Automated antenna trim for transmitting and receiving semiconductor devices

• US 8,134,467 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Cathey, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/754,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20070222611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 235375-385
• 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: G06K 19/0726 the arrangement including a circuit for tuning the resonance frequency of an antenna on the record carrier
• 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: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• 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 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

A radio frequency communication device and methods of testing and tuning an antenna attached thereto are described. A radio frequency communication device comprises internal circuitry and an antenna having a plurality of antenna segments associated therewith. Each antenna segment is associated with the antenna in either series or parallel relation through at least one of a fuse and an antifuse. In testing and tuning, a comparison is made to indicate whether the antenna is too short or too long.

Claims

1. A method of forming an antenna for a radio frequency communication device, the method comprising:

forming an antenna, a plurality of antenna segments and internal circuitry on a substrate for a radio frequency communication device; and

associating at least any two of the antenna and the plurality of the antenna segments by forming at least one of a fuse and an antifuse between the at least any two of the antenna and the plurality of the antenna segments,

wherein, in the event that the at least any two of the antenna and the plurality of the antenna segments are associated by the fuse, the at least any two of the antenna and the plurality of the antenna segments are configured to be disconnected from each other in response to activation of the fuse, wherein the fuse is electronically activated in response to the internal circuitry, and

wherein, in the event that the at least any two of the antenna and the plurality of the antenna segments are associated by the antifuse, the at least any two of the antenna and the plurality of the antenna segments are configured to be connected to each other in response to initiating the antifuse, wherein the antifuse is electronically initiated in response to the internal circuitry.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the plurality of antenna segments in series with the antenna, each antenna segment being associated with at least one other antenna segment by at least one of a second fuse and a second antifuse.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising associating the plurality of antenna segments with the antenna in parallel, the antenna segments each being associated with the antenna by at least one of a third fuse and a third antifuse.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming an antenna, antenna segments and internal circuitry on a substrate comprises forming the antenna, antenna segments and internal circuitry on a semiconductor substrate.

5. A method to form a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming internal circuitry including an RFID circuit on the substrate; and

forming on the substrate an antenna of the RFID tag, the antenna having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being substantially short relative to the second segment, wherein the first segment is coupled to the second segment at a predetermined location for connection to the RFID circuit via the second segment, wherein a fuse is provided at the predetermined location to couple the first segment to the second segment;

wherein, in response to the internal circuitry causing electronic activation of the fuse, the first segment is configured to become irreversibly disconnected from the second segment at the predetermined location to change a reception characteristic of the RFID tag.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate on which the antenna, the fuse and the internal circuitry are formed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the reception characteristic of the RFID tag that is changed is a reception pattern of the RFID tag.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the antenna comprises a loop, coil or a bowtie antenna.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the antenna further comprises a third segment;

and the method further comprises;

disposing an antifuse on the substrate to isolate the second segment from the third segment.

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

an RFID circuit including a memory; and

an antenna assembly coupled to the RFID circuit, the antenna assembly including;

a main antenna, and

at least one antenna segment electronically connected to the main antenna by a fuse at a predetermined location, wherein

the antenna segment is substantially short relative to the main antenna,

wherein, in response to the RFID circuit causing electronic activation of the fuse, the antenna segment and the main antenna are configured to become disconnected from each other at the predetermined location to change a reception characteristic of the RFID tag.

11. The RFD tag of claim 10, wherein the reception characteristic of the RFID tag that is changed is a reception pattern of RFID tag.

12. The RFID tag of claim 10, further comprising a wake-up circuit, a receiver, a transmitter and a control logic.

13. The RFID tag of claim 12, further comprising a battery to power the RFID circuit.