RFID tag uncoupling one of its antenna ports and methods

• US 20050212674A1
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Inventors: Oliver, Ronald A., Diorio, Christopher J., Desmons, Dimitri C., Humes, Todd E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,667,589 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 19/07767 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

RFID tags have an on-chip antenna and an off-chip antenna. One of the antennas can become uncoupled if the proper signal is received, while the other antenna may still operate. The uncoupled antenna can be the larger one, for example the off-chip antenna. Then the tag can then be read only by the smaller antenna, which effectively reduces the range of the RFID tag, but without disabling it entirely.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate having formed therein an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a first antenna port and a second antenna port; and

a first antenna formed integrally with the substrate and electrically coupled to the first port,

wherein at least one of the first antenna and a second antenna that is coupled to the second port and is not formed integrally with the substrate is capable of operating together with the IC as an RFID tag.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an inlay that includes the second antenna, and

wherein the second port is coupled to the second antenna.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein

the inlay includes a third antenna,

the substrate includes a third port coupled to the third antenna and to the IC.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the IC includes

a controller coupled to the first port and to the second port, and

a switch adapted to disconnect one of the first port and the second port from the controller.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein

the disconnected port is incapable of performing the same function set as prior to being disconnected.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein

the switch is adapted to not disconnect the controller from the other one of the first port and the second port.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the IC further includes

a power management unit adapted to generate a power voltage from a signal received from the disconnected one of the first port and the second port.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein

the switch is adapted to disconnect the controller from the first port.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein

the switch is adapted to disconnect the controller from the second port.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein

the IC further includes a receive channel adapted to channel to the controller signals received via the first port, and

the switch is adapted to disconnect channeling the received signals.

11. The device of claim 4, wherein

the IC further includes a receive channel adapted to channel to the controller signals received via the second port, and

the switch is adapted to disconnect channeling the received signals.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein

the IC further includes a transmit channel and a receive channel both coupled to the controller, and

the switch is a multiplexer coupled to both the transmit channel and the receive channel.

13. The device of claim 4, wherein

the IC further includes a transmit channel adapted to channel from the controller to the first port signals to be transmitted wirelessly, and

the switch is adapted to disconnect channeling the signals to be transmitted.

14. The device of claim 4, wherein

the IC further includes a transmit channel adapted to channel from the controller to the second port signals to be transmitted wirelessly, and

the switch is adapted to disconnect channeling the signals to be transmitted.

15. The device of claim 4, wherein

the switch is controlled responsive to a command signal received via one of the first and second antennas.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein

the IC further includes a memory accessible by the controller, and

the memory stores an additional parameter for controlling the switch responsive to the command signal.

17. The device of claim 4, wherein

the switch is further adapted to reconnect the disconnected port to the controller so as to reverse the disconnecting.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein

the switch is controlled responsive to a command signal received via one of the first and second antennas.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein

the IC further includes a memory accessible by the controller, and

the memory stores an additional parameter for controlling the switch responsive to the command signal.

20. A device comprising:

means for channeling to a controller of a chip of an RFID tag a first signal that is received from at least one of a first antenna port and a second antenna port; and

means for uncoupling the first port from the controller in response thereto.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein

uncoupling is such that the first port becomes incapable of performing the same function set as prior to uncoupling.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein

uncoupling is such that the first port becomes incapable of performing the same function set as the second port.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein

uncoupling is such that the second port remains coupled to the controller.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein

the first port is coupled to an antenna that is integrally formed with the chip, and

the second port is coupled to an antenna that is not integrally formed with the chip.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein

the first port is coupled to an antenna that is not integrally formed with the chip, and

the second port is coupled to an antenna that is integrally formed with the chip.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein

uncoupling prevents channeling to the controller a wirelessly received signal via the first port.

27. The device of claim 20, wherein

uncoupling prevents channeling from the controller to the first port a signal to be transmitted wirelessly.

28. The device of claim 20, further comprising:

means for generating power from a subsequent signal received via the uncoupled port.

29. The device of claim 20, wherein

uncoupling is performed by setting a disable switch.

30. The device of claim 20, further comprising:

means for recoupling the uncoupled first port to the controller to reverse the uncoupling.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein

recoupling is performed a preset amount of time after uncoupling.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein

the preset amount of time is stored in a memory.

33. The device of claim 31, further comprising:

means for decoding the preset amount of time from the first signal.

