Methods of operation of an RFID tag assembly for use in a timed event

• US 10,311,354 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Timing Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Timing Systems LLC
• Inventors: Hansen, Kurt S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baltzell, Andrea Lindgren
• Application Number:
  US16/130,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20190026622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 264 Days
• Field of Search: 343835
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07771 the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07775 the antenna being on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0779 the antenna being foldable or folded
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An assembly and method of manufacture of a radio frequency identification (RFID) assembly having a passive RFID semiconductor chip and a two sided planar antenna and a spacer composed of an electrically non-conducting foam material that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of energy at the predetermined operating frequency, the spacer having a predetermined thickness and that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of radio frequency energy at the predetermined operating frequency wherein the RFID tag assembly is configured to receive at a first side of the two sided planar antenna a first portion of the radio frequency energy as direct energy and is configured to receive at a second side of the planar antenna a second portion of the radio frequency energy as indirect energy responsive to the absorbing by the absorbing material body.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) assembly configured to have a radio frequency energy and a wavelength of a predetermined operating frequency in the UHF band, the RFID assembly comprising:

an RFID tag having a mounting substrate with an exposed first planar surface and an opposing second planar surface, at least one of which is adapted for selective attachment to a surface of a carrier,

the RFID tag having a passive RFID semiconductor chip configured to have a predetermined operating frequency with an antenna interface,

a conductor mounted on the second planar surface and electrically coupled to the antenna interface of the RFID semiconductor chip, and

an antenna electrically coupled to the conductor and having a two-sided planar antenna with a first side configured for orienting away from an operating surface of a body and a second side opposing the first side configured for orienting towards the operating surface of the body; and

a spacer comprising an electrically non-conducting foam material that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of energy at the predetermined operating frequency,

wherein the spacer is attached to the at least one of the first and second planar surfaces of the mounting substrate,

wherein the spacer is configured to be positioned for placement between the operating surface of the body and the RFID tag, and

wherein the spacer is configured for positioning at a minimum spaced apart distance from the operating surface of the body during operation of the RFID tag,

wherein the spacer comprises a non-conducting material that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of radio frequency energy at the predetermined operating frequency transmitted by a remotely positioned antenna of a base station radio transceiver,

wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive at the first side of the two-sided planar antenna a first portion of the radio frequency energy as direct energy as transmitted from the antenna of the base station radio transceiver,

wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive at the second side of the two-sided planar antenna a second portion of the radio frequency energy as indirect energy as transmitted from the antenna of the base station radio transceiver responsive to the absorbing of the substantial amount of radio frequency energy by the body,

the second portion configured to receive the radio frequency energy at the predetermined operating frequency,

wherein the RFID semiconductor chip is configured to process the received first and second portions of the radio frequency energy,

wherein the RFID semiconductor chip is configured to generate a reply radio frequency energy at a predetermined reply operating frequency in response to the receiving and processing the first and second received radio frequency energy portions, and

wherein the RFID semiconductor chip is configured to radiate the generated reply radio frequency energy from at least one of the first side and the second side of the two-sided planar antenna.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the spacer has a predetermined thickness of at least one of the following:

less than 0.5 inches;

more than 0.125 inches;

more than about 3 millimeters; and

less than ¼

wavelength of the predetermined operating frequency.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a race bib configured for selective attachment to the body, the race bib having a front planar surface configured for placement outward from the body and an opposing back planar surface configured for placement proximate to the body, wherein the carrier surface is at least one of the front and back planar surfaces of the race bib, and wherein at least one of the first planar surface of the mounting substrate is attached to the back surface of the race bib with an adhesive material and the spacer is attached to the front surface of the race bib with an adhesive material.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive material attached to the at least one planar surface adapted for selective attachment to the carrier surface.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the following:

the antenna is a bipolar foil antenna, and the antenna is formed on one of the surfaces of the mounting substrate as a foil antenna.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the RFID semiconductor chip and the conductor are each formed on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting substrate is a polyester (PET) film.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting substrate of the RFID assembly is substantially planar having a length, a width and a thickness, the thickness being defined by a distance between the first planar surface and the opposing second planar surface, and wherein the spacer has a length and width substantially equal to or greater than the length and width of the RFID assembly mounting substrate, respectively.

9. The assembly of the claim 1 wherein at least one of the following:

the spacer is attached to the second planar surface of the mounting substrate by an adhesive material, and the spacer is composed of a high density foam material.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a mounting body having the carrier surface thereon, the carrier surface being composed of a non-permeable material and the at least one planar surface is attached to the carrier surface;

the spacer being composed of a waterproof non-permeable foam material, the attached spacer and attached carrier surface configured for providing a sealing of the RFID assembly from external foreign substances and moisture.

11. An RFID tag assembly configured for use in tracking or timing of a progress of a user comprising:

an RFID tag having a mounting substrate with an exposed first planar surface and an opposing second planar surface, at least one of which is adapted for selective attachment to a surface of a carrier, the RFID tag having an RFID semiconductor chip configured for having a predetermined operating frequency with an antenna interface, a conductor electrically mounted on the second planar surface and electrically coupled to the antenna interface of the RFID semiconductor chip, and an antenna electrically coupled to the conductor; and

a spacer comprising an electrically non-conducting foam material that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of energy at the predetermined operating frequency, wherein the spacer is attached to the at least one of the first and second planar surfaces of the mounting substrate, wherein the spacer is configured to be positioned for placement between a surface of a body of the user and the RFID tag, wherein the spacer is configured for positioning at a minimum spaced apart distance from the surface of the body of the user during operation of the RFID tag,

wherein the spacer is dimensioned to configure a spaced apart distance between the surface of the body of the user and the mounting substrate of less than ¼

of a wavelength of the predetermined operating frequency.

12. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a race bib configured for selective attachment to the body of the user, the race bib having a front planar surface configured for placement outward from the body of the user and an opposing back planar surface configured for placement proximate to the body of the user, wherein the carrier surface is at least one of the front and back planar surfaces of the race bib.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the first planar surface of the mounting substrate is attached to the back surface of the race bib with an adhesive material.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the spacer is attached to the front surface of the race bib with an adhesive material.

15. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising an adhesive material attached to the at least one planar surface adapted for selective attachment to the carrier surface.

16. The assembly of claim 11 wherein at least one of the following:

the antenna is a bipolar foil antenna, and the antenna is formed on one of the surfaces of the mounting substrate as a foil antenna.

17. The assembly of claim 11 wherein at least one of the following:

the RFID semiconductor chip and the conductor are each formed on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate, and the RFID semiconductor chip is a passive RFID semiconductor chip.

18. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the mounting substrate is a polyester (PET) film.

19. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the predetermined operating frequency is a frequency within a UHF frequency band.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein at least one of the following:

the spacer is dimensioned to have the spaced apart distance between the surface of the body of the user and the mounting substrate of between about 0.125 inches and about 0.5 inches, and the spacer is attached to the second planar surface of the mounting substrate by an adhesive material.

21. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the mounting substrate of the RFID tag assembly is substantially planar having a length, a width and a thickness, the thickness being defined by a distance between the first planar surface and the opposing second planar surface, and wherein the spacer has a length and width substantially equal to or greater than the length and width of the RFID tag assembly mounting substrate, respectively.

22. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a mounting body having the carrier surface thereon, the carrier surface being composed of a non-permeable material and the at least one planar surface is attached to the carrier surface;

the spacer being composed of a waterproof non-permeable foam material, the attached spacer and attached carrier surface configured for providing a sealing of the RFID tag assembly from external foreign substances and moisture.

23. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the spacer is composed of a high density foam material.

24. An RFID tag assembly configured for use in tracking or timing of a progress of a user comprising:

an RFID tag having a mounting substrate with an exposed first planar surface and an opposing second planar surface, at least one of which is adapted for selective attachment to a surface of a carrier, the RFID tag having an RFID semiconductor chip configured for having a predetermined operating frequency with an antenna interface, a conductor electrically mounted on the second planar surface and electrically coupled to the antenna interface of the RFID semiconductor chip, and an antenna electrically coupled to the conductor; and

a spacer comprising an electrically non-conducting foam material that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of energy at the predetermined operating frequency, wherein the spacer is attached to the at least one of the first and second planar surfaces of the mounting substrate, wherein the spacer is configured to be positioned for placement between a surface of a body of the user and the RFID tag for positioning at a minimum spaced apart distance from the surface of the body of the user during operation of the RFID tag, wherein the spacer dimensioned to configure a spaced apart distance between the surface of the body of the user and the mounting substrate of less than ¼

of a wavelength of the predetermined operating frequency.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the predetermined operating frequency is a frequency within a UHF frequency band.

26. The assembly of claim 25 wherein at least one of the following:

the spacer is dimensioned to have the spaced apart distance between the surface of the body of the user and the mounting substrate of between about 0.125 inches and about 0.5 inches, and the spacer is dimensioned to have the spaced apart distance between the surface of the body of the user and the mounting substrate of between about 0.125 inches and about 0.5 inches.

27. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the spacer is composed of a high density foam material.

28. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the mounting substrate is a polyester (PET) film and the RFID semiconductor chip and the conductor are each formed on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate, wherein the antenna is formed as a bipolar foil antenna on the mounting surface of the mounting substrate, wherein the mounting substrate of the RFID tag assembly is substantially planar having a length, a width and a thickness, the thickness being defined by a distance between the first planar surface and the opposing second planar surface, and wherein the spacer has a length and width substantially equal to or greater than the length and width of the RFID tag assembly mounting substrate, respectively.

29. The assembly of claim 24, further comprising a race bib configured for selective attachment to the body of the user, the race bib having a front planar surface configured for placement outward from the body of the user and an opposing back planar surface configured for placement proximate to the body of the user, wherein the carrier surface is at least one of the front and back planar surfaces of the race bib, the carrier surface being composed of a non-permeable material;

wherein the first planar surface of the mounting substrate is attached to the back surface of the race bib with an adhesive material and the spacer is attached to the second planar surface of the mounting substrate by an adhesive material, the spacer being composed of a waterproof non-permeable foam material.

30. A method of manufacturing an RFID tag assembly configured for use in tracking or timing of a progress of a user comprising:

mounting an RFID tag having a mounting substrate with an exposed first planar surface and an opposing second planar surface, the mounting including attaching the first planar surface to a surface of a carrier, the RFID tag having an RFID semiconductor chip configured having a predetermined operating frequency with an antenna interface, a conductor electrically mounted on the second planar surface and electrically coupled to the antenna interface of the RFID semiconductor chip, and an antenna electrically coupled to the conductor; and

attaching a spacer comprising an electrically non-conducting foam material that is configured for non-absorbing of a substantial amount of energy at the predetermined operating frequency to the second planar surface of the mounting substrate, wherein the spacer is dimensioned to configure a spaced apart distance between the surface of a body of the user and the mounting substrate of less than ¼

of a wavelength of the predetermined operating frequency.