Reader for a high information capacity SAW identification tag and method of use thereof

• US 6,708,881 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RF Saw Components Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RF Saw Components Incorporated
• Inventors: Hartmann, Clinton S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M
• Application Number:
  US10/066,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20030141366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/455, 340/825.34, 342/42
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0672 with resonating marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0675 the resonating marks being of the surface acoustic wave [SAW] kind SAW devices per se H03H9/64

Abstract

The present invention provides for a surface acoustic wave (SAW) identification tag reader and for methods of operating and manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the SAW identification tag reader includes: (1) a transmitter capable of sending an interrogation signal that excites a SAW transducer located on a piezoelectric substrate, the piezoelectric substrate having a group of slots arranged by both pulse position and phase position, and a number of reflectors distributed among the slots such that the reflectors return to the transducer a return signal containing a number encoded by both pulse position and phase position; and (2) a receiver for detecting the return signal and decoding the number.

Claims

1. A surface acoustic wave (SAW) identification tag reader, comprising:

a transmitter capable of sending an interrogation signal that excites a SAW transducer located on a piezoelectric substrate, said piezoelectric substrate having a group of slots arranged by both pulse position and phase position, and a number of reflectors distributed among said slots such that said reflectors return to said transducer a return signal containing a number encoded by both pulse position and phase position; and

a receiver for detecting said return signal and decoding said number.

2. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said reflectors are arranged such that said phase position is in quadrature.

3. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 further comprising a framing reflector located between said SAW transducer and said group.

4. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of said groups separated by dead spaces.

5. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 4 wherein said plurality of groups is at least four and said number is at least 32 bits long.

6. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 4 wherein said plurality of groups is at least twelve and said number is at least 64 bits long.

7. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said number is at least eight bits long.

8. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said interrogation signal has a frequency of between two and three gigahertz.

9. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said number contains data pertaining to an object associated with said number.

10. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 further comprising a computer associated with said SAW identification tag reader.

11. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 further comprising a computer network associated with said SAW identification tag reader.

12. The SAW identification tag reader as recited in claim 1 wherein said SAW identification tag reader is selected from the group consisting of:

a side panel reader,

a shelf reader,

a doorway reader,

a roadway reader,

a short range hand-held reader,

a long range hand-held reader,

a long range fixed reader,

a wand reader, and

a fingertip reader.

13. A method of operating a surface acoustic wave (SAW) identification tag reader, comprising:

transmitting an interrogation signal to excite a SAW transducer located on a piezoelectric substrate to create a SAW, said piezoelectric substrate having a group of slots arranged by both pulse position and phase position;

causing said SAW to reflect from a number of reflectors located on said piezoelectric substrate, said number of reflectors distributed among said slots such that said reflector return to said transducer a return signal containing a number encoded by both pulse position and phase position;

detecting said return signal with a receiver; and

decoding said number.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said reflectors are arranged such that said phase position is in quadrature.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising causing said SAW to reflect from a framing reflector located between said SAW transducer and said group.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising a plurality of said groups separated by dead spaces.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said plurality of groups is at least four and said number is at least 32 bits long.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said plurality of groups is at least twelve and said number is at least 64 bits long.

19. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said number is at least eight bits long.

20. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said SAW has a frequency of between two and three gigahertz.

21. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said number contains data pertaining to an object associated with said number.

22. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising associating a computer with said SAW identification tag reader.

23. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising associating a computer network with said SAW identification tag reader.

24. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said SAW identification tag reader is selected from the group consisting of:

a side panel reader,

a shelf reader,

a doorway reader,

a roadway reader,

a short range hand-held reader,

a long range hand-held reader,

a long range fixed reader,

a wand reader, and

a fingertip reader.

25. A method of manufacturing a surface acoustic wave (SAW) identification tag reader, comprising:

providing a transmitter capable of sending an interrogation signal that excites a SAW transducer located on a piezoelectric substrate to create a SAW, said piezoelectric substrate having a group of slots arranged by both pulse position and phase position, and a number of reflectors distributed among said slots such that said reflectors return to said transducer a return signal containing a number encoded by both pulse position and phase position; and

providing a receiver for detecting said return signal and decoding said number.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said reflectors are arranged such that said phase position is in quadrature.

27. The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising forming a framing reflector between said SAW transducer and said group.

28. The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising forming a plurality of said groups separated by dead spaces.

29. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein said plurality of groups is at least four and said number is at least 32 bits long.

30. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein said plurality of groups is at least twelve and said number is at least 64 bits long.

31. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said number is at least eight bits long.

32. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said SAW has a frequency of between two and three gigahertz.

33. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said number contains data pertaining to an object associated with said number.

34. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said SAW identification tag reader is selected from the group consisting of:

a side panel reader,

a shelf reader,

a doorway reader,

a roadway reader,

a short range hand-held reader,

a long range hand-held reader,

a long range fixed reader,

a wand reader, and

a fingertip reader.