Lprf device wake up using wireless tag

Abstract

A wireless transceiver includes: (a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and (b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component. The second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for tracking and monitoring a plurality of shipping containers by a gateway, the system comprising:
 a particular shipping container including a door that allows access to the inside of the shipping container when the door is open and that denies access to the shipping container when the door is closed;   a first wireless reader tag (WRT) that has an identification of the first WRT stored in memory and that is affixable to each of the plurality of shipping containers and that is affixed to and associated with one of the plurality of shipping containers; and   a second wireless reader tag (WRT) that is associated with the particular shipping container, that has an identification of the second WRT stored in memory, and that has stored in memory sensor-acquired data that relates to information obtained from a sensor associated with the particular shipping container being tracked and monitored;   wherein the first WRT, the second WRT, and the gateway form part of an ad hoc wireless network of the system;   wherein the first WRT is in network communication range of the second WRT and is in communication range of the gateway; and   wherein the first WRT receives the identification of the second WRT and the sensor-acquired data from the second WRT and communicates to the gateway the identification of the first WRT, the identification of the second WRT, and the sensor-acquired data indicative of a monitored status of the particular shipping container.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the gateway comprises a reader component that is capable of reading RFID tags. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first WRT, second WRT, and gateway each comprises a transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving data packets, and an RFID reader component for reading wireless RFID tags. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor and second WRT are configured such that the second WRT receives sensor-acquired data from the sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor and second WRT are configured to wirelessly communicate such that the second WRT receives the sensor-acquired data from the sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a motion detector. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a camera. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a microphone. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor-acquired information comprises temperature relative to the particular shipping container being tracked and monitored. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor-acquired information comprises humidity relative to the particular shipping container being tracked and monitored. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the gateway communicates the sensor-acquired information to a server, whereby the second WRT responds to queries from the server that provide real-time up-to-date status information about the particular shipping container being tracked and monitored. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the first WRT uniquely identifies the first WRT in transmissions made by the first WRT. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the second WRT uniquely identifies the second WRT in transmissions made by the second WRT. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the second WRT comprises a class of the second WRT that represents an attribute of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the second WRT comprises a class of the second WRT that represents a characteristic of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the second WRT comprises a class of the second WRT that represents a state of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the second WRT comprises a class of the second WRT that represents a state in the delivery process of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the identification of the second WRT comprises a class of the second WRT that facilitates segregation and delivery of the shipping containers. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second WRT stores in memory an identification of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second WRT stores in memory a serial number of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first WRT is active. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first WRT comprises a transmitter for communicating the first and second identifications and the sensor-acquired data to the gateway. 
     
     
         25 . A system for tracking and monitoring a shipping container comprising:
 a shipping container that is tracked and monitored, the shipping container including a door that allows access to the inside of the shipping container when the door is open and that denies access to the shipping container when the door is closed;   a first radio frequency (RF) device that has an identification of the first RF device stored in memory and that is affixable to the shipping container; and   a second radio frequency (RF) device that is associated with the shipping container, that has an identification of the second RF device stored in memory, and that has stored in memory sensor-acquired data that relates to information obtained from a sensor associated with the shipping container being tracked and monitored;   wherein the first RF device receives the identification of the second RF device and the sensor-acquired data from the second RF device and communicates to a third radio frequency (RF) device the identification of the first RF device, the identification of the second RF device, and the sensor-acquired data indicative of a monitored status of the shipping container.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the third RF device comprises a gateway that includes a reader component capable of reading RFID tags. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the reader component comprises an RFID reader. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor and second RF device are configured such that the second RF device receives sensor-acquired data from the sensor. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor and second RF device are configured to wirelessly communicate such that the second RF device receives the sensor-acquired data from the sensor. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a motion detector. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a camera. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor-acquired data comprises data from a microphone. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor-acquired information comprises temperature relative to the particular shipping container being tracked and monitored. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor-acquired information comprises humidity relative to the particular shipping container being tracked and monitored. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the third RF device communicates the sensor-acquired information to an application server over a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the first RF device uniquely identifies the first RF device in transmissions made by the first RF device. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the second RF device uniquely identifies the second RF device in transmissions made by the second RF device 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the second RF device comprises a class of the second RF device that represents an attribute of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the second RF device comprises a class of the second RF device that represents a characteristic of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the second RF device comprises a class of the second RF device that represents a state of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the second RF device comprises a class of the second RF device that represents a state in the delivery process of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the identification of the second RF device comprises a class of the second RF device that facilitates segregation and delivery of the shipping containers. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the second RF device stores in memory an identification of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the second RF device stores in memory a serial number of the particular shipping container. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the first RF device is active. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the first RF device comprises a transmitter for communicating the first and second identifications and the sensor-acquired data to the gateway. 
     
     
         48 . A system for tracking an asset by an RFID reader, the system comprising:
 a mechanism disposed on the asset to allow access to the asset when the mechanism is in a first position and to deny access to the asset when the mechanism is in a second position;   a first RFID device having a first identity affixable to the asset; and   a second RFID device disposed with the mechanism and comprising a second identity and a measurable parameter indicating whether the mechanism is in the first or second position,   wherein the first RFID device receives the second identity and the measurable parameter from the second RFID device and communicates the first and second identity and the measurable parameter to the RFID reader.   
     
     
         49 . A system in accordance with  claim 48  wherein the RFID device comprises a transmitter for communicating the first and second identity and the measurable parameter to the RFID reader. 
     
     
         50 . A system in accordance with  claim 48  wherein the measurable parameter comprises detection of presence of the second RFID device. 
     
     
         51 . A system in accordance with  claim 50  wherein the measurable parameter comprises detection of absence of the second RFID device. 
     
     
         52 . A system in accordance with  claim 48  wherein the first RFID device further comprises a communication device for communicating the first and second identity to an RFID reader. 
     
     
         53 . A system in accordance with  claim 48  wherein the first RFID device comprises an active RFID device. 
     
     
         54 . A system in accordance with  claim 48  wherein the second RFID device comprises a passive RFID device. 
     
     
         55 . A method for asset tracking by a reader comprising the steps of: affixing a first RFID device having a first identification to an asset; affixing a second RFID device having a second identification to the asset, the second identification including behavior information indicating state of the asset; and communicating the second identification to the first RFID device for subsequent transmission to the reader.