RFID bridge antenna
First Claim
1. A package for at least two objects each having a tag associated therewith for wirelessly communicating data with a reader, the tag having a tag antenna and the reader having a reader antenna, said package including:
- an RFID bridge antenna comprising, in combination;
at least two RF antenna elements spaced apart from one another and coupled together by an electrical conductor, the first RF antenna element being located proximate to said reader antenna and the second RF antenna element being located proximate to said tag antenna, the arrangement being such that an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by said reader antenna is received by said first RF antenna element and retransmitted by said second RF antenna element to said tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which said tag can communicate with said reader,whereinthe reader and its associated reader antenna is positioned inside said package, andone of the objects is located in close proximity to said reader and another of the objects is located at a remote position relative to said reader, the tag associated with the object in close proximity to said reader being able through its tag antenna to wirelessly communicate data with said reader, and the tag associated with the object located at said remote position being able though said RFID bridge antenna to wirelessly communicate data with said reader.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID bridge antenna is positioned between a tag antenna associated with a tag and a reader antenna associated with a reader. The bridge includes at least two RF antenna elements spaced apart from one another and coupled together by an electrical conductor. The first RF antenna element is located proximate to the tag antenna and the second RF antenna element is located proximate to the reader antenna. An electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by the reader antenna is received by one of the RF antenna element and retransmitted to the tag antenna by the other RF antenna element, increasing the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader. Where the tag is attached to a packaged object, the RFID bridge antenna may be included in the package to allow wireless data communication between the tag and a reader. The reader may also be located external to the package. For example, one of the RF antenna elements may be attached to a label on the package, allowing data stored in the tag to be extracted by the external reader. The object may be a module, also known as a customer replaceable unit (CRU), and the tag may be configured as a customer replaceable unit monitor (CRUM).
49 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A package for at least two objects each having a tag associated therewith for wirelessly communicating data with a reader, the tag having a tag antenna and the reader having a reader antenna, said package including:
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an RFID bridge antenna comprising, in combination; at least two RF antenna elements spaced apart from one another and coupled together by an electrical conductor, the first RF antenna element being located proximate to said reader antenna and the second RF antenna element being located proximate to said tag antenna, the arrangement being such that an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by said reader antenna is received by said first RF antenna element and retransmitted by said second RF antenna element to said tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which said tag can communicate with said reader, wherein the reader and its associated reader antenna is positioned inside said package, and one of the objects is located in close proximity to said reader and another of the objects is located at a remote position relative to said reader, the tag associated with the object in close proximity to said reader being able through its tag antenna to wirelessly communicate data with said reader, and the tag associated with the object located at said remote position being able though said RFID bridge antenna to wirelessly communicate data with said reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification