Indicating radio frequency identification (RF-ID) tag

• US 7,400,250 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Huomo, Heikki, Kansala, Ilkka
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/117,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual

Abstract

A RF-ID tag, preferably passive, provides an event indicating the tag has been successfully interrogated by a reader for data transmission. The event may be voice, light, color, vibration, odor, or different combinations of event indicators. The tag includes an antenna linked to a micro processor and a memory. A non-linear device and for example a light emitting device (LED) are coupled to the microprocessor and memory as an indicator circuit. The reader transmits electromagnetic energy received by the tag antenna when within the reader transmission zone. The energy is sufficient for the tag to transmit data from the memory to the reader. As the tag is read by the reader, the data stream includes a few bytes at the end to indicate the reading was successful. The reader energy is also sufficient to cause the illumination of the LED providing a tag indication that a successful tag transmission has occurred.

Claims

1. An indicating tag comprising:

an integrated micro chip including a processor and a memory coupled together, the memory configuring for storing data descriptive of tag contents;

an inductive coil coupled to the integrated micro chip and configured for providing a source of energy when electromagnetically energized via an input signal received from an external source;

at least one indicator circuit coupled to the integrated micro chip configured for providing a list of available physical events for indicating successful operation in response to the received input signal;

wherein

the indicator circuit including an element configured for providing a feedback event indicating a successful reading operation of the tag contents in response to receiving an indication signal from the external source upon a successful read operation.

2. The indicating tag of claim 1 further comprising a switch element in the indicator circuit responsive to the processor for activating the indicator circuit.

3. The indicating tag of claim 1 further comprising means for registering at least one physical event from the list of available physical events provided to the indicating tag.

4. The indicating tag of claim 3 further comprising means for directing the stored energy in the micro chip to the indicating circuit in response to the input signal indicating a successful reading operation of the tag contents has occurred.

5. The indicating tag of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of indicating circuits programmably controlled by the processing capable unit via the switches to provide combinations of feedback events in response to the input signal.

6. The indicating tag of claim 1 wherein the tag is a passive RF-ID device.

7. The indicating tag of claim 1 wherein the element is at least one of a source of light, source of color, source of sound, source of vibration and source of odor.

8. An RF-ID system comprising:

a) a reader transmitting interrogation signals in a transmitting zone for detecting tags within the zone;

b) at least one indicating tag within the zone generating an identifying signal and transmitting data to the reader, the data including a list of available physical events at the tag in response to the interrogation signal; and

c) feedback means in the indicating tag actuating a physical event at the tag when the data has been successfully transmitted.

9. The RF-ID system of claim 8 further comprising:

d) an acknowledgement signal generated and transmitted to the indicator tag by the reader for initiating a selected physical event from the list when the data has been successfully transferred to the tag.

10. The RF-ID system of claim 9 further comprising:

e) tag means responsive to the acknowledgement signal for activating the feedback means.

11. The RF-ID system of claim 8 further comprising:

reader means for interrogating the indicating tag to determine whether stored data therein is supported by the reader.

12. The RF-ID system of claim 8 further comprising:

d) means adding to the transmitted data an indication that the data has been successfully transmitted to the reader.

13. The RF-ID system of claim 8 wherein the physical event includes at least one of light or color or sound or vibration or odor or mechanical change of shape indicating a successful transfer of information from the indicator tag to the reader.

14. The RF-ID system of claim 8 wherein the indicator tag is a passive device having no power source.

15. The RF-ID system of claim 8 further comprising:

i) means for combining physical events in the indicator circuits when a successful transfer of data has occurred from the indicating tag to the reader.

16. A method, comprising:

a) receiving an interrogation signal;

b) recognizing the interrogation signal and generating a response signal for transmitting stored data to a reader device including a list of available physical events; and

c) energizing an indicator circuit from reader input signal to provide a physical event indicating successful transmission of data to the reader.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

f) transmitting an acknowledgement signal from the reader to the tag indicating a successful transmission of data has occurred.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

i) providing a physical event at the indicating tag corresponding to the selected physical event as feedback to a user that a successful reading operation of the tag has occurred by the reader.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

j) providing light or color or sound or vibration or odor at the indicating tag when a successful transfer of data has occurred from the tag to the reader.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

l) combining physical events at the tag as feedback upon the successful transfer of data from the indicating tag to the reader.

