Radio frequency tag

• US 5,995,006 A
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Walsh, Brian John Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/029,432
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/825.34, 340/551, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/825.54, 340/572.9, 340/568.1, 340/825.3, 340/693.5, 340/539, 257/678, 257/679, 257/684, 343/866, 343/720, 343/907, 343/908, 343/878, 343/867, 343/793, 343/872, 342/44
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0266 Marks, test patterns or identification means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas

Abstract

Disclosed is a radio frequency identification (RF ID) tag which is adapted for use in identifying electronic and/or electrical systems which incorporate electronic components mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The RF ID tag comprises semiconductor circuitry contained within an electronic package, which package is mounted onto the PCB. In addition to the various components and circuitry of the tagged system, the PCB includes the RF antenna portion of the tag defined either in or on the PCB. The package is connected to the antenna via pads on the PCB.

Claims

1. Electronic apparatus comprising:

at least one integrated circuit device mounted on a printed circuit board; and

a radio frequency tag for tagging the electronic apparatus and comprising signal processing logic and memory contained in an electronic package mounted on the circuit board, the tag further comprising antenna means for receiving radio frequency signals and transmitting radio frequency signals modulated in accordance with apparatus identification data stored in the memory, the antenna means being defined in one or more metal layers of the circuit board and electrically connected to the signal processing logic and memory of the tag via electrical connectors of the electronic package.

2. A memory module comprising:

a plurality of memory chips mounted on a printed circuit board; and

a radio frequency tag for tagging the memory module and comprising signal processing logic and memory contained in an electronic package mounted on the circuit board, the tag further comprising antenna means for receiving radio frequency signals and transmitting radio frequency signals modulated in accordance with module identification data stored in the memory, the antenna means being defined in one or more metal layers of the circuit board and electrically connected to the signal processing logic and memory of the tag via electrical connectors of the electronic package.