EAS AND UHF COMBINATION TAG

• US 20080150719A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cote, Andre, Mingle, Jack, Piccoli, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,026,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole

Abstract

A combination EAS and UHF security tag that adds the ability to add item level UHF functionality to a retail tag and maintain the integrity of the EAS systems installed in the business and whereby the EAS and UHF security elements are substantially formed from a common conductive layer. This combination tag also includes the ability to change a tag from a “far-field read” tag to a “near-field read” tag.

Claims

1. A security tag comprising an electronic article surveillance (EAS) element and an ultrahigh frequency (UHF) element including a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit, said UHF element being positioned adjacent said EAS element wherein said UHF element substantially surrounds said EAS element.

2. The security tag of claim 1 wherein said UHF element comprises two dipole antenna elements, said dipole antenna elements being positioned to be substantially contiguous around said EAS element.

3. The security tag of claim 2 wherein said EAS element comprises a coil and a capacitor configuration.

4. The security tag of claim 2 wherein said EAS element comprises a rectangular shape and wherein said dipole elements are configured to correspond to said rectangular shape.

5. A security tag comprising an electronic article surveillance (EAS) element and an ultrahigh frequency (UHF) element having portions that are formed from a common conductive layer.

6. The security tag of claim 5 wherein said EAS element comprises a coil and a capacitor circuit having dipole antenna elements integrated with said coil portion and wherein said UHF element comprises a loop antenna including a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit, said UHF element being positioned closely adjacent said coil.

7. The security tag of claim 6 wherein said dipole antenna elements comprise end portions that face each other and, along with said coil, define an area in which said UHF element is positioned closely adjacent said coil.

8. The security tag of claim 5 wherein said UHF element is connected to said coil.

9. The security tag of claim 5 wherein said EAS element comprises a coil and a capacitor circuit having dipole antenna elements connected to said coil portion via a deactivation element and wherein said UHF element comprises a loop antenna including a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit, said UHF element being connected to said coil.

10. The security tag of claim 9 wherein said deactivation element is a fuse.

11. A method of producing a security tag comprising an electronic article surveillance (EAS) element and an ultrahigh frequency (UHF) element including an RFID integrated circuit, said method comprising:

providing a substrate;

applying an adhesive to said substrate in a pattern corresponding to the EAS element and to the UHF element;

applying a conductive layer to said adhesive;

cutting said conductive layer to form a portion of said EAS element and a portion of said UHF element;

applying an RFID chip strap to said UHF element and a capacitor strap or a capacitor plate to said EAS element; and

electrically coupling said RFID chip strap to said UHF element and said capacitor strap or said capacitor plate to said EAS element.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said portion of said EAS element comprises a coil to which said capacitor strap is electrically coupled.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said portion of said UHF element comprises dipole elements that are electrically coupled to said RFID chip strap.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said portion of said EAS element comprises a coil having integrated dipole elements, said capacitor plate being electrically coupled to said coil.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said portion of said UHF element comprises a loop having a pair of open ends, said ends being electrically coupled to said RFID chip strap.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of applying an adhesive to said substrate in a pattern corresponding to the EAS element and to the UHF element comprises applying said adhesive such that said UHF element is closely adjacent said EAS element.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of applying an adhesive to said substrate in a pattern corresponding to the EAS element and to the UHF element comprises applying said adhesive in the form of open ended extensions to form said integrated dipole elements.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said coil and said open ended extensions define an area in which said UHF element is positioned.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of applying an adhesive to said substrate in a pattern corresponding to the EAS element and to the UHF element comprises applying said adhesive in the form of a coil and in the form of a band that substantially surrounds said adhesive in the form of said coil.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of applying an adhesive to said substrate in a pattern corresponding to the EAS element and to the UHF element comprises applying said adhesive such that said UHF element is connected to said EAS element.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of cutting said conductive layer to form a portion of said EAS elements comprises including a deactivation element in said EAS element.

22. The method claim 21 wherein said EAS element comprises a coil and wherein said deactivation element is a fuse.