US 11,941,471 B2
Techniques for reflecting state changes using RFIDs
Amer Aref Hassan, Kirkland, WA (US); Shaun Paul Dunning, San Clemente, CA (US); and Eric Edmond Thomasian, Los Angeles, CA (US)
Assigned to Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed by Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/387,973.
Prior Publication US 2023/0033279 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G06K 19/07 (2006.01); G06K 19/073 (2006.01); G06K 19/077 (2006.01)
CPC G06K 19/0723 (2013.01) [G06K 19/07345 (2013.01); G06K 19/07767 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor device comprising:
a first sensor configured to:
detect a first state of a monitored device;
in response to the first state meeting a first threshold condition, output a first sensor signal; and
in response to the first state not meeting the first threshold condition, not output the first sensor signal;
a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag including:
a first antenna configured to receive an interrogation radio frequency (RF) signal, and
a first circuit coupled to the first antenna, the first circuit configured to receive the interrogation RF signal from the first antenna, generate a first response RF signal in response to the received interrogation RF signal, and cause the first antenna to transmit the first response RF signal,
wherein the first RFID tag is not connected to a power source;
and
a tag controller configured to selectively couple or decouple the first antenna to or from ground depending upon whether the first sensor signal is present, wherein coupling the first antenna to the ground prevents the first antenna from transmitting the first response RF signal.