Long range RFID transponder

• US 7,443,301 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company)
• Inventors: Tucker, Randall L., Carroll, Gary T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US11/787,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5728, 340442-449, 340/933, 340/941, 340/10.1, 340/10.34, 731/46, 73/32, 310/26
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07764 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tire tire temperature or pressur control arrangements, see B60C23/00

Abstract

A radio frequency identification device includes a piezo-electric crystal and a passive magnetic field sensor having magnetostrictive material. The sensor is responsive to a magnetic field to displace piezo-electric material to thereby generate electricity to power the device.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification device (RFID) comprising in combination:

(a) a piezoelectric crystal; and

(b) a passive magnetic field sensor having magnetostrictive material, said sensor being responsive to a magnetic field to displace said piezoelectric crystals to thereby generate electricity.

2. A tire having a radio frequency identification device (RFID) mounted therein, said RFID adapted to receive, store and transmit data regarding said tire and its usage, said RFID comprising in combination:

(a) a piezoelectric material; and

(b) a passive magnetic field sensor having magnetostrictive material, said sensor being responsive to a magnetic field to displace said piezoelectric material to thereby generate electricity to power said RFID.

3. A tire according to claim 2 wherein said magnetic field is generated from a source external to said tire and received by said sensor.

4. A method for receiving, storing and transmitting data about an article comprising the steps of:

(a) mounting on said article a radio frequency identification device (RFID) having in combination;

(i) a piezoelectric material; and

(ii) a passive magnetic field sensor having magnetostrictive material, said sensor being responsive to a magnetic field to displace said piezoelectric material to thereby generate electricity;

(b) developing a magnetic field;

(c) causing said magnetic field to activate said sensor thereby providing electric power to said RFID.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the step of developing a magnetic field includes activating an RFID reader and further including the steps of positioning said RFID reader at a location such that a magnetic field generated by said reader will cause said sensor to displace said piezoelectric material.

6. The method according to claim 5 further including the step of transmitting data to said RFID reader.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein said RFID device includes a transmitter having the ability to be turned on and turned off and further including the steps of providing an RFID reader having the capability sending electromagnetic pulses, causing said RFID reader to send one or more electromagnetic pulses to said RFID device to turn on said RFID device.

8. The method according to claim 7 further including the step of encoding electromagnetic pulses sent to said RFID device to cause said RFID device to send data to said RFID reader at a specified time.

9. The method according to claim 7 further including the steps of:

positioning a plurality of articles with RFID devices in diverse locations within range of said RFID reader;

transmitting encoded electromagnetic pulses to turn on selective ones of said plurality of RFID devices.

10. The method according to claim 9 further including the step of causing different ones of said RFID devices to transmit data to said RFID reader at different time intervals.