RFID devices for enabling reading of non-line-of-sight items
First Claim
1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system for use with a reader that transmits activation energy to read a stack of items, the system comprising:
- a plurality of RFID tags each being respectively mountable to one of the items and including an RFID circuit for generating tag energy when activated; and
a transmission line for carrying activation energy from the reader and tag energy from the tags;
the transmission line being positionable in coupling proximity to a plurality of the tags when the plurality of the tags are mounted to items and when the items are stacked, such that;
when carrying activation energy, the transmission line couples with and thereby enables activation of the plurality of the tags; and
when the plurality of the tags are activated, the transmission line couples with and carries tag energy from the plurality of the tags.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) apparatus and methodology enable a plurality of or all of the RFID tags in a stack of items such as cartons and boxes—including items that do not have a line of sight to a reader—to be read. An RFID system includes RFID tags and a transmission line. The RFID tags are mountable to items to be read and include an RFID circuit that generates tag energy when activated by activation energy from a reader. The transmission line carries activation energy from the reader and tag energy from the tags. The transmission line is positionable in operative or coupling proximately to a plurality of the tags when the plurality of the tags are mounted to items and when the items are stacked. Accordingly, when carrying activation energy from the reader, the transmission line couples with and thereby enables activation of the plurality of the tags. Further, when the plurality of the tags are activated and generating tag energy, the transmission line couples with and carries the tag energy from the plurality of the tags. The transmission line can be configured as an elongated adhesive tape-like structure that can be adhered across a plurality of RFID tags mounted to a plurality of items. The transmission line can also be disposed on an inter-item reading device that can be positioned between adjacent rows of stacked items.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system for use with a reader that transmits activation energy to read a stack of items, the system comprising:
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a plurality of RFID tags each being respectively mountable to one of the items and including an RFID circuit for generating tag energy when activated; and
a transmission line for carrying activation energy from the reader and tag energy from the tags;
the transmission line being positionable in coupling proximity to a plurality of the tags when the plurality of the tags are mounted to items and when the items are stacked, such that;
when carrying activation energy, the transmission line couples with and thereby enables activation of the plurality of the tags; and
when the plurality of the tags are activated, the transmission line couples with and carries tag energy from the plurality of the tags. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of reading radio-frequency identification (RFID)-enabled items, the method comprising:
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providing a load of a plurality of RFID-tagged items stacked together, each of the RFID-tagged items including;
a item; and
a RFID tag mounted to the item and including an RFID circuit with an antenna and a chip for generating tag energy when activated; and
providing a transmission line that is configured to carry activation energy from the reader and tag energy from the tags;
positioning the transmission line in operative proximately to at least a number of the RFID tags, such that;
when carrying activation energy, the transmission line couples with and thereby enables activation of the plurality of the tags; and
when the plurality of the tags are activated, the transmission line couples with and carries tag energy from the plurality of the tags. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of reading a plurality radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are spatially separated from each other and that generate tag energy when activated by activation energy from a reader, the method comprising:
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receiving activation energy from the reader;
activating the tags by carrying the activation energy on a transmission line that is positioned in coupling proximity with the tags; and
carrying tag energy from the activated tags on the transmission line. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification