Ultra wideband radio frequency identification techniques

• US 7,733,229 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamäki, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/560,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20070069861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.3, 340/505, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340/825.49, 340/10.5, 340/825.69, 340/572.2
• US Class Current: 340/572.2
• 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 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 7/10306 ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio

Abstract

Ultra wideband (UWB) techniques are applied to radio frequency identification (RFID). For instance, a reader generates a UWB IR interrogation signal, and receives a UWB IR reply signal from an RFID tag in response to the interrogation signal. In addition, the reader may generate from the UWB IR reply signal a baseband response sequence. This sequence includes at least a tag identifier. A reader may store at least a tag identifier. Upon receipt of a UWB IR interrogation signal, the tag obtains a plurality of clock pulses from the UWB IR interrogation signal. Based on the plurality of clock pulses, the reader transmits at least the tag identifier in a UWB IR response signal.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

(a) generating at a reader module, a wireless interrogation signal for communicating with a radio frequency identification tag;

(b) generating a radio signal for powering the radio frequency tag for communication, wherein the radio signal is generated by a radio module different from the reader module; and

(c) receiving a reply signal from the radio frequency tag in response to the interrogation signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a first portion configured to generate a wireless interrogation signal for communicating with a radio frequency tag, the radio frequency tag receiving operational power from a radio signal that is different from the interrogation signal; and

a second portion configured to receive a reply signal from the radio frequency tag in response to the interrogation signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

7. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to cause generation of a wireless interrogation signal for communicating with a radio frequency tag, the radio frequency tag tag receiving operational power from a radio signal that is different from the interrogation signal; and

program code for enabling the processor to cause reception of a reply signal from the radio frequency tag in response to the interrogation signal.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

10. A system in an apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency interrogation module configured to generate a wireless interrogation signal for communicating with a radio frequency tag; and

a radio module different from the radio frequency interrogation module, the radio module configured to generate a radio signal for powering the radio frequency tag for communication.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

13. A method, comprising:

(a) storing information in a radio frequency tag device;

(b) receiving a wireless interrogation signal at the radio frequency tag device;

(c) obtaining operational power for powering the radio frequency tag device from a received radio signal other than the interrogation signal; and

(d) transmitting at least a portion of the stored information in a response to the received interrogation and radio signals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

16. A radio frequency identification tag device, comprising:

a memory configured to store information;

a communications module configured to receive a wireless interrogation signal; and

a power module configured to obtain operational power for powering the radio frequency tag device from a received radio signal other than the interrogation signal;

wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit at least a portion of the stored information in a response signal in response to the received interrogation and radio signals.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to process interrogation signals, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to store information in a radio frequency tag device;

program code for enabling the processor to receive a wireless interrogation signal at the radio frequency tag device;

program code for enabling the processor to cause obtaining operational power for powering the radio frequency tag device from a received radio signal other than the interrogation signal; and

program code for enabling the processor to cause transmission of at least a portion of the stored information in response to the received interrogation and radio signals.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the wireless interrogation signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the reply signal is a UWB impulse radio signal.