Radio frequency identification devices, remote communication devices, identification systems, communication methods, and identification methods

• US 7,737,851 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Trosper, Scott T.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/847,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/571, 340/10.1, 340/572.4, 340/825.36, 340/10.3, 340/10.4, 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/825.44, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/825.49, 235/375, 235/385
• 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
• 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 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19634 Electrical details of the system, e.g. component blocks for carrying out specific functions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0222 Message structure or message content, e.g. message protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units

Abstract

The present invention provides radio frequency identification devices, remote communication devices, identification systems, communication methods, and identification methods. A radio frequency identification device according to one aspect includes a substrate; communication circuitry coupled with the substrate and configured to receive a wireless signal including an identifier, to process the identifier of the wireless signal and to output a control signal responsive to the processing of the identifier; and indication circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to receive the control signal and to indicate presence of the radio frequency identification device responsive to the control signal. A communication method according to another aspect includes providing a radio frequency identification device; receiving a wireless signal including an identifier within the radio frequency identification device; processing the identifier; generating a control signal after the processing; and indicating presence of the radio frequency identification device using indication circuitry of the radio frequency identification device responsive to the control signal.

Claims

1. A system for locating an item in inventory, the system comprising:

an interrogator configured to transmit a first message including identifying information via one or more antennas, the identifying information being related to one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags;

a first RFID tag corresponding to the identifying information, the first RFID tag being configured to communicate one or more wireless responses back to the interrogator after receiving the first message from the interrogator; and

a display device configured to provide a human perceptible indication of a location of the first RFID tag in response to the first message from the interrogator, wherein the display device is wired to the first RFID tag to receive a control signal from the first RFID tag for the human perceptible indication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is co-located with the first RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag includes a microprocessor and the display device is communicatively coupled to the microprocessor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag includes a battery.

6. A radio frequency identification device communication method comprising:

receiving a first wireless radio frequency signal by using a radio frequency identification device;

accessing data from the first wireless radio frequency signal by using the radio frequency identification device;

emitting a human perceptible signal, responsive to the first wireless radio frequency signal, by using the radio frequency identification device; and

producing a second wireless radio frequency signal, responsive to the first wireless radio frequency signal, that identifies the radio frequency identification device by using the radio frequency identification device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the human perceptible signal is visually perceptible to a human.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the emitting includes using at least one light emitting diode.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the human perceptible signal is audibly perceptible to a human.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing an indication circuit that activates the emitting.

11. An identification method comprising:

transmitting, with an interrogator, a first wireless radio frequency signal to a radio frequency identification device;

receiving, with the interrogator, a second wireless radio frequency signal, responsive to the first wireless radio frequency signal, that identifies the radio frequency identification device; and

causing the radio frequency identification device to emit a human perceptible signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the human perceptible signal is visually perceptible to a human.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the human perceptible signal is produced by a light emitting diode.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the human perceptible signal is audibly perceptible to a human.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless signal includes a tag identifier associated with the radio frequency identification device.

16. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to receive a first wireless signal including identifier information, to process the identifier information of the first wireless signal, and to produce a control signal responsive to processing of the identifier information;

indication circuitry, coupled with the communication circuitry, configured to receive the control signal from the communication circuitry via wire and to produce a visually perceptible signal, responsive to the control signal, to indicate presence of the radio frequency identification device; and

wherein the communication circuitry is configured to produce a second wireless signal, responsive to the first wireless signal, comprising an identifier of the radio frequency identification device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the indication circuitry includes a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the indication circuitry is configured to produce an audibly perceptible signal.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the indication circuitry includes a buzzer for producing an audibly perceptible signal.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the indication circuitry includes a first light emitting diode and a transistor coupled with the first light emitting diode.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the indication circuitry includes a first light emitting diode and a latch coupled with the first light emitting diode.

