Sample container with radiofrequency identifier tag

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
1a is a front perspective showing a RFID tag 20 affixed to a sample container 10.
Data can be received by, or transmitted from, the RFID chip (not shown) via antenna 26 which is connected to the chip.
The antenna 26 is capable of receiving or transmitting radiofrequency energy over a wide bandwidth, ranging from 50 KHz to 2.
5 GHz.
A lid 15 may be pressed or screwed into position at the mouth 12 of container 10 to enclose the contents (not shown) of the container.
FIG.
1b shows a side perspective of the sample container of FIG.
1a.
RFID tag 20 protrudes from the side of container 10 where it may be read or written to by a reader (not shown).
To read data on the chip, the tag 20 is energised on receiving radiofrequency energy from the reader and returns information to the reader in radiofrequency waveform.
FIG.
2 is a schematic representation of the memory structure of the RFID chip 121.
Such tags are divided into unique blocks, typically numbering sixteen in total, with data being stored in non-volatile memory EEPROM, the EEPROM having a memory capacity of 512 2000 bits with each block consisting of 4 bytes.
However, for the sake of simplicity, in the illustration shown in FIG.
2 the tag is divided into four blocks 122 125 only.
The first block 122 contains unique tag identifiers such as serial numbers and any details specified by the purchaser, this information being in a read-only format and being encoded on the tag at the time of manufacture such that this information cannot be altered once set.
The second block 123 permits write access conditions to be determined for the third and fourth blocks, 124 and 125, respectively, for example to allow read and write access to the remaining blocks.
This block may be considered a `secret area` in that access requires mutual authentication and enciphered data communications are used in this area.
The second block 123 may be made read-only once information has been written to it; i.
e.
it may become one-time programmable