Antenna array for smart RFID tags

• US 20020044096A1
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avante International Technology
• Original Assignee: Amerasia International Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Chung, Kevin Kwong-Tai
• Granted Patent: US 6,696,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/742
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2477 Antenna or antenna activator circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

An antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna loops disposed to define a portal or passageway or other detection region in which the plural antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals. A processor coupled to the plural antenna loops processes at least the received signals and/or transmitted signals. The plural antennas may be arrayed in a rectangular array, on hanging flexible substrates or other suitable arrangement, and may be coupled to the processor by a filter or selective switch. The processor may be coupled to a utilization system for cooperating therewith for performing a desired function.

Claims

1. An antenna array comprising:

at least two antenna loops disposed at an angle with respect to each other to define a detection region in which said two antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals with a component of an associated electromagnetic field in each of three mutually orthogonal directions and through which an object may pass;

a processor for processing at least received signals; and

means coupling said at least two antenna loops and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

2. The antenna array of claim 1 wherein the angle at which said two antenna loops are disposed is between about 45°

and about 135°

.

3. The antenna array of claim 1 wherein said means for coupling includes at least one of a filter and a switch for selectively connecting said two antenna loops and said processor.

4. The antenna array of claim 1 wherein said processor processes transmitted signals and said received signals, wherein said transmitted signals are coupled to said two antenna loops to be transmitted thereby.

5. The antenna array of claim 4 in combination with a wireless article including a loop antenna and an electronic device including a memory, wherein said processor processes transmitted signals of a type adapted to be received by the electronic device via the loop antenna and processes received signals of a type adapted to be produced by the electronic device.

6. The antenna array of claim 5 wherein the signals received by the electronic device one of activate, operate, or control the electronic device and cause storing of information in the memory or reading of information from the memory.

7. The antenna array of claim 1 in combination with a wireless article including a loop antenna and an electronic device including a memory, wherein said processor processes received signals of a type adapted to be produced by the electronic device.

8. The antenna array of claim 1 in combination with:

an additional antenna loop disposed at an angle with respect to said at least two antenna loops to further define the detection region in which said two antenna loops and said additional antenna loop transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals, wherein said additional antenna loop defines a loop through which an object may pass; and

means coupling said additional antenna loop and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

9. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein said additional antenna loop is disposed at an angle of between about 45°

and about 135°

with respect to said two antenna loops.

10. The antenna array of claim 1 in combination with:

at least two additional antenna loops disposed at an angle with respect to each other and disposed opposing said at least two antenna loops to further define the detection region in which said two antenna loops and said two additional antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals and through which an object may pass; and

means coupling said at least two additional antenna loops and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

11. The antenna array of claim 1 in combination with a utilization system operable in conjunction with the transmitted signals and the received signals.

12. The antenna array of claim 11 wherein said utilization system includes one of toll collection, object identification, stolen object identification, theft prevention, object tracking, package tracking, baggage tracking, retailing, inventory tracking, factory and/or warehouse inventory, security identification, and access control.

13. The antenna array of claim 1 wherein said detection region includes at least one of a portal, a passage, a passageway, a doorway, an access, an egress, a security gate, a toll gate, an electronic gate, a retail check-out station, a corridor, a tunnel, a conveyor, a baggage cart, an enclosure, a storage space, a container, a shipping container, a pallet, a cargo bay, a truck, a trailer, a loading area, and a warehouse.

15. The antenna array of claim 14 wherein said plurality of flexible substrates are elongated and are hung substantially edge-to-edge from a top of a passageway through which an object may pass.

16. The antenna array of claim 15 wherein said plurality of flexible substrates substantially cover the passageway, and wherein said plurality of antenna loops disposed on said plurality of flexible substrates are adapted to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals to a wireless article proximate the passageway.

17. The antenna array of claim 14 wherein said means for coupling includes at least one of a filter and a switch for selectively connecting said two antenna loops and said processor.

