Thermal radio frequency identification system and method

• US 7,889,081 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McTigue, Ken R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US11/735,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20080252455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340 101- 105, 455/343.1, 235/385
• 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 19/0723 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: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

An improved solution for radio frequency identification (RFID) systems is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, the RFID tag includes: a power source; a data storage repository; a radio frequency (RF) transmitting element configured to transmit data from the data storage repository, and electrically attached to the power source; and a thermal to electrical energy converter electrically attached to the power source.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an information technology asset; and

an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising;

a power source;

a data storage repository;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitting element configured to transmit data from the data storage repository, and electrically attached to the power source;

a thermal to electrical energy converter electrically attached to the power source, wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter receives thermal energy from the information technology asset and is a second power source for the RFID tag; and

a capacitor electrically connected to one of the power source or the thermal to electrical energy converter, wherein the RF transmitting element transmits the data upon the capacitor being recharged to a threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter comprises a thermocouple.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is at least one selected from a group consisting of:

an owner, the temperature change, a serial number, a time count, a manufacturer, a model, and configuration management data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the active RFID tag further comprises a clock device electrically connected to one of the power source or the thermal to electrical energy converter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is rechargeable from the thermal to electrical energy converter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the active RFID tag is integrated with the information technology asset.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the active RFID tag is adhered to a surface of the information technology asset.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data determines an operating status of the information technology asset.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operating status is selected from a group consisting of:

the information technology asset is moved to storage;

the information technology asset is active;

the information technology asset is in use;

the active RFID tag has been removed from the information technology asset; and

the active RFID tag is off.

10. A method of managing an asset with an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

placing the active RFID tag in proximity to the asset, wherein the asset is an information technology asset, the active RFID tag comprising;

a power source;

a data storage repository;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitting element configured to transmit data from the data storage repository, and electrically attached to the power source;

a thermal to electrical energy converter electrically attached to the power source, wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter receives thermal energy from the asset and is a second power source for the RFID tag; and

a capacitor electrically connected to one of the power source or the thermal to electrical energy converter, wherein the RF transmitting element transmits the data upon the capacitor being recharged to a threshold.

11. A computer program comprising program code stored on a computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of managing an asset with an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the method comprising:

receiving data transmitted from the active RFID tag, wherein the data includes a detected temperature change of the asset obtained from the active RFID tag wherein the active RFID tag includes a thermal to electrical energy converter, wherein the asset is an information technology asset, wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter receives thermal energy from the asset and is a power source for the RFID tag, and wherein the active RFID tag includes a capacitor electrically connected to one of the power source or the thermal to electrical energy converter, wherein the RF transmitting element transmits the data upon the capacitor being recharged to a threshold; and

processing the data.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing a global positioning system (GPS) computation of the active RFID tag.

13. The method of claim 11, the processing comprising determining if the data includes a beacon signal that has ceased being transmitted from the active RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter is configured to detect a temperature change associated with the asset, and wherein the detected temperature change causes the RF transmitting element to transmit the data and the processing comprising comparing the detected temperature change with a datum temperature change of the asset.

15. A radio frequency (RF) system, the system comprising:

an information technology asset;

an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein the active RFID tag is associated with the information technology asset, comprising;

a power source;

a data storage repository;

an RF transmitting element configured to transmit data from the data storage repository, and electrically attached to the power source;

a thermal to electrical energy converter electrically attached to the power source, wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter receives thermal energy from the information technology asset and is a second power source for the RFID tag; and

a capacitor electrically connected to one of the power source or the thermal to electrical energy converter, wherein the RF transmitting element transmits the data upon the capacitor being recharged to a threshold; and

a computer system configured to manage the information technology asset using the transmitted data, wherein the computer system determines an operating status of the information technology asset using the transmitted data.

16. The RF system of claim 15, further comprising an RF receiver, configured to receive data from the RF transmitting element and provide data to the computer system in response to receiving the data.

17. A method of generating a system for managing an asset with an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the method comprising:

providing a computer system operable to;

receive data transmitted from the active RFID tag, wherein the data includes a detected temperature change of the asset obtained from the active RFID tag; and

process the data; and

providing an active RFID tag, wherein the active RFID tag is placed in proximity to the asset, the active RFID tag comprising;

a power source;

a data storage repository;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitting element configured to transmit data from the data storage repository, and electrically attached to the power source;

a thermal to electrical energy converter electrically attached to the power source, wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter receives thermal energy from the information technology asset and is a second power source for the RFID tag; and

a capacitor electrically connected to one of the power source or the thermal to electrical energy converter, wherein the RF transmitting element transmits the data upon the capacitor being recharged to a threshold.

18. The method of claim 17, the processing comprising determining if the data includes a beacon signal that has ceased being transmitted from the active RFID tag.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising wherein the thermal to electrical energy converter is configured to detect a temperature change associated with the asset, and wherein the detected temperature change causes the RF transmitting element to transmit the data and the processing comprising comparing the detected temperature change with a datum temperature change of the asset.