Method for combining RFID tags

• US 10,467,514 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Soriano, Randy Cruz
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Daniel I
• Application Number:
  US16/197,766
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0773 the record carrier comprising means to protect itself against external heat sources
• 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 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07794 the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10188 the repeating consisting of intelligently propagating data from record carriers via intermediate stations to the interrogation device, e.g. a distant RFID or RFID falling in a "shadow" region sending its identification data to an interrogation device using at least the help of one further RFID that is positioned in a region "visible" to the interrogation device, the further RFID therefore functioning as a relay station

Abstract

RFID tags are combined in increase their range. A first RFID tag comprises a first chip and a first antenna configured to transmit data from the chip. The first RFID tag has a first initial range by which data may be obtained by an RFID reader from the first chip. A second RFID tag comprises a second chip and a second antenna configured to transmit data from the chip. The second RFID tag has a second initial range by which data may be obtained by an RFID reader from the second chip. A conductive path from first antenna to the second antenna is established to change initial ranges to modified ranges which are greater than the initial ranges.

Claims

1. A method for combining RFID tags, the method comprising:

obtaining a first RFID tag comprising a first chip and a first antenna configured to transmit data from the chip, the first RFID tag having a first initial range;

obtaining a second RFID tag comprising a second chip and a second antenna configured to transmit data from the chip, the second RFID tag having a second initial range; and

changing the first initial range of the first RFID tag to a first modified range by establishing a conductive path from first antenna to the second antenna, wherein the first modified range is greater than the first initial range,

wherein the establishing of the conductive path is performed

by moving the first antenna into direct physical contact with the second antenna or

by attaching a conductive material to the first antenna and the second antenna, the conductive material comprising metal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the conductive path is performed by moving the first antenna into direct physical contact with the second antenna.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the establishing of the conductive path is performed without attaching a conductive material to the first antenna and the second antenna.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

before the establishing of the conductive path, the first RFID tag is disposed between a first substrate and a first cover, a covered portion of the first antenna is covered by the first cover, and an exposed portion of the first antenna is not covered by the first cover;

before the establishing of the conductive path, the second RFID tag is disposed between a second substrate and a second cover, a covered portion of the second antenna is covered by the second cover, and an exposed portion of the second antenna is not covered by the second cover; and

the moving of the first antenna into contact with the second antenna includes moving the exposed portion of the first antenna into contact with the exposed portion of the second antenna.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first RFID tag is attached to a first article before the establishing of the conductive path,

the second RFID tag is attached to a second article before the establishing of the conductive path, and

the moving of the first antenna into contact with the second antenna includes moving the first article closer to the second article.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the conductive path is performed by attaching a conductive material to the first antenna and the second antenna, and after the establishing of the conductive path, the first antenna and the second antenna are separated by a distance, and the conductive material forms a conductive bridge across the distance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

before the establishing of the conductive path, the first RFID tag is disposed between a first substrate and a first cover, a covered portion of the first antenna is covered by the first cover, and an exposed portion of the first antenna is not covered by the first cover;

before the establishing of the conductive path, the second RFID tag is disposed between a second substrate and a second cover, a covered portion of the second antenna is covered by the second cover, and an exposed portion of the second antenna is not covered by the second cover; and

the attaching of the conductive material to the first antenna and the second antenna includes attaching the conductive material to the exposed portion of the first antenna and the exposed portion of the second antenna.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first RFID tag is attached to a first article before the establishing of the conductive path,

the second RFID tag is attached to a first article before the establishing of the conductive path, and

the attaching of the conductive material to the first antenna and the second antenna includes attaching the conductive material to the first article and the second article.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is carried by an adhesive tape, and the attaching of the conductive material to the first antenna and the second antenna includes applying the adhesive tape over the first antenna and the second antenna.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring the first initial range and the second initial range before the establishing of the conducive path.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the conductive path changes the second initial range of the second RFID tag to a second modified initial range that is greater than the second initial range.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring the second modified range after the establishing of the conductive path.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

measuring the second initial range before the establishing of the conductive path; and

comparing measured second initial range and the measured second modified range to confirm that the second modified range is greater than the second initial range.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading data from the first RFID tag by sensing radio waves from the first antenna before the establishing of the conductive path; and

reading data from the first RFID tag by sensing radio waves from the first antenna and the second antenna after the establishing of the conductive path.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

reading data from the second RFID tag by sensing radio waves from the second antenna before the establishing of the conductive path; and

reading data from the second RFID tag by sensing radio waves from the first antenna and the second antenna after the establishing of the conductive path.

11. A method for combining RFID tags, the method comprising:

obtaining a first RFID tag comprising a first chip and a first antenna configured to transmit data from the chip, the first RFID tag having a first initial range;

obtaining a second RFID tag comprising a second chip and a second antenna configured to transmit data from the chip, the second RFID tag having a second initial range;

changing the first initial range of the first RFID tag to a first modified range by establishing a conductive path by directly physically connecting the first antenna to the second antenna, wherein the first modified range is greater than the first initial range; and

measuring the first modified range after the establishing of the conductive path.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

measuring the first initial range before the establishing of the conductive path; and

comparing measured first initial range and the measured first modified range to confirm that the first modified range is greater than the first initial range.

16. A method for combining RFID tags, the method comprising:

obtaining a first RFID tag comprising a first chip and a first antenna configured to transmit data from the chip, the first RFID tag having a first initial range;

obtaining a second RFID tag comprising a second chip and a second antenna configured to transmit data from the chip, the second RFID tag having a second initial range; and

changing the first initial range of the first RFID tag to a first modified range by establishing a conductive path from first antenna to the second antenna, wherein the first modified range is greater than the first initial range, wherein

the first RFID tag is disposed between a first substrate and a first cover before the establishing of the conductive path, a covered portion of the first antenna is covered by the first cover, and an exposed portion of the first antenna is not covered by the first cover;

the second RFID tag is disposed between a second substrate and a second cover before the establishing of the conductive path, a covered portion of the second antenna is covered by the second cover, and an exposed portion of the second antenna is not covered by the second cover; and

the establishing of the conductive path is performed by establishing a conductive path from the exposed portion of the first antenna to the exposed portion of the second antenna.