Wireless IC tag, and method and apparatus for manufacturing the same

• US 20050140512A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakama, Isao, Ashizawa, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,250,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• 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 19/07756 the connection being non-galvanic, e.g. capacitive
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07771 the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object
• 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: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 17/34 Insulators containing liquid, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• 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 19/24 the primary active element being centre-fed and substantially straight, e.g. H-antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

In a wireless IC tag, metallic antennas are deposited as thin films on the front and back surfaces of a spacer, made of a heat-resistant glass epoxy material having a desired dielectric constant, to form a first antenna and a second antenna. An IC chip is mounted in the center of the first antenna. The second antenna functions as an auxiliary antenna for resonating to a desired frequency of a transmission radio wave of the first antenna to strengthen the intensity of the radio wave. Accordingly, even when the IC tag is mounted to a cable or the like, the tag can be mounted in the interior of the enclosure of the cable and thus the radio wave intensity of the first antenna can be prevented from being weakened by a metallic member in the cable.

Claims

1. A wireless IC tag including an IC chip having identification information stored therein and a first antenna having a predetermined length and connected to said IC chip, wherein said IC chip transmits said identification information with use of an operating power generated from a radio wave having a predetermined frequency received via said first antenna, said wireless IC tag comprising:

a first spacer provided between a member and said first antenna for maintaining a distance therebetween, said IC chip being mounted on said member;

a second antenna having a predetermined length for resonating to said radio wave of said predetermined frequency; and

a second spacer provided between said first antenna and said second antenna for maintaining a distance between both antennas.

2. The wireless IC tag according to claim 1, wherein said first spacer and said second spacer are made of an insulating material, and a thickness of said second spacer is larger than a thickness of said first spacer.

3. The wireless IC tag according to claim 1, wherein said first spacer and said first antenna, said first antenna and said second spacer, and said second spacer and said second antenna are respectively joined with an adhesive.

4. The wireless IC tag according to claim 2, wherein said first spacer and said first antenna, said first antenna and said second spacer, and said second antenna and said second antenna are respectively joined with an adhesive.

5. A method for manufacturing a wireless IC tag comprising the steps of:

mounting a first spacer on one surface of a first antenna, which transmits identification information stored in an IC chip;

mounting a second spacer on another surface of said first antenna, said another surface being opposite said one surface; and

mounting a second antenna, for resonating to a radio wave having a predetermined frequency together with said first antenna, on a surface of said second spacer opposite to a surface on which said first antenna is mounted.

17. The method according to claim 5, wherein said first and second spacers are plate shaped.

6. A method for manufacturing a wireless IC tag, comprising the steps of:

mounting a first spacer material on one surface of a first antenna material on which a predetermined number of first antennas connected to IC chips having identification information stored therein are arranged on a base material,

conveying said first spacer material and said first antenna material forward;

mounting a second spacer material on the another surface of said first antenna material, said another surface being opposite to said one surface,

conveying said first and second spacer materials and said first antenna materials forward;

mounting a second antenna material on a surface of said second spacer material opposite to a surface on which said first antenna material is mounted, thereby forming a wireless IC tag material,

conveying said wireless IC tag material forward; and

sequentially cutting said wireless IC tag material to form wireless IC tags.

18. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first and second spacer materials are plate shaped.

20. The method according to claim 6, wherein said base material is plate shaped.

7. A method for manufacturing a wireless IC tag, comprising the steps of:

mounting a first spacer material on one surface of a first antenna material on which a predetermined number of first antennas connected to IC chips having identification information stored therein are arranged in a width-wise direction in the form of strips on a base material,

conveying said first spacer material and said first antenna material forward;

mounting a second spacer material on the another surface of said first antenna material, said another surface being opposite to said one surface,

conveying said first and second spacer materials and said first antenna materials forward;

mounting a second antenna material, on which a predetermined number of second antennas are arranged, on a surface of said second spacer material opposite to a surface on which said first antenna material mounted thereon in such a manner that a width-wise direction of said first antennas coincides with the width-wise direction of said second antennas, thereby forming a wireless IC tag material;

conveying said wireless IC tag material forward; and

sequentially cutting said wireless IC tag material to form wireless IC tags.

19. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first and second spacer materials are plate shaped.

