequency to the transponder thereby preventing the fuse from blowing while the radio frequency signal is received;

wherein the transponder is a passive transponder further comprising analog circuitry configured with a charge circuit and a capacitor such that radio frequency signals received from the transceiver supply energy to the charge circuit and a capacitor, and wherein the energy within the charge circuit and capacitor is used to control the blowing of the fuse.

9. The remote detection system of claim 8, wherein the analog circuitry of the transponder further comprises a capacitor ladder circuit such that radio frequency signals received from the transceiver build up energy over time.

12. A computer system, comprising:

a transceiver configured to send and receive radio frequency signals;

a trusted platform module;

a transponder within the trusted platform module and configured to receive radio frequency signals from the transceiver and to send radio frequency signals to the transceiver; and

a fuse within the transponder, wherein the fuse is configured to be selectively blown, and wherein blowing the fuse disables the trusted platform module.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the fuse is configured to be blown in response to the transponder no longer receiving radio frequency signals from the transceiver.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the transponder and the transceiver have a range within which radio frequency signals are communicated between them and outside of which radio frequency signals cannot be communicated between them.

15. The computer system of claim 12 further comprising a transceiver antenna coupled to the transceiver via which the radio frequency signals are communicated.

16. The computer system of claim 15 further comprising a transponder antenna coupled to the transponder via which the radio frequency signals are communicated.

17. A remote detection system comprising:

a transceiver configured to send and receive radio frequency signals; and

a transponder configured to send and receive radio frequency signals to and from the transceiver, the transponder including;

means for disabling the transponder in response to radio frequency signals no longer being received from the transceiver.

18. The remote detection system of claim 17, wherein the transponder further comprises an antenna and a fuse, and wherein the transponder is configured to blow the fuse in response to radio frequency signals no longer being received from the transceiver.

19. The remote detection system of claim 18, wherein the transponder is embedded in a trusted platform module and further configured such that disabling the transponder also disables the trusted platform module.

20. The remote detection system of claim 19, wherein the transponder is a passive transponder further comprising analog circuitry configured with a charge circuit and a capacitor such that radio frequency signals received from the transceiver supply energy to the charge circuit and a capacitor, and wherein the energy within the charge circuit and capacitor is used to control the blowing of the fuse.

21. A transponder comprising:

a circuit configured to receive and send radio frequency signals; and

a fuse coupled to the circuit;

wherein the circuit provides power for controlling enabling and disabling of the transponder by controllably blowing the fuse when the radio frequency signals are no longer received.

22. The transponder of claim 21, wherein blowing the fuse occurs in response to the circuit no longer receiving radio frequency signals.

23. A method of remote detection comprising:

sending radio frequency signals from a transceiver to a transponder;

enabling a fuse within the transponder not to blow as long as radio frequency signals are continually received from the transceiver; and

causing the fuse within the transponder to blow in response to the radio frequency signals no longer being received from the transceiver.

24. The method of claim 23, further including disabling a trusted platform module when the fuse within the transponder blows.

25. A method securing a computer system comprising:

sending radio frequency signals from a transceiver to a transponder embedded in a trusted platform module within the computer system;

charging an analog circuit within the transponder from the radio frequency signals received from the transceiver and

activating a fuse within the transponder using the charged analog circuit such that the fuse is not blown; and

disabling the rusted platform module by blowing the fuse within the transponder in response to radio frequency signals no longer being received from the transceiver.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein charging the analog circuitry further comprises using the radio frequency signals received from the transceiver to charge a charge circuit and a capacitor.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein charging the analog circuitry further comprises using the radio frequency signals received from the transceiver to charge a charge circuit and a capacitor ladder circuit such that radio frequency signals received from the transceiver build up energy over time.