Electronic tag with indicator

• US 8,284,058 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A, Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/378,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20090243832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5728, 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors

Abstract

An electronic tag may include a human perceptible indicator configured to indicate a need for one or more treatments by at least one corresponding plant.

Claims

1. An electronic tag, comprising:

an interrogation interface;

a memory circuit operatively coupled to the interrogation interface and carrying data corresponding to at least one plant, the data including a count value;

an actuatable indicator operatively coupled to at least one of the interrogation interface and the memory circuit; and

a microcontroller operatively coupled to the interrogation interface, the memory circuit, and the actuatable indicator, the microcontroller configured to,

modify the count value when time passes; and

activate the indicator when the count value reaches a limit.

2. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the data corresponding to at least one plant includes data corresponding to receipt of a treatment.

3. The electronic tag of claim 2, wherein the data corresponding to receipt of a treatment includes data corresponding to a date or a time when the treatment was last received by the at least one plant.

4. The electronic tag of claim 1, further comprising:

a clock; and

wherein the microcontroller is configured to modify the count value responsive to the clock.

5. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to modify the count value responsive to a tick received through the interrogation interface.

6. The electronic tag of claim 1, further comprising a timer including one or more data values in the memory circuit, the timer configured to operate by writing one or more new data values to the memory circuit responsive to receipt of a tick via the interrogation interface.

7. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the indicator includes at least one of a visible indicator, a liquid crystal indicator, a light emitting diode indicator, an electrochromic indicator, a bistable visible indicator, an extendible apparatus, an extendible apparatus with a visible pattern, an audible indicator, a piezo-electric device, a magnetic driver, a voice coil, an electrostatic driver, a scent generator, or a vibrator.

8. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to provide information related to a type of treatment requested for the plant.

9. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to provide information related to a time of treatment requested for the plant.

10. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to provide information related to a priority of treatment requested for the plant.

11. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to draw power from an interrogation signal.

12. The electronic tag of claim 11, wherein the indicator is configured to draw power through the interrogation interface when activating and to maintain an indication when the interrogator signal is not in communication with the interrogation interface.

13. The electronic tag of claim 1, further comprising:

a reset switch configured to switch the indicator to a non-indicating state.

14. The electronic tag of claim 13, wherein the reset switch includes a human-activatable button.

15. The electronic tag of claim 13, wherein the reset switch is operatively coupled to the interrogation interface and configured to switch the indicator responsive to a command received through the interrogation interface.

16. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the electronic tag includes at least one of a radio frequency tag, a passive radio frequency tag, an active radio frequency tag, a backscatter radio frequency tag, a half-duplex radio frequency tag, a full-duplex radio frequency tag, a touch memory device, a proximity card, a smart card, a photonic tag, a read-only electronic tag, a read/write electronic tag, or a write-once-read-many-times (WORM) electronic tag.

17. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the actuatable indicator includes an indicator configured to receive electrical or magnetic activation responsive to a command received through the interrogation interface.

18. The electronic tag of claim 1, wherein the actuatable indicator is configured to receive an activation signal from the microcontroller.

19. The electronic tag of claim 1, further comprising a package configured to physically couple the interrogation interface, memory circuit, and actuatable indicator to the at least one plant.

20. The electronic tag of claim 19, wherein the package is configured to hold the indicator in a position adapted for perception of an indication by a human.

21. The electronic tag of claim 19, wherein the package includes an integral tie, an attached elastic band, a plant stake, a plant label, a plant marker, a plant pot, a decorative pot, a hanging pot, a fiber pot, a peat pot, a coir pot, a plant tray, a seed flat, a starter tray, a plug tray, a propagation tray, a hydroponics container, a biodegradable material, a soil-born capsule, a non-soil potting mix-born capsule, a soil amendment-born capsule, a rooting medium-born capsule, a seed package, a bare root bag, a plant variety tag, a spike, a staple, a root ball wrap, burlap fabric, a seed mat, a fertilizer-born capsule, a chemical-born capsule, or a hydroponics-immersed capsule.

22. A method for identifying at least one plant, comprising:

receiving via an interrogation interface, an interrogation signal corresponding to a request for data corresponding to at least one treatment for the at least one plant, wherein the data includes a count value, wherein the interrogation interface is operatively coupled to a memory circuit carrying the data and a microcontroller that is further operatively coupled to the interrogation interface and the memory circuit, wherein the microcontroller is configured to modify the count value responsive to time passing;

transmitting the data via the interrogation interface;

responsive to the count value reaching a limit, receiving via the interrogation interface, an indicator activation command; and

responsive to the indicator activation command, activating an indicator to place the indicator in a condition for human perception.

23. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, further comprising deactivating the indicator after activating the indicator.

24. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the data corresponds to a need for the at least one treatment.

25. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the data corresponds to a date or time of application of the at least one treatment.

26. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 25, wherein the date or time of the application of the at least one treatment corresponds to the most recent application of the at least one treatment.

27. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 25, wherein the date or time of the application of the at least one treatment corresponds to a scheduled application of the at least one treatment.

28. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the indicator provides information related to a type of treatment requested for the plant.

29. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the indicator provides information related to a time of treatment requested for the plant.

30. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the indicator provides information related to a priority of treatment requested for the plant.

31. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein activating an indicator includes at least one of activating a visible indicator, activating a liquid crystal display, illuminating a light emitting diode, activating an electrochromic indicator, activating a bistable visible indicator, extending an apparatus, extending a visible pattern, activating an audible indicator, activating a piezo-electric device, activating a magnetic driver, activating a voice coil, activating an electrostatic driver, or activating a vibrator.

32. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the treatment includes at least one of planting, cutting, harvesting, grafting, staking, pruning, transplanting, repotting, controlling temperature, controlling root temperature, controlling light intensity, controlling light duration, controlling light schedule, controlling pH, humidification, dehumidification, watering, controlling watering volume, controlling watering duration, controlling watering schedule, fertilizing, determining fertilizer type, pesticide application, determining pesticide type, determining pesticide amount, herbicide application, determining herbicide type, determining herbicide amount, fungicide application, determining fungicide type, or determining fungicide amount.

33. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 22, wherein the interrogation interface and indicator are portions of an electronic tag including a package physically associated with the at least one plant.

34. The method for identifying at least one plant of claim 33, wherein the electronic tag includes at least one of a radio frequency tag, a passive radio frequency tag, an active radio frequency tag, a backscatter radio frequency tag, a half-duplex radio frequency tag, a full-duplex radio frequency tag, a touch memory device, a proximity card, a smart card, a photonic tag, a read-only electronic tag, a read/write electronic tag, or a write-once-read-many-times (WORM) electronic tag.

36. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 25, wherein the interrogation interface, the timer, and the indicator are portions of an electronic tag including a package physically associated with the at least one plant.

37. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 36, wherein the electronic tag includes at least one of a radio frequency tag, a passive radio frequency tag, an active radio frequency tag, a backscatter radio frequency tag, a half-duplex radio frequency tag, a full-duplex radio frequency tag, a touch memory device, a proximity card, a smart card, a photonic tag, a read-only electronic tag, a read/write electronic tag, or a write-once-read-many-times (WORM) electronic tag.

35. A method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant, comprising:

receiving via an interrogation interface data corresponding to a time or date for applying at least one treatment to at least one plant;

setting a timer to a value corresponding to the time or date;

activating the timer; and

when the time tracked by the timer elapses, activating an indicator to place the indicator in a condition for human perception.

38. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 35, wherein the treatment includes at least one of planting, cutting, harvesting, grafting, staking, pruning, transplanting, repotting, controlling temperature, controlling root temperature, controlling light intensity, controlling light duration, controlling light schedule, controlling pH, humidification, dehumidification, watering, controlling watering volume, controlling watering duration, controlling watering schedule, fertilizing, determining fertilizer type, pesticide application, determining pesticide type, determining pesticide amount, herbicide application, determining herbicide type, determining herbicide amount, fungicide application, determining fungicide type, or determining fungicide amount.

39. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 35, wherein the timer is configured to operate by writing one or more new data values to a memory circuit responsive to receipt of a tick via the interrogation interface.

40. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 35, wherein the timer includes a clock circuit.

41. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 35, wherein activating an indicator includes at least one of activating a visible indicator, activating a liquid crystal display, illuminating a light emitting diode, activating an electrochromic indicator, activating a bistable visible indicator, extending an apparatus, extending a visible pattern, activating an audible indicator, activating a piezo-electric device, activating a magnetic driver, activating a voice coil, activating an electrostatic driver, activating a scent generator, or activating a vibrator.

42. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving a reset command; and

deactivating the indicator.

43. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 42, wherein the reset command is received in association with at least one plant treatment.

44. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 42, wherein the reset command is received via an interface other than the interrogation interface.

45. The method for indicating a need for treatment for at least one plant of claim 44, wherein the reset command is received via a local input.

46. A method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care, comprising:

transmitting an interrogation signal to an electronic tag associated with at least one plant; and

receiving a human-perceptible indication from the electronic tag if at least one plant care treatment is needed.

47. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 46, further comprising:

receiving from the electronic tag data corresponding to a plant care condition determining if plant care is needed; and

if plant care is needed, transmitting a second interrogation signal to the electronic tag corresponding to a command to activate a human-perceptible indicator.

48. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 47, wherein the data received from the electronic tag includes date or time information.

49. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 48, wherein the date or time information includes a date or time of a recent application of the at least one plant care treatment or a date or time of a scheduled application of the at least one plant care treatment.

50. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 47, wherein determining if plant care is needed includes:

comparing the data corresponding to the plant care condition to one or more criteria for applying plant care.

51. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 46, wherein transmitting an interrogation signal to an electronic tag associated with at least one plant includes transmitting a system tick configured to operate a timer circuit in the electronic tag.

52. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 46, wherein the electronic tag includes logic for determining if plant care is needed.

53. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 46, wherein transmitting an interrogation signal includes at least one of interrogating a radio frequency tag, interrogating a passive radio frequency tag, interrogating an active radio frequency tag, interrogating a backscatter radio frequency tag, interrogating a half-duplex radio frequency tag, interrogating a full-duplex radio frequency tag, interrogating a touch memory device, interrogating a proximity card, interrogating a smart card, interrogating a photonic tag, interrogating a read-only electronic tag, interrogating a read/write electronic tag, or interrogating a write-once-read-many-times (WORM) electronic tag.

54. The method for enabling a human-perceptible indication of a need for plant care of claim 46, wherein receiving a human-perceptible indication from the electronic tag includes at least one of receiving a visible indication, receiving an indication from a liquid crystal display, receiving light from a light emitting diode, receiving a visible indication from an electrochromic indicator, receiving a visible indication from a bistable visible indicator, extending an apparatus, extending a visible pattern, receiving an audible indication, receiving an audible indication from a piezo-electric device, receiving an audible indication from a magnetic driver, receiving an audible indication from a voice coil, receiving an audible indication from an electrostatic driver, smelling a scent from a scent generator, or receiving vibration.