Utilizing a radio frequency identification tag to assess the battery level of a peripheral device

• US 9,824,203 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Narasimha, Murali, Ady, Roger W, Love, Robert T
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US14/687,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20160307007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• 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: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Pursuant to at least some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method that includes configuring an RFID tag to store information related to a battery charge level of a battery of a peripheral device, reading the RFID tag, and disabling a subsequent reading of the RFID tag in response to determining that the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

configuring an RFID tag to store information related to a battery charge level of a battery of a peripheral device;

reading the RFID tag by an RFID reader;

determining by the RFID reader whether the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted;

and disabling subsequent reading of the RFID tag by the RFID reader in response to a determination determining that the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating charging of the battery in response to the determination that the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising initiating the charging of the battery using an inductive charging mat.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising configuring the inductive charging mat to include the RFID reader.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring the peripheral device to include a plurality of respective batteries each equipped with a corresponding RFID tag.

6. A method comprising:

storing information in an RFID tag related to a battery charge level of a peripheral device;

reading the RFID tag to retrieve the stored battery charge level;

comparing the retrieved stored battery charge level to a predetermined threshold indicative of a battery charge level that is low or depleted; and

determining not to communicate with the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery charge level having a value that is indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein determining not to communicate with the peripheral device includes not attempting to communicate with the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery charge level being below the predetermined threshold or indicating a zero operational battery charge.

8. The method of claim 6 where determining not to communicate with the peripheral device includes not attempting to awaken the peripheral device for placing the device into an active state for communication in response to the retrieved stored battery level indicating that a battery charge level is below the predetermined threshold, or indicating a zero operational battery charge.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein determining not to communicate with the peripheral device includes initiating a charging of a battery of the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery charge level indicating a battery charge level is below the predetermined threshold, or indicating a zero operational battery charge.

10. An apparatus comprising:

an RFID tag configured to store information related to a battery charge level of a battery of a peripheral device;

an RFID reader configured for reading the RFID tag; and

a mobile device, operatively coupled to the RFID reader, that determines whether the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted, that disables subsequent reading of the RFID tag in response to a determination that the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a charging of the battery is initiated in response to the determination that the RFID tag includes stored information indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising an inductive charging mat configured for initiating the charging of the battery.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the inductive charging mat is configured to include the RFID reader.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the peripheral device is configured to include a plurality of respective batteries each equipped with a corresponding RFID tag.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an RFID tag configured for storing information related to a battery charge level of a peripheral device;

an RFID reader configured for reading the RFID tag to retrieve the stored battery charge level; and

a mobile device, operatively coupled to the RFID reader, that compares the retrieved stored battery charge level to a predetermined threshold indicative of a battery charge level that is low or depleted, and that determines not to communicate with the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery charge level having a value that is indicative of the battery charge level being low or depleted.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the mobile device does not attempt to communicate with the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery charge level being below the predetermined threshold or indicating a zero operational battery charge.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the mobile device does not attempt to awaken the peripheral device for placing the device into an active state for communication in response to the retrieved stored battery level indicating that a battery charge level is below the predetermined threshold, or indicating a zero operational battery charge.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a battery charger that initiates a charging of a battery of the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery level indicating a battery charge level is below the predetermined threshold, or indicating a zero operational battery charge.

19. An apparatus comprising:

an RFID tag configured for storing information related to a battery charge level of a peripheral device;

an RFID reader configured for reading the RFID tag to retrieve the stored battery charge level; and

a battery charger, operatively coupled to the RFID reader, that compares the retrieved stored battery charge level to an optimum threshold and that initiates charging of a battery of the peripheral device in response to the retrieved stored battery charge level indicating the battery charge level is below the optimum threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the battery charger comprises an inductive charging mat.