IC tag provided with three-dimensional antenna and pallet provided with the IC tag

• US 20050242959A1
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Toshio
• Application Number:
  US10/989,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242959A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• 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 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• 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 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07792 the antenna adapted for extending in three dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

The IC tag comprises a three-dimensional antenna and an integrated circuit. The three-dimensional antenna is configured in such a manner that a plurality of planar antennas, each capable of performing emission and reception of radio waves by itself, are arranged at angles so as to be not parallel to each other. The integrated circuit is also connected to the three-dimensional antenna and performs transmission or reception of a signal via the three-dimensional antenna.

Claims

1. An IC tag comprising:

a three-dimensional antenna formed by a plurality of planar antennas, each of which is capable of performing emission and reception of radio waves by itself, and which are arranged to be not parallel to each other; and

an integrated circuit connected to the three-dimensional antenna, for performing transmission and reception of a signal by way of the three-dimensional antenna.

2. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein each planar antenna is separately connected to the integrated circuit, and wherein the integrated circuit comprises a switching circuit for switching over the ON and OFF states of each planar antenna so as to enable any one of the planar antenna to be turned on, thereby performing transmission or reception of a signal.

3. The IC tag according to claim 2, wherein the integrated circuit, in accordance with a setting, successively switches over the planar antennas which is turned on by the switching circuit, thereby performing transmission or reception of a signal.

4. The IC tag according to claim 2, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a comparison circuit for comparing the reception intensity of the radio waves received by each planar antenna, and wherein the switching circuit is used to perform, from the planar antenna representing the highest intensity of the received radio waves, transmission of the signal corresponding to the antenna.

5. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein at least two planar antennas are connected to the integrated circuit respectively, the planar antennas performing emission of the radio waves simultaneously based on the same signal, or performing transmission of the received radio waves simultaneously to the integrated circuit.

6. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein at least two planar antennas are connected in series so as to function as a single antenna as a whole.

7. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein each planar antenna is arranged orthogonal to each other.

8. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is provided with in the same surface as anyone of the planar antennas.

9. The IC tag according to claim 1, further comprising a three-dimensional base material on which each planar antenna is provided.

10. The IC tag according to claim 9, wherein each planar antenna is formed directly on the base material.

11. The IC tag according to claim 9, wherein each planar antenna is formed directly on a film-like base material which is adhered to the base material.

12. The IC tag according to claim 9, wherein the three-dimensional form of the base material is a cylindrical form or a polygonal columnar form and each planar antenna is provided on a surface constituting the side surface of the cylindrical form or the polygonal columnar form.

13. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein a UHF band is used as a transmission and reception frequency of the radio wave.

14. A pallet for use in storing or carrying an article, comprising the IC tag according to claim 1.

15. A method for fabricating an IC tag, comprising:

forming a three-dimensional antenna by arranging a plurality of planar antennas to be not parallel to each other, each of the planar antennas being capable of performing emission and reception of radio waves by itself; and

connecting the three-dimensional antenna to an integrated circuit;

wherein

the IC tag performs transmission and reception of a signal by way of the three-dimensional antenna.

16. The IC tag fabrication method according to claim 15, wherein

the connecting step includes separately connecting each of the planar antennas to the integrated circuit by providing a switching circuit for switching over the ON and OFF states of each planar antenna.

17. The IC tag fabrication method according to claim 15, wherein

the connecting step includes connecting at least two planar antennas to the integrated circuit respectively, thereby enabling the planar antennas to perform emission of radio waves simultaneously based on the same signal or to perform transmission of received radio waves simultaneously to the integrated circuit.

18. A communication method employing an IC tag, comprising:

performing emission or reception of radio waves using a three-dimensional antenna formed by arranging a plurality of planar antennas to be not parallel to each other, each of the planar antennas being capable of performing emission and reception of radio waves by itself; and

performing transmission or reception of a signal, via the three-dimensional antenna, using an integrated circuit connected to the three-dimensional antenna.

19. The IC tag communication method according to claim 18, wherein

in the step of performing signal transmission or reception, the integrated circuit switches over the ON and OFF states of each planar antenna so as to turn on any one of the planar antennas to perform signal transmission or reception.

20. The IC tag communication method according to claim 18, wherein

in the step of radio wave emission or reception, at least two planar antennas perform emission of radio waves simultaneously based on the same signal, or perform transmission of the received radio waves simultaneously to the integrated circuit.