RFID reader utilizing an analog to digital converter for data acquisition and power monitoring functions
First Claim
1. A reader for an RFID system comprising:
- a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and for generating an excitation signal;
a transmitting antenna coupled with said signal generator for transmitting said detection signal and said excitation signal into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna;
a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal at a voltage value containing received digital data from a transponder in said space;
receiver electronics coupled with said receiving antenna for conditioning said transponder data signal to a conditioned transponder data signal including said received digital data;
an internal power source for supplying electrical operating power to said reader, said internal power source having a declining power level as a function of use; and
a single-chip microcontroller coupled with said internal power source and said receiver electronics, said single-chip microcontroller including an analog to digital converter to acquire said analog data from said detection signal and said received digital data from said conditioned transponder data signal and to convert said analog data from said detection signal to converted digital data, wherein said microcontroller further includes a detection means for evaluating said converted digital data to detect a transponder presence in the space surrounding said transmitting antenna and said microcontroller further includes a reading means for demodulating said conditioned transponder data signal to read said received digital data.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reader for an RFID system includes an internal power source, a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and an excitation signal, a transmitting antenna for transmitting the detection and excitation signals, and a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal from a transponder containing digital data. Receiver electronics are coupled with the receiving antenna for conditioning the transponder data signal before reading the digital data. The reader further includes a single-chip microcontroller coupled with the internal power source and the receiver electronics. The single-chip microcontroller has an analog to digital converter to measure the declining power level of the internal power source and to acquire the analog data from the detection signal and the digital data from the transponder data signal. The single-chip microcontroller also includes a firmware and/or software-based demodulator for demodulating the transponder data signal to read the digital data.
-
Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A reader for an RFID system comprising:
-
a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and for generating an excitation signal; a transmitting antenna coupled with said signal generator for transmitting said detection signal and said excitation signal into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna; a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal at a voltage value containing received digital data from a transponder in said space; receiver electronics coupled with said receiving antenna for conditioning said transponder data signal to a conditioned transponder data signal including said received digital data; an internal power source for supplying electrical operating power to said reader, said internal power source having a declining power level as a function of use; and a single-chip microcontroller coupled with said internal power source and said receiver electronics, said single-chip microcontroller including an analog to digital converter to acquire said analog data from said detection signal and said received digital data from said conditioned transponder data signal and to convert said analog data from said detection signal to converted digital data, wherein said microcontroller further includes a detection means for evaluating said converted digital data to detect a transponder presence in the space surrounding said transmitting antenna and said microcontroller further includes a reading means for demodulating said conditioned transponder data signal to read said received digital data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A reader for an RFID system comprising:
-
a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and for generating an excitation signal; a transmitting antenna coupled with said signal generator for transmitting said detection signal and said excitation signal into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna; a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal at a voltage value containing digital data from a transponder in said space; receiver electronics coupled with said receiving antenna for conditioning said transponder data signal to place said transponder data signal in a condition for reading said digital data; an internal power source for supplying electrical operating power to said reader, said internal power source having a declining power level as a function of use; and a single-chip microcontroller coupled with said internal power source and said receiver electronics, said single-chip microcontroller including an analog to digital converter to acquire said analog data from said detection signal and said digital data from said transponder data signal and to convert said analog data from said detection signal to converted digital data, wherein said receiver electronics includes a resistor divider section comprising first and second series resistors at said receiver electronics input forming a voltage divider to reduce said voltage value of said transponder data signal and third and fourth series resistors downstream of said first and second series resistors positioned between ground and said power supply and a blocking capacitor positioned in parallel with the second series resistor upstream of said third and fourth series resistors to maintain said transponder data signal at said receiver electronics output in a voltage range between about ground and said power supply, inclusive. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A reader for an RFID system comprising:
-
a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and for generating an excitation signal; a transmitting antenna coupled with said signal generator for transmitting said detection signal and said excitation signal into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna; a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal at a voltage value containing digital data from a transponder in said space; receiver electronics coupled with said receiving antenna for conditioning said transponder data signal to place said transponder data signal in a condition for reading said digital data; an internal power source for supplying electrical operating power to said reader, said internal power source having a declining power level as a function of use; and a single-chip microcontroller coupled with said internal power source and said receiver electronics, said single-chip microcontroller including an analog to digital converter to acquire said analog data from said detection signal and said digital data from said transponder data signal and to convert said analog data from said detection signal to converted digital data, wherein said receiver electronics includes a peak detector section comprising a rectifier at said receiver electronics input to rectify said voltage value of said transponder data signal and a pair of series resistors downstream of said rectifier positioned between ground and said power supply and a blocking capacitor positioned between said rectifier and said pair of series resistors to maintain said transponder data signal at said receiver electronics output in a voltage range between about ground and said power supply, inclusive. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
-
22. A reader for an RFID system comprising:
-
a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and for generating an excitation signal; a transmitting antenna coupled with said signal generator for transmitting said detection signal and said excitation signal into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna; a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal at a voltage value containing digital data from a transponder in said space; receiver electronics coupled with said receiving antenna for conditioning said transponder data signal to place said transponder data signal in a condition for reading said digital data; an internal power source for supplying electrical operating power to said reader, said internal power source having a declining power level as a function of use; and a single-chip microcontroller coupled with said internal power source and said receiver electronics, said single-chip microcontroller including an analog to digital converter to acquire said analog data from said detection signal and said digital data from said transponder data signal and to convert said analog data from said detection signal to converted digital data, wherein said receiver electronics includes an integrator section comprising a rectifier and an integrator in series at said receiver electronics input and coupled with said receiver electronics output, said receiver electronics output coupled with said analog to digital converter. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
-
25. A reader for an RFID system comprising:
-
a signal generator for generating a detection signal containing analog data and for generating an excitation signal; a transmitting antenna coupled with said signal generator for transmitting said detection signal and said excitation signal into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna; a receiving antenna for receiving a transponder data signal at a voltage value containing received digital data from a transponder in said space; receiver electronics coupled with said receiving antenna for conditioning said transponder data signal to a conditioned transponder data signal including said received digital data; and a single-chip microcontroller coupled with said receiver electronics, said single-chip microcontroller including an analog to digital converter to acquire said analog data from said detection signal and said received digital data from said transponder data signal and to convert said analog data from said detection signal to converted digital data, said single-chip microcontroller further including a demodulator for demodulating said conditioned transponder data signal to read said received digital data and still further including a detection means for evaluating said converted digital data to detect a transponder presence in the space surrounding said transmitting antenna. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
-
-
28. A method for operating a reader for an RFID system comprising:
-
generating a detection signal containing analog data; transmitting said detection signal from a transmitting antenna into a space surrounding said transmitting antenna; acquiring said analog data from said detection signal with an analog to digital converter included within a single-chip microcontroller and coupled with receiver electronics; converting said analog data to converted digital data with said analog to digital converter; evaluating said converted digital data with said microcontroller to detect a proximal transponder in said space surrounding said transmitting antenna; generating an excitation signal; transmitting said excitation signal from said transmitting antenna into said space to power up said proximal transponder; generating a transponder data signal at said proximal transponder in response to said excitation signal and propagating said transponder data signal through said space from said proximal transponder; receiving said transponder data signal with a receiving antenna, wherein said transponder data signal is at a voltage value and contains received digital data; conditioning said transponder data signal with said receiver electronics to a conditioned transponder data signal; acquiring said received digital data from said conditioned transponder data signal with said analog to digital converter; and demodulating said conditioned transponder data signal with said microcontroller to read said received digital data. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
Specification