Multi-mode RFID tag architecture

• US 8,643,490 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2013
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam, Shameli, Amin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/855,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/539.1, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 235/375, 235/376, 235/492, 342/42, 342/44
• US Class Current: 340/572.2
• 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 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07766 comprising at least a second communication arrangement in addition to a first non-contact communication arrangement
• 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: G06K 7/10198 setting parameters for the interrogator, e.g. programming parameters and operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A multi-mode RFID tag includes a power generating and signal detection module, a baseband processing module, a transmit section, a configurable coupling circuit, and an antenna section. In near field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to a coil or inductor in the configurable coupling circuit to transmit an outbound transmit signal using electromagnetic or inductive coupling to an RFID reader. In far field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to the antenna section, and the multi-mode RFID tag then utilizes a back-scattering RF technology to transmit the outbound transmit signal to RFID readers.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) device, comprises:

a transmit section operable for generating an outbound transmit signal in a near field frequency band and a far field frequency band, wherein the transmit section is operable to encode the outbound transmit signal using a first protocol for transmission in the near field frequency band and encode the outbound signal using a second protocol for transmission in the far field frequency band.

2. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the near field frequency band includes at least one of:

a high frequency (HF) range and a low frequency (LF) range.

3. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the near field frequency band includes at least one of:

a high frequency range at approximately 13.56 MHz; and

a low frequency range at approximately 135 kHz.

4. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the far field frequency band includes at least one of:

a microwave frequency range and an ultra high frequency range.

5. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the far field frequency band includes at least one of:

a microwave frequency range of approximately 2.45 GHz;

an ultra high frequency range of approximately 860 MHZ to 930 MHz; and

an ultra high frequency range of approximately 433.92 MHz.

6. The RF device of claim 1, comprising:

a first circuit operable for transmitting the outbound transmit signal in the near field frequency band; and

a second circuit operable for transmitting the outbound transmit signal in the far field frequency band.

7. The RF device of claim 6, comprising:

a configurable coupling circuit operable to couple the transmit section to the first circuit for transmitting the outbound transmit signal in the near field frequency band and operable to couple the transmit section to the second circuit to transmit the outbound transmit signal in the far field frequency band.

8. The RF device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power generating module operable in an active mode, wherein the power generating module includes a power supply.

9. The RF device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power generating module operable in a passive mode, wherein the power generating module is operable to convert an inbound receive signal from an RFID interrogator into a supply voltage.

10. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is an ISO 18000 series standard defined protocol.

11. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a load modulation protocol.

12. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the second protocol includes at least one of:

Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) modulation, biphase space modulation and FM0 encoding.

13. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprises:

a transmit section operable for generating an outbound transmit signal using a first protocol when operating in a near field mode and for generating an outbound transmit signal using a second protocol when operating in a far field mode;

a first circuit operable for transmitting the outbound transmit signal in the near field mode; and

a second circuit operable for transmitting the outbound transmit signal in the far field mode.

14. The RF device of claim 13, wherein the transmit section is operable for generating an outbound transmit signal in near field mode in at least one of:

a high frequency (HF) range and a low frequency (LF) range.

15. The RF device of claim 13, wherein the transmit section is operable for generating an outbound transmit signal in near field mode in at least one of:

a high frequency range at approximately 13.56 MHz; and

a low frequency range at approximately 135 kHz.

16. The RF device of claim 13, wherein the transmit section is operable for generating an outbound transmit signal in far field mode in at least one of:

a microwave frequency range and an ultra high frequency range.

17. The RF device of claim 13, wherein the transmit section is operable for generating an outbound transmit signal in far field mode in at least one of:

a microwave frequency range of approximately 2.45 GHz;

an ultra high frequency range of approximately 860 MHZ to 930 MHz; and

an ultra high frequency range of approximately 433.92 MHz.

18. A method operable by an RF device, comprising:

generating an outbound transmit signal using a first encoding protocol and transmitting the outbound transmit signal in a near field mode; and

generating the outbound transmit signal using a second encoding protocol and transmitting the outbound transmit signal in a far field mode.

19. The RF device of claim 18, wherein transmitting the outbound transmit signal in a near field mode includes at least one of:

transmitting the outbound transmit signal at a high frequency range at approximately 13.56 MHz; and

transmitting the outbound transmit signal at a low frequency range at approximately 135 kHz.

20. The RF device of claim 18, wherein transmitting the outbound transmit signal in a far field mode includes in at least one of:

transmitting the outbound transmit signal in a microwave frequency range of approximately 2.45 GHz;

transmitting the outbound transmit signal in an ultra high frequency range of approximately 860 MHZ to 930 MHz; and

transmitting the outbound transmit signal in an ultra high frequency range of approximately 433.92 MHz.