Enhanced antenna using flexible circuitry

• US 20040183743A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Reasoner, Kelly J., Coffin, Paul Clinton, Frey, Lyle D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,924,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/895
• 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 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor

Abstract

An antenna is disclosed that comprises a flexible printed circuit material having first and second halves that are joined by a fold section. A coil trace is on the first half and a coil trace is on the second half. The antenna further comprises a first jumper between coil traces. The flexible printed circuit material is folded along the fold section so that the first and second halves are disposed back-to-back. An apparatus for reading information from a transponder is also disclosed that comprises a reader having an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals from a transponder, with the reader using an antenna according to the present invention. A media storage system is also disclosed that comprises a plurality of transponders, each of which is disposed on a respective one of a plurality of data cartridges and transmits a data signal related to its data cartridge. The media storage system further comprises a cartridge access device internal to a system housing for retrieving and transporting the data cartridges, and a reader attached to the cartridge access device, the reader capable of receiving transmitted signals from and transmitting signals to the transponders. The reader comprises an antenna according to the present invention that is capable of receiving and transmitting signals.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a flexible printed circuit material having first and second halves that are joined by a fold section;

a coil trace on said first half;

a coil trace on said second half;

a first jumper between said coil traces, said flexible printed circuit material folded along said fold section so that said first and second halves are disposed back-to-back.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said coil traces comprise trace turns with successively smaller diameters so that each turn after the first is disposed on the inside of the previous turn.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said coil traces are disposed substantially around the perimeter of said first and second halves, respectively.

4. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising a second jumper, said second jumper.

5. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising a guard trace that is disposed around the perimeter of said first and second halves and around said coil traces, said guard trace passing from said first half to said second half across said fold section.

6. The antenna of claim 1, which is capable of transmitting and receiving signals at radio frequency.

7. The antenna of claim 2, wherein said traces turns of each said coil trace turn in the same direction to successively smaller trace turns when said flexible printed circuit material is folded along said fold section.

8. An apparatus for reading information from a transponder, comprising:

a reader having an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals from a transponder, said antenna comprising;

a flexible printed circuit material having first and second halves that are joined by a fold section;

a coil trace on said first half;

a coil trace on said second half; and

a first jumper between said coil traces, said flexible printed circuit material folded along said fold section so that said first and second halves are disposed back-to-back.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a controller for controlling the reader communication, said controller capable of causing an electrical current to pass through said antenna to transmit a signal to a transponder, and said controller further capable of receiving signals delivered to said antenna from a transponder.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said antenna further comprises a guard trace that is disposed substantially around the perimeter of said first and second halves and substantially around said first and second coil traces, said guard trace passing from said first half to said second half across said fold section.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said controller capable of controlling the reader communication to cause said transponder to begin transmitting and thereafter cease transmitting.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transponder is passive, and wherein said reader activates said passive transponder to transmit said data signal, said reader being responsive to said transmitted data signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said antenna is capable of transmitting and receiving signals at radio frequency.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said reader transmits and receives signals from a transponder using radio frequency identification technology (RFID).

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each said coil trace comprises trace turns with successively smaller diameters, said trace turns of each said coil trace turn in the same direction to successively smaller trace turns when said flexible printed circuit material is folded along said fold section.

16. A media storage system, comprising:

a plurality of transponders, each of which is disposed on a respective one of a plurality of data cartridges and transmits a data signal related to its data cartridge;

a cartridge access device internal to a system housing for retrieving and transporting said data cartridges;

a reader attached to said cartridge access device, said reader capable of receiving said transmitted signals from and transmitting signals to said plurality of transponders, said reader having a first antenna capable of receiving and transmitting signals, comprising;

a flexible printed circuit material having first and second halves that are joined by a fold section;

a coil trace on said first half;

a coil trace on said second half; and

a first jumper between said first and second coil traces, said flexible printed circuit material folded along said fold section so that said first and second halves are disposed back-to-back.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a controller for controlling said receiving and transmitting of signals by said reader.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said reader transmits and receives signals from said plurality of transponders at radio frequency, said reader and transponders communicate using radio frequency identification (RFTD) technology.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said controller is capable of causing an electrical current to pass through said antenna to transmit a signal to one of said plurality of transponders, and said controller is further capable of receiving signals delivered to said antenna from one of said plurality of transponders.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of said transponders is passive, and wherein said reader activates said at least one passive transponder to transmit said data signal, said reader being responsive to said transmitted data signal.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein each said coil trace comprises trace turns with successively smaller diameters, said trace turns of each said coil trace turn in the same direction to successively smaller trace turns when said flexible printed circuit material is folded along said fold section.

22. A media storage system, comprising:

a plurality of transponders, each of which is disposed on a respective one of a plurality of data cartridges and transmits a data signal related to its data cartridge;

a reader mounted to a system housing and arranged to receive said transmitted signals from and to transmit signals to said plurality of transponders when one of said transponders is within a transmission range, said reader having an antenna capable of receiving and transmitting signals, said antenna comprising;

a flexible printed circuit material having first and second halves that are joined by a fold section;

a coil trace on said first half;

a coil trace on said second half; and

a first jumper between said coil traces, said flexible printed circuit material folded along said fold section so that said first and second halves are disposed back-to-back.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a controller for controlling said receiving and transmitting of signals by said reader.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said reader transmits and receives signals from said one of said transponders within said transmission range at radio frequency, said reader and said one said transponders communicating using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

25. An antenna, comprising:

a flexible printed circuit material having first and second halves joined section;

a means for receiving and transmitting signals disposed on said first half;

a means for receiving and transmitting signals disposed on said second half; and

a means for conducting signals between said receiving and transmitting means, said flexible printed circuit material folded along said first and second halves are disposed back-to-back.

26. The antenna of claim 25, wherein each said receiving and transmitting means comprises a coil trace.

27. The antenna of claim 25, wherein said conducting means comprises a jumper.