Light enabled RFID card

• US 8,111,160 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: LaserCard Corp. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Bove, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US11/830,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20120000985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.3, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) card having an antenna configured to transmit data wirelessly to a remote receiver and an integrated circuit configured to transmit the data through the antenna to the remote receiver. The integrated circuit includes a transmitter section and a memory section. The memory section is configured to store the data. A power generating device is configured to supply power to the integrated circuit and a light-sensitive switch is interposed between one or more portions of the RFID card. The light-sensitive switch is configured to provide electrical coupling between the one or more portions of the RFID card when light is incident on the switch.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) card comprising:

an antenna configured to transmit data wirelessly to a remote receiver;

an integrated circuit configured to store the data, the integrated circuit being further configured to transmit the data through the antenna to the remote receiver; and

a light-sensitive switch interposed between the antenna and the integrated circuit, the light-sensitive switch configured to allow electrical communication between the antenna and integrated circuit when light is incident on the switch.

2. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 1 further comprising an optical filter placed over the light-sensitive switch.

3. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 2 wherein the optical filter is a bandpass filter, the bandpass filter arranged to pass a particular wavelength range of light.

4. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 1 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a photoresistor.

5. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 1 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a photodiode.

6. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 1 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a phototransistor.

7. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 1 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a cadmium sulfide cell.

8. A radio frequency identification (RFID) card comprising:

an antenna configured to transmit data wirelessly to a remote receiver;

an integrated circuit configured to transmit the data through the antenna to the remote receiver, the integrated circuit having a transmitter section and a memory section, the memory section being configured to store the data; and

a light-sensitive switch interposed between the memory section and the transmitter section, the light-sensitive switch configured to allow electrical communication between the memory section and the transmitter section when light is incident on the switch.

9. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 8 further comprising an optical filter placed over the light-sensitive switch.

10. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 9 wherein the optical filter is a bandpass filter, the bandpass filter arranged to pass a particular wavelength range of light.

11. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 8 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a photoresistor.

12. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 8 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a photodiode.

13. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 8 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a phototransistor.

14. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 8 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a cadmium sulfide cell.

15. A radio frequency identification (RFID) card comprising:

an antenna configured to transmit data wirelessly to a remote receiver;

an integrated circuit configured to store the data, the integrated circuit being further configured to transmit the data through the antenna to the remote receiver;

a power generating device configured to supply power to the integrated circuit; and

a light-sensitive switch interposed between the power generating device and the integrated circuit, the light-sensitive switch configured to allow electrical power to pass between the power generating device and integrated circuit when light is incident on the switch.

16. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 15 further comprising an optical filter placed over the light-sensitive switch.

17. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 16 wherein the optical filter is a bandpass filter, the bandpass filter arranged to pass a particular wavelength range of light.

18. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 15 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a photoresistor.

19. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 15 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a photodiode.

20. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 15 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a phototransistor.

21. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 15 wherein the light-sensitive switch is a cadmium sulfide cell.

22. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 15 wherein the light-sensitive switch and the power generating device comprise a single unit such that the light-sensitive switch is a semiconductor device configured to be biased in a photovoltaic mode such that the switch generates power when exposed to light.

23. A radio frequency identification (RFID) card comprising:

an antenna configured to transmit data wirelessly to a remote receiver;

an integrated circuit configured to transmit the data through the antenna to the remote receiver, the integrated circuit having a transmitter section and a memory section, the memory section being configured to store the data;

a power generating device configured to supply power to the integrated circuit; and

a light-sensitive switch interposed between one or more portions of the RFID card, the light-sensitive switch configured to provide electrical coupling between the one or more portions of the RFID card when there is a change in light incident on the switch.

24. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 23 further comprising an optical filter placed over the light-sensitive switch.

25. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 24 wherein the optical filter is a bandpass filter, the bandpass filter arranged to pass a particular wavelength range of light.

26. The radio frequency identification (RFID) card of claim 23 wherein the light-sensitive switch and the power generating device comprise a single unit such that the light-sensitive switch is a semiconductor device configured to be biased in a photovoltaic mode such that the switch generates power when exposed to light.