RFID MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20100328037A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avonwood Developments Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Avonwood Developments Ltd.
• Inventors: Rudland, Peter, Thomas, Robert Victor
• Granted Patent: US 8,502,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) monitoring system (12) for monitoring a plurality of RFID tags, and in particular for monitoring a plurality of vials incorporating such tags and stored at a low temperature, (eg. −80° C.) within a storage unit (10), for example a freezer. The RFID system (12) comprises an RFID reader (28) and at least one antenna (34a-34i) for transmitting and receiving RF signals to communicate with the RFID tags. The system (12) further includes an electronic switch (38), preferably a FET switch, interposed between the RFID reader and the at least one antenna (34a-34i) to connect a particular antenna (34a-34i) to the RFID reader (28) and transmit RF signals from the antenna (34a-34i) to the RFID tags. The switch (38) is controlled to intermittently connect the antenna (34a-34i) to the RFID reader (28) to regulate the power of the RF signal transmitted from the antenna (34a-34i). The system enables an RFID tag to operate at low temperatures. Preferably the switch (38) and antenna (34a-34i) are integrated together, and in particular integrated into a shelf (22) of the storage unit (10).

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of RFID tags, the system comprising:

an RFID reader;

at least one antenna for transmitting and receiving RF signals to communicate with the RFID tags; and

an electronic switch is interposed between the RFID reader and the at least one antenna and is controlled to connect the antenna to the RFID reader and transmit RF signals from the antenna to the RFID tags, wherein the switch is controlled to intermittently connect the antenna to the RF reader to regulate the power of the RF signal transmitted from the antenna.

2. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the switch is controlled to intermittently connect the antenna to the RF reader by a control signal from the RF reader.

3. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of antennas each antenna of which is connected to the RF reader by a respective electronic switch which is selectively operable to connect each antenna to the RF reader.

4. The RFID monitoring system of claim 3 wherein the electronic switches are operable to connect only one antenna to the RF reader at a time.

5. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the electronic switch is configured to selectively disconnect the antenna.

6. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the electronic switch comprises a field effect transistor.

7. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the electronic switch is connected to and with each one of the at least one antennas.

8. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the electronic switch is integrated with an antenna assembly including the at least one antenna.

9. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the system is capable of operating at a temperature of less than −

40°

C.

10. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the system is capable of operating at a temperature of between −

40°

C. and −

156°

C.

11. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the system is capable of operating at a temperature of −

80°

C.

12. The RFID monitoring system of claim 1 for monitoring a plurality of storage vials each incorporating an integrated RFID tag.

21. The storage unit of claim 12 wherein the storage unit comprises a freezer unit.

13. A storage unit for storing a plurality of articles each contacting a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, said storage unit comprising:

an RFID reader;

at least one antenna for transmitting and receiving RF signals to communicate with the RFID tags; and

an electronic switch is interposed between the RFID reader and the at least one antenna and is controlled to connect the antenna to the RFID reader and transmit RF signals from the antenna to the RFID tags, wherein the switch is controlled to intermittently connect the antenna to the RF reader to regulate the power of the RF signal transmitted from the antenna.

14. The storage unit of claim 13 wherein each one of the at least one antennas are located within the storage unit to operate over a discrete localised region of the storage unit.

15. The storage unit of claim 14 further comprising at least one metallic plate disposed adjacent to one of the at least one antennas to shield the one of the at least one antennas from a remaining region of the storage unit.

16. The storage unit of claim 13, comprising at least one shelf.

17. The storage unit of claim 16 wherein the at least one antenna is mounted to the shelf.

18. The storage unit of claim 16 wherein the at least one antenna is integrated into the shelf.

19. The storage unit of claim 18 wherein a plurality of antenna are integrated into the shelf to define respective localized operative regions of the shelf.

20. The storage unit of claim 18 wherein the electronic switch is integrated with the shelf and antenna.

22. A shelf for use in a storage unit, said shelf comprising:

an RFID reader;

at least one antenna for transmitting and receiving RF signals to communicate with the RFID tags;

an electronic switch is interposed between the RFID reader and the at least one antenna and is controlled to connect the antenna to the RFID reader and transmit RF signals from the antenna to the RFID tags, wherein the switch is controlled to intermittently connect the antenna to the RF reader to regulate the power of the RF signal transmitted from the antenna; and

a shelf body upon which the articles may be located with the at least one antenna of the RFID monitoring system integrated into the shelf body.

23. The shelf of claim 22 further comprising at least one metallic plate disposed adjacent to one of the at least one antennas to shield the one of the at least one antennas from a remaining region of the shelf.

24. The shelf of claim 22 comprising a plurality of antennas integrated into respective discrete operative regions of the shelf.

25. A method of monitoring a plurality of RFID tags using an RFID reader and at least one antenna connected to the RFID reader by an electronic switch, the method comprising operating the RFID reader to generate an RF signal for communicating with the RFID tags, and operating the switch to connect the antenna to the RFID reader and transmit RF signals from the antenna to the RFID tags, wherein the switch is operated to intermittently connect the antenna to the RF reader to regulate the power of the RF signal transmitted from the antenna.