21. The method according to claim 7, wherein said base material is plate shaped.

8. An apparatus for manufacturing a wireless IC tag, comprising:

a first feeder for mounting a plate-shaped first spacer material on one surface of a first antenna material on which a predetermined number of first antennas connected to IC chips having identification information stored therein are arranged on a plate shaped base material in a width-wise direction in the form of strips, and for feeding out said first spacer material and said first antenna material forward;

a second feeder for mounting a plate-shaped second spacer material another surface, opposite to said one surface, of said first antenna material, and for feeding out the first spacer material, said second spacer material and said first antenna material forward;

a third feeder for mounting a second antenna material on a surface of said second spacer material opposite a surface on which said first antenna material is mounted, thereby forming a wireless IC tag material, and for feeding out the wireless IC tag material; and

a cutter for sequentially cutting said wireless IC tag material to form wireless IC tags.

9. An apparatus for manufacturing a wireless IC tag, comprising:

a first feeder for mounting a plate-shaped first spacer material on one surface of a first antenna material on which a predetermined number of first antennas connected to IC chips having identification information stored therein are arranged on a plate shaped base material in width-wise direction in the form of strips, and for feeding out the first spacer material and said first antenna material forward;

a second feeder for mounting a plate-shaped second spacer material on another surface, opposite to said one surface, of said first antenna material, and for feeding out the first spacer material, said second spacer material and said first antenna material forward;

a third feeder for mounting said plate-shaped second antenna material, on which a predetermined number of second antennas are arranged in a width-wise direction in the form of strips, on a surface of said second spacer material opposite to a surface on which said first antenna material is mounted in such a manner that the width-wise direction position of said first antennas coincides with the width-wise direction position of said second antenna, thereby forming a wireless IC tag, and for feeding out the wireless IC tag; and

a cutter for sequentially cutting said wireless IC tag material to form wireless IC tags.

10. A wireless IC tag having an IC chip having identification information stored therein and an antenna for wirelessly transmitting the identification information recorded in the IC chip, said wireless IC tag comprising:

a substrate made of a heat-resistant insulating material;

a first antenna formed on one surface of said substrate and having said IC chip mounted thereon for transmitting the identification information recorded in the IC chip; and

a second antenna formed on another surface, opposite to said one surface, of said substrate and for resonating to a radio wave having a predetermined frequency together with said first antenna.

11. The wireless IC tag according to claim 10, wherein said substrate includes a material selected from a group consisting of glass epoxy, ceramic, and fluorine resin.

12. A wireless IC tag for burial in an insulating enclosure of a cable so as to wirelessly transmit identification information recorded in an IC chip, said insulating enclosure functioning as a first spacer, said IC tag comprising:

a second spacer made of a heat-resistant insulating material;

a first antenna formed on one surface of said second spacer and having said IC chip mounted thereon for transmitting the identification information recorded in the IC chip; and

a second antenna formed on another surface, opposite said one surface, of said second spacer for resonating to a radio wave having a predetermined frequency at said first antenna,

wherein said insulating enclosure functioning as a first spacer maintains a distance between said first antenna and an internal conductor or a shield layer in an interior portion of said cable.

13. A method for manufacturing a wireless IC tag for burial in an insulating enclosure of a cable for wirelessly transmitting identification information recorded in an IC chip, said insulating enclosure functioning as a first spacer, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of first antennas on a first surface of a glass epoxy substrate at equal pitch intervals;

forming second antennas on a second surface of said glass epoxy substrate at respective positions opposing said first antennas;

individually mounting the IC chips on the plurality of first antennas respectively;

cutting said glass epoxy substrate into separate wireless IC tags such that each IC tag includes one of said first antennas on said first surface having one of said IC chips mounted thereon and includes one of said second antennas on said second surface; and

burying said wireless IC tag in said insulating enclosure during molding of said cable during manufacture of the cable.

14. A wireless IC tag comprising:

an IC chip having identification information stored therein;

a first antenna having a predetermined length and connected to said IC chip;

a first spacer provided between a member and said first antenna for maintaining a distance therebetween, h said IC chip being mounted on said member;

a second antenna having a predetermined length for resonating to a radio wave having a predetermined frequency; and

a second spacer provided between said first antenna and said second antenna for maintaining a distance between both antennas.

15. The wireless IC tag according to claim 14, wherein said first spacer and said second spacer are made of an insulating material and a thickness of said second antenna is larger than a thickness of said first spacer.

16. The wireless IC tag according to claim 14, wherein said first spacer and said first antenna, said first antenna and said second spacer, and said second spacer and said second antenna are joined, respectively