RF probe alignment with passive tag

• US 9,317,796 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Inventors: Narendra, Siva G.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US14/244,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20150286850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas

Abstract

A passive tag embedded in a package includes multiple conductive coils. A first coil receives radio frequency (RF) energy used to power the tag. Additional coils receive and/or transmit data signals, clock signals, and carrier signals. The RF energy and other signals may be at different frequencies. An RF probe includes a first coil to emit the RF energy to power the tag. The RF probe includes additional coils corresponding to the additional coils in the tag. The RF probe may turn off the RF signal used for power during communication. The RF energy may be rectified to provide DC power to circuits in the tag, or may be used directly for adiabatic circuits. The RF probe and the package may have complementary shapes to facilitate alignment of the coils.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a product;

a package to house the product; and

a passive integrated circuit used to uniquely identify the product when the passive integrated circuit is in communication with a radio frequency (RF) probe;

wherein the package includes a surface feature matching a feature of the RF probe to facilitate alignment of the RF probe and the passive integrated circuit, and the alignment corresponds to alignment of first and second conductive coils on the passive tag with corresponding conductive coils on the RF probe.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface feature comprises an indentation in a surface of the package.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the passive tag is affixed to the package within the indentation.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the indentation includes a notch to facilitate the alignment.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the indentation is in a trapezoidal shape to facilitate the alignment.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the product comprises an integrated circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the package comprises an integrated circuit package.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a passive integrated circuit having a plurality of conductive coils that must be aligned with corresponding conductive coils in a radio frequency (RF) probe to effect communications between the passive integrated circuit and the RF probe; and

a package having an indentation within which the passive integrated circuit is located, wherein the package includes a surface feature matching a feature of the RF probe to facilitate alignment of the conductive coils on the passive integrated circuit with the conductive coils on the RF probe;

wherein the indentation includes a notch to facilitate the alignment.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a second integrated circuit inside the package.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a passive integrated circuit having a plurality of conductive coils that must be aligned with corresponding conductive coils in a radio frequency (RF) probe to effect communications between the passive integrated circuit and the RF probe; and

a package having an indentation within which the passive integrated circuit is located, wherein the package includes a surface feature matching a feature of the RF probe to facilitate alignment of the conductive coils on the passive integrated circuit with the conductive coils on the RF probe;

wherein the indentation is in a trapezoidal shape to facilitate the alignment.

11. A radio frequency (RF) probe to communicate with a passive tag, the RF probe comprising:

a tip at which radio frequency (RF) signals are emitted to communicate with the passive tag;

a first conductive coil with a plurality of turns to emit a signal at a first frequency to provide a source of power to the passive tag, the first conductive coil being located at the tip of the RF probe; and

a second conductive coil with a plurality of turns to emit an RF data signal at a second frequency, the second conductive coil being located at the tip of the RF probe;

wherein the tip of the RF probe is formed into a shape that facilitates alignment of the first and second conductive coils on the tip of the RF probe with corresponding first and second conductive coils on the passive tag.

12. The RF probe of claim 11 wherein the shape of the tip of the RF probe matches a surface feature of a package housing the passive tag.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tip of the RF probe includes a protrusion that matches a notch within an indentation in the package.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tip of the RF probe is trapezoidal to match a trapezoidal indentation in the package.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a product;

a package to house the product; and

a passive integrated circuit used to uniquely identify the product when the passive integrated circuit is in communication with a radio frequency (RF) probe;

wherein the package includes a surface feature matching a feature of the RF probe to facilitate alignment of the RF probe and the passive integrated circuit, the surface feature comprises an indentation in a surface of the package, and the indentation includes a notch to facilitate the alignment.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the product comprises an integrated circuit.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the package comprises an integrated circuit package.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a product;

a package to house the product; and

a passive integrated circuit used to uniquely identify the product when the passive integrated circuit is in communication with a radio frequency (RF) probe;

wherein the package includes a surface feature matching a feature of the RF probe to facilitate alignment of the RF probe and the passive integrated circuit, the surface feature comprises an indentation in a surface of the package, and the indentation is in a trapezoidal shape to facilitate the alignment.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the product comprises an integrated circuit.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the package comprises an integrated circuit package.