Enhancement antenna for article identification

• US 20030146839A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Gerald L., Lavedas, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,814,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

An article identification system includes a transceiver that generates a request signal and transmits the request signal, where the request signal requests information corresponding to an article. A transponder is coupled to the article, receives the request signal, and generates an output signal in response to the request signal, where the output signal includes information corresponding to the article. A loop antenna proximate to the transponder enhances the output signal. The transceiver detects the enhanced output signal and receives the information corresponding to the article.

Claims

1. An article identification system, comprising:

a transceiver operable to;

generate a request signal, the request signal operable to request information corresponding to an article; and

transmit the request signal;

a transponder coupled to the article and operable to;

receive the request signal; and

generate an output signal in response to the request signal, the output signal comprising the information corresponding to the article; and

a loop antenna proximate to the transponder, the loop antenna operable to enhance the output signal, the transceiver operable to detect the enhanced output signal and receive the information corresponding to the article.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the loop antenna is further operable to enhance the request signal;

and wherein the transponder is operable to receive the enhanced request signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the loop antenna comprises an elongated conductor operable to conduct a current, the current operable to increase a magnetic field operable to enhance the output signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the loop antenna comprises a conductor operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the loop antenna comprises an elongated conductor, the elongated conductor being substantially proximate to the transponder.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the loop antenna comprises an elongated conductor forming a plurality of loops, each loop associated with a loop antenna plane, the loop being operable to enhance the output signal of the transponder proximate to the elongated conductor of the loop.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transponders, the plurality of transponders comprising the transponder, each transponder operable to:

receive the request signal; and

generate the output signal in response to the request signal; and

wherein the loop antenna comprises a tuned loop antenna associated with a capacitor, the tuned loop antenna forming a resonant circuit operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal, the tuned loop antenna operable to enhance the output signal of the plurality of transponders.

9. A method of article identification, comprising:

receiving a request signal from a transceiver, the request signal operable to request information corresponding to an article;

generating an output signal at a transponder in response to the request signal, the transponder coupled to the article, the output signal comprising the information corresponding to the article;

enhancing the output signal using a loop antenna, the loop antenna proximate to the transponder;

detecting the enhanced output signal at the transceiver; and

receiving the information corresponding to the article.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising

enhancing the request signal using the loop antenna;

and

receiving at the transponder the enhanced request signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the loop antenna comprises a conductor operable to conduct a current, the current operable to increase a magnetic field operable to enhance the output signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the transponder comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the loop antenna comprises a conductor operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the loop antenna comprises an elongated conductor, the elongated conductor being substantially proximate to the transponder.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the loop antenna comprises an elongated conductor forming a plurality of loops, each loop associated with a loop antenna plane, the loop being operable to enhance the output signal of the transponder proximate to the elongated conductor of the loop.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein generating an output signal at a transponder in response to the request signal further comprises generating a plurality of output signals at a plurality of transponders, the plurality of transponders comprising the transponder, each transponder operable to:

receive the request signal; and

generate the output signal in response to the request signal; and

wherein enhancing the output signal using a loop antenna further comprises enhancing the plurality of output signals, the loop antenna comprising a tuned loop antenna associated with a capacitor, the tuned loop antenna forming a resonant circuit operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal, the tuned loop antenna operable to enhance the plurality of output signals.

17. A system of article identification, comprising:

a means for receiving a request signal from a transceiver, the request signal operable to request information corresponding to an article;

a means for generating an output signal at a transponder in response to the request signal, the transponder coupled to the article, the output signal comprising the information corresponding to the article; and

means for enhancing the output signal using a loop antenna, the loop antenna proximate to the transponder;

means for detecting the enhanced output signal at the transceiver; and

means for receiving the information corresponding to the article.

18. An article identification system, comprising:

a transceiver operable to;

generate a request signal, the request signal operable to request information corresponding to an article; and

transmit the request signal;

a transponder comprising a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, the transponder coupled to the article and operable to;

receive the request signal; and

generate an output signal in response to the request signal, the output signal comprising the information corresponding to the article; and

a loop antenna comprising an elongated conductor being substantially proximate to the transponder, the elongated conductor operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal, the elongated conductor operable to conduct a current, the current operable to increase a magnetic field operable to enhance the output signal, the transceiver operable to detect the enhanced output signal and receive the information corresponding to the article.

19. An article identification system, comprising:

a transceiver operable to;

generate a request signal, the request signal operable to request information corresponding to an article; and

transmit the request signal;

a transponder comprising a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, the transponder coupled to the article and operable to;

receive the request signal; and

generate an output signal in response to the request signal, the output signal comprising the information corresponding to the article; and

a loop antenna comprising an elongated conductor being substantially proximate to the transponder, the elongated conductor operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal, the elongated conductor forming a plurality of loops, each loop associated with a loop antenna plane, the loop being operable to enhance the output signal of the transponder proximate to the elongated conductor of the loop, the elongated conductor of the loop operable to conduct a current, the current operable to increase a magnetic field operable to enhance the output signal, the transceiver operable to detect the enhanced output signal and receive the information corresponding to the article.

20. An article identification system, comprising:

a transceiver operable to;

generate a request signal, the request signal operable to request information corresponding to a plurality of articles; and

transmit the request signal;

a plurality of transponders, each transponder comprising a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, each transponder coupled to an article of the plurality of articles, each transponder operable to;

receive the request signal; and

generate an output signal in response to the request signal, each output signal comprising the information corresponding to the article of the plurality of articles; and

a loop antenna comprising a tuned loop antenna associated with a capacitor, the tuned loop antenna forming a resonant circuit operable to resonate at a resonant frequency substantially equal to a communication frequency associated with the request signal, the tuned loop antenna operable to enhance the output signals of the plurality of transponders by generating a current, the current operable to increase a magnetic field, the transceiver operable to detect the enhanced output signals and receive the information corresponding to the plurality of articles.