System and method for improving the detection efficiency of an identification system including a transponder and a reader

• US 7,432,809 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datamars SA (Province of Québec)
• Original Assignee: Datamars SA (Province of Québec)
• Inventors: Mutti, Carlo, Di Domenico, Mauro, Parvis, Hassan-Zade, Malacarne, Enrico
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US11/235,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.34, 340/573.2, 340/573.3, 340551-552, 340/686.6, 342/51, 235435-436, 235/449, 235/451
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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 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 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device

Abstract

The invention relates to a radio frequency (RF) system and method for improving the detection efficiency of an identification system including a transponder and a reader.

The system (1) comprises an interrogator reader device (3) having an interrogator coil antenna (4) and a transponder (2) having a transponder coil antenna (5) and a microchip (6) Advantageously, the interrogator reader device (3) comprises a detection portion (11) including a sensitive signal gain detector (SSGN) for detecting just the presence of the transponder coil antenna (5) in case of misplacement of the transponder or broken link between the transponder coil antenna (5) and the microchip (6).

The invention allows remedying to those potentially dangerous situations that might lead to a misdetection of the transponder (2).

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification system comprising:

an interrogating reader device having an interrogator coil antenna; and

a transponder having a transponder coil antenna and a microchip,

wherein said interrogator reader device comprises a detection portion including a sensitive signal gain detector for detecting just the presence of said transponder coil antenna in case of misplacement of the transponder or broken link between said transponder coil antenna and said microchip, and

wherein said sensitive signal gain detector emits an output signal indicative of a broken link between said transponder coil antenna and said microchip of said transponder.

2. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 1, wherein said sensitive signal gain detector is a special circuit for detection of metal or ferrite.

3. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 1, wherein said sensitive signal gain detector detects just a reduction in the power transfer efficiency due to the de-tuning effect caused by an inductive load of the coil antenna, not necessarily in resonance.

4. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 1, wherein one terminal of said interrogator antenna is connected to a gain stage of said detection portion through a diode.

5. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 4, wherein a de-coupling capacitance is connected between said diode and a voltage potential reference.

6. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 4, wherein the output of the gain stage is connected to said sensitive signal gain detector to provide an output signal that is indicative of the presence of a secondary coil of the transponder.

7. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 4, wherein said interrogator reader device is provided with at least one of a specific light emission device and a sound emitter directly driven by the output of said signal gain detector.

8. A radio frequency identification system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of light and sound provided by at least one of said light emission device and said sound emitter different from lights and/or sounds that said interrogating reader device normally emits to indicate the presence of a recognized transponder and the load of the information stored therein.

9. A method for improving the detection efficiency of a radio frequency identification system comprising an interrogator reader device having an interrogator coil antenna and a transponder having a transponder coil antenna and a microchip, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying one terminal of the interrogator coil antenna with a periodic voltage value, thus obtaining a resonant primary coil;

checking the possible presence of the transponder by bringing an inductive load presumed to be carrying a transponder and transponder coil antenna into the magnetic field of the primary coil;

detecting just the presence of the transponder coil antenna through a detection portion connected to the opposite terminal of said interrogator coil antenna and including a sensitive signal gain detector; and

emitting a warning signal in case of misplacement of the transponder or broken link between the transponder coil antenna and the microchip.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the warning signal is used to drive a specific light emission device and/or a sound emitter in the interrogator reader device.