Method and systems of tagging objects and reading tags coupled to objects

• US 8,471,711 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Tuttle, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/539,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.8, 340/572.7, 340/572.1, 340/572.9, 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 343/700, 343/850, 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

Methods and systems of tagging objects and reading tags coupled to objects. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a reading antenna, a tag reader coupled to the reading antenna, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising a tag antenna electromagnetically coupled to the reading antenna. The RFID tag couples to an object such as the body of a living organism or a metallic article. Moreover, the tag antenna has a far-field radiation pattern in a direction away from the object that is substantially unaffected by proximity of the RFID tag to the object, and substantially unaffected by which surface of the RFID tag faces the object.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first RFID circuit comprising a first antenna element and a first isolation circuit; and

a second RFID circuit comprising a second antenna element,

wherein in the event that the first antenna element is not exposed to an interrogating signal, the first isolation circuit decouples the first antenna element from the first RFID circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second RFID circuit comprises a second isolation circuit for electrically isolating the second antenna element from the first antenna element.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RFID circuit and the second RFID circuit are attached to the same object.