RFID DEVICE WITH WIDE AREA CONNECTIVITY

• US 20120268250A1
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Durand, Julian, Kaufman, Jeffrey R., Obodovski, Daniel, Akiki, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus relating to a radio frequency identification device (RFID) with wide-area connectivity are provided. In an example, a real-time location (RTL) monitoring device is provided. The RTL monitoring device includes a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and an RFID interrogator configured to interrogate the first RFID tag and a second RFID tag. A long-range wireless transceiver is coupled to the RFID interrogator, and configured to communicate RFID data. The first RFID tag, the RFID interrogator, and the long-range wireless transceiver can be collocated in an enclosure separate from the second RFID tag. The RTL monitoring device is configured to aggregate a plurality of responses from the first and second RFID tags, and to communicate the aggregated RFID data with a second device, such as a satellite, a base station, and/or an eNodeB device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for real-time location monitoring, comprising:

a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag;

an RFID interrogator configured to interrogate the first RFID tag and a second RFID tag, and to aggregate a plurality of responses from the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag; and

a long-range wireless transceiver coupled to the RFID interrogator, and configured to communicate the aggregated RFID data with a second device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag is configured to be programmed with data received from the long-range wireless transceiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aggregated RFID data is aggregated in a data packet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the long-range wireless transceiver is configured to communicate the aggregated RFID data via a radio access network to a core network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is a satellite.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is an eNodeB device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag, the RFID interrogator, and the long-range wireless transceiver are collocated in an enclosure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a low-rate wireless personal network transceiver coupled to the long-range wireless transceiver, wherein the long- range wireless transceiver is configured to communicate personal network data between the low-rate wireless personal network transceiver and the second device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the long-range wireless transceiver, wherein the long-range wireless transceiver is configured to communicate global positioning data between the GPS receiver and the second device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor port coupled to the long- range wireless transceiver, wherein the long-range wireless transceiver is configured to communicate sensor data between the sensor port and the second device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic field strength sensor, an electric field strength sensor, a light sensor, a position sensor, a humidity sensor, a radiation sensor, an ionizing radiation sensor, and an accelerometer coupled to the sensor port.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the second device; and

a server coupled to the second device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RFID interrogator is configured to modify at least one response in the plurality of responses with at least one of a time stamp, a date stamp, a location stamp, and sensor data.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the long-range wireless transceiver is configured to communicate using at least one of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) multiplexing;

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) communication system;

a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) communication system;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communication system;

a Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM) communication system;

an Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) communication system;

a CDMA2000 communication system; and

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a device, selected from the group consisting of a set top box, music player, video player, entertainment unit, navigation device, communications device, personal digital assistant (PDA), fixed location data unit, and a computer, into which the apparatus is integrated.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the apparatus is integrated in a semiconductor die.

17. A method for reading data from a plurality of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags via a long-range wireless transmitter that is coupled to an RFID interrogator, comprising:

receiving first data from the first RFID tag in the plurality of RFID tags with the RFID interrogator;

receiving second data from the second RFID tag in the plurality of RFID tags with the RFID interrogator;

aggregating the first data and the second data into aggregate data; and

transmitting the aggregate data to a communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the aggregated RFID data is aggregated in a data packet.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication device is a radio access network.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication device is a satellite.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication device is an eNodeB device.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the first RFID tag, the RFID interrogator, and the long-range wireless transceiver are collocated in an enclosure.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a low-rate wireless personal network transceiver, further comprising:

receiving personal network data from the low-rate wireless personal network transceiver; and

transmitting the personal network data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, further comprising:

receiving global positioning data from the GPS receiver; and

transmitting the global positioning data to the communication device with the long- range wireless transmitter.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a sensor port, further comprising:

receiving sensor data from the sensor port;

associating the sensor data with the first RFID data; and

transmitting the sensor data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to least one of a temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic field strength sensor, an electric field strength sensor, a light sensor, a position sensor, a humidity sensor, a radiation sensor, an ionizing radiation sensor, and an accelerometer to provide the sensor data via the sensor port.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising modifying at least one of the first and second data with at least one of a time stamp, a date stamp, a location stamp, and sensor data.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is configured to communicate using at least one of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) multiplexing;

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) communication system;

a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) communication system;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communication system;

a Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM) communication system;

an Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) communication system;

a CDMA2000 communication system; and

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system.

29. An apparatus for reading data from a plurality of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, comprising:

means for receiving first data from the first RFID tag in the plurality of RFID tags with the RFID interrogator;

means for receiving second data from the second RFID tag in the plurality of RFID tags with the RFID interrogator;

means for aggregating the first data and the second data into aggregated data; and

means for transmitting the aggregated data to a communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the aggregated RFID data is aggregated in a data packet.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the communication device is a radio access network.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the communication device is a satellite.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the communication device is an eNodeB device.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the first RFID tag, the RFID interrogator, and the long-range wireless transceiver are collocated in an enclosure.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a low-rate wireless personal network transceiver, further comprising:

means for receiving personal network data from the low-rate wireless personal network transceiver; and

means for transmitting the personal network data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, further comprising:

means for receiving global positioning data from the GPS receiver; and

means for transmitting the global positioning data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a sensor port, further comprising:

means for receiving sensor data from the sensor port;

means for associating the sensor data with the first RFID data; and

means for transmitting the sensor data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to at least one of a temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic field strength sensor, an electric field strength sensor, a light sensor, a position sensor, a humidity sensor, a radiation sensor, an ionizing radiation sensor, and an accelerometer to provide the sensor data via the sensor port.

39. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means for modifying at least one of the first and second data with at least one of a time stamp, a date stamp, a location stamp, and sensor data.

40. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is configured to communicate using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) multiplexing.

41. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is configured to communicate via at least one of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) communication system;

a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) communication system;

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communication system;

a Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM) communication system;

an Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) communication system;

a CDMA2000 communication system; and

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system.

42. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a device, selected from the group consisting of a set top box, music player, video player, entertainment unit, navigation device, communications device, personal digital assistant (PDA), fixed location data unit, and a computer, into which the apparatus is integrated.

43. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein at least a part of the apparatus is integrated in a semiconductor die.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute a method comprising:

controlling reception of first data from a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a plurality of RFID tags with an RFID interrogator;

controlling reception of second data from the second RFID tag in the plurality of RFID tags with the RFID interrogator;

controlling aggregation of the first data and the second data into aggregated data; and

controlling transmission of the aggregated data to a communication device with a long-range wireless transmitter.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the aggregated RFID data is aggregated in a data packet.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the communication device is a radio access network.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the communication device is a satellite.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the communication device is an eNodeB device.

49. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a low-rate wireless personal network transceiver, the method further comprising:

controlling reception of personal network data from the low-rate wireless personal network transceiver; and

controlling transmission of the personal network data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the method further comprising:

controlling reception of global positioning data from the GPS receiver; and

controlling transmission of the global positioning data to the communication device with the long-range wireless transmitter.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to a sensor port, the method further comprising:

controlling reception of sensor data from the sensor port;

controlling association of the sensor data with the first RFID data; and

controlling transmission of the sensor data to the communication device with the long- range wireless transmitter.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the long-range wireless transmitter is coupled to at least one of a temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic field strength sensor, an electric field strength sensor, a light sensor, a position sensor, a humidity sensor, a radiation sensor, an ionizing radiation sensor, and an accelerometer to provide the sensor data via the sensor port.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the method includes controlling modification of at least one response in the plurality of responses with at least one of a time stamp, a date stamp, a location stamp, and sensor data.