CAPACITIVE COUPLING OF AN RFID TAG WITH A TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE ACTING AS A READER

• US 20130271265A1
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmaTech Group Limited (Paragon Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Féinics AmaTech Teoranta (Paragon Group Limited)
• Inventors: Finn, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/146 in combination with capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

Capacitive coupling of an RFID tag with a touch screen device acting as an RFID reader, and methods to produce a capacitive coupling tag. A capacitive coupling tag, which communicates at near field distance with a host computing device by using the touch screen display of the host when the tag is placed on the touch screen or held in contact in close proximity to the touch screen by a person acting as a ground electrode and thereby causing a difference in electrical potential. A capacitive coupling tag which operates with or without a chip.

Claims

1. An RFID tag comprising:

an inductive coupling antenna combined with a capacitive coupling antenna energizing a single RFID integrated circuit when in an electrostatic field or electromagnetic field generated by a touch screen device or an RFID reader.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the antennas are connected in series or parallel to the integrated circuit and the connections thereto comprise a two- or three-point connection.

3. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein end portions of an inductive wire antenna are un-insulated, and the connections to an interposer or antenna substrate comprises a low resistance connection, enhancing the electrical performance.

4. A method of operating an RFID tag comprising:

capacitively coupling the RFID tag with a touch screen device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein capacitively coupling comprises:

laying the RFID tag very near to or against a touch screen of the device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

exchanging information between the RFID tag and the device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the touch screen device comprises a mobile device.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing photovoltaic elements on the tag for interacting with the device via light.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing touch electrodes on the tag.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing a see-through area on the tag so that a user can view a touch screen of the device when the tag is otherwise obscuring the screen.

10. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing shielding on some of the electrodes which may be scratched off.