Smart tag activation

• US 20060255131A1
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zest Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelleflex Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Roger Green
• Granted Patent: US 7,604,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous

Abstract

Systems and methods for activating devices such as RFID tags includes activating a device if an activate command matches a value stored on the device. The activate command can also define which mode of operation or state the device will initiation in, and whether an additional function or functions is to be performed upon activation. Activate commands can also be dynamically assigned to devices in order to increase overall efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for activating a device, comprising:

listening for an activate command at a device;

receiving the activate command, the activate command including an activate code;

activating the device in a first mode if the activate code matches one of a plurality of values stored in the device; and

activating the device in a second mode if the activate code matches another of the plurality of values stored in the device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein activating the device in one of the modes includes setting an initial state of the device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second modes relate to how the device functions in a specified regulatory environment.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein a radio frequency input filter of the device is adjusted to improve its filtering for one specified regulatory environment when in the first mode, wherein the radio frequency input filter of the device is adjusted to improve its filtering for another specified regulatory environment when in the second mode.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein a resonance point of an antenna of the device is adjusted to improve its performance for one regulatory environment when in the first mode, wherein the resonance point of the antenna of the device is adjusted to improve its performance for another regulatory environment when in the second mode.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mode dictates how the device receives and processes wireless signals received by the device subsequent to receiving the activate command.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the activate command is received wirelessly at a lower frequency, wherein wireless signals received subsequent to receiving the activate command are at a higher frequency.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second mode is more secure than the first mode.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the device executes a security protocol when in the second mode, wherein the device does not execute a security protocol when in the first mode.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the device sends identification information about the device when in the first mode, wherein the device does not send identification information about the device when in the second mode.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by several RFID tags, several of the tags being activated upon receiving a particular activate command.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is implemented in multiple devices.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one particular activate code instructs the device to respond to all querying devices.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the activate command further includes an interrupt period, wherein the activate code is only analyzed if the interrupt period matches a predetermined value or falls within a predetermined range.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the activate command further includes a preamplifier centering sequence, wherein the preamplifier centering sequence is about a 50% duty cycle waveform.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the activate code is a digital code.

18. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a plurality of RFID tags performing the method of claim 1;

and

an RFID interrogator in communication with the RFID tags.

19. A method for activating a remote device, comprising:

selecting an activate command for sending to a remote device, wherein the activate command indicates which of a plurality of modes the remote device will activate in; and

sending the activate command to the remote device for causing the remote device to activate in one of the modes.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator.

21. A method for activating a device, comprising:

listening for an activate command at a device;

receiving the activate command, the activate command including an activate code;

activating the device if the activate code matches one of a plurality of values stored in the device, wherein at least one of the stored values has an additional device functionality associated therewith; and

performing an additional function if the activate code matches one of the stored values having additional device functionality associated therewith.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the additional function includes setting a state of the device.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein setting the state of the device includes tailoring performance of the device for a specified regulatory environment.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein a radio frequency input filter of the device is adjusted to improve its filtering for the specified regulatory environment.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein a resonance point of an antenna of the device is adjusted to improve its performance for the specified regulatory environment.

26. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the additional function defines how the device receives and processes wireless signals received by the device subsequent to receiving the activate command.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the activate command is received wirelessly at a lower frequency, wherein wireless signals received subsequent to receiving the activate command are at a higher frequency.

28. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the additional function is execution of a security protocol.

29. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the additional function is execution of a privacy protocol.

30. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

31. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the method is performed by several RFID tags, several of the tags being activated upon receiving a particular activate command.

32. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the method is implemented in multiple devices.

33. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein one particular activate code instructs the device to respond to all querying devices.

34. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein one particular activate code instructs the device to reply with battery usage information.

35. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the activate command further includes an interrupt period, wherein the activate code is only analyzed if the interrupt period matches a predetermined value or falls within a predetermined range.

36. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the activate command further includes a preamplifier centering sequence, wherein the preamplifier centering sequence is about a 50% duty cycle waveform.

37. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the activate code is a digital code.

38. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a plurality of RFID tags performing the method of claim 21;

and

an RFID interrogator in communication with the RFID tags.

39. A method for activating a remote device, comprising:

selecting an activate command for sending to a remote device, the activate command including an activate code, wherein the activate command activates the device if the activate code matches one of a plurality of values stored in the remote device, wherein at least one of the stored values has an additional device functionality associated therewith, wherein an additional function is performed by the device if the activate code matches one of the stored values having additional device functionality associated therewith; and

sending the activate command to the remote device.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator.

41. A method for activating selected remote devices, comprising:

identifying each of a plurality of remote devices;

assigning an activate code to at least some of the remote devices, wherein the devices are subsequently activated upon receiving an activate command having a code matching the activate code assigned thereto;

communicating with one of the remote devices, wherein the communication with the one of the remote devices is prefaced with a code matching the activate code for the one of the remote devices.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator.

43. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the remote devices are RFID tags.

44. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the remote devices are RFID enabled shelf labels.

45. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein a unique activate code is assigned to each of the remote devices within a field of operation.

46. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator, wherein the remote devices are RFID tags.

47. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein several of the remote devices are activated with a particular activate code.

48. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein one particular activate code activates all of the remote devices.

49. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein each particular activate code activates only one of the remote devices.

50. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein one particular activate code bypasses an activate circuit of one of the remote devices.

51. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein an activate circuit of each of the remote devices compares the activate code to the prestored value and activates the device if the activate code matches the prestored value.

52. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a plurality of RFID tags; and

an RFID interrogator in communication with the RFID tags, the RFID interrogator performing the method of claim 41.

53. A method for communicating with a device, comprising:

listening for a command at a device;

receiving the command, the command including a code;

putting the device in a first mode if the code matches one of a plurality of values stored in the device; and

putting the device in a second mode if the code matches another of the plurality of values stored in the device.

54. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein the first and second modes relate to how the device functions in a specified regulatory environment.

55. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein the mode dictates how the device receives and processes wireless signals received by the device subsequent to receiving the command.

56. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein the activate command is received at a lower frequency, wherein the wireless signals received subsequent to receiving the activate command are at a higher frequency.

57. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein the second mode is more secure than the first mode.

58. A method as recited in claim 57, wherein the device executes a security protocol when in the second mode, wherein the device does not execute a security protocol when in the first mode.

59. A method as recited in claim 57, wherein the device sends identification information about the device when in the first mode, wherein the device does not send identification information about the device when in the second mode.

60. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein the method is performed by a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

61. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein the method is performed by several RFID tags, several of the tags being activated upon receiving a particular activate command.

62. A method as recited in claim 53, further comprising not responding, and not changing state, if the code does not match any of the plurality of values stored in the device.

63. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a plurality of RFID tags performing the method of claim 53;

and

an RFID interrogator in communication with the RFID tags.

64. A method, comprising:

using a digital activate code to control electronic shelf labels.

65. A method for communicating with selected remote devices, comprising:

identifying each of a plurality of remote devices;

assigning a digital code to at least some of the remote devices; and

subsequently communicating with one or more of the remote devices, wherein the devices respond based on whether they receive a command including a digital code matching the code assigned thereto.

66. A method, comprising:

using a digital code to configure a device to subsequently improve its functionality in a specified regulatory environment as compared to the device prior to receipt of this digital code.