System for Placing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Antennas, Tags and Interrogators

• US 20070200707A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextone Communications Inc (NetScout Systems Incorporated), Quake Global, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Odin Technologies, Inc. (Quake Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sweeney, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22

Abstract

A system and method for optimally placing radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas. The system varies the placement of RFID tag and interrogator antennas with respect to each other and a stationary object or objects. A signal generator sends a known reference signal to the one or more RFID interrogator antennas. The signal is received by the one or more RFID tag antennas and is displayed upon an oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer or other multipurpose signal measuring device. By this method, the system finds the optimal placement of the antennas with respect to each other and the object or objects.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A method, comprising:

receiving a first signal based on a reference signal at a first time and at a first radio frequency identification antenna, the reference signal sent from a second radio frequency identification antenna, the first signal being based on a first relative position of the first radio frequency identification antenna with respect to the second radio frequency identification antenna;

receiving a second signal based on the reference signal at a second time and at the first radio frequency identification antenna, the second time being different from the first time, the second signal being based on a second relative position of the first radio frequency identification antenna with respect to the second radio frequency identification antenna; and

modifying at least one of the reference signal, a position of the first radio frequency identification antenna, a position of an object, a position of the second radio frequency identification antenna based on at least one of the first signal or the second signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first relative position includes at least one of a first relative spatial location or a first relative orientation.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the position of the first radio frequency identification antenna, the position of the object, the position of the second radio frequency identification antenna includes at least one of a spatial location or an orientation.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first signal or the second signal is based on a third relative position of the object with respect to at least one of the first radio frequency identification antenna or the second radio frequency identification antenna.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the modifying includes modifying based on a user-defined criteria.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the modifying includes replacing the second radio frequency identification antenna with a third radio frequency antenna.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the modifying includes replacing the first radio frequency identification antenna with a third radio frequency antenna.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a first support configured to retain a first radio frequency identification antenna, the first radio frequency identification antenna configured to send a first reference signal;

a second support configured to support an object; and

a movable carriage configured to retain and selectively position a second radio frequency identification antenna, the second radio frequency identification antenna configured to receive the first reference signal and configured to send a second reference signal to a signal analyzer, the second reference signal being based on a position of at least one of the first radio frequency identification antenna, the object, or the second radio frequency identification antenna.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the position includes at least one of a spatial location or an orientation.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movable carriage is configured to selectively position the second radio frequency identification antenna based on, at least in part, an indicator produced by the signal analyzer, the indicator is based on the second reference signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movable carriage is configured to selectively position the object to define a spatial relationship between the object and the second radio frequency identification antenna based on, at least in part, an indicator produced by the signal analyzer, the indicator is based on the second reference signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movable carriage is configured to modify the position of the second radio frequency identification tag antenna within a three-dimensional region associated with the object.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movable carriage is configured to selectively position the second radio frequency identification tag antenna based on a command, the signal analyzer is configured to produce an indicator that is based on the second reference signal and that is associated with the position of the second radio frequency identification tag antenna.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the movable carriage, the first support, or the second support is formed of at least one of a radio-wave-transparent material or a material that is transparent to visible light.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the signal analyzer includes at least one of an oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer or a multipurpose signal-measuring device.

22. A method, comprising:

receiving at the first radio frequency identification antenna a first reference signal sent from a second radio frequency identification antenna;

sending a second reference signal from the first radio frequency identification antenna to a signal analyzer, the second reference signal being based on the first reference signal; and

selectively positioning at least one of the first radio frequency identification antenna, the second radio frequency antenna, or an object based on an indicator of the second reference signal produced by the signal analyzer, the second reference signal being based on at least one of a spatial location or an orientation of the first radio frequency identification antenna, the object, or the second radio frequency identification antenna.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the indicator is produced at a first time, the method further comprising:

replacing at a second time the first reference signal with a third reference signal based on the indicator, the second time being after the first time.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the indicator is produced at a first time,

the method further comprising:

replacing at a second time at least one of the first radio frequency identification antenna or the second radio frequency identification antenna with a third radio frequency identification antenna based on the indicator, the second time being after the first time.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

recording the indicator and at least one spatial coordinate of the first radio frequency identification antenna.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the selectively positioning is based on a user-defined criteria.