System and method for continuous RFID encoding

• US 7,504,950 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Torchalski, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/290,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/686.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/539.3, 340/10, 235/375, 235/432, 358/1.15, 400/88
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

An encoder device for encoding a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by media includes a media path, at least two antennae, at least one transceiver, and a controller. Media and radio frequency identification tags are advanced along the media path. The at least two antennae are spaced from each other and each of the antennae are positioned along the media path adjacent to at least one of the radio frequency identification tags. The at least one transceiver is configured to communicate with the antennae. The controller is configured to communicate individually with each of the respective radio frequency identification tags positioned adjacent the antennae using the transceiver and the antennae.

Claims

1. An encoder device for encoding one or more radio frequency identification tags in a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by a strip of media, the encoder device comprising:

a media path along which the media and radio frequency identification tags are advanced;

at least a first antenna and a second antenna spaced from each other and each of the antennas positioned along the media path;

at least one transceiver configured to communicate with the antennas; and

a controller configured to communicate with each of the respective radio frequency identification tags using the transceiver and the antennas,

wherein the first antenna being configured to communicate with a radio frequency identification tag positioned adjacent the first antenna, wherein the controller determines information about the radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the controller uses the determined information to control encoding of the particular radio frequency identification tag at the second antenna.

2. The encoder device of claim 1, wherein the antennas are near-field antennas configured to simultaneously communicate with adjacent-most ones of the radio frequency identification tags.

3. The encoder device of claim 2, further comprising a positioning assembly supporting at least one of the antennas and configured to move the at least one of the supported antennas along the media path until adjacent the adjacent-most one of the radio frequency identification tags.

4. The encoder device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine a position of the adjacent-most one of the radio frequency identification tags and communicate the position to the positioning assembly.

5. The encoder device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a void one of the radio frequency identification tags using the transceiver and an upstream one of the antennas and to skip encoding of the void radio frequency identification tag.

6. The encoder device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the radio frequency tags by encoding each of the radio frequency tags with unique data.

7. The encoder device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect a void one of the radio frequency identification tags and to repeat encoding of a next one of the radio frequency identification tags with unique data previously intended for the void radio frequency identification tag.

8. The encoder device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is a sensor antenna and the second antenna is an encoding antenna.

9. The encoder device of claim 8, wherein the encoder device is combination printer and encoder for printing on a strip of media in addition to encoding the radio frequency identification tags supported by the media, the encoder device further comprising a print head positioned adjacent the media path and configured to print on the media as the media passes thereby.

10. The encoder device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to track a sequence of the radio frequency identification tags using communications therewith and is further configured to communicate printing indicia to the print head corresponding to a sequence of the radio frequency identification tags.

11. The encoder device of claim 9, wherein the sensor antenna is positioned upstream of the encoding antenna and the encoding antenna is positioned downstream and closer to the print head.

12. The encoder device of claim 11, wherein the sensor antenna is a near- field antenna and the encoding antenna has a relatively large field compared to the sensor antenna.

13. The encoder device of claim 12, wherein the sensor antenna is configured for at least one of reading and encoding an identification number of an adjacent-most one of the radio frequency identification tags.

14. The encoder device of claim 13, wherein the sensor antenna is further configured to pass the identification number to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to use the identification number to coordinate selective encoding radio frequency tags within the large field.

15. The encoder device of claim 14, wherein the sensor antenna has a field of less than approximately two inches and the encoding antenna has a field of greater than approximately six inches.

16. The encoder device of claim 14, wherein the field of the encoding antenna is configured to allow continuous encoding of the radio frequency identification tags without halting printing by the print head.

17. The encoder device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to vary power levels of the antennas during communication with the particular radio frequency identification tag and measure a response of the particular radio frequency identification tag to the varied power levels at various ranges.

18. The encoder device of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to determine a position of the particular radio frequency identification tag on the media responsive to the measured response.

19. A method of encoding one or more radio frequency identification tags in a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by media, the method comprising:

advancing the media and radio frequency identification tags along a media path such that at least one of the radio frequency identification tags is passed proximate to at least a first antenna and a second antenna;

communicating with the radio frequency identification tags via a controller as each of the radio frequency identification tags passes proximate to the first and second antennas;

determining information of each of the radio frequency identification tags; and

encoding each of the radio frequency identification tags responsive to the determined information.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

sensing an identification the radio frequency identification tags at an upstream one of the first and second antennas; and

encoding the radio frequency identification tags at a downstream one of the first and second antennas.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

writing an identification number to the radio frequency identification tags at an upstream one of the first and second antennas; and

encoding the radio frequency identification tags at a downstream one of the first and second antennas, wherein the encoding is responsive to the identification number.

22. An encoder device for encoding one or more radio frequency identification tags in a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by a strip of media, the encoder device comprising:

a media path along which the media and radio frequency identification tags are advanced;

at least a first antenna and a second antenna spaced from each other and each of the antennas positioned along the media path;

at least one transceiver configured to communicate with the antennas; and

a controller configured to communicate with each of the respective radio frequency identification tags using the transceiver and the antennas,

wherein the first antenna being configured to communicate with a radio frequency identification tag positioned adjacent the first antenna, wherein the controller determines position data about the radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the controller uses the position data to control encoding of the particular radio frequency identification tag at the second antenna.

23. The encoder device of claim 22, wherein the first antenna is a sensor antenna configured for at least one of reading and encoding an identification number of an adjacent-most one of the radio frequency identification tags.

24. The encoder device of claim 23, wherein the second antenna is a encoding antenna and wherein the sensor antenna is further configured to pass the identification number to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to use the identification number to coordinate selective encoding radio frequency tags at the encoding antenna.

25. A method of encoding one or more radio frequency identification tags in a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by media, the method comprising:

advancing the media and radio frequency identification tags along a media path such that at least one of the radio frequency identification tags is passed proximate to at least a first antenna and a second antenna;

communicating with the radio frequency identification tags via a controller as each of the radio frequency identification tags passes proximate to the first and second antennas;

determining position data of each of the radio frequency identification tags relative to each other; and

encoding each of the radio frequency identification tags responsive to the position data.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

sensing an identification the radio frequency identification tags at an upstream one of the first and second antennas; and

encoding the radio frequency identification tags at a downstream one of the first and second antennas.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the determining position data is performed responsive to communication of an order of the radio frequency identification tags to a controller responsive to the sensing.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

writing an identification number to the radio frequency identification tags at an upstream one of the first and second antennas; and

encoding the radio frequency identification tags at a downstream one of the first and second antennas, wherein the encoding is responsive to the identification number.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising positioning each of the first and second antennas along the media path via a positioning assembly until the first and second antennas are adjacent to corresponding ones of the radio frequency identification tags.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the encoding comprises simultaneously encoding one of the radio frequency identification tags at each of the first and second antennas.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising printing each of the radio frequency identification tags.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the printing comprises sequentially printing encoded ones of the radio frequency identification tags responsive to the position data.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising varying power levels of the antennas during communication with the particular radio frequency identification tag and measuring a response of the particular radio frequency identification tag to the varied power levels at various ranges.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising determining a location of the particular radio frequency identification tag on the media responsive to the measured response.

35. An encoder device for encoding one or more radio frequency identification tags in a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by a strip of media, the encoder device comprising:

a media path along which the media and radio frequency identification tags are advanced;

at least a first antenna and a second antenna spaced from each other and each of the antennas positioned along the media path;

at least one transceiver configured to communicate with the antennas; and

a controller configured to communicate with each of the respective radio frequency identification tags using the transceiver and the antennas,

wherein the first antenna being configured to communicate with a radio frequency identification tag positioned adjacent the first antenna, wherein the controller is configured to vary at least one of a read power level or a write power level of the first and second antennas.

36. The encoder device of claim 35, wherein the first antenna is a sensor antenna configured for at least one of reading and encoding an identification number of an adjacent-most one of the radio frequency identification tags.

37. The encoder device of claim 36, wherein the second antenna is an encoding antenna and wherein the sensor antenna is further configured to pass the identification number to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to use the identification number to coordinate selective encoding radio frequency tags at the encoding antenna.

38. A method of encoding one or more radio frequency identification tags in a series of radio frequency identification tags supported by media, the method comprising:

advancing the media and radio frequency identification tags along a media path such that at least one of the radio frequency identification tags is passed proximate to at least a first antenna and a second antenna;

communicating with the radio frequency identification tags via a controller as each of the radio frequency identification tags passes proximate to the first and second antennas;

varying at least one of a read power level or a write power level of the first and second antennas;

measuring a response to the varying at least one of a read power level or a write power level of the first and second antennas; and

determining a position of the particular radio frequency identification tag on the media responsive to the measured response.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

sensing an identification the radio frequency identification tags at an upstream one of the first and second antennas; and

encoding the radio frequency identification tags at a downstream one of the first and second antennas.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

writing an identification number to the radio frequency identification tags at an upstream one of the first and second antennas; and

encoding the radio frequency identification tags at a downstream one of the first and second antennas, wherein the encoding is responsive to the identification number.