Methods and systems of a multiple radio frequency network node RFID tag

• US 8,947,233 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2007
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Original Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Inventors: Butler, Timothy P., Berrios, Javier, Beckhardt, Steve, Hamlin, Robert W., Moore, Larry, Puleston, David, Mats, Leonid
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US11/926,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20080252459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,655 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/10.1, 340/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0722 comprising an arrangement for testing the record carrier
• 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 19/073 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 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: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• 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

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 may include memory storage for the RFID tag, the memory storage may include one time programmable (OTP) memory and many time programmable (MTP) memory and the storage of the information may be within the OTP and MTP memory.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the passive RFID tag comprising a plurality of RF network nodes mounted on a single RFID substrate, wherein each of the plurality of RF network nodes is interconnected into a network topology with a communication bus and includes an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID reader 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, wherein the memory store includes a One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory;

dynamically controlling the distribution of power amongst the plurality of RF network nodes using the power management block of at least one of the plurality of RF network nodes to select between an extended operational time and an increase in available functionality;

associating the passive RFID tag with a component of an aircraft; and

storing a maintenance history for the component in the OTP memory, wherein a maintenance of the component is managed using the RF network node data processing and controller block from at least one of the plurality of RF network nodes in association with information stored in the OTP memory.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information stored in the OTP memory includes information stored in two or more OTP memory stores.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the OTP memory includes expanded memory.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the OTP memory includes redundant memory.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the OTP memory includes distributed memory.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the OTP memory includes public memory.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the OTP memory includes private memory.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the OTP memory includes encrypted memory.

9. A system comprising:

a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprised of a plurality of RF network nodes mounted on a single RFID tag substrate, wherein each of the plurality of RF network nodes is interconnected into a network topology with a communication bus and includes an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID reader signal, a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store including a one-time programmable (OTP) memory, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RF network node,

wherein the distribution of power amongst the plurality of RF network nodes is dynamically controlled using the power management block of at least one of the plurality of RF network nodes to select between an extended operational time and an increase in available functionality,

wherein the passive RFID tag is associated with a component of an aircraft, and maintenance history is stored for the component in the OTP memory, where a maintenance of the component is managed using the data processing and controller block from at least one of the plurality of RF network nodes in association with information stored in the OTP memory.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the information stored in the OTP memory includes information stored in two or more OTP memory stores.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the OTP memory includes expanded memory.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the OTP memory includes redundant memory.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the OTP memory includes distributed memory.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the OTP memory includes public memory.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the OTP memory includes private memory.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the OTP memory includes encrypted memory.