System and method for validating radio frequency identification tags

• US 7,420,457 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George Schmitt & Co.Inc.
• Original Assignee: George Schmitt & Co.Inc.
• Inventors: Gunther, William G., Golicz, Stefan G., Golicz, Roman, Bosco, Edward Michael, Bode, Udo Heinz Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/229,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 3405722- 7, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340 1031- 34, 340 104- 42, 340/10.51, 340/10.52
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2822 of microwave or radiofrequency circuits of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0095 Testing the sensing arrangement, e.g. testing if a magnetic card reader, bar code reader, RFID interrogator or smart card reader functions properly testing of electrical circuits G01R31/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10465 the interrogation device being capable of self-diagnosis, e.g. in addition to or as part of the actual interrogation process testing of electrical circuits in general G01R31/28

Abstract

A radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is adapted to be used with a radio frequency identification tag reader/writer in order to read/write radio frequency identification tags on a continuous web of carrier material. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station includes a first waveguide to coax adaptor, a second waveguide to coax adapter, and a window assembly having a window therein, the window being sized and shaped such that a tag on the web of carrier material under test is exposed to radio frequency read/write energy, but such that tags on the web of carrier material adjacent to the tag under test are shielded from the radio frequency read/write energy. The first waveguide to coax adapter and the second waveguide to coax adapter are disposed end-to-end with the window assembly being disposed therebetween.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station adapted to be used with a radio frequency identification tag reader/writer in order to read/write radio frequency identification tags on a continuous web of carrier material, said radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station comprising:

a first waveguide to coax adaptor;

a second waveguide to coax adapter;

a window assembly having a window therein, said window being sized and shaped such that a tag on the web of carrier material under test is exposed to radio frequency read/write energy, but such that tags on the web of carrier material adjacent to the tag under test are shielded from the radio frequency read/write energy; and

wherein said first waveguide to coax adapter and said second waveguide to coax adapter are disposed end-to-end with said window assembly being disposed therebetween.

2. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency read/write energy is introduced through said first waveguide to coax adapter, and wherein signals emitted by the tag under test are reflected back through said first waveguide to coax adapter, whereby the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station employs a reflective technique.

3. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 2 further comprising a resistive termination in communication with said second waveguide to coax adapter for absorbing radio frequency read/write energy passing through said window assembly into said second waveguide to coax adapter.

4. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 2 further comprising:

a directional coupler, said directional coupler comprising a first port, a second port and a third port;

wherein the radio frequency read/write energy passes through said directional coupler from the first port to the second port of said directional coupler; and

wherein the signals emitted by the tag under test pass through said directional coupler from the second port to the third port of said directional coupler, where the reflected signals emitted by the tag under test are adapted to be read.

5. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 4 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer in connection with which the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is adapted for use has separate read and write ports, and further comprising a power splitter or Tee, the power splitter or tee having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer, one of which is in communication with said directional coupler, and one of which is in communication with a resistive termination.

6. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 4 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer in connection with which the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is adapted for use has a combined read and write port, and further comprising a circulator, the circulator having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer, one of which is in communication with the first port of said directional coupler, and one of which in communication with the third port of said directional coupler, with an isolator disposed therebetween.

7. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency read/write energy is introduced through said first waveguide to coax adapter, and wherein signals emitted by the tag under test are passed through said window assembly and said second waveguide to coax adapter, whereby the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station employs a through technique such that the signals emitted by the tag under test and passed through said window assembly and said second waveguide to coax adapter are adapted to be read.

8. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 7 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer in connection with which the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is adapted for use has separate read and write ports, and further comprising a power splitter or Tee, the power splitter or tee having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer, one of which is in communication with said first waveguide to coax adapter, with an isolator disposed therebetween, and one of which is attached to a resistive termination.

9. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 7 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer in connection with which the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is adapted for use has a combined read and write port, and further comprising a circulator, the circulator having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader/writer, one of which is in communication with said first waveguide to coax adapter, and one of which in communication with said second waveguide to coax adapter, with an isolator disposed therebetween.

10. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 1 wherein said window assembly comprises two outer plates with an inner plate sandwiched therebetween, the inner plate defining a channel adapted to receive the web of carrier material, and the two outer plates defining a window aligned with the channel.

11. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is used to read tags.

12. The radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reading/writing station is used to write to tags.

13. A system for validating each of a plurality of radio frequency identification tags disposed on a continuous web of carrier material in close proximity to one another to ensure proper functioning thereof, said system comprising:

a narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station which reads a designation of each radio frequency identification tag individually in order to generate a first list of tag designations read thereby, said narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station adapted to be used with a radio frequency identification tag reader in order to read the radio frequency identification tags on the continuous web of carrier material, said narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station comprising;

a first waveguide to coax adaptor;

a second waveguide to coax adapter;

a window assembly having a window therein, said window being sized and shaped such that a tag on the web of carrier material under test is exposed to radio frequency read energy, but such that tags on the web of carrier material adjacent to the tag under test are shielded from the radio frequency read energy; and

wherein said first waveguide to coax adapter and said second waveguide to coax adapter are disposed end-to-end with said window assembly being disposed therebetween;

a wide angle radio frequency identification tag reading station which reads designations of a plurality of radio frequency identification tags on the continuous web of carrier material simultaneously from a long range in order to generate a second list of tag designations read thereby; and

a processor which compares the first list of tag designations with the second list of tag designations and evaluates the functionality of the plurality of radio frequency identification tags based at least in part upon the comparison.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the radio frequency read energy is introduced through said first waveguide to coax adapter, and wherein signals emitted by the tag under test are reflected back through said first waveguide to coax adapter, whereby the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station employs a reflective technique.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a resistive termination in communication with said second waveguide to coax adapter for absorbing radio frequency read energy passing through said window assembly into said second waveguide to coax adapter.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station further comprises:

a directional coupler, said directional coupler comprising a first port, a second port and a third port;

wherein the radio frequency read energy passes through said directional coupler from the first port to the second port of said directional coupler; and

wherein the signals emitted by the tag under test pass through said directional coupler from the second port to the third port of said directional coupler.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader in connection with which the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station is adapted for use has separate read and write ports, and wherein the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station further comprises a power splitter or Tee, the power splitter or tee having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader, one of which is in communication with said directional coupler, and one of which is in communication with a resistive termination.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader in connection with which the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station is adapted for use has a combined read and write port, and wherein the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station further comprises a circulator, the circulator having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader, one of which is in communication with the first port of said directional coupler, and one of which in communication with the third port of said directional coupler, with an isolator disposed therebetween.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the radio frequency read energy is introduced through said first waveguide to coax adapter, and wherein signals emitted by the tag under test are passed through said window assembly and said second waveguide to coax adapter, whereby the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station employs a through technique.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader in connection with which the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station is adapted for use has separate read and write ports, and wherein the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station further comprises a power splitter or Tee, the power splitter or tee having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader, one of which is in communication with said first waveguide to coax adapter, with an isolator disposed therebetween, and one of which is attached to a resistive termination.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the radio frequency identification tag reader in connection with which the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station is adapted for use has a combined read and write port, and wherein the narrow angle radio frequency identification tag reading station further comprises a circulator, the circulator having three ports, one of which is in communication with the radio frequency identification tag reader, one of which is in communication with said first waveguide to coax adapter, and one of which in communication with said second waveguide to coax adapter, with an isolator disposed therebetween.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said window assembly comprises two outer plates with an inner plate sandwiched therebetween, the inner plate defining a channel adapted to receive the web of carrier material, and the two outer plates defining a window aligned with the channel.