Optical control of RFID chips

摘要

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an RFID chip and a photo-active material disposed in proximity to the RFID chip. The photo-active material provides energy—in the form of optical frequency radiation—to the RFID chip that affects (e.g., enhances or inhibits) the performance of the RFID chip and its sensitivity to a reader signal. An infrared (IR) light illuminating a polished backside of an RFID chip enhances or inhibits a read rate of the RFID chip according to an intensity of the IR light. A method for controlling operation of RFID devices includes illuminating a number of RFID devices by a radio frequency (RF) reader field, the reader field being below an operational threshold of the RFID devices, and optically illuminating a selected one of the RFID devices so that the selected RFID device becomes operational and communicates to the RFID reader.

主权项

1. A method for radio frequency identification (RFID), comprising:
generating optical energy at a wavelength affecting operation of an RFID device via a photo-active material in proximity to an RFID chip of the RFID device wherein the RFID chip has a backside that is polished wherein the photo-active material is a fluorescent material that emits light energy in response to exposure to light; and
reading the RFID chip under conditions produced by the photo-active material by transmitting an RF signal to the RFID devicewherein the photo-active material is a material that has a variable optical absorption affected by an environmental factor; and further comprising:
reading the RFID chip without infrared illumination of the photo-active material;reading the RFID chip with infrared illumination of the photo-active material wherein an infrared illumination source is configured to illuminate the backside of the RFID chip; andcorrelating a difference in performance of reading the RFID chip with and without infrared illumination to a sensed value of the environmental factor.