Multi-frequency identification device

• US 20040089707A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Original Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Inventors: Rietzler, Manfred, Cortina, Francisco Martinez de Velasco
• Granted Patent: US 7,091,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• 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 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies

Abstract

The present invention comprises a radio frequency identification device that utilizes multiple operating frequencies. In one embodiment of the present invention, one frequency (e.g., an ultra-high frequency such as 915 MHz, 800 MHz, 915 MHz, or microwave frequency such as 2.45 GHz) is used for data transmission, and another frequency (e.g., a low or high frequency such as 13.56 MHz) is used for field penetration. In another embodiment, one frequency is used for reading information received from the multi-frequency identification device, and another frequency is used for writing to the multi-frequency identification device. In an additional embodiment, the multi-frequency identification device utilizes one antenna for all frequencies. In another embodiment, the multi-frequency identification device utilizes two or more antennas for different frequencies, and one common memory. In other embodiments, one or two digital parts, analog parts, antennas, and memories can be used.

Claims

1. An identification device, comprising:

at least one base layer;

at least one radio frequency identification device comprising at least one chip and at least one antenna disposed on the at least one base layer, wherein the at least one antenna is in electrical communication with the at least one chip;

wherein the radio frequency identification device operates using at least a first radio frequency and a second radio frequency.

3. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the first radio frequency is a low frequency, and the second radio frequency is a high frequency.

4. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the second radio frequency is a high frequency used for at least one of:

data transmission;

energy transmission;

reading data;

writing data; and

reading and writing data.

5. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the first radio frequency is a low frequency used for at least one of:

data transmission;

energy transmission;

reading data; and

reading and writing data.

6. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device utilizes one antenna for the first radio frequency and the second radio frequency.

7. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device utilizes a separate antenna for each radio frequency.

8. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device utilizes a different antenna configuration for each radio frequency.

9. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device utilizes one common memory area for the first radio frequency and the second radio frequency.

10. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device utilizes a separate memory area for each radio frequency.

11. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device utilizes different memory areas for each different radio frequency.

12. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the first radio frequency is an ultra-high frequency and increases maximum operating distance of the identification device.

13. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the second radio frequency is a high frequency.

14. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the second radio frequency is a high frequency and increases security.

15. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the first radio frequency and the second radio frequency use different security levels.

16. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises at least two high frequency interfaces on the chip.

17. The identification device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification device comprises two ultra-high frequency interfaces on the chip.

18. The identification device of claim 16, wherein each of the high frequency interfaces is connected to a corresponding antenna, whereby each antenna is tuned to an optimal working frequency.

19. The identification device of claim 17, wherein each of the ultra-high frequency interfaces is connected to a corresponding antenna, whereby each antenna is tuned to an optimal working frequency.

20. The identification device of claim 19, wherein a digital part of the chip has an ability to communicate via two frequency channels through two antennas.

21. The identification device of claim 20, wherein the first radio frequency channel and the second radio frequency channel handle data coming from the same memory, and the chip detects which field the transmission is in and automatically switches the communication to the active channel.

22. The identification device of claim 1, further comprising additional radio frequencies, different from the first and second radio frequencies.

2. An identification device, comprising:

at least one base layer;

at least one radio frequency identification device comprising at least one frequency independent chip and at least one antenna disposed on the at least one base layer, wherein the at least one antenna is in electrical communication with the at least one frequency independent chip;

wherein the radio frequency identification device operates using at least a first radio frequency and a second radio frequency.

23. A method of identifying an entity, comprising:

receiving a first transmission at a first radio frequency using at least one antenna;

powering a multi-frequency identification device associated with the entity with the first transmission; and

receiving a second transmission at a second frequency using the at least one antenna.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first radio frequency is a high frequency, and the second radio frequency is an ultra-high frequency.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the second radio frequency is an ultra-high frequency used for at least one of:

data transmission;

energy transmission;

reading data;

writing data; and

reading and writing data.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the first radio frequency is a high frequency used for at least one of:

data transmission;

energy transmission;

reading data;

writing data; and

reading and writing data.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein one antenna is utilized for the first radio frequency and the second radio frequency.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein a separate antenna is utilized for each radio frequency.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein one common memory area is utilized for the first radio frequency and the second radio frequency.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein a separate memory area is utilized for each radio frequency.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein different memory areas are utilized for each different radio frequency.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the first radio frequency is a low frequency and increases maximum operating distance of the identification device.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the second radio frequency is a high frequency.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the second radio frequency is a high frequency and increases security.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the first radio frequency and the second radio frequency use different security levels.

36. The method of claim 23, further comprising additional radio frequencies, different from the first and second radio frequencies.