Contactless electronic tag for three-dimensional object

• US 6,809,703 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WISeKey Semiconductors
• Original Assignee: Inside Technologies (Verimatrix SA)
• Inventors: Serra, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Application Number:
  US10/351,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20030112143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 343/741, 343/742, 343/866, 343/867, 343/895, 340/572
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/38 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00323 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• 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 19/07784 the inductive antenna consisting of a plurality of coils stacked on top of one another

Abstract

An electronic tag (30, 40) is provided comprising a contactless integrated circuit (10) and a main coil antenna (Ls) comprising at least two distinct non-coplanar and/or non-coaxial windings (Ls1-Ls4) arranged in series. Applications to the reading of a tag from any face of a three-dimensional object.

Claims

1. An electronic tag having at least one contactless integrated circuit, an auxiliary coil and at least one main coil antenna, the main coil antenna comprising:

at least two non-coplanar or non-coaxial windings arranged in series, the main coil antenna being closed-looped, the integrated circuit being connected to the auxiliary coil and the auxiliary coil being inductively coupled to one of the windings of the closed-looped main coil antenna.

wherein each of the windings of the main coil antenna is arranged on one face of a three-dimensional object.

2. A three-dimensional object comprising:

two non-coplanar or non-coaxial windings arranged in series and being disposed on at least two faces of the three-dimensional object or in the vicinity of two faces of the three-dimensional object, the two windings together forming a coil antenna for an electronic tag,

when the two windings are coaxial, the two windings are spaced a distance apart from each other which is at least equal to the diameter of one of the two windings, and

an integrated circuit on one of the faces of the three-dimensional object or in the vicinity of one of the faces of the three-dimensional object, the integrated circuit being connected to a first auxiliary coil which is inductively coupled to one of the windings of the coil antenna.

3. The object according to claim 2, further comprising at least a second integrated circuit connected to a second auxiliary coil which is inductively coupled to one of the windings of the coil antenna.

4. The object according to claim 2, wherein the coil antenna is incorporated into a body of the object.

5. The object according to claim 2, forming a pallet for the transportation of goods.

6. The object according to claim 2, forming a cardboard box for the transportation of goods.

7. A three-dimensional object for the transportation of goods, such as a pallet or a cardboard box, the three-dimensional object comprising:

at least two non-coplanar or non-coaxial windings arranged in series at least on two faces of the three-dimensional object or in the vicinity of two faces of the three-dimensional object, the main coil antenna having two terminals,

a contactless integrated circuit arranged on one of the faces of the three-dimensional object, the contactless integrated circuit forming the electronic part of the contactless tag and being connected or inductively coupled to the main coil antenna.

8. The object according to claim 7, wherein the contactless integrated circuit is connected to an auxiliary coil which is inductively coupled to one of the windings of the main coil antenna, the main coil antenna being connected in closed loop.

9. The object according to claim 7, wherein the contactless integrated circuit is connected to the terminals of the main antenna coil.

10. The object according to claim 7, wherein the windings of the main coil antenna are incorporated into the body of the object in the vicinity of the faces of the object.

11. The object according to claim 7, wherein each of the windings of the main coil antenna is arranged on an individual support such as a self-adhesive plastic sheet, the support being mounted on the corresponding face of the object.

12. The object according to claim 11, wherein the contactless integrated circuit is arranged on the support of one of the windings of the main coil.

13. A contactless electronic tag having a main coil antenna, the main coil antenna comprising:

a first winding arranged on a first individual support such as a self-adhesive plastic sheet, intended to be mounted on a three-dimensional object,

at least a second winding arranged on a second individual support such as a second self-adhesive plastic sheet, intended to be mounted on the three-dimensional object,

the second winding being non-coplanar or non-coaxial to the first winding and being linked in series with the first winding to form the main coil antenna of the contactless electronic tag, the main coil antenna having two terminals, the second support being different from the first support and not mechanically linked to the first support except for the electrical link between the windings, the first and second windings with respective first and second supports are configured to be mounted on different faces of the three-dimensional object, and

a contactless integrated circuit arranged on an individual support that can be one of the first or second supports or a third support, forming the electronic part of the contactless tag, the contactless integrated circuit being connected or inductively coupled to the main coil antenna.

14. The contactless electronic tag according to claim 13, wherein the contactless integrated circuit is connected to an auxiliary coil which is inductively coupled to one of the windings of the mains coil antenna, the main coil antenna being connected in closed loop.

15. The contactless electronic tag according tag according to claim 13, wherein the contactless integrated circuit is connected to the terminals of the main antenna coil.