RFID reader

• US 9,013,268 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFlap Ltd. (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Resonant Technologies Ltd. (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Nicholas Patrick Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adnan, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US12/086,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,057 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340 101- 6, 340 51- 592, 340 71- 763, 340 121- 1255
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• 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 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 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of RFID (radio frequency identification). Some particularly preferred embodiments relate to a high-Q, so-called “full duplex” (FDX) RFID Reader. An RFID tag reader, the reader comprising: an electromagnetic (em) field generator for generating an electromagnetic (em) field for modulation by said tag, said modulation comprising modulated load of said em field by said tag; a detector system responsive to fluctuations in strength of said em field at said reader; a negative feedback system responsive to said detector system to provide a control signal for said em field generator for controlling said em field generator to reduce said detected fluctuations; and a demodulator responsive to said control of said em field to demodulate said em field modulation by said tag.

Claims

1. An RFID tag reader, the reader comprising:

a resonant circuit;

an electromagnetic (EM) field generator for driving said resonant circuit to generate an electromagnetic (EM) field for modulation by a tag, said modulation comprising load modulation of said EM field by said tag;

a detector system responsive to fluctuations in strength of said EM field at said reader;

a negative feedback system responsive to said detector system to provide a control signal to control said EM field generator to reduce said detected fluctuations in strength of said EM field generated by said resonant circuit, wherein said negative feedback system operates on a per-cycle basis; and

a demodulator responsive to said control signal to demodulate said EM field modulation by said tag,

the reader further comprising a signal generator configured to drive said EM field generator, wherein said EM field generator has a power supply, and wherein said signal generator drives said EM field generator such that energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply varies to apply negative feedback, the tag reader further comprising a demand signal output circuit to provide a demand signal, wherein said demand signal is a signal responsive to an energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply by said EM field generator, and wherein said demodulator is configured to interpret said demand signal to thereby demodulate said EM field modulation by said tag.

2. A tag reader as claimed in claim 1 configured for simultaneous operation of said EM field generator and said detector system.

3. A tag reader as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tag comprises a passive tag, and wherein said EM field generator is configured to generate a substantially continuous EM field to power said tag.

4. A tag reader as defined in claim 1 wherein the resonant circuit includes a coil with a Q of greater than 50.

5. A tag reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said EM field generator and said detector system share a common coil for generating said EM field and detecting said EM field fluctuations.

6. A tag reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said feedback system includes an envelope detector to detect an envelope of said modulated EM field.

7. A tag reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said feedback system comprises a pulse generator to drive said EM field generator responsive to said detector system.

8. A tag reader as defined in claim 7 wherein said pulse generator is configured to control a power supply to said EM field generator, the tag reader further comprising a demand signal output circuit to provide a demand signal, wherein said demand signal is a signal responsive to an energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply by said EM field generator, and wherein said demodulator comprises a level detection circuit configured to interpret said demand signal to thereby demodulate said EM field modulation by said tag.

9. A tag reader as defined in claim 8 further comprising a control system to control a tuning of said detector system responsive to a quality of said demodulated demand signal.

10. A tag reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said resonant circuit field generator and said detector system comprise a shared controllable electrical resonator comprising an inductor coupled to a first capacitor to form a resonating circuit, the resonator further comprising a controllable element, a second capacitor controllably coupled across said first capacitor by said controllable element, and a control device to control said controllable element such that a total effective capacitance of said first and second capacitor varies over a cycle of an oscillatory signal on said resonator.

11. A tag reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said modulated load of said EM field by said tag or transponder comprises modulated absorption of said EM field by said tag or transponder.

12. A tag reader as claimed in claim 1 incorporated into an animal flap apparatus.

13. A tag reader as claimed in claim 12 wherein said animal flap apparatus further comprises an entry control device to inhibit entry of an animal through said animal flap apparatus and, responsive to said tag reader detecting an animal bearing a said tag, to allow entry of said tagged animal through said animal flap apparatus.

14. An RFID tag reader as claimed in claim 1, configured for retrofitting to an animal flap apparatus in combination with an animal entry control device to inhibit entry of an animal through said animal flap apparatus and, responsive to said tag reader detecting an animal bearing a said tag, to allow entry of said tagged animal through said animal flap apparatus, wherein said tag reader and said animal entry control device form a pet entry control system.

15. An RFID system including a transponder and a reader for the transponder, wherein the reader is configured to use negative feedback to increase the stability of the amplitude of a resonance in a resonant circuit of the reader in the presence of a modulating transponder, the RFID system comprising an electromagnetic (EM) field generator for driving said resonant circuit to generate an electromagnetic (EM) field for modulation by said transponder, wherein a level of drive to be input into the resonance of the resonant circuit is measured to demodulate said transponder modulation, wherein said negative feedback operates on a per-cycle basis,

the reader further comprising a signal generator configured to drive said EM field generator, wherein said EM field generator has a power supply, and wherein said signal generator drives said EM field generator such that energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply varies to apply negative feedback, the reader further comprising a demand signal output circuit to provide a demand signal, wherein said demand signal is a signal responsive to an energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply by said EM field generator, and wherein the reader is configured to interpret said demand signal to thereby demodulate said EM field modulation by said transponder.

16. An RFID system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the residual voltage variation of said amplitude is measured to demodulate said transponder modulation.

17. An RFID system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the system is a full-duplex system.

18. An RFID system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the system is a half-duplex system.

19. An RFID system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said reader comprises a resonant circuit with at least two capacitive paths and a FET to control a variable duty cycle of these paths to match the resonance to a range of frequencies.

20. An RFID system as claimed in claim 15 configured to use the shape of said demodulated modulation to tune the reader to the transponder frequency.

21. A method of remotely interrogating a transponder, the method comprising:

generating, using a resonant circuit, an electromagnetic (EM) field for modulation by said transponder, said modulation comprising modulated load of said EM field by said transponder;

detecting fluctuations in said EM field caused by said modulation;

applying negative feedback to said EM field generating to compensate said detected fluctuations; and

detecting said applied negative feedback to demodulate said modulation of said EM field by said transponder, wherein said negative feedback operates on a per-cycle basis,

the method further comprising generating a signal to drive said EM field generating, wherein said EM field generating uses a power supply, and wherein said signal drives said EM field generating such that energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply varies to apply negative feedback, the method further comprising providing a demand signal, wherein said demand signal is a signal responsive to an energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply by said EM field generating, and wherein said demodulation interprets said demand signal to thereby demodulate said EM field modulation by said transponder.

22. Apparatus for remotely interrogating a transponder, the apparatus comprising:

an EM field generator comprising a resonant circuit for generating an electromagnetic (EM) field for modulation by said transponder, said modulation comprising load absorption of said EM field by said transponder;

means for detecting fluctuations in said EM field caused by said modulation;

means for applying negative feedback to a driver of the resonant circuit to compensate said detected fluctuations; and

means for detecting said applied negative feedback to demodulate said modulation of said EM field by said transponder, wherein said means for applying negative feedback operates on a per-cycle basis,

the apparatus further comprising a signal generator configured to drive said EM field generator, wherein said EM field generator has a power supply, and wherein said signal generator drives said EM field generator such that energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply varies to apply negative feedback, the apparatus further comprising a demand signal output circuit to provide a demand signal, wherein said demand signal is a signal responsive to an energy drawn per cycle of said EM field from said power supply by said EM field generator, and wherein the system is configured to interpret said demand signal to thereby demodulate said EM field modulation by said transponder.