RF ID tag reader utlizing a scanning antenna system and method

• US 20050113138A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: du Toit, Cornelis Frederik, Mendolia, Greg, Gupta, Om
• Application Number:
  US10/858,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20050113138A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• 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: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

An RF ID card reader, comprising, RF ID circuitry to generate an RF ID signal, a transceiver in communication with the RF ID circuitry, and an antenna associated with the transceiver for scanning an area for at least one tag and establishing communication with the at least one tag, the antenna capable of creating a plurality of field focuses. Further, the RF ID card reader of the present invention may provide that the plurality of field focuses may be a near field focus and a far field focuse. Also, the field focuses may be created by a scanning antenna array. An embodiment of the present invention may also include at least one conducting curtain associated with the card reader, wherein the at least one conducting curtain may be capable of enhancing reception of the RF signals by reflecting RF signals in the area. An embodiment may also provide for at least one element and at least one phase shifter in the scanning antenna array be capable of being used as a multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) system to maximize information extracted from the RF signals.

Claims

1. An RF ID card reader, comprising:

RF ID circuitry to generate an RF ID signal;

a transceiver in communication with said RF ID circuitry; and

an antenna associated with said transceiver for scanning an area for at least one tag and establishing communication with at least one tag, said antenna capable of creating a plurality of field focuses.

2. The RF ID card reader of claim 1, wherein said plurality of field focuses are a near field and a far field focus.

3. The RF ID card reader of claim 1, wherein said plurality of field focuses are created by a scanning antenna array.

4. The RF ID card reader of claim 3, wherein said scanning antenna comprises:

at least one RF module, said at least one RF module further comprising at least one RF connection for receipt of at least one RF signal and at least one tunable or switchable device;

a RF motherboard for acceptance of RF signals and distribution of the transmit energy to said RF module at the appropriate phases to generate a beam in the commanded direction and width; and

a controller for determining the correct signal to send to said at least one RF module.

5. The RF ID card reader of claim 1, further comprising at least one conducting curtain associated with said card reader, said at least one conducting curtain capable of enhancing reception of said RF signals by reflecting RF signals in said area.

6. The RF ID card reader of claim 3, wherein at least one element and at least one phase shifter in said scanning antenna array are capable of being used as a multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) system to maximize information extracted from said RF signals.

21. The RF ID card reader of claim 3, further comprising a power amplifier associated with said scanning antenna.

22. The RF ID card reader of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of power amplifiers placed before the input port of each antenna element.

7. An RF ID tag system, comprising:

at least one RF ID tag;

at least one RF ID tag reader, said at least one RF ID tag reader capable of transmitting RF signals to and receiving RF signals from said at least one RF ID tag; and

at least one transceiver associated with said at least one RF ID tag reader, said at least one transceiver including at least one antenna capable of creating a plurality of field focuses.

8. The RF ID tag system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of field focuses are a near field focus and a far field focus.

9. The RF ID tag system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of field focuses are created by a scanning antenna array.

10. The RF ID tag system of claim 7, further comprising at least one conducting curtain, said at least one conducting curtain capable of enhancing reception of said RF signals by reflecting RF signals in said area.

11. The RF ID tag system claim 7, wherein at least one element and at least one phase shifter in said scanning antenna array are capable of being used as a multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) system to maximize information extracted from said RF signals.

12. A method of tracking an object, person or thing, comprising:

associating an RF ID tag with said object, person or thing; and

transmitting information to, and receiving information from, said RF ID tag by an RF ID tag reader with at least one antenna, said at least one antenna capable of creating a plurality of field focuses.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising using at least one antenna capable of creating at least one near field and at least one far field focus.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising using a scanning antenna array.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising enhancing reception of said RF signals by reflecting RF signals with at least one conducting curtain.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising using at least one element and at least one phase shifter in said scanning antenna array as a multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) system to maximize information extracted from said RF signals.

17. An article comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, results in tracking an object, person or thing when said object person or thing is associated with an RF ID tag by transmitting information to, and receiving information from, said RF ID tag by an RF ID tag reader with at least one antenna, said at least one antenna capable of creating a plurality of field focuses.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein said plurality of field focuses are a near field and a far field focus.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein said plurality of field focuses are created by a scanning antenna array.

20. The article of claim 17, further comprising at least one conducting curtain associated with said card reader, said at least one conducting curtain capable of enhancing reception of said RF signals by reflecting RF signals in said area.