We have different battery packs that can plugged into our circuit, we're wanting to identify exactly which battery pack has been plugged in, but, as ever, in a very low-cost way.
I'm thinking RFID tags, but using a wired connection instead of RF... I've found unique id chips from Maxim (http://www.digikey.com.au/product-detail/en/maxim-integrated/DS2411R-T-R/DS2411R-CT-ND/2045729) but the cost is 10's of cent, and I'm looking for a solution for that's <10cents. (I'm guessing this price difference between RFID and unique ID chips is partly to do with die size)
There's a micro that's monitoring the cell, which would be doing the comms with whatever is on the battery. We're looking for a solution that effectively (24bit+ 1,000,000+unique ids)
Ideas: Passives? Crystal? Read RFID tag directly without RF? Lower cost unique ID chip?
Has anyone looked at this before?
Many thanks!