Chain antenna system

• US 9,361,493 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Wireless Identifications Group Incorporated (AWID)
• Original Assignee: Applied Wireless Identifications Group Incorporated (AWID)
• Inventors: Kikin, Vadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Howard
• Application Number:
  US14/198,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0075 Stripline fed arrays H01Q21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array

Abstract

A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system according to one embodiment includes a chain of radiating elements; a transmission line; and power dividers coupled along the transmission line, the power dividers coupling the transmission line to each of the radiating elements, the power dividers being configured such that each radiating element receives about a same amount of power from the transmission line.

Claims

1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a chain of radiating elements;

a transmission line; and

power dividers coupled along the transmission line, the power dividers coupling the transmission line to each of the radiating elements, the power dividers being configured such that each radiating element receives about a same amount of power from the transmission line,

wherein at least one of the radiating elements has two portions coupled together with one or more resistors for introducing losses.

2. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements provide about a uniform electromagnetic field along the chain.

3. The RFID system of claim 1, comprising a feeding port coupled to the transmission line, the feeding port being configured for coupling the system to an RF device.

4. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein a spacing between the radiating elements is close enough so that no gaps in an effective RF field generated thereby is present between adjacent radiating elements.

5. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein a spacing between the radiating elements provides separate, nonoverlapping volumes of space each having about a uniform strength of electromagnetic field.

6. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein lengths of the transmission line between adjacent power dividers exhibit negligible loss of energy.

7. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the power dividers are configured to compensate for loss of energy in the transmission line.

8. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements are positioned along opposite sides of an axis.

9. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements are all aligned along a single straight line.

10. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements include dipole antennas.

11. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements include helix antennas.

12. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements include patch antennas.

13. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements include linear polarized antennas.

14. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the radiating elements include circular polarized radiating elements.

15. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein an electric field strength along a plane positioned nine inches above the radiating elements, and between outermost of the radiating elements, has a variation of less than 5 dB.

16. The RFID system of claim 1, comprising a feeding port coupled to the transmission line, and an RFID interrogator coupled to the feeding port.

17. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein a pair of the radiating elements are positioned along opposite sides of an axis, each pair being coupled to an associated power divider.

18. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the power dividers include 180 degree power dividers.

19. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the power dividers include energy distribution power dividers.

20. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a chain of radiating elements;

a transmission line; and

power dividers coupled along the transmission line, the power dividers coupling the transmission line to each of the radiating elements, the power dividers being configured such that each radiating element receives about a same amount of power from the transmission line,

wherein the radiating elements include linear polarized antennas,

wherein at least some of the antennas have two portions coupled together with resistors for introducing losses.

21. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a chain of radiating elements, each radiating element having multiple portions;

a transmission line; and

power dividers coupled along the transmission line, each power divider being associated with at least one radiating element, the power dividers coupling the transmission line to each of the radiating elements, the power dividers being configured such that each radiating element receives about a same amount of power from the transmission line,

wherein the portions of each of the radiating elements are on a common dielectric substrate,

wherein each power dividers is on a dielectric substrate that is separate from the dielectric substrate of the associated radiating element.

22. The RFID system of claim 21, wherein the portions of each radiating element overlie a common signal ground layer, wherein the signal ground layer is separate from a signal ground layer of the associated power divider.

23. The RFID system of claim 21, wherein the power dividers include 180 degree power dividers.

24. The RFID system of claim 21, wherein the portions of the radiating elements lie along opposite sides of an imaginary line of symmetry.

25. The RFID system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of 180 degree power dividers, each 180 degree power divider being interposed between one of the power dividers and the associated radiating element.