External access to memory on an RFID tag

• US 9,405,950 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2015
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Original Assignee: TEGO LLC
• Inventors: Mats, Leonid, Puleston, David, Butler, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US14/789,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• 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 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• 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
• 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 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 an RFID tag comprising a radio frequency (RF) network node and a communication facility, the RF network node comprising a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RFID tag, wherein an external computing device accesses the memory store through a communications bus.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an RFID tag comprising a radio frequency (RF) network node and a communication facility, the RF network node comprising a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag is adapted to enable an external computing device to access the memory store through a communications bus, wherein when an RFID interrogator provides power to the RFID tag, the RFID tag is adapted to provide power to the external computing device through a power interface connected between the external computing device and the RFID tag.

2. The system of claim 1, the RF network node further comprising an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID interrogation signal from the RFID interrogator, where data is exchanged between the RFID interrogator and the RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising the RFID tag having a plurality of RF network nodes each including an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID interrogation signal, a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of RF network nodes is a master RF network node.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications bus is a serial communications bus.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising intermediate electronics through which the communications facility communicates with the external computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF network node and the communication facility are integrated onto a single IC chip.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the external computing device is a sensor facility.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the external computing device is a display facility.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the external computing device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the external computing device is at least one of a smart phone, a laptop, and a desktop computer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the external computing device is a bus master on the communications bus.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the external computing device, as the bus master, initiates data transfers with the RFID tag.

14. A method, comprising:

providing an RFID tag comprising a radio frequency (RF) network node and a communication facility, the RF network node comprising a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block for managing power requirements of the RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag is adapted to enable an external computing device to access the memory store through a communications bus, wherein when an RFID interrogator provides power to the RFID tag, the RFID tag is adapted to provide power to the external computing device through a power interface connected between the external computing device and the RFID tag.

15. The method of claim 14, the RF network node further comprising an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID interrogation signal from the RFID interrogator, where data is exchanged between the RFID interrogator and the RFID tag.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the RFID tag having a plurality of RF network nodes each including an RF and analog block for receiving and transmitting an RFID interrogation signal, a data processing and controller block for digital information processing, a memory store, and a power management block.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein one of the plurality of RF network nodes is a master RF network node.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the communications bus is a serial communications bus.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising intermediate electronics through which the communications facility communicates with the external computing device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the RF network node and the communication facility are integrated onto a single IC chip.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the external computing device is a sensor facility.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the external computing device is a display facility.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the external computing device.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the external computing device is at least one of a smart phone, a laptop, and a desktop computer.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the external computing device is a bus master on the communications bus.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the external computing device, as the bus master, initiates data transfers with the RFID tag.