Method and device for the power-saving operation of RFID data carriers

• US 8,183,985 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Identec Solutions AG
• Original Assignee: Identec Solutions AG
• Inventors: Gantner, Reinhold, Feierle, Karl-Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US12/179,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20090027172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 340 103- 1044, 340/7.38, 340/7.33, 340/7.34, 4553431-3434, 370/311, 370/314
• US Class Current: 340/10.33
• 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 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and a device for power-saving operation of RFID data carriers, whereby the RFID data carrier has a transmission and reception antenna, by way of which data are sent to or received from a transmission/read unit, by means of a radio signal, within a transmission field, whereby the data carrier is configured for a power-saving sleep mode, and switches over to the reception mode by means of a wake-up signal. With the transmission of the wake-up signal, at the same time, a time datum is transmitted to the data carrier, whereby the time datum shows the time that indicates how much time must still elapse until transmission of a command. The data carrier configured with the sleep mode switches over to a reception mode by means of a wake-up signal, whereby the wake-up signal additionally has a time datum that forms a countdown time, and switches the data carrier into the reception mode briefly, after this time has elapsed, thereby causing the data carrier to receive a command.

Claims

1. A method for power-saving operation of an RFID data carrier, whereby the RFID data carrier has a transmission/reception antenna, by way of which data are sent to and received from a transmission/road unit, respectively, by means of a radio signal within a transmission field, the method comprising:

configuring the data carrier for a power-saving sleep mode, the data carrier responding to a wake-up signal to switch to a reception mode;

transmitting a wake-up signal to the data carrier, while at the same time;

transmitting a time datum to said data carrier, whereby the time datum shows the time that indicates how much time must still elapse until transmission of a command;

wherein the data carrier wakes up at a later point in time of about 2 to 200 ins after reception of the time datum when the actual command to be evaluated comes, as indicated by the time shown in the time datum;

wherein the data carrier, proceeding from a sleep mode, performs a sniff mode, whereby the sniff mode momentarily switches the data carrier into the reception mode with a delay of about 200 μ

s, whereby the momentary switch to the reception mode is periodic and lasts until the wake-up signal is received once by the data carrier; and

wherein after transmission of the time datum, the data carrier remains in the sleep mode in accordance with the time datum, and then briefly switches over into the reception mode in order to be in the reception mode, and the command is transmitted.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data carrier wakes up at a later point in time of about 2 to 200 ms after reception of the time datum when the actual command to be evaluated comes, whereby the time datum is configured as a countdown time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein from a rest mode, the transmission/read unit transmits a wake-up signal to the data carrier by way of a transmission field, maintaining the wake-up signal for a relatively long period of time, until the data carrier receives the command.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein after transmission of the time datum, the data carrier remains in the sleep mode in accordance with the time datum, which is configured as a countdown time, and after expiration of the countdown time, the data carrier briefly switches over into the reception mode, and the command is transmitted.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the countdown time demonstrates a relatively low power consumption in comparison with the reception mode.