COMBINATION EAS AND RFID LABEL OR TAG USING A HYBRID RFID ANTENNA

• US 20080088460A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: COPELAND, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0726 the arrangement including a circuit for tuning the resonance frequency of an antenna on the record carrier
• 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: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• 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 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

A security tag includes an EAS component having a defined surface area, and an RFID component having a defined surface area. The EAS component surface area is configured to at least partially overlap the RFID component surface area. The RFID component includes an antenna which at least partially overlaps the first surface. A substantially planar spacer having a thickness is at least partially disposed between the defined surface areas of the EAS and RFID components. The RFID element read range is affected and controlled by the spacing between the RFID element and the EAS element. The RFID reader is capable of activating the RFID component when the RFID component is within the read range. The antenna includes a magnetic loop antenna in electrical contact with a spiral antenna to increase near field read response.

Claims

1. A security tag comprising:

an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component having a first defined surface area; and

a radiofrequency (RFID) component having a second defined surface area, the RFID component including a hybrid antenna inlay comprising;

an inward spiral antenna;

a magnetic loop antenna in electrical contact with the spiral antenna; and

an integrated circuit in electrical contact with the magnetic loop antenna.

2. A security tag of claim 1, further comprising a substantially planar spacer at least partially disposed between the first defined surface area of the EAS component and the second defined surface area of the RFID component.

3. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC having a complex impedance.

4. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the spiral antenna has a first section and a second section, wherein the magnetic loop antenna is positioned between the first section and the second section of the spiral antenna.

5. The security tag of claim 4, wherein the first section of the spiral antenna has a third defined area, the second section of the spiral antenna has a fourth defined area, and the magnetic loop antenna has a fifth defined area, the third defined area of the first section of the spiral antenna, the fourth defined area of the second section of the spiral antenna and the fifth defined area of the magnetic loop antenna being substantially equal.

6. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID component is activatable when the RFID component is within a read range.

7. The security tag of claim 4, wherein currents in the first and the second sections of the spiral antenna flow in a same direction.

8. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the magnetic loop antenna is a near field magnetic H field antenna.

9. An RFID antenna inlay for use with a combination EAS/RFID security tag, the antenna inlay comprising:

an inward spiral antenna having a first section and a second section;

a magnetic loop antenna in electrical contact with the spiral antenna and being positioned between the first section of the spiral antenna and the second section of the spiral antenna; and

an integrated circuit in electrical contact with the magnetic loop antenna.

10. The RFID antenna inlay of claim 9, wherein the integrated circuit is an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC having a complex impedance.

11. The RFID antenna inlay of claim 9, wherein the first section of the spiral antenna has a first defined area, the second section of the spiral antenna has a second defined area, and the magnetic loop antenna has a third defined area, the first defined area of the first section of the spiral antenna, the second defined area of the second section of the spiral antenna and the third defined area of the magnetic loop antenna being substantially equal.

12. The RFID antenna inlay of claim 9, wherein currents in the first and the second sections of the spiral antenna flow in a same direction.

13. The RFID antenna inlay of claim 9, wherein the magnetic loop antenna is a near field magnetic H field antenna.

14. A method for providing an enhanced read response for a security tag, the method comprising:

providing an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component having a first defined surface area;

positioning a radiofrequency (RFID) component having a second defined surface area to at least partially overlap the EAS component;

the RFID component including a hybrid antenna inlay, the antenna inlay comprising;

an inward spiral antenna;

a magnetic loop antenna in electrical contact with the spiral antenna; and

an integrated circuit in electrical contact with the magnetic loop antenna.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID component is activatable when the RFID component is within a read range.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the spiral antenna has a first section and a second section, the method further comprising positioning the magnetic loop antenna between the first section and the second section of the spiral antenna.

17. The method of claim 16, the first section of the spiral antenna has a third defined area, the second section of the spiral antenna has a fourth defined area, and the magnetic loop antenna has a fifth defined area, the third defined area of the first section of the spiral antenna, the fourth defined area of the second section of the spiral antenna and the fifth defined area of the magnetic loop antenna are substantially equal.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein current in the first and the second sections of the spiral antenna flow in the same direction.

19. The method of claim 14, the magnetic loop antenna being a near field magnetic H field antenna.