Portal antenna for radio frequency identification

• US 20060132312A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joseph J. Tavormina
• Original Assignee: Joseph J. Tavormina
• Inventors: Tavormina, Joseph J.
• Application Number:
  US11/293,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment

Abstract

An antenna that is used to read and/or write radio frequency identification tags is integrated into the structure of a door frame or other portal. The antenna may incorporate multiple radiating elements and frequency diversity to increase the reliability and accuracy of tag reads or writes, and to provide compatibility with a variety of RFID tags. The design of the antenna may also incorporate a Photonic Band Gap (PBG) antenna substrate.

Claims

1. An antenna for communicating with an RFID transponder, the antenna comprising

an antenna integrated into a portal, said portal substantially enclosing an opening.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein integration of the antenna into the portal is concurrent with manufacture of the portal.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the integrated antenna is a patch antenna.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the integrated antenna is a multi-element patch antenna including a plurality of patch antennas.

5. The antenna of claim 4, further including microstrip transmission line elements connecting said patch antennas.

6. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the plane of said patch antenna is parallel to a plane defining said opening of said portal.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a Photonic Band Gap antenna.

8. The antenna of claim 7, wherein the integrated antenna is a multi-element Photonic Band Gap antenna including a plurality of radiating elements.

9. The antenna of claim 7, wherein the Photonic Band Gap antenna further includes at least one printed circuit radiating element.

10. The antenna of claim 9, wherein said printed circuit radiating element is in close proximity to a high-impedance reflective back plane.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein said printed circuit radiating element is less than or equal to one-tenth of a wavelength from said high impedance reflective backplane.

12. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the integrated antenna is a loop antenna.

13. The antenna of claim 12, wherein the plane bounded by said loop antenna is parallel to the plane bounded by said portal.

14. The antenna of claim 13, wherein said plane bounded by said loop antenna lies beyond said opening of said portal.

15. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said portal further comprises a door frame.

16. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said portal further comprises a plurality of unconnected boundaries.

17. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said antenna is integrated into a vehicle.

18. A system for communicating with an RFID transponder, the system comprising:

a first antenna, the first antenna capable of transmitting and receiving high frequency electrical signals;

a second antenna, the second antenna capable of transmitting and receiving low frequency electrical signals; and

a switch, the switch selectively enabling transmission and reception at the high frequency, at the low frequency, or at both the high and the low frequencies.

19. The system for communicating of claim 18, wherein the first antenna is a patch antenna.

20. The system for communicating of claim 19, wherein the second antenna is a loop antenna.

21. The system for communicating of claim 18, wherein the first antenna is a Photonic Band Gap antenna.

22. The system for communicating of claim 21, wherein the second antenna is a loop antenna.

23. A method for communicating with an RFID transponder, the method comprising:

transmitting electrical signals to the RFID transponder and receiving electrical signals from the RFID transponder via a plurality of antennas integrated into a portal.

24. The method for communicating of claim 23, further comprising transmitting the electrical signals received from the RFID transponder to a wide area wireless data network.

25. The method for communicating of claim 24, wherein the wide area wireless data network is based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

26. The method for communicating of claim 23, further comprising switching between the plurality of integrated antennas.

27. The method for communicating of claim 23, further comprising combining the electrical signals received from the plurality of integrated antennas.

28. The method for communicating of claim 27, wherein said combining comprises summing the electrical signals and individual phasing of the electrical signals.

29. The method for communicating of claim 27, wherein said combining comprises weighting of the electrical signals.

30. A method of integrating an antenna with a portal, the method comprising:

integrating the antenna into the portal during manufacture of the portal.

31. An antenna for communicating with an RFID transponder, the antenna comprising:

an antenna mounted outside a portal, said portal substantially enclosing an opening.

32. The antenna of claim 31, wherein the antenna is adhesively mounted to a surface beyond said portal.