Passive call button and systems and methods associated therewith

1. A system for detecting an event within a monitored area, the system comprising:

a transmitter configured to emit a first interrogation signal into the monitored area;

an RF target positioned within the monitored area and configured to reflect at least some of the first interrogation signal, resulting in a target signal, when the first interrogation signal impinges on the RF target, the RF target having a switch, the switch being actuatable between (i) a first switch-state in which the RF target operates in a first reflective state, and (ii) a second switch-state in which the RF target operates in a second reflective state, the first reflective state being different from the second reflective state;

a receiver configured to receive the target signal from the RF target;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the receiver; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

detect, based on the target signal received by the receiver, an indication of the reflective state in which the RF target is operating or an indication of a change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating; and

responsive to detecting the indication of the reflective state in which the RF target is operating or the indication of the change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating, trigger an action,

wherein at least one of:

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a first gain and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a second gain below the first gain; or

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a first polarity and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a second polarity.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switch is configured to be actuated by a user.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF target includes a circuit configured to cause the RF target to operate in one of the first reflective state and the second reflective state, and wherein the switch is communicatively coupled to the circuit such that an actuation of the switch causes the circuit to operate in a respective state that further causes the RF target to operate in one of the first reflective state and the second reflective state.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, in the first reflective state, the RF target is configured to reflect at least some of the first interrogation signal, and wherein, in the second reflective state, the RF target is configured to not reflect the first interrogation signal.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF target is an RF identification (RFID) tag.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the RFID tag includes a tag memory, the tag memory including location data identifying a location of the RFID tag, and

wherein, in the second reflective state, the RFID tag transmits the location data.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF target includes a first RF identification (RFID) tag and a second RFID tag,

wherein, when operating in the first reflective state, the RF target transmits data associated with the first RFID tag, and

wherein, when operating in the second reflective state, the RF target transmits data associated with the second RFID tag.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF target comprises a first antenna element and a second antenna element,

wherein, when operating in the first reflective state, the RF target is configured to generate the target signal via the first antenna element, and

wherein, when operating in the second reflective state, the RF target is configured to generate the target signal via the second antenna element.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the RF target includes a first RF identification (RFID) tag communicatively coupled to the first antenna element and a second RFID tag communicatively coupled to the second antenna element.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

detect, based on the target signal received by the receiver, a repetitive change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating, the repetitive change being at least two instances of the change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating; and

responsive to detecting the repetitive change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating, trigger another action.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

responsive to detecting the repetitive change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating at or above a predetermined rate, trigger the another action.

12. A method for detecting an event within a monitored area, the method comprising:

emitting, by a transmitter, a first interrogation signal into a monitored area within which an RF target is positioned, the RF target being configured to reflect at least some of the first interrogation signal, resulting in a target signal, when the first interrogation signal impinges on the RF target, the RF target having a switch, the switch being actuatable between (i) a first switch-state in which the RF target operates in a first reflective state, and (ii) a second switch-state in which the RF target operates in a second reflective state, the first reflective state being different from the second reflective state;

receiving, by a receiver, the target signal from the RF target;

detecting, by a processor, based on the target signal received by the receiver, an indication of the reflective state in which the RF target is operating or an indication of a change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating; and

triggering, by the processor, responsive to detecting the indication of the reflective state in which the RF target is operating or the change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating, an action

wherein at least one of:

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a first gain and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a second gain below the first gain; or

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a first polarity and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a second polarity.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the switch is configured to be actuated by a user.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the RF target includes a circuit configured to cause the RF target to operate in one of the first reflective state and the second reflective state, and wherein the switch is communicatively coupled to the circuit such that an actuation of the switch causes the circuit to operate in a respective state that further causes the RF target to operate in one of the first reflective state and the second reflective state.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein, in the first reflective state, the RF target is configured to reflect at least some of the first interrogation signal, and wherein, in the second reflective state, the RF target is configured to not reflect the first interrogation signal.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the RF target is an RF identification (RFID) tag.

