Energy-conserving triggered ID system and method

• US 8,223,014 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essence Security International (E.S.I.) Ltd. (Essence USA Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Essence Security International (E.S.I.) Ltd. (Essence USA Inc.)
• Inventors: Amir, Haim
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US12/166,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20100001855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 340/539.3
• 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

Abstract

An energy-conserving triggered ID system, comprising: a reading assembly having a normally non-activated state and having a triggered subassembly configurable to activate the reading assembly; and a mobile assembly having no power source and having a triggering subassembly configurable to activate the triggered subassembly when the mobile assembly is located within a triggering range, wherein the reading assembly is operable to transfer power to the mobile assembly and wherein data transfer is effected between the mobile assembly and the reading assembly within a data transfer range.

Claims

1. An energy-conserving triggered ID system, comprising:

a. a reading assembly having a normally non-activated state and having a triggered subassembly configurable to activate the reading assembly;

b. a mobile assembly having no power source and having a triggering subassembly configurable to activate the triggered subassembly when the mobile assembly is located within a triggering range, said triggering subassembly including a permanent magnet; and

c. the reading assembly when triggered is operable to transfer power to the mobile assembly and data transfer is effected between the mobile assembly and the reading assembly within a data transfer range.

2. An ID system according to claim 1, wherein the reading assembly is deactivatable upon completion of data transfer.

3. An ID system according to claim 2, wherein the reading assembly is powerable by a battery or by mains power.

4. An ID system according to claim 3, wherein the data transfer range is at least the same as the triggering range.

5. An ID system according to claim 4, wherein the mobile assembly is an RFID device.

6. An ID system according to claim 1, wherein said reading assembly consumes substantially no power in said normally non-activated state.

7. An ID system according to claim 3, wherein the ID system is operable to use power from a battery for at least one year.

8. A method of operating an energy-conserving triggered ID system, comprising the steps of:

a. configuring a reading assembly having a normally non-activated state and having a triggered subassembly to activate the reading assembly, in said normally non-activated state said reading assembly consuming no power;

b. taking a mobile assembly having no power source and having a triggering subassembly to activate the triggered subassembly when the mobile assembly is located within a triggering range;

c. operating the reading assembly to transfer power to the mobile assembly and effecting data transfer between the mobile assembly and the reading assembly within a data transfer range; and

d. once data transfer is completed, deactivating said reader assembly into said normally non-activated state, the non-activated state continues until reactivation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reading assembly is powered by a battery or by mains power.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data transfer range is at least the same as the triggering range.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile assembly is an RFID device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering subassembly includes at least one magnetic unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the magnetic unit is a permanent magnet.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggered subassembly includes at least one magnetically activated switch/sensor.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the ID system operates from a battery for at least one year.

16. A method of operating an energy-conserving triggered ID system, comprising the steps of:

a. configuring a reading assembly having a normally non-activated state and having a triggered subassembly;

b. taking a mobile assembly having no power source and having a triggering subassembly to activate the triggered subassembly when the mobile assembly is located within a triggering range, said triggering subassembly including a permanent magnet; and

c. operating the reading assembly to transfer power to the mobile assembly and effecting data transfer between the mobile assembly and the reading assembly within a data transfer range.

17. An energy-conserving triggered ID system, comprising:

a. a reading assembly having a normally non-activated state and having a triggered subassembly configurable to activate the reading assembly, said reading assembly consuming no power in said normally non-activated state;

b. a mobile assembly having no power source and having a triggering subassembly configurable to activate the triggered subassembly when the mobile assembly is located within a triggering range; and

c. the reading assembly when triggered is operable to transfer power to the mobile assembly and data transfer is effected between the mobile assembly and the reading assembly within a data transfer range, wherein once data is transfer is completed, said reader assembly is deactivating into said normally non-activated state, the normally non-activated state continuing until reactivation.