Direct communication in antenna devices

• US 8,120,493 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Burr, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US11/613,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/10, 340/572
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• 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: H01P 5/08 for linking dissimilar lines or devices H01P1/16, H01P5/04 take precedence; linking lines of the same kind but with different dimensions H01P5/02
• 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 1/38 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: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and device in which non-RF (radio frequency) data signals are transmitted to a non-RF data port connected to an antenna of a device. The non-RF data signals from the non-RF data port are coupled to a data bus using a low frequency coupler of the device. RF signals are blocked from the data bus using the low frequency coupler of the device. In another aspect, RF signals are transmitted to the antenna of the device and are coupled to an RF port using a high frequency coupler of the device. Non-RF data signals are blocked from the RF port using the high frequency coupler. Additional embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna adapted to receive RF signals, said antenna having a non-RF data port adapted to conduct non-RF data signals;

a data bus; and

a low frequency coupler coupling said data bus to said non-RF data port of said antenna, and adapted to couple said non-RF data signals between said non-RF data port of said antenna, and said data bus, said low frequency coupler being further adapted to block coupling of RF signals between said antenna and said data bus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an RF port; and

a high frequency coupler coupling said antenna to said RF port, and adapted to couple RF signals between said antenna and said RF port, said high frequency coupler being further adapted to block coupling of said non-RF data signals between said non-RF data port and said RF port.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said low frequency coupler is an inductive coupling.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said high frequency coupler is a capacitive coupling.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) device wherein said device comprises said antenna having said non-RF data port, said data bus, said low frequency coupler, said RF port and said high frequency coupler.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said device further comprises a data processor coupled to said data bus and adapted to process said non-RF data signals from said non-RF data port and to transmit non-RF data signals to said non-RF data port via said data bus and said low frequency coupler.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said device further comprises an RF transceiver coupled to said RF port and adapted to transmit RF signals to said antenna and receive RF signals from said antenna via said high frequency coupler.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an integrated circuit package having at least one integrated circuit die within said package, wherein said RFID device is integrated within said at least one die.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising an integrated circuit package having at least one integrated circuit die within said package, wherein said RFID device is integrated within said at least one die.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a printed circuit board having integrated thereon said RFID device.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a printed circuit board having integrated thereon said RFID device.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a substrate and a bioarray integrated on said substrate, said RFID device also being integrated on said substrate.

13. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a product wherein said RFID device is an RFID tag embedded in said product.

14. A method, comprising:

transmitting non-RF data signals to a non-RF data port of an antenna of a device;

coupling said non-RF data signals from said non-RF data port to a data bus using a low frequency coupler of said device; and

blocking RF signals from said data bus using said low frequency coupler of said device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transmitting RF signals to said antenna of said device;

coupling said RF signals to an RF port using a high frequency coupler of said device; and

blocking said non-RF data signals from said RF port using said high frequency coupler.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said non-RF data signal coupler is an inductive coupling.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said RF signal coupler is a capacitive coupling.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein a radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprises said antenna having said non-RF data port, said data bus, said low frequency coupler, said RF port and said high frequency coupler.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising processing said non-RF data signals from said non-RF data port and transmitting via said data bus and low frequency coupler, non-RF data signals to said non-RF data port.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising transmitting via said high frequency coupler, RF signals to said antenna via said high frequency coupler.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said RFID device is integrated within at least one die of an integrated circuit package.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said processing and transmitting of non-RF data signals is performed by a data processor which is part of said RFID device which is integrated within at least one die of an integrated circuit package.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein said RFID device is integrated on a printed circuit board.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said processing and transmitting of non-RF data signals is performed by a data processor which is part of said RFID device which is integrated on a printed circuit board.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein said RFID device is integrated on a substrate with a bioarray.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein said RFID device is an RFID tag.

27. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of nodes, said nodes including a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and a host having an RFID reader, at least one of said RFID tags comprising;

an antenna adapted to receive RF signals, said antenna having a non-RF data port adapted to conduct non-RF data signals;

a data bus; and

a low frequency coupler coupling said data bus to said non-RF data port of said antenna, and adapted to couple said non-RF data signals between said non-RF data port of said antenna, and said data bus, said low frequency coupler being further adapted to block coupling of RF signals between said antenna and said data bus.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said at least one RFID tag further comprises:

an RF port; and

a high frequency coupler coupling said antenna to said RF port, and adapted to couple RF signals between said antenna and said RF port, said high frequency coupler being further adapted to block coupling of said non-RF data signals between said non-RF data port and said RF port.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said low frequency coupler is an inductive coupling.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said high frequency coupler is a capacitive coupling.