Energy source communication employing slot antenna

• US 20060290583A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J., King, Patrick F., Ginn, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,372,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/767
• 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: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• 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 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas

Abstract

The invention relates to a wireless communication device that is coupled to an energy source, such as a battery, capacitor, or solar cell. The wireless communication device is coupled to a slot in the energy source to form a slot antenna for wireless communication. The slot antenna receives communication signals from an interrogation reader or other communication device. The wireless communication device may be attached to a device or container for purposes such as communicating information regarding identification, manufacturing, tracking, and the like. The wireless communication device may also be coupled to the energy source for power.

Claims

1. An energy source comprising:

a body having a first and second terminal separated by a separator forming a slot between said first and second terminals; and

a wireless communication device coupled to said slot to form a slot antenna for wireless communication;

wherein said wireless communication device is coupled to said slot using at least one feed point; and

wherein said wireless communication is coupled to said first and second terminals using at least one feed line to provide power to the wireless communication device.

2. The energy source of claim 1, wherein said at least one feed line comprises two feed lines.

3. The energy source of claim 1, wherein said at least one feed point is further used as a second feed line to couple said wireless communication device to said first and second terminals to provide power to the wireless communication device.

4. The energy source of claim 1, wherein said at least one feed point comprises two feed points.

5. The energy source of claim 4, wherein said first and second feed points couple said wireless communication device to said slot at different locations to provide for wireless communication at multiple operating frequencies.

6. The energy source of claim 4 or 5, wherein said at least one feed line comprises two feed lines.

7. An energy source comprising:

a body having a first and second terminal separated by a separator forming a slot between said first and second terminals; and

a wireless communication device coupled across said slot to form a slot antenna for wireless communication.

8. The energy source of claim 7, further comprising first and second feed points coupled to said wireless communication device, wherein said first and second feed points are conductively coupled to said first and second terminals, respectively.

9. The energy source of claim 8, wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to use said first and second feed points for power.

10. The energy source of claim 8 or 9, wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to use said first and second feed points to provide a connection to the slot to form said slot antenna.

11. The energy source of claim 7, further comprising first and second feed points coupled to said wireless communication device, wherein said first and second feed points are coupled to said first and second terminals, respectively.

12. The energy source of claim 11, wherein said first and second feed points are non-conductive and said wireless communication device capacitively couples to said slot to form said slot antenna.

13. An energy source comprising:

a body having a positive terminal and a negative terminal separated by a separator forming a slot between said positive and negative terminals;

a sleeve coupled to said body; and

a wireless communication device coupled to said slot using a feed point to provide a slot antenna for wireless communication.

14. The energy source of claim 13, wherein said at least one feed point comprises two feed points.

15. The energy source of claim 14, wherein said first and second feed points couple said wireless communication device to said slot at different locations to provide for wireless communication at multiple operating frequencies.

16. The energy source of claims 15, wherein said wireless communication is coupled to said positive and negative terminals using at least one feed line to provide power to the wireless communication device.

17. The energy source of claim 16, wherein said at least one feed line comprises two feed lines.

18. A wireless communication energy source system comprising:

an energy source, said energy source comprising a body having a first and second terminal separated by a separator forming a slot between said first and second terminals; and

a wireless communication device coupled to said slot to form a slot antenna.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to receive a signal using said slot antenna and wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to use said signal to recharge said energy source.