Multiple radio frequency network node RFID tag

• US 8,248,239 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Original Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Inventors: Butler, Timothy P., Berrios, Javier
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US11/923,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.2
• 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 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• 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: 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: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tag that contains multiple Radio Frequency (RF) network nodes that provide enhanced memory capabilities, redundant functionality, and multiple frequency capabilities to the RFID tag using an inter-RF network node communication connection. The inter-RF network node communication may allow the coordination of RFID tag memory and functionality.

Claims

1. A method of managing maintenance and asset tracking of safety equipment on an aircraft, comprising:

providing a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the passive RFID tag comprising a plurality of RF network nodes mounted on the tag, wherein at least one of the plurality of RF network nodes is in electronic communication with at least one other of the plurality of the RF network nodes, and wherein at least one of the plurality of RF network nodes is in data communication with a memory location within the RFID tag and wherein at least one other of the plurality of RF network nodes is in data communication with a memory location different from said memory location within the RFID tag;

coordinating data communicated between the plurality of RF network nodes such that the plurality of RF network nodes communicate data from the different memory locations upon interrogation of the RFID tag by an RFID reader, wherein said step of coordinating comprises coordinating information storage across the plurality of RF network nodes in a manner such that the plurality of RF network nodes acts as a single memory location; and

associating the passive RFID tag with safety equipment, wherein the maintenance, inventory management, and asset tracking of the safety equipment is managed in association with information stored in the different memory locations.