Gas cylinder and RFID transponder assemblies and related methods having fixed transponder orientations
First Claim
1. An assembly for fixed orientation of an RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder with respect to a gas cylinder, comprising:
- a gas cylinder configured to store a gas, the gas cylinder having a central opening on its top surface;
a valve flange coupled within the central opening of the gas cylinder, the valve flange having a primary valve opening;
a metal plate having a bottom surface coupled to the gas cylinder, the metal plate having a recess formed within the bottom surface and configured to house an RFID transponder and to fix an orientation of the RFID transponder with respect to the primary valve opening; and
an RFID transponder located within the recess of the metal plate, the RFID transponder having an elongated ferrite core antenna including a wire wrapped around a ferrite core and further having a volume of about 100 cubic millimeters or less;
wherein the RFID transponder is configured to communicate with an external reader using phase shift keying (PSK) modulation; and
wherein the elongated ferrite core antenna of the RFID transponder within the recess has a fixed orientation such that a line passing through a center of the elongated ferrite core antenna is offset by 40 degrees or less from a line passing through a center axis of the valve flange and the RFID transponder.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Gas cylinder and RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder assemblies and related methods are disclosed that utilize fixed orientations for RFID transponders to overcome problems existing with previous solutions. The disclosed embodiments provide an advantageous solution for utilizing metal plates, such as metal identification plates, to house RFID transponders and to fix the orientation of the RFID transponders to overcame the adverse effects of metal structures distorting the magnetic fields associated with gas cylinders. This fixed orientation combined with a transponder embodying a copper wire antenna wound around a longitudinal axis of a ferrite core and the use of PSK (phase shift keying) modulation allows for adequate reader performance despite the presence of interfering metal structures such as a metal plate used to house an RFID transponder.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An assembly for fixed orientation of an RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder with respect to a gas cylinder, comprising:
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a gas cylinder configured to store a gas, the gas cylinder having a central opening on its top surface; a valve flange coupled within the central opening of the gas cylinder, the valve flange having a primary valve opening; a metal plate having a bottom surface coupled to the gas cylinder, the metal plate having a recess formed within the bottom surface and configured to house an RFID transponder and to fix an orientation of the RFID transponder with respect to the primary valve opening; and an RFID transponder located within the recess of the metal plate, the RFID transponder having an elongated ferrite core antenna including a wire wrapped around a ferrite core and further having a volume of about 100 cubic millimeters or less; wherein the RFID transponder is configured to communicate with an external reader using phase shift keying (PSK) modulation; and wherein the elongated ferrite core antenna of the RFID transponder within the recess has a fixed orientation such that a line passing through a center of the elongated ferrite core antenna is offset by 40 degrees or less from a line passing through a center axis of the valve flange and the RFID transponder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An assembly for fixed orientation of an RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder with respect to a gas cylinder, comprising:
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a gas cylinder configured to store a gas, the gas cylinder having a central opening on its top surface and having a valve assembly coupled within the central opening; a metal protection mechanism coupled to the gas cylinder to provide for valve assembly protection and a carrying facility; a metal plate having a bottom surface coupled to the metal protection mechanism, the metal plate having a recess formed within the bottom surface and configured to house an RFID transponder and to fix an orientation of the RFID transponder with respect to the valve assembly; and an RFID transponder located within the recess of the metal plate, the RFID transponder having an elongated ferrite core antenna including a wire wrapped around a ferrite core and further having a volume of about 100 cubic millimeters or less; wherein the RFID transponder is configured to communicate with an external reader using phase shift keying (PSK) modulation; and wherein the elongated ferrite core antenna of the RFID transponder within the recess has a fixed orientation such that a line passing through a center of the elongated ferrite core antenna is offset by 40 degrees or less from a line passing vertically through a center axis of the central opening of the gas cylinder when these lines are considered to be in a same plane. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An method for fixing an orientation of an RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder with respect to a gas cylinder, comprising:
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providing a gas cylinder configured to store a gas, the gas cylinder having a central opening on its top surface and having a valve flange coupled within the central opening, the valve flange having a primary valve opening; providing a metal plate having a recess formed within a bottom surface, the recess being configured to house an RFID transponder and to fix an orientation of the RFID transponder; inserting an RFID transponder within the recess of the metal plate, the RFID transponder having an elongated ferrite core antenna including a wire wrapped around a ferrite core and further having a volume of about 100 cubic millimeters or less; and coupling the bottom surface of the metal plate to the gas cylinder so as to house the RFID transponder and to fix an orientation of the RFID transponder; wherein the RFID transponder is configured to communicate with an external reader using phase shift keying (PSK) modulation; and wherein the elongated ferrite core antenna of the RFID transponder within the recess has a fixed orientation such that a line passing through a center of the elongated ferrite core antenna is offset by 40 degrees or less from a line passing through a center axis of the valve flange and the RFID transponder. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification