System and method for smart radio frequency identification tags

• US 7,573,386 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lahiri, Sandip
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/922,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/540, 340/571, 340/568.1, 340/825, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.34, 705/28
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 79/02 Arrangements or devices for indicating incorrect storage or transport B65D79/005 takes precedence ; measuring devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure

Abstract

The present invention is a method system that detects the altering of the contents of a package. This system comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag that is affixed to a package. This RFID can receive, store and transmit information received related to the package contents. A pressure sensitive material is positioned in the package such that this material can sense the weight of the package contents. When the weight of the package contents changes, the RFID tag will receive a signal directly or indirectly from the pressure sensitive material. This weight change is recorded in the RFID. When a RFID reader energizes the RFID, this current package weight is transmitted to the RFID tag reader. The RFID tag reader can then determine if the weight transmitted by the RFID tag is the original package weight or a new package weight. A new package weight would indicate some altering of the original package contents.

Claims

1. A method for implementing smart radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to detect an alteration of package contents comprising the steps of:

establishing an initial package weight by establishing a relationship between package weight and a pressure on a package resulting from package content weight;

recording this initial package weight at a RFID tag as a generated number;

detecting a change in the weight of the package contents from automatic and periodic submissions of presently existing current measurements submitted from a logic device capable of measuring electrical current to the RFID tag and generating a signal when a change in the pressure on the package resulting from the weight of the package contents is detected;

recording the change in the package weight at an RFID tag; and

transmitting the change in package weight to the RFID tag reader, by energizing the RFID tag and receiving the generated number recorded in the RFID tag.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said recording change in the package weight at an RFID tag step further comprises the steps of:

generating a change number from the generated signal represents the change in pressure;

receiving at the RFID tag the generated change number; and

storing the generated change number at the RFID tag.

3. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising after said receiving the generated number stored in the RFID tag step, the step of calculating a current package weight using the generated number and relationship between pressure and weight.

4. The method as described in claim 3 further comprising the step of storing this calculated package weight in the RFID tag such that this particular package weight is identified with the particular package.

5. A method for implementing smart radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to detect an alteration of package contents comprising the steps of:

receiving an initial package weight at an RFID tag;

recording this initial package weight at the RFID tag;

establishing a relationship between package weight and a pressure on a package resulting from package content weight;

detecting a change in pressure generated by the weight of the package content from automatic and periodic submissions of presently existing current measurements submitted from a logic device capable of measuring electrical current to the RFID tag and generating a signal when a change in the pressure on the package resulting from the weight of the package contents is detected;

receiving the change in the package weight at said RFID tag; and

transmitting the change in package weight to an RFID tag reader.

6. The method as described in claim 5 wherein said receiving the change in the package weight at an RFID tag step further comprises the steps of:

generating a number from the generated signal represents the change in pressure;

receiving at the RFID tag the generated number; and

storing the generated number at the RFID tag.

7. The method as described in claim 6 further comprising before said transmitting step, the step of calculating a current package weight using the generated number and relationship between pressure and weight.