Reader system for waste bin pickup vehicles

• US 5,565,846 A
• Filed: 09/26/1994
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Indala Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Eberhardt, Noel H., Geiszler, Theodore D., Walker, Russel E., Radding, Herbert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/312,199
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/551, 340/825.34, 340/825.3, 177/139, 177/145
• US Class Current: 340/572.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/023 Gripper arms for embracing the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/124 Counting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

A reader for radio frequency identification tags having at least one magnetic field transmitting and receiving coil which is oriented in a given plane and which is responsive to a received magnetic exciter field of a first frequency to produce and radiate an identifying magnetic field comprised of a carrier at a second different frequency modulated by an identifying code. The reader comprises a first circuit for producing a radio frequency signal of the first frequency; a first magnetic field coupling arrangement connected to the output of said first circuit for producing a corresponding exciter field at the first frequency to be magnetically coupled to the receiving coil of the tag, with the first magnetic field coupling arrangement including a solenoidal exciter coil having at least one wound exciter winding and a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tag coil; a second magnetic field coupling arrangement for receiving a magnetic field of the second frequency produced by the tag and providing a corresponding electrical signal, with the second magnetic field coupling arrangement including at least one receiver coil disposed adjacent one end of the solenoidal coil; and circuitry connected to the receiver coil for decoding the received electrical signal. Preferably the tag is disposed on the lid of a trash or waste bin with the tag coil being substantially horizontal and the axis of the exciter coil is disposed substantially vertically.

Claims

1. A reader for reading a radio frequency identification tag affixed to a lid of a trashbin and having at least one magnetic field transmitting and receiving coil which is oriented in a given plane and which is responsive to a received magnetic exciter field of a first frequency to produce and radiate an identifying magnetic field comprised of a carrier at a second different frequency modulated by an identifying code;

said reader being mounted on the end of a robot arm, which is mounted on a trash truck for movement in at least the vertical direction and which is designed and used for picking up a trash bin having a radio frequency identification tag affixed to its lid, with said reader comprising;

first means for producing a radio frequency signal of the first frequency;

a first magnetic field coupling arrangement connected to the output of said first means for producing a corresponding exciter field at said first frequency to be magnetically coupled to the receiving coil of the tag, said first magnetic field coupling arrangement including a solenoidal exciter coil having at least one wound exciter winding, and a longitudinal axis disposed substantially vertically and perpendicular to the plane of the tag coil;

a second magnetic field coupling arrangement for receiving a field of said second frequency produced by the tag and providing a corresponding electrical signal, said second magnetic field coupling arrangement including at least one receiver coil disposed adjacent one end of said solenoidal coil; and

,

circuitry connected to said at least one receiver coil for decoding the received electrical signal.

2. A reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one receiver coil is wound concentric with said axis of said solenoidal coil.

3. A reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one receiver coil is disposed along said longitudinal axis of said solenoidal exciter coil and is oriented substantially perpendicular to said solenoidal exciter coil.

4. A reader as defined in claim 3 including a further said receiver coil disposed along said axis of said solenoidal exciter coil adjacent an opposite end of said solenoidal exciter coil and arranged substantially perpendicular to said solenoidal exciter coil, with said receiver coils both having the same origination with their longitudinal axes facing in the direction toward the tag.

5. A reader as defined in claim 4 wherein said receiver coils are flat coils.

6. A reader as defined in claim 4 wherein said receiver coils are connected in parallel and in phase opposition.

7. A reader as defined in claim 6 wherein said solenoidal exciter coil includes a primary winding connected to said first means and a secondary winding connected in parallel with a capacitor and forming a circuit resonant at said first frequency.

8. A reader as defined in claim 6 wherein:

said solenoidal exciter coil produces a toroidal shaped excitation field and a respective field portion enclosing each end of said exciter coil; and

, said receiver coils are disposed substantially within the center opening of said toroidal shaped excitation field and within major field lines of the respective end field portions, whereby little of the excitation field is coupled into the respective receiver coils.

9. A reader as defined in claim 6 wherein said receiver coils are flat coils.

10. A reader as defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a switch mounted on said end of said robot arm and responsive to the position of said arm to have open contacts when said arm is in a lowered position and to have closed contacts when said arm is in a raised position to empty a bin into said truck; and

means for counting and storing the number of closures of said switch.

12. A reader as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a switch mounted on said end of said robot arm and responsive to the position of said arm to have open contacts when said arm is in a lowered position and to have closed contacts when said arm is in a raised position to empty a bin into said truck; and

means for counting and storing the number of closures of said switch.

13. A reader as defined in claim 12 wherein said switch is a mercury switch.

11. A reader for reading a radio frequency identification tag having at least one magnetic field transmitting and receiving coil which is oriented in a given plane and which is responsive to a received magnetic exciter field of a first frequency to produce and radiate an identifying magnetic field comprised of a carrier at a second different frequency modulated by an identifying code;

said reader comprising;

first means for producing a radio frequency signal of the first frequency;

a first magnetic field coupling arrangement connected to the output of said first means for producing a corresponding exciter field at said first frequency to be magnetically coupled to the receiving coil of the tag, said first magnetic field coupling arrangement including a solenoidal exciter coil having at least one wound exciter winding, and a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tag coil;

a second magnetic field coupling arrangement for receiving a field of said second frequency produced by the tag and providing a corresponding electrical signal, said second magnetic field coupling arrangement including at least one receiver coil disposed adjacent one end of said solenoidal coil, with said at least one receiver coil being disposed along said longitudinal axis of said solenoidal exciter coil and being oriented substantially perpendicular to said solenoidal exciter coil; and

,

circuitry connected to said at least one receiver coil for decoding the received electrical signal.

14. A reader as defined in claim 11 including a further said receiver coil disposed along said axis of said solenoidal exciter coil adjacent an opposite end of said solenoidal exciter coil, and arranged substantially perpendicular to said solenoidal exciter coil, with said receiver coils both having the same origination with their longitudinal axes facing in the direction toward the tag.

15. A reader as defined in claim 14 wherein said solenoidal exciter coil includes a primary winding connected to said first means and a secondary winding connected in parallel with a capacitor and forming a circuit resonant at said first frequency.

16. A reader as defined in claim 14 wherein said receiver coils are connected in parallel and in phase opposition.

17. A reader as defined in claim 16 wherein said receiver coils are flat coils.

18. A reader as defined in claim 16 wherein:

said solenoidal exciter coil produces a toroidal shaped excitation field and a respective field portion enclosing each end of said exciter coil; and

, said receiver coils are disposed substantially within the center opening of said toroidal shaped excitation field and within major field lines of the respective end field portions, whereby little of the excitation field is coupled into the respective receiver coils.

19. A reader as defined in claim 16, wherein said reader is mounted on the end of a robot arm which is moveable in at least the vertical direction.

20. A reader as defined in claim 19 wherein said robot arm is mounted on a vehicle for said movement in at least the vertical direction, and said axis of said solenoidal coil is substantially vertical.