RFID ANTENNA SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090108996A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: DAY, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• 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 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• 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 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

The present invention provides an RFID device having a substrate body, and an IC component and antenna disposed thereon. The RFID device may further include one or more spacing elements, wherein at least a portion of the substrate body is adapted to be disposed around at least a portion the spacing element, thus reducing the overall size of the substrate body with proper impedance matching. The RFID device may further include an EAS element coupled to the substrate body and/or the spacing element in order to create a combination RFID/EAS device with the ability to reduce its overall footprint without sacrificing the ability to provide both identification and article surveillance functions.

Claims

1. An RFID device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate body;

an antenna disposed on the substrate body; and

a first spacing element, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is wrapped around a portion of the spacing element.

2. The RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna includes an electrically conductive material patterned on a surface of the substrate body.

3. The RFID device according to claim 2, wherein the pattern includes at least one of a plurality of polygons and a meanderline.

4. The RFID device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of polygons has a substantially rectangular shape.

5. The RFID device according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of polygons is non-continuous to thereby provide a single electrically conductive path.

6. The RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the first spacing element is substantially non-electrically conductive.

7. The RFID device according to claim 1, further comprising an EAS element coupled to at least one of the substrate body and the first spacing element.

8. The RFID device according to claim 1, further comprising a second spacing element, and wherein the EAS element is disposed between the first and second spacing elements.

9. The RFID device according to claim 7, wherein the EAS element is an acousto-magentic device.

10. The RFID device according to claim 7, wherein the EAS element is a microwave device.

11. The RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is constructed from a material including at least one of polyimide, polyester, fiberglass, ceramic, plastic, and paper.

12. The RFID device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is constructed from a material including at least one of copper, aluminum and conductive ink.

13. An RFID/EAS device, comprising:

a dielectric substrate body;

an antenna disposed on the substrate body;

a first spacing element,

a second spacing element; and

an EAS element disposed between the first and second spacing elements, at least a portion of the substrate body surrounding a portion of both the first and second spacing elements.

14. The RFID/EAS device according to claim 13, wherein the antenna includes an electrically conductive material pattern on a surface of the substrate body.

15. The RFID/EAS device according to claim 14, wherein the pattern includes at least one of a plurality of polygons and a meanderline.

16. The RFID/EAS device according to claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of polygons has a substantially rectangular shape.

17. The RFID/EAS device according to claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of polygons is non-continuous to thereby provide a single electrically conductive path.

18. The RFID/EAS device according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is in contact with at least one of the first and second spacing elements.

19. The RFID/EAS device according to claim 13, further comprising an RFID integrated circuit disposed on the substrate body, wherein the antenna includes a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion, both the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion being in electrical communication with the RFID integrated circuit and with each other in the form of a current loop.

20. A method of assembling an RFID/EAS device, comprising the steps of:

providing an RFID device including a dielectric substrate body and an antenna disposed on the substrate body;

positioning an EAS element between a first spacing element and a second spacing element; and

wrapping at least a portion of the RFID device around at least a portion of the first and second spacing elements.