18. The antenna array of claim 14 wherein said processor processes transmitted signals and said received signals, wherein said transmitted signals are coupled to said two antenna loops to be transmitted thereby.

19. The antenna array of claim 18 in combination with a wireless article adapted to be associated with an object, said wireless article including a loop antenna and an electronic device including a memory, wherein said processor processes transmitted signals of a type adapted to be received by the electronic device via the loop antenna and processes received signals of a type adapted to be produced by the electronic device.

20. The antenna array of claim 19 wherein the signals received by the electronic device one of activate, operate, or control the electronic device and cause storing of information in the memory or reading of information from the memory.

21. The antenna array of claim 14 in combination with:

an additional antenna loop disposed at an angle with respect to said at least two antenna loops to further define the detection region in which said two antenna loops and said additional antenna loop transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals, wherein said additional antenna loop defines a loop through which an object may pass; and

means coupling said additional antenna loop and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

22. The antenna array of claim 21 wherein said additional antenna loop is disposed at an angle of between about 45°

and about 135°

with respect to said two antenna loops.

23. The antenna array of claim 14 in combination with a wireless article adapted to be associated with an object, said wireless article including a loop antenna and an electronic device including a memory, wherein said processor processes received signals of a type adapted to be produced by the electronic device.

24. The antenna array of claim 14 in combination with a utilization system operable in conjunction with the transmitted signals and the received signals.

25. The antenna array of claim 24 wherein said utilization system includes one of toll collection, object identification, stolen object identification, theft prevention, object tracking, package tracking, baggage tracking, retailing, inventory tracking, factory and/or warehouse inventory, security identification, and/or access control.

26. The antenna array of claim 14 wherein said detection region includes at least one of a portal, a passage, a passageway, a doorway, an access, an egress, a security gate, a toll gate, an electronic gate, a retail check-out station, a corridor, a tunnel, a conveyor, a baggage cart, an enclosure, a storage space, a container, a shipping container, a pallet, a cargo bay, a truck, a trailer, a loading area, and a warehouse.

28. The antenna of claim 27 wherein said elongated flexible substrate comprises two sheets of a flexible material, and wherein said strip of electrically conductive material is laminated between said two sheets of flexible material.

29. The antenna of claim 27 wherein said strip of conductive material includes one of copper, aluminum and electrically-conductive flexible adhesive.

14. An antenna array comprising:

a plurality of flexible substrates;

a plurality of antenna loops each disposed on a one of the flexible substrates, wherein the flexible substrates are adapted to be hung to define a detection region in which said two antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals and through which an object may pass;

a processor for processing at least received signals; and

means coupling said plurality of antenna loops and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

27. An antenna comprising an elongated flexible substrate adapted to be suspended from one end thereof and having opposing broad surfaces defining a periphery, a strip of electrically conductive material disposed on at least one of the broad surfaces proximate the periphery of said flexible substrate to define a loop, and a coupler to which respective ends of said strip of electrically conductive material are coupled.

30. An antenna array comprising:

a plurality of elongated flexible substrates each having opposing broad surfaces defining a periphery, wherein the flexible substrates are adapted to be suspended from one end thereof to define a detection region;

on given ones of said flexible substrates, a strip of electrically conductive material disposed on at least one of the broad surfaces of the given ones of said flexible substrate proximate the periphery thereof to define a loop;

associated with the given ones of said flexible substrates, a coupler to which respective ends of said strip of electrically conductive material on the given one of said flexible substrate are coupled;

thereby providing a plurality of antenna loops disposed on the given ones of said flexible substrates in the detection region in which said plurality of antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals;

a processor for processing at least received signals; and

means coupling the couplers of said plurality of antenna loops and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

31. The antenna array of claim 30 wherein said plurality of flexible substrates are elongated and are hung substantially edge-to-edge from a top of a passageway.

