Battery-less IoT Tag Using RF Energy Harvesting for Pick-up Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IoT devices for pick-up sensing in retail environments rely on external sensors and batteries, which increase costs, size constraints, and maintenance burdens, and do not effectively provide consumers with relevant product information upon pick-up, leading to inefficiencies in both consumer engagement and store operations.
Innovation Solution
A battery-less IoT tag system that uses ambient RF energy and a low-power communication protocol to detect pick-up events and trigger the display of collateral product information on a nearby display, eliminating the need for external sensors and batteries, and enabling real-time information delivery to consumers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external sensors and batteries are used for pick-up sensing, then sensing functionality is achieved, but device size and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing functionality from dedicated external sensors and implements it within the Bluetooth radio's existing frequency synthesis mechanism. The frequency word measurements, which are already performed for Bluetooth communication, are repurposed to detect pick-up events, eliminating the need for separate sensor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The Bluetooth radio is made multi-functional by using its frequency synthesis operations for both communication and sensing purposes. The same hardware components that enable Bluetooth Low Energy communication are also used to detect pick-up events through frequency word analysis, eliminating dedicated sensing hardware.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a battery is used to power the SoC, external crystal, and sensor, then continuous operation is enabled, but cost and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses energy harvesting from ambient RF fields to power itself, eliminating the need for external battery replacement. The IoT tag continuously harvests energy from surrounding radio frequency transmissions to maintain operation of the Bluetooth radio and sensing functions without requiring battery disposal or replacement.
3Measurement precision
If an external crystal is used for BLE timing reference, then communication accuracy is improved, but total cost and integration space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the timing reference function with the Bluetooth radio's internal oscillator. The system uses the existing frequency synthesis capabilities of the Bluetooth radio, which already operates at precise frequencies for communication, to also provide the timing reference for sensing operations, eliminating the need for a separate external crystal.
4Loss of information
If ad-hoc sensors are added to detect pick-up events, then product information delivery is enabled, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sensor systems with a radio-frequency-based sensing mechanism. The pick-up detection is achieved through analyzing frequency word measurements from the Bluetooth radio's frequency synthesis operations, substituting physical sensors with a software-based analysis of existing RF communication signals.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the size and maintenance costs of IoT tags, enhances consumer engagement with real-time product information, and provides store owners with improved analytics on merchandise popularity and placement effectiveness, while minimizing environmental impact by eliminating battery disposal.
Implementation Method 1
power supply may be harvested from other sources, such as light, mechanical movement, and electromagnetic power, e.g., existing Radio Frequency (RF) transmissions
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of detecting a pick-up of an item are provided. The method includes receiving at least one data packet from at least one IoT tag, extracting a frequency word from the at least one received data packet, wherein the frequency word is a measure of the at least one IoT, analyzing the frequency word to determine a pick-up event to be associated with a pick-up of the item attached to the at least one IoT tag, and upon detecting the pick-up event, sending a notification including an identification of the at least one IoT tag, wherein the notification incudes collateral product information associated with the picked-up item attached to the at least one IoT tag, and displaying the collateral product information of the picked-up item on a display on a physical location of the picked-up item.