RFID READING APPARATUS

• US 20120019364A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Original Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Inventors: REICHENBACH, Jürgen, GÜNTHER, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US13/188,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20120019364A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10435 the interrogation device being positioned close to a conveyor belt or the like on which moving record carriers are passing conveying in accordance with bodily destination marks, see B65G47/46, sorting of objects carrying identity markings, see B07C5/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

An RFID reading apparatus (10) is provided for stationary mounting at a reading zone (18) of a conveyor (12) or of a reading portal (40) for reading out at least one RFID transponder (22) moved on the conveyor (12) or through the reading portal (40), having a receiver (32) and a plurality of antennas (24, 26) connected to the receiver (32) for receiving RFID signals from the RFID transponder (22) as well as having an evaluation unit (36) for reading out RFID information from the received RFID signals, wherein the RFID reading apparatus (10) includes a first housing (28) in which the receiver (32) and the evaluation unit (36) are accommodated. In this respect, one of the antennas is an internal antenna (24) which is mechanically fastened to the first housing (28) and another of the antennas (28) is an external antenna.

Claims

1. An RFID reading apparatus (10) for stationary mounting at a reading zone (18) of a conveyor (12) or of a reading portal (40) for reading out at least one RFID transponder (22) moved on the conveyor (12) or through the reading portal (40), having a receiver (32) and a plurality of antennas (24, 26) connected to the receiver (32) for receiving RFID signals from the RFID transponder (22) as well as having an evaluation unit (36) for reading out RFID information from the received RFID signals, wherein the RFID reading apparatus (10) includes a first housing (28) in which the receiver (32) and the evaluation unit (36) are accommodated, wherein one of the antennas is an internal antenna (24) which is mechanically fastened to the first housing (28);

and wherein another of the antennas (28) is an external antenna.

2. An RFID reading apparatus (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the internal antenna (24) is integrated into the first housing (28).

3. An RFID reading apparatus (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the internal antenna (24) is a patch antenna.

4. An RFID reading apparatus (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the internal antenna (24) and the external antenna (26) are of the same construction as one another.

5. An RFID reading apparatus (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the external antenna (26) is integrated into a second housing which is of the same construction as the first housing (28).

6. An RFID reading apparatus (10) in accordance with claim 1, which has a transmitter (30) which is connected to the antennas (24, 26) to transmit a carrier signal and/or an RFID signal.

7. An RFID reading apparatus (10) in accordance with claim 1, which has a multiplex unit (34) to connect the receiver (32) and/or the transmitter (30) selectively to one of the antennas (24, 26).

8. A reading tunnel (40) having at least one RFID reading apparatus (10) mounted at the reading tunnel (40), said RFID reading apparatus being designed for stationary mounting at a reading zone (18) of a conveyor (12) or of a reading portal (40) for reading out at least one RFID transponder (22) moved on the conveyor (12) or through the reading portal (40), having a receiver (32) and a plurality of antennas (24, 26) connected to the receiver (32) for receiving RFID signals from the RFID transponder (22) as well as having an evaluation unit (36) for reading out RFID information from the received RFID signals, wherein the RFID reading apparatus (10) includes a first housing (28) in which the receiver (32) and the evaluation unit (36) are accommodated, wherein one of the antennas is an internal antenna (24) which is mechanically fastened to the first housing (28);

and wherein another of the antennas (28) is an external antenna, wherein an electromagnetic shielding unit (20) protects the reading zone (18) from electromagnetic interference radiation.

9. A reading tunnel (40) in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first housing (28) is mounted on the one side and an external antenna (26) is mounted on an opposite side of the reading tunnel (40).