32. The antenna array of claim 30 wherein each of the given ones of said elongated flexible substrate comprises two sheets of a flexible material, and wherein said strip of electrically conductive material is laminated between said two sheets of flexible material.

33. The antenna array of claim 30 further comprising:

on at least one of the given ones of said flexible substrates, a second strip of electrically conductive material disposed on at least one of the broad surfaces of the at least one of the given ones of said flexible substrate proximate the periphery thereof to define a second loop, wherein respective ends of said second strip of electrically conductive material on the at least one of the given ones of said flexible substrate are coupled to said coupler associated therewith.

34. The antenna array of claim 30 in combination with:

an additional antenna loop disposed at an angle with respect to said at least two antenna loops to further define the detection region in which said two antenna loops and said additional antenna loop transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals, wherein said additional antenna loop defines a loop through which an object may pass; and

means coupling said additional antenna loop and said processor for coupling at least the received signals therebetween.

35. The antenna array of claim 34 wherein said additional antenna loop is disposed at an angle of between about 45°

and about 135°

with respect to said two antenna loops.

36. The antenna array of claim 30 in combination with a utilization system operable in conjunction with the transmitted signals and the received signals.

37. The antenna array of claim 36 wherein said utilization system includes one of toll collection, object identification, stolen object identification, theft prevention, object tracking, package tracking, baggage tracking, retailing, inventory tracking, factory and/or warehouse inventory, security identification, and/or access control.

38. The antenna array of claim 30 wherein said detection region includes at least one of a portal, a passage, a passageway, a doorway, an access, an egress, a security gate, a toll gate, an electronic gate, a retail check-out station, a corridor, a tunnel, a conveyor, a baggage cart, an enclosure, a storage space, a container, a shipping container, a pallet, a cargo bay, a truck, a trailer, a loading area, and a warehouse.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said coupling includes at least one of filtering and selectively connecting the plurality of antenna loops and the processor.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said selectively connecting includes one of sequentially connecting ones of the plurality of antenna loops and the processor and alternatingly connecting ones of the plurality of antenna loops and the processor.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein said processing includes processing transmitted signals and the received signals, and coupling the transmitted signals to the plurality of antenna loops to be transmitted thereby.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising coupling signals related to at least one of the transmitted signals and the received signals to a utilization system.

44. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

providing at least one wireless article including a loop antenna and an electronic device including a memory,

wherein said processing includes processing transmitted signals of a type adapted to be received by the electronic device via the loop antenna and processing received signals of a type adapted to be produced by the electronic device.

45. The method of claim 39 further comprising placing at least one wireless article proximate the detection region.

46. The method of claim 39 wherein said detection region includes at least one of a portal, a passage, a passageway, a doorway, an access, an egress, a security gate, a toll gate, an electronic gate, a retail check-out station, a corridor, a tunnel, a conveyor, a baggage cart, an enclosure, a storage space, a container, a shipping container, a pallet, a cargo bay, a truck, a trailer, a loading area, and a warehouse.

39. A method for detecting wireless articles comprising:

providing a plurality of antenna loops;

disposing the plurality of antenna loops at an angle with respect to each other to define a detection region through which an object having a wireless article associated therewith may pass and in which the plurality of antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals having a component of an associated electromagnetic field in each of three mutually orthogonal directions for signaling with the wireless article associated with the object;

providing a processor;

coupling the plurality of antenna loops and the processor for coupling at least received signals from a wireless article therebetween; and

processing at least the received signals.

47. A wireless article detector comprising:

a plurality of antenna loops disposed at an angle with respect to each other to define a detection region through which an object having a wireless article associated therewith may pass and in which the plurality of antenna loops transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals having a component of an associated electromagnetic field in each of three mutually orthogonal directions for signaling with the wireless article associated with the object;

means for processing at least received electromagnetic signals; and

means for coupling the plurality of antenna loops and the processor for coupling at least the received electromagnetic signals from a wireless article therebetween.