Universal RFID tags and manufacturing methods

• US 8,286,884 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bruce W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US12/721,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20100230500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/488, 235/451, 3405727-5729
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, and methods of manufacture are described herein. In one implementation, a RFID device comprises: a near field only RFID tag that does not function as a far field RFID tag and is pre-manufactured; and a conductive element independent from the near field only RFID tag and adapted to function as a far field antenna. The near field only RFID tag is coupled to a first portion of an item; and the conductive element is coupled to a second portion of the item, the first portion and the second portion located such that the near field only RFID tag is coupled in proximity to the conductive element such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

a near field only RFID tag that does not function as a far field RFID tag and is pre-manufactured;

a conductive element independent from the near field only RFID tag and adapted to function as a far field antenna; and

wherein the near field only RFID tag is coupled to a first portion of an item; and

wherein the conductive element is coupled to a second portion of the item, the first portion and the second portion located such that the near field only RFID tag is coupled in proximity to the conductive element such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field.

2. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the conductive element is substantially tuned to the item so that the RFID device functions substantially efficiently in the far field.

3. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein one of the conductive element and the near field only RFID tag can be uncoupled from the item to decouple the conductive element in proximity from the near field only RFID tag such that the RFID device no longer functions in the far field.

4. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the near field only RFID tag is passive.

5. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the near field only RFID tag comprises an integrated circuit and a near field loop located on a substrate.

6. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the conductive element has an elongated shape.

7. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the conductive element comprises a material selected from a group consisting of one or more of:

a wire, a printed element, a foil stamp, and a printable ink.

8. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the conductive element is formed from a portion of the item.

9. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element are maintained at a separation of no more than ¼

inch.

10. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising an electrically non-conducting material positioned between and separating the conductive element and the near field only RFID tag.

11. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising an air gap separation is maintained between the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element.

12. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising a portion of a packaging of the item.

13. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising a removable material.

14. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising an adhesive sticker.

15. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising multiple separate pieces.

16. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the near field is defined as a first region about the RFID device within one full wavelength of a carrier wave and the far field is defined as a second region about the RFID device beyond one full wavelength of the carrier wave.

17. The RFID device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are located such that the near field only RFID tag is magnetically coupled to the conductive element.

18. The RFID device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are located such that the near field only RFID tag is capacitively coupled to the conductive element.

19. The RFID device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are located such that the near field only RFID tag is electrically contacting the conductive element.

20. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

a near field only RFID tag, wherein the near field only RFID tag does not function as a far field RFID tag;

a conductive element independent from the near field only RFID tag and adapted to function as a far field antenna; and

a coupling structure adapted to locate the conductive element in a proximity relationship with the near field only RFID tag to couple the conductive element to the near field only RFID tag such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field; and

wherein the coupling structure is adapted to allow the proximity relationship of the conductive element and the near field only RFID tag to be later removed to decouple the conductive element from the near field only RFID tag such that the RFID device no longer functions in the far field.

21. A method of making a radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

coupling a near field only RFID tag to a first portion of an item, wherein the near field only RFID tag does not function as a far field RFID tag and is pre-manufactured;

coupling a conductive element to a second portion of the item, wherein the conductive element is adapted to function as a far field antenna; and

wherein the coupling steps result in that the near field only RFID tag is located proximate to and coupled in proximity to the conductive element such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field.

22. A method of making a radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

obtaining a near field only RFID tag that does not function as a far field RFID tag and is pre-manufactured;

tuning a conductive element to an item to be tagged, the conductive element adapted to function as a far field antenna; and

coupling the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element to the item such that the conductive element is coupled in proximity to the near field only RFID tag, wherein the RFID device will be adapted to function in both a near field and a far field.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the near field only RFID tag is not tuned to the item.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the near field only RFID tag is obtained from an RFID tag manufacturer and the tuning and coupling steps are performed by an item manufacturer.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the tuning step comprises:

designing the conductive element such that when coupled to the item, the conductive element is substantially tuned to the item.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling step includes:

printing the conductive element to a surface of the item with a printable conductive ink.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling step includes:

forming the conductive element to a surface of the item.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling step includes:

locating the conductive element relative to the near field only RFID tag on the item such that the conductive element is magnetically coupled to the near field only RFID tag.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling step includes:

locating the conductive element relative to the near field only RFID tag on the item such that the conductive element is capacitively coupled to the near field only RFID tag.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling step includes:

locating the conductive element relative to the near field only RFID tag on the item such that the conductive element is electrically contacting to the near field only RFID tag.

31. The method of claim 22 wherein the coupling step comprises:

coupling the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element to the item such that one of the conductive element and the near field only RFID tag may be removed from the item.

32. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

uncoupling one of the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element from the item such that the RFID device no longer functions in the far field.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

recoupling the one of the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element to the item such that the RFID device again functions in both the near field and the far field.