21. A recording medium containing program code, executable in a computer, the recording medium comprising:

program code for receiving an interrogation signal at an indicating tag;

program code for recognizing the interrogation signal by the indicating tag and transmitting stored data, the tag providing a list of available physical events for indicating successful operation to a reader; and

program code for energizing an indicator circuit included in the indicating tag in response to receiving an input signal to provide a physical event at the tag indicating the successful transmission of data occurred at the indicating tag.

22. The medium of claim 21 further comprising:

program code for transmitting a selection of physical events supported by a receiver for the tag.

23. The medium of claim 21 further comprising:

program code for receiving an acknowledgement signal indicating a successful transmission of data has occurred.

24. The medium of claim 22 further comprising:

program code for providing a physical event at the indicating tag corresponding to the selected physical event as feedback to a user that a successful reading operation of the tag has occurred.

25. The medium of claim 21 further comprising:

program code for providing light or color or sound or vibration or odor at the indicating tag when a successful transfer of data has occurred from the tag.

26. The medium of claim 21 further comprising:

program code for combining physical events at the tag as feedback upon the successful transfer of data from the indicating tag.

27. Apparatus, comprising:

a) an integrated micro chip including a processor capable unit and a memory coupled together as a tag for reading and writing operations, the memory storing data descriptive of tag contents;

b) an inductive coil coupled to the integrated chip and providing a source of energy when electromagnetically energized via a read signal or a write signal;

the tag providing a list of available physical events for indicating successful read operation to an external source in response to the read or write signal; and

c) at least one indicator circuit on the tag and coupled to the integrated chip, the circuit including an element providing a feedback event at the tag when the tag contents are successfully altered in response to the read or write signal.

28. The indicating tag of claim 27 further comprising:

a first code in the write signal indicating overwriting the tag contents in the memory.

29. The indicating tag of claim 27 further comprising:

a second code in the write signal indicating tag contents are supplemented.

30. A method, comprising:

a) including a processor and a memory coupled together in an integrated micro chip for reading and writing operations as a tag, the memory storing data descriptive of tag contents, the integrated chip configured for;

b) receiving an interrogation signal;

c) responding to the interrogation signal via coupling an inductive coil to the integrated chip and providing a source of energy when electromagnetically energized via a read signal or a write signal, the tag providing a list of available physical events for indicating successful read operation to an external source in response to the read or write signal;

d) coupling at least one indicator circuit to the integrated chip;

e) receiving an indication of a successful read operation; and

f) energizing at least one indicator circuit as a feedback event at the tag when the tag contents are successfully transmitted in response to a read signal or when the tag contents are successfully altered in response to the write signal.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

including a first code in the write signal indicating overwriting the tag contents in the memory.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

including a second code in the write signal indicating tag contents are supplemented.

33. An RF-ID system comprising:

a) a reader transmitting interrogation signals in a transmitting zone for detecting tags within the zone, the reader providing read signals for reading tag contents and write signals for altering tag contents;

b) at least one indicating tag within the zone generating an identifying signal and transmitting data to the reader in responsive to the read signal or altering tag contents in response to the write signal, the tag providing a list of available physical events for indicating successful read operation to an external source in response to the read or write signal; and

c) feedback means in the indicating tag providing a physical event at the tag when the data has been successfully transmitted or the tag contents altered.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

d) a first code in the write signal indicating overwriting the tag contents.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising:

e) a second code in the write signal indicating tag contents are supplemented.

36. A recording medium containing program code, executable in a computer, the recording medium comprising:

a) program code for receiving read or write signals at an indicating tag;

b) program code for recognizing the read signal by the indicating tag and transmitting tag contents, the tag providing a list of available physical events for indicating successful read operation to an external source in response to the read or write signal;

c) program code for recognizing the write signal by the indicating tag and altering tag contents in response of the recognition;

d) program code for energizing an indicator circuit on the tag from the read signal to provide a physical event at the tag indicating the successful transmission of data occurred at the indicating tag; and

e) program code for energizing the indicator circuit on the tag from the write signal to provide a physical event at the tag indicating successful altering of the tag contents occurred at the indicating tag.

37. The medium of claim 36 wherein a first code in the write signal indicates overwriting the tag contents.

38. The medium of claim 37 wherein a second code in the write signal indicates tag contents are supplemented.