RFID tag communication triggered by sensed energy

摘要

An RFID tag is equipped with an energy sensor for receiving an appropriate energy signal or registering an appropriate temperature/environmental level. The RFID tag only responds to a query from an RFID reader if the sensor receives the appropriate stimulation.

主权项

1. A method of querying Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, comprising:
generating a predetermined laser energy signal by an energy source, the predetermined laser energy signal unlocks data stored in memory of one or more RFID tags within range of the energy source; and transmitting an RF query, by an RFID reader comprising a processor, to the one or more RFID tags within a predetermined time window after the energy source generates the predetermined laser energy signal, wherein in response to the one or more RFID tags being in a first mode, the one or more RFID tags in the first mode are programmatically configured to respond to the RF query and provide the data stored within the one or more RFID tags after the one or more RFID tags receive the predetermined laser energy signal such that the one or more RFID tags do not respond to the RF query unless the predetermined laser energy signal has been received by the one or more RFID tags, and wherein, in response to the one or more RFID tags being in a second mode, the one or more RFID tags responds to the RF query without first sensing the predetermined laser energy signal; when at least one RFID tag of the one or more RFID tags is in the first mode, receiving one or more responses from the at least one RFID tag, each of which whose memory has been unlocked based on receipt of the predetermined laser energy signal, wherein the one or more responses provide to the RFID reader data stored within the one or more RFID tags; when at least one RFID tag of the one or more RFID tags is in the second mode, receiving one or more responses to the RF query from the RFID tags in the second mode without the RFID tag first sensing the predetermined laser energy signal; process the one or more RFID tag responses; and wherein the energy source is configured to provide the predetermined laser energy signal such that an emitted laser energy signal may be focused to select a single tag or may be diverging, yet still directional, to select one or more tags within the diverging laser energy signal to be responsive, and wherein the energy source is coupled to the processor and housed together with the processor.