RFID reader system incorporating antenna orientation sensing

• US 20070040687A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novanta Corporation (Novanta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ThingMagic, Inc. (Novanta Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

An RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader system has a sensor system associated with its antenna system. The sensor system determines one or more of an orientation, position, velocity, motion and acceleration of antenna elements in said antenna system. The reader system uses the sensor data to control the antenna system based.

Claims

1. An RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader system comprising:

an antenna system comprising one or more antenna elements; and

a sensor system associated with the antenna system, said sensor system constructed and adapted to determine antenna data comprising one or more of an orientation, position, velocity, motion and acceleration of antenna elements in said antenna system,

wherein said reader system is constructed and adapted to control said antenna system based, at least in part, on said antenna data.

2. An RFID reader system as in claim 1 wherein said sensor system comprises one or more elements selected from the group comprising:

accelerometer, inclinometer, gyroscope, and compass.

3. An RFID reader system as in claim 1 wherein said antenna system comprises two or more antenna elements, and wherein said reader system is constructed and adapted to select at least one of said two or more antenna elements based, at least in part, on said antenna data.

4. An RFID reader system as in claim 3 wherein said sensor is an accelerometer, and wherein said antenna controller is constructed and adapted to select at least one of said antenna elements based on an orientation of said antenna system.

5. An RFID reader system as in claim 3 wherein said RFID reader system is in a handheld reader device and wherein said antenna elements comprise a vertically polarized antenna element and horizontally polarized antenna element, and wherein said sensor system comprises an accelerometer for determining an orientation of said reader system, and wherein said reader system is constructed and adapted to select one of said vertically polarized antenna element and said horizontally polarized antenna element based at least in part on said determined orientation.

6. An RFID reader system as in claim 1 wherein said reader system is constructed and adapted to change an orientation of an antenna element in said antenna system based at least in part on said antenna data.

7. An RFID reader system as in claim 6 wherein said reader system is on a movable device and wherein said sensor system comprises a compass for computing an orientation of the antenna element.

8. A handheld RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader system comprising:

an antenna system comprising a vertically polarized antenna element and horizontally polarized antenna element; and

a sensor system associated with the antenna system, said sensor system including an accelerometer and constructed and adapted to determine an orientation of said antenna system;

wherein said reader system is constructed and adapted to select between said vertically polarized antenna element and said horizontally polarized antenna element based, at least in part, on said determined orientation of said antenna system.

9. A method comprising:

determining one or more of an orientation, position, velocity and acceleration of at least one antenna system associated with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader; and

operating said at least one antenna system based at least in part on said determining.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said at least one antenna system comprises multiple antenna elements, and wherein the step of operating comprises selecting an antenna element to be used by said RFID reader.

11. A method as in claim 10 wherein said at least one antenna system comprises a vertically polarized antenna element and a horizontally polarized antenna element, and wherein said step of operating comprises selecting between said antenna elements based on an orientation of said antenna elements.

12. A method as in claim 9 wherein said operating comprises positioning an antenna element in said antenna system based on an orientation of said antenna element.

13. A method of operating a handheld RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader, the method comprising:

determining an orientation of said reader; and

selecting an antenna of said reader based on said orientation.

14. A method of operating an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader mounted on a moving device, the method comprising:

determining an orientation of an antenna system associated with said reader;

positioning said antenna system based on said orientation.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein said determining is performed using a sensor system comprising at least a compass.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein said sensor system comprises an accelerometer.

17. A method as in claim 14 wherein said step of positioning said antenna system comprises steering said antenna system to point at a desired location.

18. A method as in claim 14 wherein said reader is mounted on a vehicle.

19. A method as in claim 14 wherein said reader is mounted on one of:

a swinging arm;

a movable arm; and

a rotating platform.