Electronic article surveillance and identification device, system, and method
First Claim
1. An electronic article surveillance and identification tag, comprising:
- energy coupling means for receiving transmitted energy and re-radiating said energy, said transmitted energy comprising a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency;
means for mixing said first and said second signals together forming a sideband signal for re-radiating by said energy coupling means; and
a controller for switching on and off said means for mixing according to a pre-selected stored data code associated with an article to be identified.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic article surveillance and identification tag and system is provided. The tag couples energy from a radiated energy source, which comprises first and second radiated signals. A mixing member in the tag mixes the first and second signals to produce a sideband of the first signal, which is re-radiated by the tag. The mixing member is activated by a controller that switches the mixing member into and out of the circuit according to a code stored within the controller that is associated with an article to be identified. As the mixing member is activated and deactivated, the sideband is radiated in a sequential manner according to the stored code. A receiver detects the sideband, and a decoder recovers the stored code according to the sequence of received sideband emissions from the tag.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronic article surveillance and identification tag, comprising:
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energy coupling means for receiving transmitted energy and re-radiating said energy, said transmitted energy comprising a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency;
means for mixing said first and said second signals together forming a sideband signal for re-radiating by said energy coupling means; and
a controller for switching on and off said means for mixing according to a pre-selected stored data code associated with an article to be identified. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electronic article surveillance and identification tag, comprising:
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a substrate;
an inductor formed on said substrate;
a capacitor formed on said substrate and connected to said inductor, said inductor and said capacitor defining a resonant circuit;
a magnetic member connected to said inductor and said capacitor; and
,a controller connected to said magnetic member for momentarily and sequentially shorting said magnetic member according to a pre-selected stored data code associated with an article to be identified. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. An electronic article surveillance and identification system, comprising:
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interrogation means for generating a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency, said second signal being a magnetic field at a second frequency lower than said first frequency;
a tag having energy coupling means for receiving said first and said second signals, means for mixing said first and said second signals together and generating a sideband of said first frequency for re-radiating by said energy coupling means, said means for mixing comprising a magnetic member exhibiting a magneto-impedance effect from said second signal, and a controller for switching on and off said means for mixing according to a pre-selected stored data code associated with an article to be identified;
detection means for detecting said sideband; and
decoding means for decoding said pre-selected stored data code from said sideband. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of operating an electronic article surveillance and identification system, comprising the steps of:
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providing a tag comprising a tuned circuit and a signal mixing member;
transmitting a first signal at a resonant frequency of said tuned circuit;
transmitting a second signal at a frequency that is lower than said first signal, said second signal activating said signal mixing member;
sequentially turning on and off said signal mixing member according to a pre-selected data code associated with an article to be identified;
detecting a sideband of said first signal, said sideband generated by said signal mixing member mixing said first and said second signals; and
decoding said pre-selected data code from said detected sideband. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
transmitting said first signal at a resonant frequency of said LC circuit;
transmitting said second signal at a frequency that is lower than said first signal, said second signal comprising said magnetic field;
sequentially turning on and off said magnetic signal mixing member according to said pre-selected data code associated with an article to be identified;
detecting a sideband of said first signal, said sideband generated by said magnetic signal mixing member mixing said first and said second signals; and
decoding said pre-selected data code from said detected sideband.
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22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of providing said tag comprises providing a tuned dipole antenna and a diode signal mixing member activated by exposure to an electric field;
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transmitting said first signal at a resonant frequency of said tuned dipole antenna;
transmitting said second signal at a frequency that is lower than said first signal, said second signal comprising said electric field;
momentarily and sequentially disabling said diode signal mixing member according to said pre-selected data code associated with an article to be identified;
detecting a sideband of said first signal, said sideband generated by said diode signal mixing member mixing said first and said second signals; and
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Specification