Imaging-based radio-frequency identification transponder

• US 8,847,736 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bonwoong Koo, Moon J. Kim
• Original Assignee: Bonwoong Koo, Moon J. Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Moon J., Koo, Bonwoong
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US12/953,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20120127289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.5, 340/10.34, 340/13.23, 340/13.24, 340/13.26, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 348/61
• US Class Current: 340/10.34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The present invention relates to an imaging-based radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder. Specifically, the transponder includes a photo-responsive cell for capturing an image; and an analysis component. The photo-responsive cell captures images of objects. Once captured, the analysis component is configured to: determine whether the RFID transponder has sufficient power to analyze the image; analyze the image on the RFID transponder if sufficient power exists; and/or transmit data corresponding to the image to an RFID reader for analysis in the event the RFID transponder has insufficient power to analyze the image. Where quality of the image and/or performance of the transponder are less than desirous, any number of corrective approaches can be taken. For example, the setup of the transponder can be adjusted, the range readout can be reduced, the integration time per pixel of the image can be increased, etc. Moreover, the range of the RFID transponder can be increased using any of the approaches discussed in the above-incorporated patent applications.

Claims

1. An imaging-based radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder, comprising:

a controller that obtains a default setup from an RFID reader that is external to the RFID transponder, the default setup including a readout range;

a photo-responsive cell for capturing an image based on the readout range;

an analysis component for, in response to a determination that the available power is sufficient to perform an analysis of the image, analyzing the image on the RFID transponder based on an available power in the RFID transponder;

a power component configured to, in response to a determination that the available power is not sufficient to perform the analysis, secure additional power supplemental to the available power from a strong passive ad-hoc RFID network of which the RFID transponder is a member to increase a readout range of the RFID transponder, the additional power derived from at least one of the following;

at least one power line, at least one wireless network, and a field generated by at least one second RFID transponder other than the RFID transponder,

the RFID transponder, in response to the determination that the available power is not sufficient to perform the analysis, gaining a set of user rights and controls on the wireless network, the RFID transponder gaining a higher priority on the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls, and the RFID transponder being configured to request the additional power;

from the power line; and

from the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls; and

a quality determinator that compares a quality of the image to a predetermined threshold and, in response to a determination that the quality is insufficient, modifies values in the default setup.

2. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 1, further comprising a light source that is adjacent to the photo-responsive cell for improving the quality of the image when captured by the photo-responsive cell.

3. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 1, the analysis component being further configured to, in response to a determination that the available power and the additional power together are insufficient to analyze the image, transmit data corresponding to the image to an RFID reader for analysis.

4. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 1, the RFID reader being configured to adjust a quality of communication with which the RFID transponder operates.

5. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 4, the quality of communication being adjusted by adjusting a setup of the RFID transponder.

6. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 4, the quality of communication being adjusted by reducing a readout range of the RFID transponder.

7. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 4, the quality of communication being adjusted by increasing an integration time per pixel of the image.

8. An imaging-based radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder, comprising:

a controller that obtains a default setup from an RFID reader that is external to the RFID transponder, the default setup including a readout range;

a photo-responsive cell for capturing an image based on the readout range; and

an analysis component being configured to;

determine whether available power of the RFID transponder is sufficient to analyze the image;

analyze, in response to a determination that the available power is sufficient, the image on the RFID transponder;

secure, in response to a determination that the available power is insufficient, additional power supplemental to the available power from a strong passive ad-hoc RFID network of which the RFID transponder is a member to increase a readout range of the RFID transponder, the additional power derived from at least one of the following;

at least one power line, at least one wireless network, and a field generated by at least one second RFID transponder other than the RFID transponder,

the RFID transponder, in response to the determination that the available power is insufficient, gain a set of user rights and controls on the wireless network, the RFID transponder gain a higher priority on the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls, and the RFID transponder securing the additional power;

from the power line; and

from the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls;

transmit, in response to a determination that both the available power and the additional power are insufficient to analyze the image, data corresponding to the image to an RFID reader for analysis;

compare a quality of the image to a predetermined threshold; and

in response to a determination that the quality is insufficient, modify values in the default setup.

9. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 8, further comprising a light source that is adjacent to the photo-responsive cell for improving the quality of the image when captured by the photo-responsive cell.

10. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 8, the RFID reader being configured to adjust a quality of communication with which the RFID transponder operates.

11. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 10, the quality of communication being adjusted by adjusting a setup of the RFID transponder.

12. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 10, the quality of communication being adjusted by reducing a readout range of the RFID transponder.

13. The imaging-based RFID transponder of claim 10, the quality of communication being adjusted by increasing an integration time per pixel of the image.

14. A method for capturing an image using a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder, comprising:

obtaining a default setup from an RFID reader that is external to the RFID transponder, the default setup including a readout range;

capturing an image using a photo-responsive cell integrated with the RFID transponder based on the readout range;

determining whether the RFID transponder has sufficient power to analyze the image;

analyzing, in response to a determination that the available power is sufficient, the image on the RFID transponder;

in response to a determination that sufficient power does not exist, attempting to secure additional power from a strong passive ad-hoc RFID network of which the RFID transponder is a member to increase a readout range of the RFID transponder, the additional power derived from at least one of the following;

at least one power line, at least one wireless network, and a field generated by at least one second RFID transponder other than the RFID transponder;

the RFID transponder, in response to the determination that sufficient power does not exist, gain a set of user rights and controls on the wireless network, the RFID transponder gain a higher priority on the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls, and the RFID transponder securing the additional power;

from the power line; and

from the wireless network using the set of user rights and controls;

transmitting, in response to a determination that both the available power and the additional power are insufficient to analyze the image, data corresponding to the image to an RFID reader for analysis;

comparing a quality of the image to a predetermined threshold; and

modifying, in response to a determination that the quality is insufficient, values in the default setup.

15. The method of claim 14, the determining comprising comparing a current power level of the RFID transponder to a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being a minimum amount of power needed to analyze the image on the RFID transponder.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising illuminating an object from which the image is taken using a light source integrated with the RFID transponder adjacent to the photo-responsive cell.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting a quality of communication with which the RFID transponder operates using the RFID reader.

18. The method of claim 17, the adjusting comprising adjusting a setup of the RFID transponder.

19. The method of claim 17, the adjusting comprising reducing a readout range of the RFID transponder.

20. The method of claim 17, the adjusting comprising increasing an integration time per pixel of the image.