RESONANT-CIRCUIT STRUCTURE

• US 20100201495A1
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avid Identification Systems, Inc. (Avid Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avid Identification Systems, Inc. (Avid Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: LU, GUI-YANG, Troesch, Peter, Cruz, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

The invention is a resonant-circuit structure for enhancing the interrogation range of a radio-frequency identification system. The resonant circuit structure consists of a coil assembly and a capacitor connected in parallel with a resonance frequency equal to the frequency of the interrogating signal of the radio-frequency identification system with which the resonant circuit structure is to operate. The coil assembly and the capacitor are embedded in a structure which provides physical support for the coil assembly and the capacitor and access to a region near the coil assembly.

Claims

1. A resonant-circuit structure for enhancing the interrogation range of a radio-frequency identification system, the resonant circuit structure comprising a coil assembly and a capacitor connected in parallel with a resonance frequency equal to the frequency of the interrogating signal of the radio-frequency identification system with which the resonant circuit structure is to operate, the coil assembly and the capacitor being embedded in a structure which provides physical support for the coil assembly and the capacitor and access to a tag associated with an object to be interrogated.

2. The resonant-circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the structure in which the coil assembly and the capacitor are embedded functions as a pet carrier.

3. The resonant-circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the structure in which the coil assembly and the capacitor are embedded functions as a means by which a user can hold and position the resonant circuit with one hand near the object to be interrogated.

4. The resonant-circuit structure of claim 1 functioning as a security device while the resonant-circuit structure and an object subject to interrogation are being maintained in proximity of one another, tampering with the object or with the means of housing or transporting the object in one or more particular ways resulting in disabling the resonant circuit.

5. The resonant-circuit structure of claim 4 wherein tampering with a shipping container in which an object and an associated resonant-circuit structure are being transported results in the disablement of the resonant circuit.