Interactive radio frequency tags
Interactive radio frequency tags that are responsive to external stimuli to change state are disclosed. The tags preferably include a passive radio frequency transponder, having an antenna, an interface for receiving an external stimulus, and one or more integrated circuits responsive to the external stimulus received at the interface to change the state of the transponder. Also disclosed is a “sensor tag” which changes state in response to a particular environmental stimulus. In addition, either of these “button” or “sensor” features may be combined with an output feature which visually, audibly, tactilely or otherwise signals the state or change of state of an RF tag, or the tag may be designed to produce an output in response to the external stimulus of the RF signal received at the tag's antenna.
1. An interactive card for accessing web sites, the interactive card comprising:
a card surface carrying human-readable indicia,
wherein the human-readable indicia include indications of multiple web sites;
a radio frequency transponder including—
an integrated circuit with memory storing multiple data items,
wherein at least some of the multiple data items are associated with the multiple human-readable indicia, and
wherein the data items include URL references to the multiple web sites; and
an antenna that receives an incident signal, wherein the antenna is coupled to the integrated circuit; and
multiple human-selectable switches electrically coupled to the integrated circuit and carried by the card,
wherein each human-selectable switch, when selected by a human, is configured to cause the integrated circuit to provide to the antenna an output signal for an associated stored data item when the antenna receives the incident signal,
wherein the output signal permits access one of the multiple websites via one of the URL references.
2. The interactive card of claim 1 further comprising an output device for emitting light from the interactive card.
3. The interactive card of claim 1 further comprising an output device for emitting sound from the interactive card.
4. The interactive card of claim 1 wherein the human-selectable switches include controls for controlling a browser.
5. An interactive card for providing output to a user, the interactive card comprising:
a card base carrying a picture or human-readable indicia;
an audio input device carried by the base;
an audio output device carried by the base;
a radio frequency transponder carried by the base and coupled to the audio input device and to the audio output device, wherein the radio frequency transponder includes—
an integrated circuit with memory storing multiple data items, wherein each of the multiple data items corresponds to an item of stored audio information; and
an antenna that receives an incident signal; and
multiple human-selectable switches coupled to the integrated circuit,
wherein at least one of the multiple human-selectable switches, when selected by a human, is configured to cause the integrated circuit to receive input audio data via the audio input device and store it in the memory, when the antenna receives the incident signal, and,
wherein at least another of the multiple human-selectable switches, when selected by a human, is configured to cause the integrated circuit to play the input audio data stored in the memory via the audio output device, when the antenna receives the incident signal.
6. The interactive card of claim 5 , wherein the card base carries at least one photograph, postcard or vacation souvenir.
7. The interactive card of claim 5 , wherein the multiple data items further include a reference to a website.
8. The interactive card of claim 5 , wherein the audio input device is a microphone and the audio output device is a speaker.
9. The interactive card of claim 5 , wherein the memory includes prerecorded audio messages.
10. An interactive card for accessing web sites, the interactive card comprising:
a card means for carrying human-readable indicia,
wherein the human-readable indicia include indications of multiple web sites;
a radio frequency transponder means for receiving a wireless signal, wherein the radio frequency transponder means includes—
an integrated circuit means for storing multiple data items,
wherein at least some of the multiple data items are associated with the multiple human-readable indicia, and
wherein the data items include URL references to the multiple web sites; and
antenna means for receiving an incident signal, wherein the antenna means is coupled to the integrated circuit; and
multiple human-selectable means for electronically switching, wherein the means for electronically switching is coupled to the integrated circuit means and is carried by the card means,
wherein each human-selectable means, when selected by a human, is configured to cause the integrated circuit means to provide to the antenna means an output signal for an associated stored data item when the antenna means receives the incident signal,
wherein the output signal permits access one of the multiple websites via one of the URL references.
11. The interactive card of claim 10 further comprising an output device for emitting light from the interactive card.
12. The interactive card of claim 10 further comprising an output device for emitting sound from the interactive card.
13. The interactive card of claim 10 wherein the human-selectable means include controls for controlling a browser.
14. An interactive card for providing output to a user, the interactive card comprising:
a card base carrying a picture or human-readable indicia;
an audio input means for receiving audio and carried by the base;
an audio output means for outputting audio and carried by the base;
a radio frequency transponder means for processing a wireless signal, carried by the base, and coupled to the audio input device and to the audio output device, wherein the radio frequency transponder means includes—
circuit means for storing multiple data items, wherein each of the multiple data items corresponds to an item of stored audio information; and
an antenna means that receives an incident signal; and
multiple human-selectable switches coupled to the circuit means,
wherein at least one of the multiple human-selectable switches, when selected by a human, is configured to cause the circuit means to receive input audio data via the audio input means and store it in the circuit means, when the antenna means receives the incident signal, and,
wherein at least another of the multiple human-selectable switches, when selected by a human, is configured to cause the circuit means to play the input audio data stored in the circuit means via the audio output means, when the antenna means receives the incident signal.
15. The interactive card of claim 14 , wherein the card base carries at least one photograph, postcard or vacation souvenir.
16. The interactive card of claim 14 , wherein the multiple data items further include a reference to a website.
17. The interactive card of claim 14 , wherein the audio input means includes a microphone and the audio output means includes a speaker.
18. The interactive card of claim 14 , wherein the circuit means includes prerecorded audio messages.