Optical fiber connector assembly with wire-based RFID antenna
First Claim
1. An optical fiber connector assembly that provides radio-frequency antenna capability for at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:
- a fiber optic cable having an end, a length and an outer surface, and at least one optical fiber;
an optical fiber connector operably connected to the fiber optic cable end; and
at least one wire either electrically connected to the at least one RFID tag or configured to electrically connect to the at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one wire runs along a portion of the fiber optic cable length so as to serve as at least a portion of an RFID antenna for the at least one RFID tag.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical fiber connector assembly (10) that provides improved radio-frequency (RF) antenna capability for a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag (200). The assembly includes a connectorized fiber optic cable (150) having a connector (11). The assembly also includes a wire (246) that either is connected to the RFID tag or is configured to electrically connect to the RFID tag. The wire runs alongside a portion of the fiber optic cable length and is loosely held thereto. The wire serves as at least a portion of an RFID antenna (220) for the RFID tag. The RFID tag may be supported by the connector or may be supported by a connector adapter that is configured to operably engage the connector. The optical fiber connector assembly allows for improved RF antenna capability that provides improved RF communication with an RF reader (400), particularly in RFID applications where existing RFID tag antennas are inadequate. The wire can also serve as substantially the entire RFID antenna, thereby obviating the need to include an RFID antenna as part of the RFID tag.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical fiber connector assembly that provides radio-frequency antenna capability for at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:
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a fiber optic cable having an end, a length and an outer surface, and at least one optical fiber; an optical fiber connector operably connected to the fiber optic cable end; and at least one wire either electrically connected to the at least one RFID tag or configured to electrically connect to the at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one wire runs along a portion of the fiber optic cable length so as to serve as at least a portion of an RFID antenna for the at least one RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical fiber connector assembly that provides radio-frequency antenna capability for at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:
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a fiber optic cable having an end, a length and an outer surface; an optical fiber connector operably connected to the fiber optic cable end; a connector adapter configured to operably engage the optical fiber connector and that includes the at least one RFID tag; and at least one wire that runs along a portion of the fiber optic cable length and that is configured to electrically connect to the at least one RFID tag when the connector and connector adapter are operably engaged so as to serve as at least a portion of an RFID antenna for the at least one RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of providing radio-frequency antenna capability for at least one radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having an integrated circuit chip, comprising:
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providing a connectorized fiber optic cable having a length and a connector; disposing at least one wire to run from the connector and along an outside portion of the fiber optic cable length; electrically connecting the at least on wire to the integrated circuit chip of the RFID tag so as to serve as at least a portion of an RFID antenna for the at least one RFID tag. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification