TRANSPONDER SYSTEMS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A transponder system, comprising:
- at least one transponder apparatus, said at least one transponder apparatus including a substrate, one or more leads provided on said substrate, and a chip having one or more contacts provided on said substrate, each of said one or more leads being operatively coupled to a respective one of said one or more contacts, said transponder apparatus not having an antenna; and
a reader device having a touch probe having one or more probe contacts, said reader device being structured to generate one or more RF signals, said one or more probe contacts receiving said one or more RF signals;
wherein one or more of said one or more probe contacts are structured to be temporarily mated with and brought into electrical contact with one or more of said one or more leads of said at least one transponder apparatus to allow at least one of said one or more RF signals to be communicated to said at least one transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from said transponder apparatus to said reader device.
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Abstract
A transponder system that includes at least one transponder apparatus that does not have an antenna and a reader device having a touch probe having one or more probe contacts for enabling the reader device to communicate with the transponder apparatus through a temporary physical interface. Also, a method of communicating with a printed circuit board or an item including a printed circuit board using a reader device wherein a transponder apparatus or a transponder chip is provided on the printed circuit board and wherein conductors from independent circuits of the printed circuit board are used to form an antenna for the transponder apparatus or transponder chip.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A transponder system, comprising:
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at least one transponder apparatus, said at least one transponder apparatus including a substrate, one or more leads provided on said substrate, and a chip having one or more contacts provided on said substrate, each of said one or more leads being operatively coupled to a respective one of said one or more contacts, said transponder apparatus not having an antenna; and a reader device having a touch probe having one or more probe contacts, said reader device being structured to generate one or more RF signals, said one or more probe contacts receiving said one or more RF signals; wherein one or more of said one or more probe contacts are structured to be temporarily mated with and brought into electrical contact with one or more of said one or more leads of said at least one transponder apparatus to allow at least one of said one or more RF signals to be communicated to said at least one transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from said transponder apparatus to said reader device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An RF reader device, comprising:
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a control system; a radio module adapted to generate one or more RF signals under the control of said control system; and a touch probe having one or more probe contacts operatively coupled to said radio module, said one or more probe contacts being structured to receive said one or more RF signals; wherein one or more of said one or more probe contacts are adapted to be temporarily mated with and brought into electrical contact with one or more leads of a transponder apparatus to allow at least one of said one or more RF signals to be communicated to said transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from said transponder apparatus to said RF reader device. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method of communicating with a transponder apparatus, comprising:
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providing a reader device having a touch probe having one or more probe contacts; generating one or more RF signals in said reader device and providing said one or more RF signals to said one or more probe contacts; and bringing one or more leads of said transponder apparatus into electrical contact with said one or more probe contacts to allow at least one of said one or more RF signals to be communicated to said transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from said transponder apparatus to said reader device.
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10. A method of communicating information to and from a printed circuit board or an item including a printed circuit board, said printed circuit board having a plurality of conductors provided on a printed circuit board substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a transponder apparatus on said printed circuit board, said transponder apparatus including a transponder substrate, a first lead and a second lead provided on said transponder substrate, and a chip having a plurality of contacts provided on said transponder substrate, said first lead being operatively coupled to a first one of said contacts and said second lead being operatively coupled to a second one of said contacts, said transponder apparatus not having an antenna forming a part thereof; operatively coupling said first lead to a first one of said conductors and said second lead to a second one of said conductors, said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors each being from independent circuits provided on said printed circuit board, wherein said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors function as an antenna for said transponder apparatus; transmitting one or more first RF signals from a reader device to said transponder apparatus over an air interface through said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors functioning as an antenna; and transmitting one or more second RF signals from said transponder apparatus to said reader device over said air interface through said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors functioning as an antenna. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20)
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16. A method of communicating information to and from a printed circuit board or an item including a printed circuit board, said printed circuit board having a plurality of conductors provided on a printed circuit board substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a transponder chip on said printed circuit board, said transponder chip having a plurality of contacts, said transponder chip not having an antenna forming a part thereof; operatively coupling at least a first one of said contacts to a first one of said conductors and at least a second one of said contacts to a second one of said conductors, said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors each being from independent circuits provided on said printed circuit board, wherein said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors function as an antenna for said transponder chip; transmitting one or more first RF signals from a reader device to said transponder chip over an air interface through said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors functioning as an antenna; and transmitting one or more second RF signals from said transponder chip to said reader device over said air interface through said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors functioning as an antenna. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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a printed circuit board having a plurality of conductors provided on a printed circuit board substrate; a transponder chip provided on said printed circuit board, said transponder chip having a plurality of contacts, said transponder chip not having an antenna forming a part thereof, wherein at least a first one of said contacts is operatively coupled to a first one of said conductors and at least a second one of said contacts is operatively coupled to a second one of said conductors, said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors each being from independent circuits provided on said printed circuit board, and wherein said first one of said conductors and said second one of said conductors function as an antenna for said transponder chip. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification