Radio frequency identification transponder having a high gain antenna configuration

• US 6,320,509 B1
• Filed: 08/16/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Duan, Dah-Weih, Murphy, Philip, Brady, Michael John, Moskowitz, Paul Andrew, Martinez, Rene D., Kodukula, Venkata S. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/374,956
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/10.1, 340/18.6, 340/572.5, 340/572.8, 343/711, 343/713, 343/754, 343/755, 343/761, 343/781.R, 343/781.P, 343/782, 343/786, 343/6.8 R
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/205 Means for the attachment of labels, cards, coupons or the like; cards or coupons for the other types of rigid or semi-rigid containers B65D25/36 takes precedence
• 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: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• 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 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/16 curved in two dimensions, e.g. paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/106 using two or more intersecting plane surfaces, e.g. corner reflector antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/13 the primary radiating source being a single radiating element, e.g. a dipole, a slot, a waveguide termination H01Q19/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/132 Horn reflector antennas; Off-set feeding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0428 radiating a circular polarised wave

Abstract

A radio frequency identification transponder has a high gain antenna for increased range. In an embodiment, the radio frequency transponder has a reflector to increase its operative range. A system of one or more reflectors is operatively associated with a transponder and may be formed out of any sort of radio frequency reflective material. The reflector system can enhance reception or transmission of radio waves by or from the transponder. The reflector system may also be used to provide for selective coupling of the radio frequency transponder with a base station, user- or vehicle-supported reader, or the like based on relative orientation. In addition, the reflector system may be used to selectively reflect particular radio waves. In another embodiment, the radio frequency transponder has a horn antenna providing increased gain and directivity. In yet another embodiment, the radio frequency transponder has a patch antenna providing increased gain and circular polarization. The patch antenna may further comprise a patch antenna array, a multi-layer patch or a dipole comprised of patch elements.

Claims

1. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one reflector disposed proximally to said antenna, said reflector adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased, wherein the at least one high gain antenna further comprises a horn antenna comprising a waveguide portion and a horn portion.

2. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit being coupled between opposing walls of said waveguide portion.

3. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit being disposed externally of said waveguide portion and being coupled to an inductive coupling loop disposed within the waveguide portion.

4. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one reflector disposed proximally to said antenna, said reflector adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased, wherein the at least one reflector further comprises multiple reflectors for reflecting electromagnetic radiation to/from the at least one antenna.

5. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one reflector disposed proximally to said antenna, said reflector adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased, wherein said at least one reflector further comprises a shape comprising at least one of concave, cylindrical, corrugated, paraboloidal, ellipsoidal, hyperbolic, hyperboloidal, spherical, and spheroid.

6. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one reflector disposed proximally to said antenna, said reflector adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased, the at least one antenna further comprising a patch antenna, wherein the patch antenna further comprises a multi-layer patch antenna.

7. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 6, wherein the multi-layer patch antenna further comprises a feeder patch coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit and a radiating patch spaced from the feeder patch.

8. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 7, wherein the multi-layer patch antenna further comprises a ground plane spaced from the feeder patch opposite the radiating patch.

9. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one reflector disposed proximally to said antenna, said reflector adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased, the at least one antenna further comprising plural patch antennas coupled together in a patch antenna array.

10. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 9, wherein the patch antenna array further comprises a plurality of patches coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit.

11. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 10, further comprising at least one impedance transformer coupled between the plurality of patches and the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit.

12. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 10, wherein the plurality of patches are each coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit on a corresponding edge thereof to provide linear polarization.

13. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 10, wherein the plurality of patches are each coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit on plural corresponding edges thereof to provide circular polarization.

14. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one reflector disposed proximally to said antenna, said reflector adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased, wherein the at least one high gain antenna further comprises a dipole antenna comprising separated first and second patch elements.

15. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 14, wherein the first and second patch elements are each coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit on horizontal edges thereof to provide vertical polarization.

16. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 14, wherein the first and second patch elements are each coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit on vertical edges thereof to provide horizontal polarization.

17. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 14, wherein the first and second patch elements are each coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit on plural edges thereof to provide circular polarization.

18. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 14, further comprising impedance matching circuits coupled between the first and second patch elements and the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit.

19. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit;

means for communicating signals to/from the radio frequency integrated circuit with high gain, wherein the communicating means further comprises a horn antenna, and wherein the horn antenna further comprises a waveguide portion and a horn portion, the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit being disposed externally of said waveguide portion and being coupled to an inductive coupling loop disposed within the waveguide portion.

20. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit;

means for communicating signals to/from the radio frequency integrated circuit with high gain, wherein the communicating means further comprises a patch antenna, wherein the patch antenna further comprises a patch antenna array, wherein the patch antenna array further comprises a plurality of patches coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit; and

at least one impedance transformer coupled between the plurality of patches and the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit.

21. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit; and

means for communicating signals to/from the radio frequency integrated circuit with high gain, wherein the communicating means further comprises a patch antenna, wherein the patch antenna further comprises a patch antenna array, wherein the patch antenna array further comprises a plurality of patches coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit, wherein the plurality of patches are each coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit on plural corresponding edges thereof to provide circular polarization.

22. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit,

at least one antenna coupled with the radio frequency integrated circuit, and

at least one reflector disposed in proximity to the at least one antenna for reflecting electromagnetic radiation therefrom, said reflector being adapted for collecting and focusing energy from the electromagnetic field to/from said antenna so that the gain of said antenna is increased.

23. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one antenna further comprises a horn antenna.

24. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 23, wherein the at least one antenna further comprises a patch antenna.

25. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 23, wherein the at least one antenna further comprises a patch antenna array.

26. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 23, wherein the at least one antenna further comprises a multi-layer patch antenna.

27. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one antenna further comprises multiple antennas coupled to the at least one integrated circuit.

28. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one reflector further comprises multiple reflectors for reflecting electromagnetic radiation to/from the at least one antenna.

29. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one reflector further comprises multiple reflectors, each of said multiple antennas having at least one of said multiple reflectors associated therewith.

30. The radio frequency tag system as defined in claim 22, wherein said at least one reflector further comprises a shape selected from angular, concave, cylindrical, flat, corrugated, paraboloidal, ellipsoidal, hyperbolic, hyperboloidal, spherical, and spheroid.

31. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit;

at least one high gain antenna coupled to the radio frequency integrated circuit, said at least one high gain antenna including a multi-layer patch antenna, said multi-layer patch antenna including a feeder patch coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit and a radiating patch spaced from the feeder patch; and

a hybrid coupler coupled between the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit and the feeder patch, the hybrid coupler being coupled to the feeder patch at two points having a phase difference therebetween of 90°

.

32. A radio frequency tag system comprising:

at least one radio frequency integrated circuit;

means for communicating signals to/from the radio frequency integrated circuit with high gain, said means including a multi-layer patch antenna, said multi-layer patch antenna further comprising a feeder patch coupled to the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit and a radiating patch spaced from the feeder patch; and

a hybrid coupler coupled between the at least one radio frequency integrated circuit and the feeder patch, the hybrid coupler being coupled to the feeder patch at two points having a phase difference therebetween of 90°

.