US 9,754,137 B2Granted

On-demand activation of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag

AssigneeMotorola Mobility LLC

InventorsScott Debates, Francis Forest, Mary Hor-Lao, Douglas A Lautner, Jagatkumar Shah

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In embodiments of on-demand RFID tag activation, an RFID tag is configured so as to enable a person to activate the RFID tag if or when the person wishes. An RFID tag includes an integrated circuit (IC), an antenna coupled to the IC, activation circuitry, and a detachable disable tab. For an example implementation, the RFID tag is in an active state if the IC is capable of responding to an interrogation signal and is in an inactive state if the IC is incapable of responding to an interrogation signal. The activation circuitry is configured to establish the inactive state if the disable tab is attached to the RFID tag or to establish the active state if the disable tab is detached from the RFID tag. The disable tab, if attached to the RFID tag, may impose a short-circuit linkage against the activation circuitry to prevent operation of the tag.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

an antenna disposed on a first side of the RFID tag, the antenna configured to receive an interrogation signal;
an integrated circuit disposed on a second side of the RFID tag, the integrated circuit coupled to the antenna, the integrated circuit including an external operability input, the integrated circuit configured to respond to the interrogation signal if the RFID tag is in an active state and configured to not respond to the interrogation signal if the RFID tag is in an inactive state;
activation circuitry including a first circuit element coupled to the external operability input of the integrated circuit and a second circuit element coupled to a ground node of the RFID tag;
and
a disable tab that is detachable from the RFID tag, the disable tab including a conductive element that is configured to provide a short-circuit current path between the first circuit element and the second circuit element of the activation circuitry if the disable tab is attached to the RFID tag,
wherein the activation circuitry is configured to establish the inactive state if the disable tab is attached to the RFID tag or to establish the active state if the disable tab is detached from the RFID tag.

3 more elements

An apparatus to wirelessly provide information, the apparatus comprising:

a first side configured to be exposed, the first side including an antenna;
a second side opposite the first side and configured to be placed against an object to which the apparatus is to be adhered, the second side including:
a disable tab at least prior to detachment;
and
a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit that is configured to wirelessly provide information via the antenna if the disable tab is detached from the apparatus, and that is configured to not provide the information if the disable tab is attached to the apparatus.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/740,302Filed 16 Jun 2015
Published: US 2016/0371516 A122 Dec 2016
Granted: 5 Sep 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06K 7/10019
Sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves: resolving collision on the communication channels…
G06K 19/07345
Means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or onto record carriers: by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on…
G06K 19/07726
Physical layout of the record carrier: the record comprising means for indicating first use, e.g. a frangible layer
G06K
Graphical data reading