Passive RFID tags with integrated circuits using sub-threshold technology
First Claim
1. A method for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;
performing energy harvesting operations by a voltage scavenging device of the RFID transponder to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field and store the energy in an energy storage device of the voltage scavenging device;
causing a switch to change positions, when the energy storage device is charged to a pre-determined voltage level, from(A) a first position in which a closed circuit is formed between an antenna and the voltage scavenging device, and(B) a second position in which (i) an open circuit is formed between the antenna and the voltage scavenging device and (ii) a closed circuit is formed between the antenna and a transceiver circuit of the RFID transponder;
increasing or decreasing, by a voltage converter of the RFID transponder, a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and
supplying an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level to at least the transceiver circuit.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for operating an RFID transponder (102). The methods involve: performing energy harvesting operations by a voltage scavenging device (130) of the RFID transponder to collect energy from an RF field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder; increasing or decreasing, by a voltage converter of the RFID transponder, a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and supplying an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level to at least a transceiver circuit (124) of the RFID transponder.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;performing energy harvesting operations by a voltage scavenging device of the RFID transponder to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field and store the energy in an energy storage device of the voltage scavenging device;causing a switch to change positions, when the energy storage device is charged to a pre-determined voltage level, from (A) a first position in which a closed circuit is formed between an antenna and the voltage scavenging device, and (B) a second position in which (i) an open circuit is formed between the antenna and the voltage scavenging device and (ii) a closed circuit is formed between the antenna and a transceiver circuit of the RFID transponder; increasing or decreasing, by a voltage converter of the RFID transponder, a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and supplying an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level to at least the transceiver circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- RFID”
-
8. A method for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;performing energy harvesting operations by a voltage scavenging device of the RFID transponder to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder;increasing or decreasing, by a voltage converter of the RFID transponder, a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and supplying an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level to at least a transceiver circuit of the RFID transponder; wherein the sub-threshold voltage level is within 200 milli-Volts to 600 milli-Volts.
- RFID”
-
9. A method for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;performing energy harvesting operations by a voltage scavenging device of the RFID transponder to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder;increasing or decreasing, by a voltage converter of the RFID transponder, a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and supplying an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level to at least a transceiver circuit of the RFID transponder; wherein the voltage level is increased to the sub-threshold voltage level when the energy is collected from the RF Field, magnetic field, heat or light.
- RFID”
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10. A method for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;performing energy harvesting operations by a voltage scavenging device of the RFID transponder to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder;increasing or decreasing, by a voltage converter of the RFID transponder, a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and supplying an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level to at least a transceiver circuit of the RFID transponder; wherein the voltage level is decreased to the sub-threshold voltage level when the energy is collected from light or movement of the RFID transponder.
- RFID”
-
11. A Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;a voltage scavenging device that performs energy harvesting operations to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field and store the energy in an energy storage device of the voltage scavenging device;a switch that is caused to change positions, when the energy storage device is charged to a pre-determined voltage level, from (A) a first position in which a closed circuit is formed between an antenna and the voltage scavenging device, and (B) a second position in which (i) an open circuit is formed between the antenna and the voltage scavenging device and (ii) a closed circuit is formed between the antenna and a transceiver circuit; and a voltage converter that increases or decreases a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; wherein the transceiver circuit is supplied an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- RFID”
-
18. A Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;a voltage scavenging device that performs energy harvesting operations to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder;a voltage converter that increases or decreases a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and a transceiver circuit that is supplied an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level; wherein the sub-threshold voltage level is within 200 milli-Volts to 600 milli-Volts.
- RFID”
-
19. A Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;a voltage scavenging device that performs energy harvesting operations to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder;a voltage converter that increases or decreases a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and a transceiver circuit that is supplied an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level; wherein the voltage level is increased to the sub-threshold voltage level when the energy is collected from the RF Field, magnetic field, heat or light.
- RFID”
-
20. A Radio Frequency Identification (“
- RFID”
) transponder, comprising;a voltage scavenging device that performs energy harvesting operations to collect energy from a Radio Frequency (“
RF”
) field, magnetic field, heat, light or movement of the RFID transponder;a voltage converter that increases or decreases a voltage level of a signal received from the voltage scavenging device to a sub-threshold voltage level that is at least one order of magnitude below a normal operating range for the RFID transponder; and a transceiver circuit that is supplied an operating voltage at the sub-threshold voltage level; wherein the voltage level is decreased to the sub-threshold voltage level when the energy is collected from light or movement of the RFID transponder.
- RFID”
Specification