Inventory system for RFID tagged objects

• US 8,085,150 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Oberle, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/104,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.7, 3405721-5726, 3405728-5729, 340/568.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/5.92, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A case for containing objects can include a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Reader antenna to detect any RFID tags placed within the case. The RFID antenna can operably connect with external RFID Reader components to detect RFID tags in the case. Alternately, a case can also include a passive RFID antenna to couple with any RFID tags in the case.

Claims

1. A case for containing objects, the case including a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Reader antenna to detect any RFID tags placed within the case;

wherein the case does not contain any active RFID reader components; and

wherein the RFID reader antenna in the case is arranged to operably connect to an external RFID Reader to detect any RFID tags placed within the case; and

wherein the case has a physical mating connector to physically connect the RFID reader antenna to external RFID reader components.

2. The case of claim 1, further comprising RFID tags positioned in the case.

3. The case of claim 2, wherein the RFID tags are associated with objects.

4. A case for containing objects, the case including a passive resonant antenna to couple with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags when the RFID tags are in the case, the case being sized to contain multiple objects with the RFID tags;

and

wherein the passive resonant antenna electromagnetically couples with the RFID tags when they are in the case to improve the ability of an external RFID reader with an external antenna to read the RFID tags using the external antenna.

5. The case of claim 4, further comprising the RFID tags.

6. The case of claim 5, wherein the RFID tags are on objects.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the RFID tags antenna are arranged to be coplanar with the passive resonant antenna.

8. A method comprising:

providing a case including a passive resonant antenna;

placing multiple objects with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags into the case;

using the passive resonant antenna to detect the RFID tags;

wherein the passive resonant antenna electromagnetically couples with the RFID tags when the RFID tags are in the case to improve the ability of an external RFID reader with an external antenna to read the RFID tags using the external antenna; and

wherein the case does not contain any active RFID reader components.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the RFID tags antenna are arranged to be coplanar with the passive resonant antenna.