Reversibly deactivating a radio frequency identification data tag

• US 8,487,769 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Binforma Group Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lindsay, Jeffrey D., Chen, Fung-Jou, Wagner, Eric Francis, Onderko, John Christian, Velasquez, Herb Flores
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US13/090,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.8, 340/539.11, 340/665, 340/668, 340/573.1, 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies

Abstract

Reversibly activating or deactivating a radio frequency identification (RFID) data tag comprising a circuit responsive to an environmental factor. An RFID tag includes an RFID chip for storing an RFID code, an antenna for communicating a radio frequency (RF) signal, and an environmentally sensitive switch.

Claims

1. A method of activating an RFID tag, the method comprising:

selectively modifying an environmentally sensitive switch of an RFID tag from a first mode to a second mode in response to a predetermined environmental factor,

wherein the switch couples a circuit to an antenna;

wherein the switch, in the first mode, is configured to disable the RFID tag from sending a signal; and

wherein the switch, in the second mode, is configured to enable the RFID tag to send the signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively modifying the switch comprises changing the environmental factor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein changing the environmental factor comprises modifying at least one of the following:

an application of pressure on the switch, an orientation of the switch, a humidity relative to the switch, a temperature relative to the switch, an exposure of light to the switch, a position of a shield relative to the switch, and a contact with skin at the switch.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively modifying the switch from the first mode to the second mode comprises moving a portion of the switch from an open position to a closed position in response to the predetermined environmental factor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the RFID tag is carried in a first region of an article, and the article comprises an element carried in a second, different region of the article, wherein the switch is responsive to the element; and

selectively modifying the switch from the first mode to the second mode comprises moving at least a portion of the article to position the first region proximate to the second region of the article.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the RFID tag to an article configured to be associated with a user, wherein use of the article by the user alters the environmental factor; and

wherein the switch is configured to be modified in response to the alteration of the environmental factor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the RFID tag to a product container, and wherein the environmental factor relates to the container.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the switch includes a first member movable relative to a second member between first and second relative orientation positions corresponding to the first and second modes of the switch, and wherein in the first position the first member is electrically isolated from the second member and in the second position the first member is electrically coupled to the second member.

9. A method of activating an RFID tag on an article, the method comprising:

activating an RFID reader to communicate with the RFID tag; and

activating the RFID tag via a switch that is actuatable between a first mode and at least a second mode in response to a predetermined environmental factor external to the article, wherein the RFID tag includes an antenna and a circuit,

wherein the switch, in the first mode, decouples the antenna and the circuit to disconnect communication between the RFID tag and the RFID reader,

wherein the switch, in the second mode, operably couples the antenna to the circuit to activate the RFID tag to communicate with the RFID reader.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

activating the RFID reader comprises transmitting a signal from the RFID reader; and

activating the RFID tag comprises activating the RFID tag to receive the signal in response to the predetermined environmental factor.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein:

activating the RFID reader comprises activating the RFID reader to receive a signal from the RFID tag; and

activating the RFID tag comprises transmitting the signal in response to the predetermined environmental factor.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the RFID tag on the article is movable between at least a first orientation and a second, different orientation, and wherein activating the RFID tag comprises activating the RFID tag when the article is moved from the first orientation to the second orientation.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the environmental factor relates to pressure applied to the switch, and wherein activating the RFID tag comprises applying pressure to the switch.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the switch comprises a non-conductive housing at least partially defining an enclosed volume, first and second conductive leads exposed to the enclosed volume, and a movable conductor positioned within the enclosed volume, and wherein activating the RFID tag comprises moving the conductor to contact each of the first and second leads in response to the environmental factor.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the environmental factor relates to a heat transfer at the switch, and wherein activating the RFID tag comprises transferring heat to the switch or removing heat from the switch.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the environmental factor relates to an electrical environment at the switch, and wherein activating the RFID tag via the switch comprises detecting, at the switch, a change in the electrical environment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the change in the electrical environment is caused by a presence of human skin.

18. A method of reversibly activating and deactivating an RFID tag, the method comprising:

attempting to scan the RFID tag with an RFID scanner,

wherein the RFID tag is carried by an article and includes a switch that operably couples a circuit to an antenna for receiving a signal from the RFID scanner and emitting a signal to the RFID scanner;

wherein the switch includes a first switch component movable relative to a second switch component between a first relative orientation state and at least a second relative orientation state in response to a predetermined environmental factor;

wherein the environmental factor is associated with a manner in which the article is used; and

wherein the switch is configured to operate in a first switch mode and at least a second switch mode, corresponding to the first and second relative orientation states, respectively, of the first and second switch components; and

automatically reversibly activating and deactivating the RFID tag in response to operation of the switch in the first switch mode and in the second switch mode, respectively.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein automatically activating and deactivating the RFID tag comprises automatically activating the RFID tag in response to the presence of the environmental factor and automatically deactivating the RFID tag in response to the absence of the environmental factor.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein automatically activating and deactivating the RFID tag comprises automatically activating the RFID tag in response to the absence of the environmental factor and automatically deactivating the RFID tag in response to the presence of the environmental factor.