Antenna, and radio frequency identifying device and method

• US 8,267,319 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Koo, Hoon Young, Song, Jae Gwan, Kim, Young Gon, Hu, Hong Suk, Park, Jong Heung
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US12/688,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/435, 235/451, 235/444, 235/472.02, 235/487, 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 343/757, 343/766
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

A radio frequency identifying device minimizes a null point area within a radiation pattern by horizontally or vertically vibrating an antenna plate radiating a radio frequency beam by using at least one vibration motor.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identifying device comprising:

a radio frequency sensor for sensing whether there is an radio frequency tagged identification object within a predetermined area;

an antenna device comprising an antenna operably connected to both an antenna plate and a vibration motor, and a controller controlling the vibration motor and the antenna plate, wherein the controller, upon the identification object being sensed by the sensor, controls the vibration motor to physically vibrate the antenna plate along at least one axis while radiating a radio frequency radiation pattern to the radio frequency tagged object to create a vibrated radio frequency radiation pattern, and wherein said vibrated radio frequency radiation pattern has reduced null zones than said radiated radio frequency radiation pattern that was not vibrated.

2. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 1, wherein

the antenna includes:

an interface for receiving a control signal from the controller;

the vibration motor for generating vibration for moving the antenna plate horizontally or vertically based on the control signal; and

the antenna plate for radiating the radio frequency beam based on the control signal.

3. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 2, wherein

the antenna further includes:

a vibration plate for transferring the vibration to the antenna plate;

a vibration plate support for restoring the antenna plate and the vibration plate to their original states of before vibration is generated, when the vibration stops; and

a vibration support plate for controlling a vibration range of the vibration plate.

4. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 3, wherein

the vibration plate support is made of a material with predetermined hardness and elasticity.

5. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 3, wherein

the length or position of the vibration support plate is variable, and the vibration range of the antenna plate is controlled by the length or position of the vibration support plate.

6. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 2, wherein

the antenna includes a plurality of vibration motors having the same number of vibrations occurring within the same time and having different times of generation of vibration.

7. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 2, wherein

the antenna includes a plurality of vibration motors having different numbers of vibrations occurring within the same time.

8. The radio frequency identifying device of claim 1, wherein

the antenna includes:

a first vibration motor for generating vibration for moving the antenna plate horizontally; and

a second vibration motor for generating vibration for moving the antenna plate vertically.

9. An antenna device of a radio frequency identifying device, comprising:

an antenna plate operable to radiate a radio frequency radiation pattern;

a vibration motor operable to generate vibration along at least one axis, said vibration vibrating the antenna plate while said radio frequency radiation pattern is being radiated;

a vibration plate operable to transmit the vibration to the antenna plate, wherein the vibrated radio frequency radiation pattern is radiated when a radio frequency sensor senses the presence of a radio frequency tagged identification object within a predetermined range; and

wherein the vibrated radio frequency radiation pattern has reduced null zones than said radiated radio frequency radiation pattern that was not vibrated.

10. The antenna of claim 9, further including

a vibration plate support for restoring the antenna plate and the vibration plate to their original states of before vibration is generated, when the vibration is stopped;

and

a vibration support plate for controlling the vibration range of the vibration plate.

11. The antenna of claim 9, wherein

the antenna plate radiates the radio frequency beam when there is an identification object sensed within a predetermined range.

12. A radio frequency identifying method of a radio frequency identifying device, comprising:

generating vibration horizontally or vertically using a vibration motor when a radio frequency tagged identification object is sensed within a predetermined range by a radio frequency sensor;

sensing by a radio frequency sensor, a radio frequency tagged identification object, and upon said sensing, generating a radio frequency radiation pattern while vibrating an antenna plate according to said vibration to form a vibrated radio frequency radiation pattern having less null zones than said radio frequency identification pattern;

receiving data from a read radio frequency identification tag having received the vibrated radio frequency pattern.

13. The radio frequency identifying method of claim 12, further including

sensing whether there is the identification object within a predetermined range by using the sensor.

14. The radio frequency identifying method of claim 12, wherein

the radiating includes

radiating the radio frequency beam when the identification object is sensed by the sensor.