RFID power from handset transmissions

• US 7,532,120 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Lazar, Steven C. Jr., Estevez, Leonardo W., Panasik, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/459,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/539.26, 340/693.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.34
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• 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

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprises a transceiver and a component coupled to the transceiver. The transceiver is adapted to wirelessly receive power from an RFID reader and/or from a mobile communication device. The power received from the mobile communication device is used to power the component, providing an alternative power source (cellular beacons) that uses no additional handset power.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a transceiver; and

a component coupled to said transceiver;

wherein said transceiver is adapted to wirelessly receive power from an RFID reader and from a mobile communication device, said power received from said mobile communication device being used to power said component;

wherein said component receives identity information from said mobile communication device.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

3. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said component comprises at least a portion of a keyboard.

4. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said component comprises a sensor.

5. The RFID tag of claim 4 wherein said sensor comprises a sensor selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a physiological sensor.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said transceiver reflects power back to said RFID reader.

7. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein power received from both the RFID reader and said mobile communication device is used to power the component.

8. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said component comprises a sensor and a buffer and said RFID tag stores sense data from said sensor in said buffer.

9. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said tag operates in a first mode and a second mode, said first mode being operable when said tag is in operative communication with said RFID reader and said second mode being operable when said tag is not in operative communication with said RFID reader but does receive power from said mobile communication device.

10. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said component extracts time base information from said mobile communication device.

11. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein said identity information comprises a medium access control (MAC) address.

12. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag wirelessly receives power from an external RF source other than an RFID reader or mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein while in said second mode, said wireless device senses a parameter selected from a group consisting of temperature, pressure, audio, and a physiological parameter.

13. A method, comprising:

a wireless device operating in a first mode if said wireless device is in operative communication with an RFID reader; and

said wireless device operating in a second mode if said wireless device is not in operative communication with the RFID reader but does receive power wirelessly from a non-RFID mobile communication device;

wherein, while in said second mode, said wireless device receives identity information from said non-RFID mobile communication device.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving at a transceiver of a tag a signal from a non-RFID communication device;

powering up a component in communication with the transceiver; and

receiving identity information from said non-RFID communication device.

16. A method of claim 15, further comprising:

taking a reading; and

storing said reading in a non-volatile memory in said component.

17. A method of claim 15, further comprising:

taking a reading; and

storing said reading in a non-volatile memory in said transceiver.