Multiple radio frequency network node RFID tag

• US 8,325,011 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• 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): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US11/923,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.3
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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 comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the RFID tag containing a plurality of RF network nodes mounted on a common substrate and operable thereon, wherein each of the plurality of RF network nodes has an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID signal, a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RF network node;

interconnecting the plurality of RF network nodes with one another into a network topology with a communication bus to enable storage of maintenance data in an encrypted format in a coordinated storage facility formed from the memory store of each of the plurality of RF network nodes;

coordinating operation of the plurality of RF network nodes with at least one of the plurality of network nodes acting as a master RF network node coupled to the communication bus;

associating the RFID tag with a component for which the maintenance data is desired; and

reading the maintenance data from the RFID tag and decrypting the data to monitor a maintenance parameter of the component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the maintenance data is stored in the memory of two or more of the plurality of RFID network nodes on the RFID tag.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the maintenance data is stored across the memory of all of the plurality of RFID network nodes on the RFID tag.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinated storage facility is expanded memory.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinated storage facility is redundant memory.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinated storage facility is distributed memory.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinated storage facility is public memory.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinated storage facility is private memory.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinated storage facility is encrypted memory.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the master RF network node is one of the plurality of RF network nodes on the single substrate.