RFID device, system and method of operation including a hybrid backscatter-based RFID tag protocol compatible with RFID, bluetooth and/or IEEE 802.11x infrastructure

An RFID communication system comprising:

• (a) a multi-protocol interrogator generating an RF continuous wave (CW) field;
• (b) an RFID tag linked to the interrogator by the CW field;
• and
• (c) means included in the RFID tag responsive to the interrogator for switching between backscatter modulation using amplitude shift keying and Bluetooth and/or 802.11x transceiver operation.

An RFID communication system having wide area network capability, comprising:

• (a) an RFID transceiver coupled to a first antenna and a processor in an RFID tag;
• (b) a low power communication system in the RFID tag separated from the RFID receiver, the system coupled to a low power communication antenna and to the processor;
• (c) a memory coupled to the processor for storing network element of the RFID receiver and low power communication sections;
• and
• (d) means to activate the RFID transceiver, retrieve an IP address of the RFID tag and transfer data to the RFID tag from a wide area network or vice versa.

An RFID communication system having low power characteristics, comprising

• (a) an RFID transceiver coupled to an antenna and a processor in an RFID tag, the RFID transceiver adapted for sleep mode operation;
• (b) a low power communication system in the RFID tag separated from the RFID transceiver, the low power communication system coupled to a low power communication antenna and to the processor;
• (c) a memory coupled to the processor for storing timer information of the low power communication system;
• and
• (d) means for powering down the low power communicator section and utilizing the sleep mode condition of the RFID receiver, when awakened, to trigger the low power communication system for operation.

A method of communication in an RFID communication system, comprising:

• (a) generating an RF continuous wave (CW) field by a multi-protocol interrogator;
• (b) coupling a hybrid backscatter based RFID tag to the interrogator by the CW field, the tag including RFID signaling and low power communication;
• (c) switching the RFID tag between the RFID signaling and the low power communication;
• and
• (d) selecting backscatter radiation for the RFID signaling or the low power communication.

An RFID communication system, comprising:

• (a) an RFID tag including an RFID transceiver and a low power communication transceiver;
• (b) a processor coupled to the transceivers;
• (c) a multi-protocol interrogator linked to the RFID tag;
• (d) switching means responsive to the RFID transceiver to enable operation of the RFID transceiver in passive and semi-passive modes.

A method of operating an RFID communication system, comprising:

• (a) receiving an RF signal from a multi-protocol interrogator in an RFID tag;
• (b) examining the signal to determine RFID or low power communication for the RFID tag;
• (c) initiating operation of the RFID tag in a backscatter radiation mode if RFID operation is identified in the signal;
• (d) initiating operation of the RFID tag in a low power communication mode if identified in the signal;
• (e) activating an inquiry mode for a transceiver when the tag is in the low power communication mode;
• (f) conducting a paging operation for the transceiver to connect with an access point;
• and transferring data from the RFID tag to the access point for delivery to the interrogator.

In an RFID tag including an RF transceiver and a low power communication transceiver coupled to a processor, a method of low power operation, comprising:

• (a) operating the tag in a sleep state with the RF transceiver, low power communication transceiver and the processor in a powered down state;
• (b) receiving an RF signal and storing RF energy in a storage device;
• (c) providing a threshold based wake-up signal to the processor when sufficient energy is stored in the storage device;
• (d) triggering the processor to wake up in response to the threshold based wakeup signal;
• (e) examining the RF signal to determine tag operation whether in an RF transceiver or a low power communication transceiver mode of operation;
• (f) enabling the RF transceiver and the low power communication transceiver to respond to a determined mode of operation;
• and
• (g) powering down the RF transceiver, the low power communication transceiver and the processor after completion of the determined mode of operation.