Application for a radio frequency identification system

• US 6,335,686 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Bernard A., Piotrowski, Chester, Tsai, Ching-Long, Goff, Edward D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Application Number:
  US09/368,745
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/878, 343/879, 343/895, 340/572.4, 340/572.6, 340/572.7
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• 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 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• 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 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• 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 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

Antenna shelf tape is disclosed for use with items having radio frequency identification elements or tags associated with items of interest.

Claims

1. An antenna system for use with items that each include an RFID element, wherein the antenna system comprises multiple antennae, at least one of which can be selected to facilitate the interrogation of RFID elements adjacent a selected antenna(e) by an RFID device, wherein the antenna system is provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a power source separate from power supplied by an RFID interrogation source.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna system further comprises a multiplexing circuit for selectively activating one or more antenna(e) for interrogation.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein antennae overlap along the length of the tape.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one coil, helix, dipole or microstrip patch antenna.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna system provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape enables the RFID system to determine the order of the items.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein RFID tags are substantially simultaneously interrogated by a central interrogation source.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna system provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape is energized and activated by a handheld unit.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna system provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape is attachable to a shelf by a mechanical fastener.

10. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna system provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape is magnetically attachable to a metal shelf.

11. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna system provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape has a layer of adhesive for attachment to a shelf.

12. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the system includes an RF amplifier to increase the power of the signal produced by the tape.

13. The antenna system of claim 1, in combination with an RFID interrogation source and software for processing information obtained from the items.

14. The antenna system of claim 13, wherein the software determines whether the interrogated items are in a predetermined order.

15. The antenna system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the items are library materials.

16. The antenna system of any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a plurality of tags including RFID elements.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one item is interrogated by both the first antenna and the second antenna.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed continuously to provide real time information regarding the items associated with the first and second antenna locations.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed intermittently to provide information regarding the items associated with the first and second antenna locations at desired intervals.

17. A method of interrogating certain items that each include an RFID element, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a powered antenna system having multiple antennae, one or more of which may be selected so as to provide information as to the items adjacent the selected antenna(e), wherein the antenna system is provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape;

(b) selecting a first antenna;

(c) interrogating the RFID elements associated with the items adjacent the first antenna; and

(d) obtaining information from those RFID elements about the items adjacent the first antenna.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

(e) using the information obtained in step (d) to update a database having information about the items.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises, following steps (a) through (c), the steps of:

(e) selecting a second antenna;

(f) interrogating the RFID elements associated with the items adjacent the second antenna; and

(g) obtaining information from those RFID elements about the items adjacent the second antenna.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further includes the step of:

(e) determining whether the item belongs in the location adjacent the first antenna.

24. In combination:

(a) a plurality of items that each include a tag having an RFID element;

(b) an antenna system, wherein the antenna system comprises multiple antennae, at least one of which can be selected to facilitate the interrogation of RFID elements adjacent a selected antenna(e) by an RFID device, and wherein the antenna system is provided in the form of a longitudinally extending tape; and

(c) an RFID interrogator for interrogating the RFID elements.

25. The combination of claim 24, wherein the items are library materials.

26. The combination of claim 24, wherein the items are stored next to each other on a shelf.