RFID DEVICES AND METHODS FOR OVERLAPPED OBJECTS

• US 20090201157A1
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• 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 19/07796 arrangements on the record carrier to allow stacking of a plurality of similar record carriers, e.g. to avoid interference between the non-contact communication of the plurality of record carriers

Abstract

Readability of overlapping radio frequency identification (RFID) devices on overlapping objects, such as RFID labels on stacked garments, is improved by having different antenna configurations for the overlapped RFID devices. Each pair of closest overlapped RFID devices may have different respective antenna configurations. The different respective antenna configurations may be mirror images of one another, or may have the same shape, with a relative rotation between the two. The different antenna configurations may substantially fill an antenna-receiving portion that is located in the same relative location in each of the RFID devices, with the antenna-receiving portion covering most of an area of the RFID devices. Feedpoints of the different antenna configurations, for receiving a strap or interposer for coupling to the antenna configurations, may be in the same relative location.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a plurality of objects, wherein the method comprises:

placing respective radio frequency identification (RFID) devices on the objects; and

aligning the objects in an overlapping configuration;

wherein the aligning causes the RFID devices to overlap each other; and

wherein adjacent of the overlapped RFID devices have different antenna configurations from one another.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the aligning includes stacking the objects one on another.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing includes placing the RFID devices at the same relative location on all of the objects.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the RFID devices have the same relative antenna location for their respective antenna configurations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the antenna configurations have the same relative feedpoint location for feedpoints for coupling interposers of the RFID devices to the antenna configurations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the different antenna configurations are substantially mirror images of one another.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the different antenna configurations is a rotated version of another of the different antenna configurations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the different antenna configurations is neither a rotated version nor a mirror image version of the another of the different antenna configurations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing includes taking the RFID devices from a web or sheet of RFID devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjacent of the RFID devices on the web or sheet have the different antenna configurations.

11. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device web or sheet comprises:

multiple RFID devices;

wherein each of the RFID devices has an antenna-receiving position at the same relative location; and

wherein adjacent of the RFID devices include different antenna configurations that each substantially fill the antenna-receiving positions.

12. The web or sheet of claim 11, wherein all of the antenna configurations have the same relative feedpoint location for feedpoints for coupling interposers of the RFID devices to the antenna configurations.

13. The web or sheet of claim 11, wherein the different antenna configurations are substantially mirror images of one another.

14. The web or sheet of claim 11, wherein one of the different antenna configurations is a rotated version of another of the different antenna configurations.

15. The web or sheet of claim 11, wherein one of the different antenna configurations is neither a rotated version nor a mirror image version of the another of the different antenna configurations.

16. The web or sheet of claim 11,

wherein the RFID devices include respective chips coupled to the respective antenna configurations;

wherein each of the antenna configurations includes multiple antenna end portions coupled to respective inputs of the chips; and

wherein the different end portions differ from one another in configuration of at least one of the end portions.

17. A grouping of objects comprising:

multiple of the objects that overlap one another;

wherein the objects have respective radio frequency identification (RFID) devices mechanically coupled to them;

wherein the RFID devices overlap one another; and

wherein at least some of the RFID devices have different antenna configurations than other of the RFID devices.

18. The grouping of claim 17, wherein the objects are stacked, being substantially aligned in their overlapping.

19. The grouping of claim 18, wherein the RFID devices are stacked, being substantially aligned in their overlapping.

20. The grouping of claim 17, wherein all of the antenna configurations have the same relative feedpoint location for feedpoints for coupling interposers of the RFID devices to the antenna configurations.