Radio frequency identification tag gripper device

• US 9,041,540 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: An, Wen Hao, Gao, Bo, Gao, Peng, Sun, Wei, Sun, Xi
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US13/778,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20130222136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.3, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2465 Aspects related to the EAS system, e.g. system components other than tags

Abstract

The present invention provides a radio frequency identification tag gripper device, the technical scheme including: a first gripper portion; a second gripper portion, which generates a gripping force together with the first gripper portion; a radio frequency identification tag, a circuit portion of which is divided into at least a first section and a second section, an upper surface of the first section and a lower surface of the second section being coated with strong glue, wherein the upper surface of the first section is used to bond with a grip surface of the first gripper portion when gripped tightly, and the lower surface of the second section is used to produce a coupling force with a surface of the gripped object when gripped tightly. Utilizing the technical solution of the present invention, it is possible to further improve the security of monitoring of the radio frequency identification tag.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification tag gripper device, comprising:

a first gripper portion having a first grip surface;

a second gripper portion having a second grip surface, the second gripper portion configured to couple to the first gripper portion for the purpose of gripping an object;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having a circuit portion divided into at least a first section and a second section, the first and second sections each having an upper surface and a lower surface;

wherein the upper surface of said first section is coated with a first glue for bonding the upper surface of the first section to the first grip surface when the first gripper portion is coupled to the second gripper portion; and

wherein said lower surface of said second section is coated with the first glue for bonding the lower surface of the second section to the gripped object when the first gripper portion is coupled to the second gripper portion.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said lower surface of said second section is directly bonded with a surface of said gripped object when the first gripper portion is coupled to the second gripper portion.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a slice of material with one side being coated with a second glue for bonding the slice of material to a surface of the gripped object, the second glue weaker than the first glue, and wherein the bonding the lower surface of the second section to the gripped object comprises bonding the lower surface of the second section to the slice of material and further bonding the slice of material to the gripped object.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the viscosity of said second glue is 300-600 cps.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first grip surface of said first gripper portion comprises a groove which accommodates the radio frequency identification tag when the first gripper portion is coupled to the second gripper portion.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit portion of the radio frequency identification tag is divided into said first section and said second section by a breakable section, the breakable section weaker than the first section and the second section.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said breakable section is configured as a straight line, a curve or a closed geometric shape.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of said first glue is larger than 1000 cps.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gripping force facilitator configured to couple the first gripper portion to the second gripper portion.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the gripping force facilitator is selected from the group consisting of:

an elastic material in contact with the first gripper portion and in further contact with the second gripper portion, the elastic material generating the gripping force upon removal of an external deforming force applied to the elastic material;

a lock-up device in contact with the first gripper portion and in further contact with the second gripper portion, the lock up device sustaining an external gripping force applied to at least one of the first gripper portion and the second gripper portion; and

a magnet creating a magnetic attraction between the first gripper portion and the second gripper portion.

11. A method comprising:

monitoring an object in real time, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to the object with an RFID tag gripper device, the RFID tag gripper device configured to damage a circuit portion of the RFID tag if the RFID tag gripper device is removed;

determining, based on the monitoring, whether a signal of said radio frequency identification tag is detected; and

adopting a security measure in response to the signal of said radio frequency identification tag not being detected.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the circuit portion of the radio frequency identification tag is divided into a first section and a second section by a breakable section, the breakable section weaker than the first section and the second section.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said breakable section is configured as a straight line, a curve or a closed geometric shape.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

a customs declaration of an imported car;

a legal document;

a top-secret document; and

a cultural relic.