34. The device of claim 30, further comprising:

means for receiving a second wireless signal, and

wherein recoupling is performed responsive to receiving the second signal.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein

recoupling is performed a preset amount of time after being receiving the second signal.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein

the preset amount of time is stored in a memory.

37. The device of claim 35, further comprising:

means for decoding the preset amount of time from the second signal.

38. An article comprising:

a storage medium, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon, in which when the instructions are executed by at least one device, they result in;

channeling to a controller of a chip of an RFID tag a first signal that is received from at least one of a first antenna port and a second antenna port; and

uncoupling the first port from the controller in response thereto.

39. The article of claim 38, in which

uncoupling is such that the first port becomes incapable of performing the same function set as prior to uncoupling.

40. The article of claim 38, in which

uncoupling is such that the first port becomes incapable of performing the same function set as the second port.

41. The article of claim 38, in which

uncoupling is such that the second port remains coupled to the controller.

42. The article of claim 38, in which

the first port is coupled to an antenna that is integrally formed with the chip, and

the second port is coupled to an antenna that is not integrally formed with the chip.

43. The article of claim 38, in which

the first port is coupled to an antenna that is not integrally formed with the chip, and

the second port is coupled to an antenna that is integrally formed with the chip.

44. The article of claim 38, in which

uncoupling prevents channeling to the controller a wirelessly received signal via the first port.

45. The article of claim 38, in which

uncoupling prevents channeling from the controller to the first port a signal to be transmitted wirelessly.

46. The article of claim 38, in which executing the instructions further results in:

generating power from a subsequent signal received via the uncoupled port.

47. The article of claim 38, in which

uncoupling is performed by setting a disable switch.

48. The article of claim 38, in which executing the instructions further results in:

recoupling the uncoupled first port to the controller to reverse the uncoupling.

49. The article of claim 48, in which

recoupling is performed a preset amount of time after uncoupling.

50. The article of claim 49, in which

the preset amount of time is stored in a memory.

51. The article of claim 49, in which executing the instructions further results in:

decoding the preset amount of time from the first signal.

52. The article of claim 48, in which executing the instructions further results in:

receiving a second wireless signal, and

wherein recoupling is performed responsive to receiving the second signal.

53. The article of claim 52, in which

recoupling is performed a preset amount of time after being receiving the second signal.

54. The article of claim 53, in which

the preset amount of time is stored in a memory.

55. The article of claim 53, in which executing the instructions further results in:

decoding the preset amount of time from the second signal.

56. A method for a chip of an RFID tag comprising:

channeling to a controller of the chip a first signal that is received from at least one of a first antenna port and a second antenna port; and

uncoupling the first port from the controller in response thereto.

57. The method of 56, wherein

uncoupling is such that the first port becomes incapable of performing the same function set as prior to uncoupling.

58. The method of 56, wherein

uncoupling is such that the first port becomes incapable of performing the same function set as the second port.

59. The method of 56, wherein

uncoupling is such that the second port remains coupled to the controller.

60. The method of 56, wherein

the first port is coupled to an antenna that is integrally formed with the chip, and

the second port is coupled to an antenna that is not integrally formed with the chip.

61. The method of 56, wherein

the first port is coupled to an antenna that is not integrally formed with the chip, and

the second port is coupled to an antenna that is integrally formed with the chip.

62. The method of 56, wherein

uncoupling prevents channeling to the controller a wirelessly received signal via the first port.

63. The method of 56, wherein

uncoupling prevents channeling from the controller to the first port a signal to be transmitted wirelessly.

64. The method of 56, further comprising:

generating power from a subsequent signal received via the uncoupled port.

65. The method of 56, wherein

uncoupling is performed by setting a disable switch.

66. The method of 56, further comprising:

recoupling the uncoupled first port to the controller to reverse the uncoupling.

67. The method of 66, wherein

recoupling is performed a preset amount of time after uncoupling.

68. The method of 67, wherein

the preset amount of time is stored in a memory.

69. The method of 67, further comprising:

decoding the preset amount of time from the first signal.

70. The method of 66, further comprising:

receiving a second wireless signal, and

wherein recoupling is performed responsive to receiving the second signal.

71. The method of 70, wherein

recoupling is performed a preset amount of time after being receiving the second signal.

72. The method of 71, wherein

the preset amount of time is stored in a memory.

73. The method of 71, further comprising:

decoding the preset amount of time from the second signal.