Antenna for mobile wireless data collection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An antenna element for use on the load backrest of a lift truck, comprising:
- a radiating element of conducting material having a substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency; and
a radio frequency feed line, the feed line being coupled across an opening in the radiating element, wherein the radiating element is affixed to a portion of said load backrest so as to project at least one radio frequency signal in an essentially upward direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an antenna system for reading RFID tags and/or transmitting and receiving wireless network signals, including for example wireless local area network (WLAN) signals, in a material handling environment. A ruggedized antenna can be mounted on the load backrest of a lift truck and configured to accomplish the reading of RFID tags that indicate particular pallet storage locations and the reading of RFID tags that indicate warehouse locations, such as specific loading docks. The antenna system can also be configured to accomplish transmitting and receiving WLAN signals for communication with a warehouse.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An antenna element for use on the load backrest of a lift truck, comprising:
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a radiating element of conducting material having a substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency; and a radio frequency feed line, the feed line being coupled across an opening in the radiating element, wherein the radiating element is affixed to a portion of said load backrest so as to project at least one radio frequency signal in an essentially upward direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A load backrest for a lift truck, comprising:
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a frame adapted for connection to an lift carriage and extending in a generally vertical plane above the carriage; and an antenna configured to have substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency and to be in essentially the same vertical plane as said frame, said antenna having a radiating element of conducting material with at least one opening, said radiating element configured to project at least one radio frequency signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A data collection system for a powered industrial truck with a lift carriage, said system comprising:
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a load backrest mounted to said lift carriage, said load backrest including an integrated antenna with a radiating element configured to have substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency and having an opening configured for projecting at least one radio frequency signal; a feed line coupled to the opening to communicate a signal for reading a RFID tag; a RFID tag reading system including a RFID radio and a CPU; and a power source for said reader and said antenna. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of collecting inventory tracking data in material handling environment, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing location RFID tags in an inventory storage area, wherein the location RFID tags represent unique location in the inventory storage area; providing product RFID tags on the inventory, wherein the product RFID tags represent inventory contents; reading information from the location RFID tags and the product RFID tags using an RF signal transmitted from an antenna having a radiating element on a load backrest of a lift carriage and having a substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency; and communicating the RFID tag information to an inventory management system. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for reading an overhead RFID tag using an antenna mounted on a lift truck, comprising:
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projecting in a predominantly upward direction a first RF signal having, at half power, a major lobe with a transverse cross-section having a ratio of major to minor dimensions greater than or equal to 2, wherein said lift truck includes a front, a back, a first side, and a second side, and wherein said major dimension is parallel to a direction extending from the front of said lift truck to the back of said lift truck, and wherein said minor dimension is parallel to a direction extending from the first side of said lift truck to the second side of said lift truck; receiving a second signal from the RFID tag; and transmitting the second signal to a RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A RFID antenna for a lift truck, comprising:
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a planar radiating element on an essentially-vertically-oriented load backrest, said radiating element oriented transverse to the primary direction of travel of said lift truck, said radiating element having a substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency, and said antenna having a linear polarization aligned with the primary plane of the load back rest and is configured for projecting an electromagnetic signal in predominantly an upward direction. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A WLAN antenna for a lift truck, comprising:
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a planar radiating element on an essentially-vertically-oriented load backrest, said radiating element oriented transverse to the primary direction of travel of said lift truck, said radiating element having a substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency, and said antenna having a linear polarization aligned with the primary plane of the load back rest.
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45. A dual band antenna element, comprising:
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a radiating element of conducting material having a substantially uniform voltage distribution across the radiating element at low frequency, said radiating element comprising a first opening and a second opening; and a first radio frequency feed line coupled across said first opening in the radiating element, to radiate a radio frequency signal at a first frequency in essentially an upward direction; a second radio frequency feed line coupled across said second opening in the radiating element, wherein the radiating element is configured for projecting a second radio frequency signal. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification