Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag-to-tag autoconnect discovery, and related methods, circuits, and systems

• US 9,165,232 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiber Mountain, Inc. (Green Lambda Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Glidden, III, Robert Mason
• Primary Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US13/470,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/138 using RFID

Abstract

Methods, circuits, and systems are disclosed for automatically detecting connections between RFID tags. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes periodically placing a charge on a node shared between a first RFID tag and a second RFID tag. The method also comprises sensing a voltage at the node at a time subsequent to the placing of the charge. The method also comprises automatically determining whether a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on the sensing of the voltage at the node. The first RFID tag and/or the second RFID tag may include circuitry configured to perform the method.

Claims

1. A method of automatically detecting a connection between a plurality of radio-frequency identification (MD) tags, comprising:

periodically placing a charge by a first RFID tag on a node shared between the first RFD tag of the plurality of RFID tags and a second RFID tag of the plurality of RFID tags;

sensing a voltage at the node by the first RFID tag at a time subsequent to the placing of the charge; and

automatically determining by the first RFD tag whether a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on the sensing of the voltage at the node.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge with a voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining that no connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag if the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge is unchanged from the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining that a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag if the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge is a complement of the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising exchanging information between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag after determining that a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining that one of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag loses power based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising retaining previously exchanged information as long as the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag remain connected and until the one of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag that lost power regains power.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising exchanging a periodic heartbeat signal between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising detecting a disconnect or a loss of power between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on whether the heartbeat signal is received.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining which one of the disconnect or the loss of power was detected based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining that a connectivity between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag is in transition if the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge is neither an original value of the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node or a complement of the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining whether a connection or a disconnection event is occurring.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag is unpowered.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that one of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag is unpowered based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag is associated with a fiber optic connector and the second RFID tag is associated with an adapter port in a fiber optic patch panel.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag is a passive RFID tag.

17. A circuit on a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag for automatically detecting a connection between the first RFID tag and a second RFID tag comprising circuitry configured to:

periodically place a charge on a node shared between the first RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags and the second RFID tag;

sense a voltage at the node at a time subsequent to the placing of the charge; and

automatically determine whether a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on the sensing of the voltage at the node.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the circuitry is further configured to compare the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge with a voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that no connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag if the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge is unchanged from the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

20. The circuit of claim 18, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag if the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge is a complement of the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

21. The circuit of claim 20, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that the second RFID tag loses power based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

22. The circuit of claim 21, wherein the circuitry is further configured to retain previously exchanged information as long as the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag remain connected and until the second RFID tag regains power.

23. The circuit of claim 20, wherein the circuitry is further configured to exchange information between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag after it is determined that a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag.

24. The circuit of claim 23, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that the second RFID tag loses power based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

25. The circuit of claim 20, wherein the circuitry is further configured to exchange a periodic heartbeat signal between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag.

26. The circuit of claim 25, wherein the circuitry is further configured to detect a disconnect or a loss of power between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on whether the periodic heartbeat signal is received by the first RFID tag.

27. The circuit of claim 26, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine which one of the disconnect or the loss of power was detected based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

28. The circuit of claim 18, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that a connectivity between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag is in transition if the voltage sensed on the node subsequent to the placing of the charge is neither an original value of the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node or a complement of the voltage resulting from the charge placed on the node.

29. The circuit of claim 28, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine whether a connection or a disconnection event is occurring.

30. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that the second RFID tag is unpowered based on the voltage sensed at the node subsequent to the placing of the charge.

31. A system for automatically detecting a connection between a plurality of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags comprising:

a first RFID tag; and

a second RFID tag,

wherein at least one of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag comprises circuitry configured to;

periodically place a charge on a node shared between a first RFID tag of a plurality of RFID tags and a second RFID tag of the plurality of RFID tags;

sense a voltage at the node at a time subsequent to the placing of the charge; and

automatically determine whether a connection exists between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on the sensing of the voltage at the node.

32. A circuit on a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag for automatically detecting a connection status between the first RFID tag and a second RFID tag comprising circuitry configured to:

periodically place a charge on a node shared between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag;

sense a voltage at the node at a time subsequent to the placing of the charge; and

determine a connection status between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag based on the sensing of the voltage at the node,

wherein the connection status between the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag comprises not connected, connected and not powered, and connected and powered.

33. The circuit of claim 32, wherein the circuit is further configured to determine that the first RFID tag and the second RFID are not connected.

34. The circuit of claim 32, wherein the circuit is further configured to:

determine that the first RFID tag is connected to the second RFID tag; and

determine that the second RFID tag is not powered.

35. The circuit of claim 32, wherein the circuit is further configured to:

determine that the first RFID tag is connected to the second RFID tag; and

determine that the second RFID tag is powered.