Universal RFID tags and methods

• US 8,857,724 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bruce W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US13/828,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 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 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• 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: H01P 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, and methods of manufacture are described herein. In one implementation, an 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 configured to function as a far field antenna, wherein the conductive element extends a length and includes a central region and includes at least one distal region defining a voltage end of the conductive element. The near field only RFID tag and a distal region of the conductive element are coupled in proximity to each other 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 configured to function as a far field antenna, wherein the conductive element extends a length and includes a central region and includes at least one distal region defining a voltage end of the conductive element; and

wherein the near field only RFID tag and a distal region of the conductive element are coupled in proximity to each other such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field.

2. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the near field only RFID tag comprises a conductor configured to assist in the proximity coupling.

3. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the near field only RFID tag is encoded with an electronic product code prior to being coupled in proximity to the conductive element.

4. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising an alignment feature configured to assist in aligning the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element in the proximity coupling.

5. 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 conductive ink, and a laser etched conductive material.

6. 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.

7. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein one of the conductive element and the near field only RFID tag can be uncoupled from proximity to each other 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.

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

9. 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.

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

11. The RFID device of claim 1 wherein the conductive element is formed from a portion of an item to be tagged with the RFID device.

12. 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.

13. 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.

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

15. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising a portion of a packaging of an item, the coupling structure providing the proximity between the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element.

16. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising a removable material, the coupling structure providing the proximity between the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element.

17. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising an adhesive sticker, the coupling structure providing the proximity between the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element.

18. The RFID device of claim 1 further comprising a coupling structure comprising multiple separate pieces, the coupling structure providing the proximity between the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element.

19. 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.

20. The RFID device of claim 1, wherein the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element are capacitively coupled to each other proximate to the distal region of the conductive element.

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

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

capacitively coupling the near field only RFID tag and a conductive element configured to function as a far field antenna in proximity to each other such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the near field only RFID tag comprises a conductor configured to assist in the capacitive coupling step.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising encoding the near field only RFID tag with an electronic product code.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the encoding step occurs prior to the capacitively coupling step.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the capacitively coupling step comprises aligning, using an alignment feature, the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising forming the conductive element.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the forming step comprises printing the conductive element using a conductive ink.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the conductive ink does not require secondary curing.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the forming step comprising printing respective portions of the conductive element using a plurality of parallel print heads.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the forming step comprises laser etching the conductive element from a conductive material.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein the coupling step includes:

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

32. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

forming the conductive element on a surface of the item by laser etching the conductive element from a conductive material layer.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein the capacitively coupling step comprises attaching the near field only tag to a structure having the surface on which the conductive element is formed.

34. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductive element extends a length and includes a central region and includes at least one distal region defining a voltage end of the conductive element, wherein the capacitively coupling step comprises capacitively coupling the near field only RFID tag and a conductive element proximate the distal region of the conductive element.

35. The method of claim 21 wherein the capacitively coupling step comprises:

capacitively coupling the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element in proximity to each other such that one of the conductive element and the near field only RFID tag may be removed from the proximity to each other.

36. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

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

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

re-capacitively coupling the one of the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element in proximity to each other such that the RFID device again functions in both the near field and the far field.

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

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

encoding the near field only RFID tag with an electronic product code; and

coupling, after the encoding step, the near field only RFID tag and a conductive element configured to function as a far field antenna in proximity to each other such that the RFID device functions in both a near field and a far field.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the encoding step comprises encoding a plurality of near field only RFID tags of a bulk substrate material using a plurality of parallel encoders.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the near field only RFID tag is received from a first bulk substrate including a plurality of near field only RFID tags, and wherein the conductive element is received from a second bulk substrate including a plurality of conductive elements.