22. A radio frequency identification device communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency identification devices, associated with a plurality of objects, each of the plurality of radio frequency identification devices having a first light emitting diode;

an interrogator configured to communicate with the plurality of radio frequency identification devices;

wherein the interrogator is configured to produce a first wireless signal identifying at least one of the plurality of objects;

wherein the plurality of radio frequency identification devices are configured to receive the first wireless signal, and at least one of the plurality of radio frequency identification devices, associated with the identified at least one of the plurality of objects, is configured to emit a visually perceptible signal, responsive to the first wireless signal, with the first light emitting diode, the visually perceptible signal comprising information about the identified at least one of the plurality of objects; and

wherein the at least one of the plurality of radio frequency identification devices is configured to produce a second wireless signal, responsive to the first wireless signal, identifying to the interrogator the identified at least one of the plurality of objects.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the one of the radio frequency identification devices includes:

communication circuitry configured to receive the first wireless signal including a tag identifier, to process the tag identifier of the first wireless signal, and to produce a control signal responsive to processing of the tag identifier;

indication circuitry, coupled with the communication circuitry, configured to receive the control signal and to emit the visually perceptible signal, responsive to the control signal, with the first light emitting diode, the visually perceptible signal indicating presence of the radio frequency identification device; and

wherein the communication circuitry is configured to produce the second wireless signal.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the one of the radio frequency identification devices includes a second light emitting diode configured to emit light of a color different from light emitted by the first light emitting diode.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the one of the radio frequency identification devices is configured to emit an audibly perceptible signal.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the one of the radio frequency identification devices includes a buzzer for emitting an audibly perceptible signal.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the one of the radio frequency identification devices includes a transistor coupled with the first light emitting diode.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the one of the radio frequency identification devices includes a latch coupled with the first light emitting diode.

29. A communication device, comprising:

a memory storing identification information identifying a person with whom the communication device is associated;

at least one antenna;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuitry coupled to the at least one antenna to receive a first wireless radio frequency signal, the first wireless radio frequency signal providing at least one portion of an identifier to select the RFID circuitry for response, the RFID circuitry to transmit a second wireless radio frequency signal responsive to the first wireless radio frequency signal when the RFID circuitry is selected by the at least one portion of the identifier, the second wireless radio frequency signal providing the identification information stored in the memory; and

an indicating device a user interface device coupled to the RFID circuitry to provide a human perceptible signal, responsive to the first wireless radio frequency signal.

30. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the human perceptible signal is visually perceptible to a human.

31. The communication device of claim 30, wherein the second wireless radio frequency signal is provided via modulating a continuous wave signal provided by an interrogating device.

32. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the indicating device comprises at least one of:

a light emitting device, a display device, a light emitting diode, an audible device, and a buzzer.

33. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the indicating device comprises an indication circuit that activates emitting of the human perceptible signal.

34. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the first wireless radio frequency signal and the second wireless radio frequency signal are transmitted via magnetic coupling.

35. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the first wireless radio frequency signal and the second wireless radio frequency signal are transmitted via electromagnetic link.

36. The communication device of claim 29, further comprising at least one battery to power the communication device.

37. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the human perceptible signal is adjustable.

38. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the communication device is configured to provide the human perceptible signal in response to the first wireless radio frequency signal in a first mode and configured not to provide a human perceptible signal in response to the first wireless radio frequency signal in a second mode.

39. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the memory is integrated in an integrated circuit embedded in a removable card.

40. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the integrated circuit is molded in the card of a plastic material.

41. A communication device, comprising:

a memory storing identification information identifying a person with whom the communication device is associated;

at least one antenna;

a circuitry coupled to the at least one antenna to receive a first wireless radio frequency signal within a range of microwave frequencies, the first wireless radio frequency signal providing an identifier to select the circuitry for response, the circuitry to transmit a second wireless radio frequency signal responsive to the first wireless radio frequency signal when the circuitry is selected by the identifier, the second wireless radio frequency signal providing an identifier of the circuitry; and

an indicating device coupled to the circuitry to provide a human perceptible signal after receiving the first wireless radio frequency signal.

42. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the human perceptible signal is visually perceptible to a human.

43. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the indicating device comprises at least one of:

a light emitting device, a display device, a light emitting diode, an audible device, and a buzzer.

44. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the indicating device comprises an indication circuit that activates emitting of the human perceptible signal.

45. The communication device of claim 41, further comprising at least one battery to power the communication device.

46. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the communication device is configured to provide the human perceptible signal when in a first mode and configured not to provide a human perceptible signal when in a second mode.

47. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the memory is integrated in an integrated circuit embedded in a removable card.

48. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the integrated circuit is molded in the card of a plastic material.

49. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the second wireless radio frequency signal via frequency hopping.

50. The communication device of claim 49, wherein the frequency hopping comprises hopping between frequencies that are approximately 2 GHz.