Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and methods of communicating between a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and an interrogator

• US 7,898,389 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Freddie W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US11/483,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20070018904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 370/287, 370/278, 340/10.1, 340/10.34, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/933, 340/572.5, 342 42- 51, 343/726, 343/730, 343/755, 343/815, 343/834, 343/844, 343/701, 343/700.MS, 343/777, 455/78, 455/80, 455/81, 455/101, 455/106, 455/107, 455/129, 455/272, 455/279.1, 455/282, 455/277.1
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• 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 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 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 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/247 by switching different parts of a primary active element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides communication devices, communication systems and methods of communicating. According to one embodiment of the invention, a communication device includes: a first antenna operable to receive wireless communication signals; a second antenna having plural leads, the second antenna being operable to output wireless communication signals; a connection including plural conductive lines having respective first ends and second ends, the connection being coupled with the leads of the second antenna at the first ends of the lines; and a switch coupled with the second ends of the connection, the switch being operable to provide one of selective shorting and isolation of the leads. One method of communicating of the invention includes: forming a first antenna; forming a second antenna; receiving wireless interrogation signals using the first antenna; outputting wireless identification signals using the second antenna; opening a coupling intermediate plural leads of the second antenna during the receiving; selectively shorting the leads of the second antenna during the outputting; and providing a low load impedance of the second antenna during the receiving.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a loop antenna formed upon a first surface of the RFID tag, the loop antenna operable to receive communications signals;

a dipole antenna formed upon the first surface of the RFID tag, the dipole antenna having a first half and a second half and operable to output communications signals, the first half of the dipole antenna having a first antenna port, and the second half of the dipole antenna having a second antenna port;

wherein the loop antenna and the dipole antenna are separated on the first surface by a distance corresponding to one wavelength of the communications signals; and

a switch coupled to the first and second antenna ports and operable to electrically short or electrically isolate the first and second halves of the dipole antenna.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, further comprising:

a transponder coupled to the first and second antenna ports, the transponder being positioned a distance from the dipole antenna corresponding to approximately one quarter wavelength of the communications signals.

3. The RFID tag of claim 2, wherein a connection between the transponder and the dipole antenna operates to provide a low impedance for the dipole antenna when the first half and the second half of the dipole antenna are isolated by the switch.

4. The RFID tag of claim 2, wherein a connection between the transponder and the dipole antenna operates to provide a high impedance for the dipole antenna when the first half and the second half of the dipole antenna are electrically shorted by the switch.

5. The RFID tag of claim 4, wherein the connection is formed on a second surface of the RFID tag.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the dipole antenna is adapted to reflect transmissions from an external device in a backscatter mode when the first and second halves of the dipole antenna are shorted together.

7. The RFID tag of claim 6, wherein the switch alternatively shorts and isolates the first and second halves of the dipole antenna to form a digital return signal to the external device.

8. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein a load impedance of the dipole antenna is transformed to a low impedance to maximize the interaction between the loop antenna and the dipole antenna.

9. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the first half and the second half of the dipole antenna are adapted for 2.45 GHz communications.

10. A radio frequency Identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a first antenna operable to receive command communications signals;

a dipole antenna having a first section and a second section, the dipole antenna being operable to output reply communications signals, wherein the first antenna and the dipole antenna are separated by a distance corresponding to one wavelength of the reply communications signals; and

a switch coupled to the first and second dipole antenna sections and operable to electrically connect or electrically insulate the first and second sections of the dipole antenna.

11. The RFID tag of claim 10, further comprising:

communication circuitry coupled to the first and second dipole antenna sections, the communication circuitry being positioned a distance away from the dipole antenna corresponding to approximately one quarter wavelength of the reply communications signals.

12. The RFID tag of claim 11, wherein a connection between the communication circuitry and the dipole antenna operates to provide a low impedance for the dipole antenna when the first and second sections of the dipole antenna are electrically insulated by the switch.

13. The RFID tag of claim 11, wherein a connection between the communication circuitry and the dipole antenna operates to provide a high impedance for the dipole antenna when the first and second sections of the dipole antenna are electrically shorted by the switch.

14. The RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the dipole antenna is adapted to reflect transmissions from an external device in a backscatter mode when the first and second sections of the dipole antenna are electrically connected together.

15. The RFID tag of claim 14, wherein the switch alternatively connects and insulates the first and second sections of the dipole antenna to form a digital return signal to the external device.

16. The RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the first antenna is a loop antenna and wherein a load impedance of the dipole antenna is transformed to a low impedance to maximize the interaction between the loop antenna and the dipole antenna.

17. The RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the first antenna is a loop antenna.

18. A method of communicating between a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and an interrogator comprising:

providing, on the RFID tag, a first antenna operable to receive command communications signals and a second antenna operable to output reply communications signals, the second antenna having two sections, and wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are separated on the RFID tag by a distance corresponding to one wavelength of the reply communications signals;

providing a switch coupled to the two sections of the second antenna, the switch operable to electrically connect or electrically insulate the two sections of the second antenna;

forming a reply signal by switching the two sections of the second antenna between a connected state and an insulated state; and

transforming a load impedance of the second antenna to a low impedance during a receive mode of the RFID tag.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing communication circuitry coupled to the two sections of the second antenna, the communication circuitry positioned a distance away from the second antenna corresponding to approximately one quarter wavelength of the reply communications signals.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the transforming a load impedance further comprises:

providing a low impedance load for the second antenna when the two sections of the second antenna are electrically insulated by the switch.