Wave antenna wireless communication device and method

• US 7,746,285 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian James, Horrell, Peter Robert George, King, Patrick F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tho G
• Application Number:
  US12/126,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 343/806, 343/803, 343/702, 343/895, 296/00, 298/54
• US Class Current: 343/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07764 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tire tire temperature or pressur control arrangements, see B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/378 Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 : Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 : by metal fusion bonding

Abstract

A wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that provides greater increased durability and impedance matching. The wave antenna is a conductor that is bent in alternating sections to form peaks and valleys. The wireless communication device is coupled to the wave antenna to provide wireless communication with other communication devices, such as an interrogation reader. The wireless communication device and wave antenna may be placed on objects, goods, or other articles of manufacture that are subject to forces such that the wave antenna may be stretched or compressed during the manufacture and/or use of such object, good or article of manufacture. The wave antenna, because of its bent structure, is capable of stretching and compressing more easily than other structures, reducing the wireless communication device'"'"'s susceptibility to damage or breaks that might render the wireless communication device coupled to the wave antenna unable to properly communicate information wirelessly.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a wave antenna, the method comprising:

passing a conducting material through a first cog and a second cog having teeth and placed in proximity to each other, wherein the teeth in the first and second cogs substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate; and

placing alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material is passed through the first cog and the second cog to form the wave antenna, wherein the wave antenna is stretchable and, when the wave antenna is not stretched, the bent sections in the wave antenna touch each other and act as a dipole antenna without bent sections.

2. A method of manufacturing a strip of wireless communication devices that are coupled to a wave antenna, the method comprising:

passing a conducting material through a first cog and a second cog having teeth and placed in proximity to each other, wherein the teeth in the first and second cogs substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate;

placing alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material passes through the first cog and the second cog to form a conducting material having a plurality of bends that form a plurality of peaks separated by valleys; and

electrically connecting a plurality of wireless communication devices to the conducting material, wherein each wireless communication device is individually connected across opposing sides of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys in the conducting material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said electrically connecting the plurality of wireless communication devices comprises soldering, the method further comprising tinning each side of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys before soldering.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

re-flow soldering the plurality of wireless communication devices with hot gas;

cleaning away excess solder; and

removing a short formed across a wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valleys;

wherein said cleaning away and said removing a short are performed after said soldering.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said electrically connecting the plurality of wireless communication devices comprises soldering, the method further comprising re-flow soldering the plurality of wireless communication devices with hot gas.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said electrically connecting the plurality of wireless communication devices comprises soldering, the method further comprising cleaning away excess solder after soldering.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising removing a short formed across a wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valleys after soldering.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising encapsulating each wireless communication device after the wireless communication device has been electrically connected to one of the plurality of peaks or valleys.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising winding the conducting material with the plurality of wireless communication devices connected thereto onto a reel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising cutting the conducting material between the plurality of wireless communication devices to separate the wireless communication devices from each other.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching a separated wireless communication device to a tire.

12. A system for manufacturing a wave antenna having a plurality of peaks separated by valleys, the system comprising:

a first cog and a second cog placed in proximity to each other, wherein the first and second cogs are configured to rotate, and wherein the first and second cogs have teeth that substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate;

wherein the first and second cogs are further configured to receive a conducting material and place alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material passes through the first and second cogs, and wherein the alternating bends form the plurality of peaks and valleys of the wave antenna such that the wave antenna is configured to be stretched and, when the wave antenna is not stretched, the angled sections in the wave antenna touch each other and act as a dipole antenna without angled sections.

13. A system for manufacturing a wireless communication device that is coupled to a wave antenna, said wave antenna having a plurality of peaks separated by valleys, comprising:

a first cog and a second cog placed in proximity to each other, wherein the first and second cogs are configured to rotate, and wherein the first and second cogs have teeth that substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate,

wherein the first and second cogs are further configured to receive a conducting material and place alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material passes through the first and second cogs, said alternating bends forming the plurality of peaks and valleys of the wave antenna; and

a station configured to electrically connect a wireless communication device across opposing sides of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect the wireless communication device by soldering, the station being further configured to tin each side of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys before soldering.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the station is configured to re-flow solder the wireless communication device with hot gas and wherein the station is configured for cleaning away excess solder, the system further comprising an apparatus configured to remove a short formed across the wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valley after soldering.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect the wireless communication device by soldering, the station being further configured to re-flow solder the wireless communication device with hot gas after soldering.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect the wireless communication device by soldering, the station being further configured for cleaning away excess solder after soldering.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising an apparatus configured to remove a short formed across the wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valleys after soldering.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising an apparatus configured to encapsulate the wireless communication device after the wireless communication device has been electrically connected to one of the plurality of peaks or valleys.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect multiple wireless communication devices to the conducting material, each wireless communication device being individually connected across the sides of a peak or valley in the conducting material.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising an apparatus configured to wind the conducting material with the wireless communication devices connected thereto onto a reel.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an apparatus configured to cut the conducting material between the wireless communication devices to separate the wireless communication devices.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising an apparatus configured to attach the wireless communication device to a tire.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the station is further configured to electrically connect a plurality of wireless communication devices to the conducting material, and wherein each of the wireless communication devices is individually connected across opposing sides of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys in the conducting material.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a reel onto which the conducting material with the wireless communication devices connected thereto is wound.