RFID reader

• US 7,889,057 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LS Industrial Systems Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LS Industrial Systems Company Limited
• Inventors: Seon, Jong-Kug
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US11/463,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/825.72, 340/10.3, 340/825.69, 340/825.71, 340/825.58
• US Class Current: 340/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03834 using pulse shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/04 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/06 Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits

Abstract

Provided are an RFID reader reading data from an RFID tag using a wireless connection over a specified frequency bandwidth, including a transmitting unit synthesizing sequentially and cumulatively frequency control signals generated every clock, mixing the synthesized specific frequency signal and a fixed frequency signal, and as a result outputting an RF signal.

Claims

1. An RFID reader which reads data from an RFID tag using a wireless connection over a specified frequency bandwidth, comprising:

a transmitting unit which sequentially and cumulatively synthesizes a specific frequency signal from frequency control signals generated every clock, mixes the synthesized specific frequency signal and a fixed frequency signal, and outputs an RF signal as a result,

wherein the transmitting unit comprises;

a frequency synthesizing unit which sequentially and cumulatively synthesizes the specific frequency signal from the frequency control signals generated every clock, and outputs the specific frequency signal;

a fixed frequency generating unit which generates and outputs the fixed frequency signal, which is fixed to a specified level;

a modulating unit which modulates the fixed frequency signal outputted from the fixed frequency generating unit with the specific frequency signal outputted from the frequency synthesizing unit, and outputs an RF signal as a result; and

an amplifying unit which amplifies the RF signal outputted from the modulating unit to a specific level and transmits the amplified signal through an antenna,

wherein the modulating unit comprises;

a first phase shifting unit which phase-shifts the specific frequency signal by 90 degrees and outputs an in-phase signal as a result;

a second phase shifting unit which phase-shifts the fixed frequency signal by 90 degrees and outputs a signal;

a first mixer which mixes the in-phase signal from the first phase shifting unit and the signal output from the second phase shifting unit;

a second mixer which mixes the fixed frequency signal and a quadrature-phase signal of the specific frequency signal; and

an adding unit which adds a signal output from the first mixer and a signal output from the second mixer, and outputs the RF signal as a result.

2. The RFID reader of claim 1, wherein the frequency synthesizing unit is a direct digital frequency synthesizer.

3. The RFID reader of claim 2, wherein the direct digital frequency synthesizer comprises:

an accumulator which adds each frequency control signal generated every clock to a stored value;

a ROM which stores a digitized sine value corresponding to a phase of a signal output from the accumulator; and

a digital-to-analog converter which converts a digital value outputted by the ROM into an analog value.

4. The RFID reader of claim 1, further comprising a controlling unit which outputs the frequency control signals every clock and controls the fixed frequency generating unit.

5. The RFID reader of claim 3, wherein the digital-to-analog converter performs pulse shaping by adjusting ascending and descending times of the digital value outputted by the ROM to a specific level and outputs an analog signal as the specific frequency signal as a result.

6. An RFID reader which reads data from an RFID tag using a wireless connection over a specified frequency bandwidth, comprising:

a transmitting unit which pulses-shapes a frequency control signal generated every clock in order to generate a specific frequency signal, mixes the specific frequency signal and a changed frequency, and outputs an RF signal as a result, and

a controlling unit which outputs the frequency control signal every clock and controls a change of a frequency to synchronize phases of the specific frequency signal and the changed frequency;

the transmitting unit performs the pulse shaping by adjusting ascending and descending times of the frequency control signal generated every clock and outputs the specific frequency signal as a result;

the transmitting unit comprising a frequency changing unit which changes a frequency to synchronize phases of the specific frequency signal and the changed frequency in accordance with a specific control and a modulating unit which mixes the changed frequency and the specific frequency signal and an amplifying unit which amplifies a signal outputted from the modulating unit to a specific level and transmits an amplified signal through an antenna.

7. The RFID reader of claim 6, wherein the modulating unit comprises:

a phase shifting unit which phase-shifts the changed frequency by 90 degrees;

a first mixer which mixes the specific frequency signal outputted from the pulse shaping unit and a signal outputted from the phase shifting unit;

a second mixer which mixes the specific frequency signal outputted from the pulse shaping unit and the changed frequency; and

an adding unit which adds a signal outputted from the first mixer and a signal outputted from the second mixer, and outputs the RF signal as a result.

8. An RFID reader which reads data from an RFID tag using a wireless connection over a specified frequency bandwidth, comprising:

a transmitting unit which pulse-shapes a frequency control signal generated every clock in order to generate a specific frequency signal, mixes the specific frequency signal and a changed frequency, and outputs an RF signal as a result; and

a receiving unit which mixes a frequency of a signal transmitted from the RFID tag by way of squaring the frequency, converts the mixed signal into a digital signal, and extracts data as a result,

wherein the transmitting unit comprises;

a pulse shaping unit which performs pulse shaping by adjusting ascending and descending times of the frequency control signal generated every clock, and outputs the specific frequency signal as a result;

a frequency changing unit which changes a frequency to synchronize phases of the specific frequency signal and the changed frequency in accordance with a specific control;

a modulating unit which mixes the changed frequency and the specific frequency signal; and

an amplifying unit which amplifies a signal outputted from the modulating unit to a specific level and transmits an amplified signal through an antenna.

9. The RFID reader of claim 8, wherein the modulating unit comprises:

a phase shifting unit which phase-shifts the changed frequency by 90 degrees;

a first mixer which mixes the specific frequency signal outputted from the pulse shaping unit and a signal outputted from the phase shifting unit;

a second mixer which mixes the specific frequency signal outputted from the pulse shaping unit and the changed frequency; and

an adding unit which adds a signal outputted from the first mixer and a signal outputted from the second mixer, and outputs the RF signal as a result.

10. The RFID reader of claim 8, wherein the receiving unit comprises:

a demodulating unit which mixes the signal transmitted from the RFID tag by way of squaring the signal; and

a data extracting unit which converts a mixed signal outputted from the demodulating unit into a digital signal, and extracts the data as a result.

11. A RFID reader which reads data from an RFID tag using a wireless connection over a specified frequency bandwidth, comprising:

a transmitting unit which pulse-shapes a frequency control signal generated every clock in order to generate a specific frequency signal, mixes the specific frequency signal and a changed frequency, and outputs an RF signal as a result; and

a receiving unit which detects a level of a signal received from the RFID tag, converts a detected level of the signal into a digital signal, and extracts data as a result,

wherein the transmitting unit comprises;

a pulse shaping unit which performs pulse shaping by adjusting ascending and descending times of the frequency control signal generated every clock, and outputs the specific frequency signal as a result;

a frequency changing unit which changes a frequency to synchronize phases of the specific frequency signal and the changed frequency in accordance with a specific control;

a modulating unit which mixes the changed frequency and the specific frequency signal; and

an amplifying unit which amplifies a signal outputted from the modulating unit to a specific level and transmits an amplified signal through an antenna.

12. The RFID reader of claim 11, wherein the receiving unit comprises:

a demodulating unit which processes a frequency of the signal received from the RFID tag using an RMS method, and detects a processed value as a demodulated signal as a result; and

a data extracting unit which converts the demodulated signal into a digital signal and extracts the data as a result.

13. The RFID reader of claim 12, wherein the demodulating unit comprises:

a low noise amplifying unit which amplifies the signal received from the RFID tag to a low noise level; and

a level detecting unit which squares a frequency of a signal outputted from the low noise amplifying unit, integrates the squared frequency of the signal, and outputs an average value of the integrated signal as the demodulated signal.