Wireless tag, wireless tag reader/writer, wireless tag information provision method, and wireless tag system

• US 7,586,412 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Takatama, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/408,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20060238309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/573.6, 340/573.7, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.26, 340/10.1, 340/10.33, 340/10.3, 702/187, 702/188
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs

Abstract

A system comprising a wireless tag and a tag reader. The tag comprises: a sensor for generating a detected information; a storage for storing the detected information; a determination unit for storing a criteria information and outputting a result of determination on the detected information on the basis of the criteria information; and a communication control unit for transmitting the determination result in response to receiving a request. The reader transmits the request to the tag and receives the determination result from the tag.

Claims

1. A wireless tag wirelessly communicating with a wireless tag reader/writer, comprising:

a sensor for detecting physical stimulus in and/or around the wireless tag to generate a detected information set;

a first storage for storing the detected information set;

a determination unit for storing a criteria information set and outputting a determination result information set as a result of determination on the detected information set on the basis of the criteria information set; and

a communication control unit for transmitting the determination result information set output by the determination unit to the wireless tag reader/writer and receiving another criteria information set transmitted from the wireless tag reader/writer,

wherein in response to receiving a request for at least one of a detected information set and a determination result information set from wireless tag reader/writer, the communication control unit transmits the request information set(s) to the wireless tag reader/writer.

2. The wireless tag according to claim 1, wherein:

the first storage stores a time information set indicating time at which a detected information is detected, in association with the detected information set; and

the communication control unit transmits to the wireless tag reader/writer the time information set and at least one of the detected information set and the corresponding determination result information set.

3. The wireless tag according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit updates the criteria information set to the other criteria information set.

4. A wireless tag wirelessly communicating with a wireless tag reader/writer, comprising:

a sensor for detecting physical stimulus in and/or around the wireless tag to generated a detected information set;

a first storage for storing the detected information set;

a determination unit for storing a criteria information set and outputting a determination result information set as a result of determination on the detected information set on the basis of the criteria information set;

a communication control unit for transmitting the determination result information set output by the determination unit to the wireless tag reader/writer and receiving another criteria information set transmitted from the wireless tag reader/writer; and

a second storage for storing the determination result information set,

wherein, in response to receiving a request for the determination result information set from the wireless tag reader/writer, the communication control unit transmits the determination result information set stored in the second storage.

5. The wireless tag according to claim 4, wherein:

the first storage stores a time information set indicating time at which a detected information is detected, in association with the detected information set; and

the communication control unit transmits to the wireless tag reader/writer the time information set and at least one of the detected information set and the corresponding determination result information set.

6. The wireless tag according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit updates the criteria information set to the other criteria information set.

7. A wireless tag reader/writer wirelessly communicating with a wireless tag having a detection unit for detecting information on the wireless tag itself and the area surrounding the wireless tag,

wherein the wireless tag reader/writer transmits an information set to request the wireless tag for a determination result information set indicating a result of determination on the detected information set on the basis of a criteria information set,

wherein the wireless tag reader/writer transmits another criteria information set to the wireless tag, and

wherein the wireless tag updates the criteria information set to the other criteria information set.

8. The wireless tag reader/writer according to claim 7, wherein the wireless tag reader/writer transmits an information set to request the wireless tag for the detected information.

9. A method of transmitting a information set from a wireless tag to a wireless tag reader/writer, comprising the steps of:

detecting physical stimulus in and/or around the wireless tag to generate a detected information set by a sensor of the wireless tag;

storing the detected information set to a first storage of the wireless tag;

evaluating, at the wireless tag, the detected information set on the basis of a criteria information set, which is previously transmitted to the wireless tag and stored in a second storage, to generate a determination result information set;

transmitting the determination result information set from the wireless tag to the wireless tag reader/writer; and

receiving and storing in the second storage another criteria information set transmitted from the wireless tag reader/writer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising updating the criteria information set to the other criteria information set.

11. A wireless tag system comprising a wireless tag and a wireless tag reader/writer that wirelessly communicating with the wireless tag,

wherein the wireless tag comprises:

a sensor for detecting physical stimulus in and/or around the wireless tag to generate a detected information set;

a first storage for storing the detected information set;

a determination unit for storing a criteria information set and outputting a determination result information set as a result of determination on the detected information set on the basis of the criteria information set; and

a communication control unit for transmitting the determination result information set output by the determination unit in response to receiving a request for the determination result information set,

wherein the wireless tag reader/writer transmits the request to the wireless tag and receives the determination result information from the wireless tag, and

wherein the communication control unit receives another criteria information set transmitted from the wireless tag reader/writer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the determination unit updates the criteria information set to the other criteria information set.