Antenna interfaces for mobile RFID readers

• US 20080100451A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Wulff, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,696,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for communicating with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags using an RFID reader are provided. A first communication signal configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag is generated. The first communication signal is transmitted from a first antenna of the reader. The reader is docked with a docking station, the docking station including a contact member coupled to at least one additional antenna, enabling the reader to couple a second communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, comprising:

a first antenna;

an antenna interface coupled to the first antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna interface, wherein the transceiver is configured to generate a communication signal to communicate with at least one RFID tag;

a docking interface coupled to the antenna interface, wherein the docking interface is configured to detachably interface the reader with a docking station, the docking station including a contact member coupled to at least one additional antenna; and

a housing that contains the transceiver, the antenna interface, and the docking interface, wherein the docking interface is accessible at an external surface of the housing;

wherein the antenna interface is configured to couple the communication signal to the first antenna when the reader is detached from the docking station, to enable the first antenna to transmit the communication signal; and

wherein the antenna interface is configured to couple the communication signal to the contact member when the docking interface is interfaced with the docking station, to enable the at least one additional antenna to transmit the communication signal.

2. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a switch that is configured to cause the antenna interface to couple the communication signal to the first antenna when the reader is detached from the docking station, and to couple the communication signal to the contact member when the docking interface is interfaced with the docking station.

3. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the switch is a push-to-make or push-to-break switch.

4. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be handheld.

5. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is mounted externally to the housing.

6. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is mounted internally to the housing.

7. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the docking interface includes a first coaxial cable connector, wherein the contact member includes a second coaxial cable member, wherein the first coaxial cable connector and second coaxial cable connector are connected when the docking interface is interfaced with the docking station.

8. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the antenna interface is configured to couple a response signal received by the first antenna to the transceiver when the reader is detached from the docking station;

and

wherein the antenna interface is configured to couple to the transceiver a response signal received by the at least one additional antenna and coupled to the contact member when the docking interface is interfaced with the docking station.

9. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the docking station is mounted to an immobile object.

10. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the docking station is mounted to a mobile object.

11. The RFID reader of claim 10, wherein the mobile object is a forklift.

12. The RFID reader of claim 10, wherein the mobile object is a truck.

13. The RFID reader of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication module configured to communicate with a second reader.

14. An antenna system, comprising:

at least one antenna;

an electrical signal link coupled to the at least one antenna; and

a docking station configured to detachably interface with a handheld reader, the docking station including a first contact member coupled to the electrical signal link;

wherein the docking station is configured to couple the first contact member to a second contact member of the handheld reader when the docking station is interfaced with the handheld reader.

15. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the docking station is configured to couple the first contact member to the second contact member when the docking station is interfaced with the handheld reader to enable the handheld reader to conduct a communication signal to the at least one antenna to be transmitted by the at least one antenna.

16. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the docking station is configured to couple the first contact member to the second contact member when the docking station is interfaced with the handheld reader to enable a response signal received by the at least one antenna to be coupled to the handheld reader.

17. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas, wherein the electrical signal link couples the plurality of antennas in a series topology.

18. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas, wherein the electrical signal link couples the plurality of antennas in a ring topology.

19. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the at least one antenna comprises a plurality of antennas, wherein the electrical signal link couples the plurality of antennas in a star topology.

20. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the electrical signal link comprises a coaxial cable.

21. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the docking station and at least one antenna are mounted to at least one immobile object.

22. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the docking station and at least one antenna are mounted to a mobile object.

23. The antenna system of claim 22, wherein the mobile object is a forklift.

24. The antenna system of claim 22, wherein the mobile object is a truck.

25. A method for communicating with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags using an RFID reader, comprising:

generating a first communication signal configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag;

transmitting the first communication signal from a first antenna of the reader; and

docking the reader with a docking station, the docking station including a contact member coupled to at least one additional antenna;

said docking the reader with the docking station enabling the reader to couple a second communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said docking the reader with the docking station disables the reader from transmitting the second communication signal from the first antenna.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

generating the second communication signal, wherein the second communication signal is configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag;

coupling the second communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna; and

transmitting the second communication signal from the at least one additional antenna.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

undocking the reader from the docking station, said undocking the reader from the docking station enabling the reader to transmit a third communication signal from the first antenna.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said undocking the reader from the docking station disables the reader from coupling the third communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna.

30. A method for communicating with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags using an RFID reader, said reader including a first antenna, comprising:

docking the reader with a docking station, the docking station including a contact member coupled to at least one additional antenna;

said docking the reader with the docking station enabling the reader to couple a communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said docking the reader with the docking station disables the reader from transmitting the communication signal from the first antenna.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

generating the communication signal, wherein the communication signal is configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag;

coupling the communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna; and

transmitting the communication signal from the at least one additional antenna.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

undocking the reader from the docking station, said undocking the reader from the docking station enabling the reader to transmit a second communication signal from the first antenna.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said undocking the reader from the docking station disables the reader from coupling the second communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna.

35. A system for communicating with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, comprising:

means for generating a first communication signal configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag;

means for transmitting the first communication signal from a reader;

means for docking the reader with a docking station; and

means for enabling the reader to couple a second communication signal to at least one additional antenna through the docking station.