Systems and methods for interrogator multiple radio frequency identification enabled documents

• US 8,451,095 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartrac Technology Fletcher, Inc. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Inventors: Azevedo, John, Monsalvo, Rodolfo, Liu, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMSON, SARA B
• Application Number:
  US13/330,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20120154121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/825
• US Class Current: 340/10.2
• 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 19/07796 arrangements on the record carrier to allow stacking of a plurality of similar record carriers, e.g. to avoid interference between the non-contact communication of the plurality of record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10029 the collision being resolved in the time domain, e.g. using binary tree search or RFID responses allocated to a random time slot
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0641 Change of the master or reference, e.g. take-over or failure of the master
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0266 Marks, test patterns or identification means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0268 for electrical inspection or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/142 Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0909 Preformed cutting or breaking line
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09127 PCB or component having an integral separable or breakable part
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor

Abstract

A multi-document read-write station provides the ability to read/write to a stack of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags within a small area. Specifically, the station provides the ability to read from and write to a tall stack of RFID tagged sheets with the RFID tags stacked one on top of the other. The station and capability described herein is the result of and comprises several components including a closed chamber comprising a document slot, an antenna system, and a power management system.

Claims

1. A multi-document read-write device comprising:

a slot configured to receive a plurality of RFID tagged documents, wherein the slot is formed from no-conductive walls;

a chamber disposed within a set of conductive chamber walls, the chamber walls surrounding said slot;

an angled stop wall located at the end of the slot, the angled stop wall configured to introduce a positional offset to each RFID tagged document that is inserted into the slot; and

one or more antennas positioned in the chamber and configured to generate an RF field for interfacing with RFID tags disposed within the slot.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive chamber walls comprise a layer of metalized film.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the conductive chamber walls are constructed from perforated metal.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the slot is constructed at an angle to force the plurality of RFID tagged documents to slide to the end of the slot.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising attenuation pads at the top and bottom of the slot.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising detuning pads at the top and bottom of the slot.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more antennas are configured for multi-frequency operation.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more antennas comprise a transmit antenna and a receive antenna.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the receive antenna is located in close proximity to RFID tags disposed within the slot.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the receive antenna comprises an open ended wave guide with directionality.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein said transmit antenna is further configured to operate in multiple power settings.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the power setting selected is based at least in part upon data written to RFID tags disposed within the slot.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein power transmitted from said one or more antennas to RFID tags disposed within the slot is cycled at upwards at defined intervals.

14. A method for reading and writing information from multiple RFID enabled documents, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of RFID tagged documents in a slot formed in an multi-document read-write device, wherein the multi-document read-write device comprises a set of conductive chamber walls surrounding said slot, an angled stop wall located at the end of the slot, a transmit antenna configured to generate an RF field for interfacing with RFID tags disposed within the slot, and a receive antenna configured to receive backscattered signals from RFID tags disposed within the slot;

transmitting an RFID interrogation signal via the transmit antenna to the RFID tags disposed within the slot; and

receiving at the receive antenna backscattered signals from the RFID tags disposed within the slot.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID interrogation signal comprises a read instruction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID interrogation signal comprises a write instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising reading RFID tag encode information in order to select the transmission power of said RFID interrogation signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag encode information indicates the number of RFID tagged documents received within the slot.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmission power of the RFID interrogation signal is based at least in part upon whether the RFID interrogation signal includes a read or a write instruction.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitting an RFID interrogation signal comprises increasing transmission power at a defined interval.