Radio frequency data communications device with adjustable receiver sensitivity and method
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency data communications device, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:
- providing first transponder circuitry on a sheet substrate;
first printing a first microstrip antenna on the sheet substrate, external of the first transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the first microstrip antenna to the first transponder circuitry;
providing a first battery on the sheet substrate and electrically coupling the first battery to the first transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the first microstrip antenna by a first amount, to effect a first sensitivity; and
providing second transponder circuitry on a second sheet substrate;
second printing a second microstrip antenna on the second sheet substrate, external of the second transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the second microstrip antenna to the second transponder circuitry;
providing a second battery on the second sheet substrate and electrically coupling the second battery to the second transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the second microstrip antenna by an amount different from the first amount to effect a second sensitivity different from the first sensitivity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An adjustable radio frequency data communications device has a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit with integrated circuitry, interrogation receiving circuitry provided configured to receive an interrogation signal from the interrogator unit, an antenna electrically coupled to the interrogation receiving circuitry and configured to communicate with the remote interrogator unit, a power source electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry and configured to generate operating power for the communications device, and at least one of the antenna and the interrogation receiving circuitry having reconfigurable electrical characteristics, the electrical characteristics being reconfigurable to selectively tune the at least one of the antenna and the interrogation receiving circuitry within a range of tuned and detuned states to realize a desired receiver sensitivity of the communications device. Additionally, a method for tuning receiver sensitivity and/or transmitter sensitivity according to construction of the above device is disclosed.
71 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency data communications device, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:
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providing first transponder circuitry on a sheet substrate;
first printing a first microstrip antenna on the sheet substrate, external of the first transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the first microstrip antenna to the first transponder circuitry;
providing a first battery on the sheet substrate and electrically coupling the first battery to the first transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the first microstrip antenna by a first amount, to effect a first sensitivity; and
providing second transponder circuitry on a second sheet substrate;
second printing a second microstrip antenna on the second sheet substrate, external of the second transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the second microstrip antenna to the second transponder circuitry;
providing a second battery on the second sheet substrate and electrically coupling the second battery to the second transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the second microstrip antenna by an amount different from the first amount to effect a second sensitivity different from the first sensitivity.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
hermetically sealing the first transponder circuitry, the first microstrip antenna and the first battery on the common substrate;
hermetically sealing the second transponder circuitry, the second microstrip antenna and the second battery on the common substrate; and
singulating the common substrate to separate the first transponder circuitry from the second transponder circuitry.
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3. The method of claim 1, wherein first and second printing comprise first and second printing using printed thick film conductive epoxy.
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4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein providing the first transponder circuitry and providing the second transponder circuitry comprises providing integrated circuits comprising transponder circuitry.
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5. The method of claims 1, wherein laser trimming the first microstrip antenna by a first amount comprises setting a range of one hundred feet for the first transponder circuitry.
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6. The method of claim 5, wherein laser trimming the second microstrip antenna comprises setting a range of twenty feet for the second transponder circuitry, increasing duration of an interval during which the second transponder circuitry is not able to detect a wake-up signal and conserving battery power.
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7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing the first transponder circuitry, the first microstrip antenna and the first battery on the first sheet substrate.
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8. A method of manufacturing radio frequency data communications devices, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:
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providing first transponder circuitry on a first sheet substrate;
forming a first microstrip antenna on the first sheet substrate, external of the first transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the first microstrip antenna to the first transponder circuitry;
providing a first battery on the first substrate and electrically coupling the first battery to the first transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the first microstrip antenna by a first amount to set the first transponder circuitry to a first sensitivity for operation at a predetermined frequency; and
providing second transponder circuitry on a second sheet substrate;
forming a second microstrip antenna on the second sheet substrate, external of the second transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the second microstrip antenna to the second transponder circuitry;
providing a second battery on the second substrate and electrically coupling the second battery to the second transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the second microstrip antenna by a second amount different from the first amount to set the second transponder circuitry to a second sensitivity that is different than the first sensitivity for operation at the predetermined frequency.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
sealing the first transponder circuitry, the first microstrip antenna and the first battery on the common substrate;
sealing the second transponder circuitry, the second microstrip antenna and the second battery on the common substrate; and
singulating the common substrate to separate the first transponder circuitry from the second transponder circuitry.
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13. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a first microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the first microstrip antenna using conductive epoxy and wherein forming a second microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the second microstrip antenna using conductive epoxy.
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14. A method of manufacturing radio frequency data communications devices, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:
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providing first transponder circuitry on a first sheet substrate;
forming a first microstrip antenna on the first sheet substrate, external of the transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the first microstrip antenna to the first transponder circuitry;
providing a first battery on the first substrate and electrically coupling the battery to the first transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the first microstrip antenna by a first amount to set the first transponder circuitry to a first sensitivity for operation at a predetermined frequency;
providing second transponder circuitry on a second sheet substrate;
forming a second microstrip antenna on the second sheet substrate, external of the second transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the second microstrip antenna to the second transponder circuitry;
providing a second battery on the substrate and electrically coupling the second battery to the second transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the second microstrip antenna by a second amount different from the first amount to set the second transponder circuitry to a second sensitivity that is less than the first sensitivity for operation at the predetermined frequency;
providing third transponder circuitry on a third sheet substrate;
forming a third microstrip antenna on the third sheet substrate, external of the third transponder circuitry, and electrically coupling the third microstrip antenna to the third transponder circuitry;
providing a third battery on the third substrate and electrically coupling the third battery to the third transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the third microstrip antenna by a third amount different from the first amount to set the third transponder circuitry to a third sensitivity that is less than the second sensitivity for operation at the predetermined frequency.- View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
encapsulating the first transponder circuitry, the first microstrip antenna and the first battery on the common substrate;
encapsulating the second transponder circuitry, the second microstrip antenna and the second battery on the common substrate;
encapsulating the third transponder circuitry, the third microstrip antenna and the third battery on the common substrate; and
singulating the common substrate to separate the first transponder circuitry, the second transponder circuitry and the third transponder circuitry from one another.
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16. The method of claim 14, wherein forming a first microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the first microstrip antenna using conductive epoxy, forming a second microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the second microstrip antenna using conductive epoxy and forming a third microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the third microstrip antenna using conductive epoxy.
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17. A method of manufacturing radio frequency data communications devices for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:
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providing first transponder circuitry on a first sheet substrate;
forming a first microstrip antenna on the first sheet substrate and electrically coupling the first microstrip antenna to the first transponder circuitry;
providing a first battery on the first substrate and electrically coupling the first battery to the first transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the first microstrip antenna by a first amount to set a range of one hundred feet for the first transponder circuitry; and
providing second transponder circuitry on a second sheet substrate;
forming a second microstrip antenna and electrically coupling the second microstrip antenna to the second transponder circuitry;
providing a second battery on the second substrate and electrically coupling the second battery to the second transponder circuitry; and
laser trimming the second microstrip antenna to set a range of twenty feet for the second transponder circuitry, purposefully causing the second transponder circuitry to have reduced sensitivity compared to the first transponder circuitry and increasing battery life of the second battery relative to the battery life for the first transponder circuitry.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
permanently encapsulating the first transponder circuitry, the first battery and the first antenna;
permanently encapsulating the second transponder circuitry, the second battery and the second antenna; and
singulating the common substrate to separate the first transponder circuitry from the second transponder circuitry.
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19. The method of claim 17, wherein forming a first microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the first microstrip antenna and wherein forming a second microstrip antenna comprises thick film printing the second microstrip antenna.
Specification