Wireless identification system using a directed-energy device as a tag reader

• US 8,400,281 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kaonetics Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kaonetics Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cornwell, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/271,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/13.26, 340/10.3, 398/115, 324/307, 324/309, 455/39, 455/260, 313/309, 313/495
• US Class Current: 340/13.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0672 with resonating marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 25/50 Magnetrons, i.e. tubes with a magnet system producing an H-field crossing the E-field with travelling wave not moving completely around the electron space H01J25/42; functioning with plural reflection or with reversed cyclotron action H01J25/62, H01J25/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A wireless identification system can include a directed-energy device configured as a reader. The reader can include a charged particle generator configured to generate energized particles and a charge transformer configured to receive the energized particles that include charged particles from the charged particle generator and to output a wavefront including energized particles that include particles having substantially zero charge. The system can also include an identification tag configured to be activated when impinged by the wavefront from the reader so as to transmit a signal configured to be used by the reader. A method of using a directed-energy device as a tag reader in a wireless identification system can include generating a wavefront that includes particles at substantially zero charge, impinging an identification tag with the wavefront so as to activate the identification tag so as to send a signal and detecting a signal transmitted by the identification tag.

Claims

1. A wireless identification system, comprising:

a directed-energy device configured as a reader, comprising;

a charged particle generator configured to generate plural energized particles; and

a charge transformer configured to receive the plural energized particles that include charged particles from the charged particle generator and to output a wavefront including energized particles that include particles having substantially zero charge;

and

an identification tag configured to be activated when impinged by the wavefront from the reader so as to transmit a signal configured to be used by the reader.

2. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the charged particle generator comprises:

a charged particle emitter.

3. The wireless identification system of claim 2, wherein the charged particle emitter comprises:

at least one of a magnetron, solid-state power amplifier, gyrotron, traveling wave tube, klystron and free electron laser.

4. The wireless identification system of claim 3, comprising:

an excitation signal generator configured to generate an excitation signal to control the output of the charged particle generator.

5. The wireless identification system of claim 4, wherein the excitation signal comprises a 120 VAC square wave.

6. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the plural energized particles comprise:

a photon particle wave.

7. The wireless identification system of claim 6, wherein the photon particle wave comprises:

a mixture of photons and electrons.

8. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the charged particle generator comprises:

an energized particle forming module.

9. The wireless identification system of claim 8, wherein the energized particle forming module comprises:

an electropositive material.

10. The wireless identification system of claim 9, wherein the electopositive material comprises:

polycarbonate.

11. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the charged particle generator comprises:

a waveguide.

12. The wireless identification system of claim 11, wherein a ratio of a length of the waveguide to a height of an aperture opening at an end of the waveguide is about 3 to 3.5 to 1.

13. The wireless identification system of claim 11, wherein an interior surface of the waveguide comprises:

a coating of a noble metal.

14. The wireless identification system of claim 13, wherein the coating comprises:

gold.

15. The wireless identification system of claim 13, wherein the coating is about two mils thick.

16. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the charge transformer comprises:

at least one pair of electronegative and electropositive material.

17. The wireless identification system of claim 16, wherein the electronegative and electropositive material comprises:

polycarbonate.

18. The wireless identification system of claim 16, wherein the charge transformer comprises:

a layer comprising at least one of glass and quartz adjacent to the at least one pair of electronegative and electropositive material.

19. The wireless identification system of claim 18, wherein the charge transformer comprises:

one or more layers of electronegative material adjacent to the layer comprising at least one of glass and quartz.

20. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the charge transformer comprises:

one or more openings therethrough.

21. The wireless identification system of claim 20, wherein the one or more openings comprise:

at least one of a horizontal slit and a vertical slit.

22. The wireless identification system of claim 11, wherein the waveguide comprises:

one or more antennas configured to minimize backscatter.

23. The wireless identification system of claim 11, wherein the waveguide comprises:

one or more antennas configured to be circularly polarized and radiate substantially circularly polarized energy.

24. The wireless identification system of claim 11, wherein the waveguide comprises:

a horn antenna.

25. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the charged particle generator is configured to generate plural energized particles and a photon particle wave at power levels of approximately 1 kilowatt (kW) to approximately 100 kW.

26. The wireless identification system of claim 1, wherein the wireless identification system is configured to operate over a frequency range from about 804 MHz to 940 MHz.

27. A method of using a directed-energy device as a tag reader in a wireless identification system, comprising:

generating a wavefront that includes particles at substantially zero charge;

impinging an identification tag with the wavefront so as to activate the identification tag so as to send a signal; and

detecting a signal transmitted by the identification tag;

wherein generating the wavefront that includes particles at substantially zero charge comprises;

generating an RF signal;

combining the RF signal with an excitation signal to produce a modulated signal;

generating a modulated photon wave associated with the modulated signal, the modulated photon wave including plural energized particles;

directing the modulated photon wave to an incident surface of a charge transformer;

transforming the plural energized particles within the charge transformer, wherein the transformed particles are at substantially zero charge; and

generating a wavefront at an exit surface of the charge transformer that includes the transformed particles at substantially zero charge.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein transforming the plural energized particles within the charge transformer comprises:

laterally aligning the plural energized particles to produce a polarization of the plural energized particles.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless identification system is configured to operate over a frequency range from about 804 MHz to 940 MHz.