17. An RF target, comprising:

a first antenna element configured to receive a first interrogation signal from an RF transmitter and reflect at least some of the first interrogation signal, resulting in a target signal; and

a switch reversibly actuatable between (i) a first switch-state in which the RF target operates in a first reflective state, and (ii) a second switch-state in which the RF target operates in a second reflective state, the first reflective state being different from the second reflective state

wherein at least one of:

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a first gain and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a second gain below the first gain; or

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a first polarity and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a second polarity.

18. The RF target of claim 17 , wherein the switch is configured to be actuated by a user.

19. The RF target of claim 17 , wherein the RF target includes a circuit configured to cause the RF target to operate in one of the first reflective state and the second reflective state, and wherein the switch is communicatively coupled to the circuit such that an actuation of the switch causes the circuit to operate in a respective state that further causes the RF target to operate in one of the first reflective state and the second reflective state.

20. The RF target of claim 17 , wherein, in the first reflective state, the RF target is configured to reflect at least some of the first interrogation signal, and wherein, in the second reflective state, the RF target is configured to not reflect the first interrogation signal.

21. The RF target of claim 17 , wherein the RF target is an RF identification (RFID) tag.

22. The RF target of claim 21 , wherein the RFID tag includes a tag memory, the tag memory including location data identifying a location of the RFID tag, and

wherein, in the second reflective state, the RFID tag transmits the location data.

23. The RF target of claim 21 , wherein the RFID tag includes a tag memory, the tag memory including a tag UID and a tag application ID, and

wherein, in the first reflective state, the RFID tag transmits the tag application ID.

24. The RF target of claim 17 , wherein the RF target includes a first RF identification (RFID) tag and a second RFID tag,

wherein, when operating in the first reflective state, the RF target transmits data associated with the first RFID tag, and

wherein, when operating in the second reflective state, the RF target transmits data associated with the second RFID tag.

25. The RF target of claim 17 , wherein the RF target further comprises a second antenna element,

wherein, when operating in the first reflective state, the RF target is configured to generate the target signal via the first antenna element, and

wherein, when operating in the second reflective state, the RF target is configured to generate the target signal via the second antenna element.

26. The RF target of claim 25 , wherein the RF target includes a first RF identification (RFID) tag communicatively coupled to the first antenna element and a second RFID tag communicatively coupled to the second antenna element.

27. A system for detecting an event within a monitored area, the system comprising:

a transmitter configured to emit a first interrogation signal into the monitored area;

a receiver configured to receive a target signal backscattered from an RF target, the RF target having a switch, the switch being actuatable between (i) a first switch-state in which the RF target operates in a first reflective state, and (ii) a second switch-state in which the RF target operates in a second reflective state, the first reflective state being different from the second reflective state;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the receiver; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

detect, based on the target signal received by the receiver, an indication of the first reflective state, an indication of the second reflective state, or an indication of a change from the first reflective state to the second reflective state; and

responsive to detecting the indication, trigger an action

wherein at least one of:

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a first gain and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal at a second gain below the first gain; or

in the first reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a first polarity and in the second reflective state the RF target is configured to reflect the first interrogation signal with a second polarity.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the indication of the first reflective state is detecting at least some of the target signal, and wherein the indication of the second reflective state is not detecting the target signal.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the target signal comprises a tag UID and a tag application ID indicating that the RF target is not expected to move.

30. The system of claim 27 , wherein the target signal comprises a tag UID and location data identifying a location of the RF target.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the indication of the first reflective state is detecting a first RFID tag UID, and

wherein the indication of the second reflective state is detecting a second RFID tag UID.

32. The system of claim 27 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

detect, based on the target signal received by the receiver, a repetitive change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating, the repetitive change being at least two instances of the change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating; and

responsive to detecting the repetitive change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating, trigger another action.

33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

responsive to detecting the repetitive change in the reflective state in which the RF target is operating at or above a predetermined rate, trigger the another action.

34. The system of claim 27 further comprising a housing carrying both the transmitter and the receiver.

35. The system of claim 27 further comprising a first housing carrying the receiver and a second hosing carrying the transmitter.