Programmatic control of RFID tags

• US 9,342,777 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Piersol, Kurt, Gudan, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US11/482,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20080006696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,603 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/492, 340/10, 340/572
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07381 with deactivation or otherwise incapacitation of at least a part of the circuit upon detected tampering
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0739 the incapacitated circuit being part of an antenna
• 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 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field

Abstract

Techniques that enable a device to advertise its mode of operation using an RFID tag attached to the device. Techniques are provided for programmatically controlling an RFID tag. An RFID tag attached to a device is programmatically enabled or disabled depending upon the mode(s) of operation of the device. The RFID tag is able to transmit a signal when enabled and not able to transmit a signal when disabled. Using such a controllable RFID tag, a device can efficiently indicate or advertise its mode of operation to an RFID reader or sensor.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag of a device the method comprising:

determining, by a processing module, if the device is operating in a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, wherein the processing module is external to the passive RFID tag, the device configured to perform a function when operating in the first mode, and the device configured not to perform the function when operating in the second mode;

in response to determining that the device is operating in the first mode of operation,

enabling transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag; and

in response to determining that the device is operating in the second mode of operation, disabling transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag, wherein the passive RFID tag is not capable of transmitting signals in response to an interrogation signal when the passive RFID tag is disabled.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, using the passive RFID tag, information identifying the first mode of operation of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is powered on when operating in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is powered on when operating in the first mode of operation and powered off in the second mode of operation.

2. A system, comprising:

a device configured to perform a function when operating in a first mode and the device configured not to perform the function when operating in a second mode;

a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled to the device, the passive RFID tag having an antenna;

a processing module coupled to the device and the passive RFID tag, external to the passive RFID tag, and configured to;

determining if the device is operating in the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation;

in response to determining that the device is operating in the first mode of operation, transmit an indication that transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag are to be enabled; and

in response to determining that the device is operating in the second mode of operation, transmit an indication that transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag are to be disabled; and

a controller apparatus configured to;

in response to receiving the indication from the processing module indicating that transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag are to be enabled, enable transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag; and

in response to receiving the indication from the processing module indicating that transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag are to be disabled, disable transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag, wherein the passive RFID tag is not capable of transmitting signals in response to an interrogation signal when the passive RFID tag is disabled.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the passive RFID tag is further configured to transmit information identifying the first mode of operation of the device.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the device is powered on when operating in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the device is powered on when operating in the first mode of operation and powered off in the second mode of operation.

3. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor, the instructions comprising:

instructions for determining, by a processing module of a device, if the device is operating in a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, wherein the processing module is external to a passive RFID tag, the device configured to perform a function when operating in the first mode, and the device configured not to perform the function when operating in the second mode;

instructions for, in response to determining that the device is operating in the first mode of operation, enabling transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag; and

instructions for, in response to determining that the device is operating in the second mode of operation, disabling transmission of signals from the passive RFID tag, wherein the passive RFID tag is not capable of transmitting signals in response to an interrogation signal when the passive RFID tag is disabled.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for transmitting, using the passive RFID tag, information identifying the first mode of operation of the device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the device is powered on when operating in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the device is powered on when operating in the first mode of operation and powered off in the second mode of operation.