Methods, systems and apparatuses for radio frequency identification

• US 9,465,965 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Fink, Patrick W., Chu, Andrew W., Lin, Gregory Y., Kennedy, Timothy F., Ngo, Phong H., Brown, Dewey T., Byerly, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US14/184,337
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07766 comprising at least a second communication arrangement in addition to a first non-contact communication arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• 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: G06K 7/10445 the record carriers being fixed to further objects, e.g. RFIDs fixed to packages, luggage, mail-pieces or work-pieces transported on a conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for radio frequency identification (RFID) includes an enclosure defining an interior region interior to the enclosure, and a feed for generating an electromagnetic field in the interior region in response to a signal received from an RFID reader via a radio frequency (RF) transmission line and, in response to the electromagnetic field, receiving a signal from an RFID sensor attached to an item in the interior region. The structure of the enclosure may be conductive and may include a metamaterial portion, an electromagnetically absorbing portion, or a wall extending in the interior region. Related apparatuses and methods for performing RFID are provided.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an enclosure comprising an at least partly closed structure defining a boundary between an interior region, interior to the structure, and an exterior of the structure, the structure having an inner surface facing the interior region and an outer surface facing the exterior;

at least one feed configured for (1) generating an electromagnetic field in the interior region in response to a first signal received from an RFID reader via at least one radio frequency (RF) transmission line, and (2) receiving, from at least one RFID sensor located in the interior region, a second signal generated in response to the electromagnetic field; and

a container configured to contain the enclosure, wherein the at least one feed is attached to the container,

wherein at least a part of the outer surface is conductive or at least a portion of the inner surface is conductive,

wherein the structure includes a wall extending within the interior region, the wall having two longitudinal sides and extending from a first portion of the inner surface of the structure across the interior region to or toward a second portion of the inner surface of the structure, with an electromagnetic aperture provided in the wall, so as to divide the interior region into two subregions on either longitudinal side of the wall, the two subregions configured for coupling with each other upon generation of the electromagnetic field in the interior region, and

wherein the enclosure comprises an aperture aligned with the at least one feed, such that when the enclosure is positioned within the container the at least one feed is disposed within the enclosure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal is coupled from the at least one feed to the RFID reader, via the at least one RF transmission line, the system further comprising:

the RFID reader,

the at least one RF transmission line; and

a processor configured for (1) communicating with the RFID reader, and (2) analyzing the second signal that has been coupled from the at least one feed to the RFID reader, via the at least one RF transmission line.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal contains information pertaining to a particular RFID sensor that generated the second signal.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein at least a portion of the structure is formed of a metamaterial, and

wherein the portion of the structure formed of a metamaterial is configured to prevent a short circuit boundary condition on at least a portion of the inner surface of the structure.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein at least a portion of the structure is formed of a metamaterial, and

wherein the portion of the structure formed of a metamaterial is configured to establish an open circuit boundary condition on a portion of the inner surface of the structure.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein at least a portion of the structure is formed of a metamaterial, and

wherein the portion of the structure formed of a metamaterial is configured to establish a generalized impedance boundary condition on a portion of the inner surface of the structure.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a lateral dimension of the interior region is within a range of about one-quarter of a wavelength to about 25 wavelengths of the electromagnetic field.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the two subregions contains a dielectric material.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one feed comprises at least one feed probe, planar feed, or feed in the form of a closed shape.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the enclosure comprises a second container configured for containing items, and

wherein the structure comprises a displaceable portion configured (1) for opening, so as to create an opening between the structure and the exterior, and (2) for closing, so as to close the opening between the structure and the exterior,

whereby an item may be transferred between the exterior and the second container, via the opening.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a waveguide.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a cavity.

13. The system of claim 1,

wherein the structure comprises at least one end portion, and

wherein at least a portion of the structure at or near the at least one end portion is formed of an electromagnetically absorbing material.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one RF gasket disposed to establish an RF bond between the at least one feed and the enclosure when the enclosure is contained within the container.

15. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

an enclosure comprising an at least partly closed structure defining a boundary between an interior region, interior to the structure, and an exterior of the structure, the structure having an inner surface facing the interior region and an outer surface facing the exterior,

at least one feed configured for (1) generating an electromagnetic field in the interior region in response to a first signal received from an RFID reader via at least one radio frequency (RF) transmission line, and (2) receiving, from at least one RFID sensor located in the interior region, a second signal generated in response to the electromagnetic field;

a container configured to contain the enclosure, wherein the at least one feed is attached to the container; and

at least one RF gasket disposed to establish an RF bond between the at least one feed and the enclosure when the enclosure is contained within the container,

wherein at least a part of the outer surface is conductive or at least a portion of the inner surface is conductive, and

wherein the structure includes a wall extending within the interior region, the wall having two longitudinal sides and extending from a first portion of the inner surface of the structure across the interior region to or toward a second portion of the inner surface of the structure, with an electromagnetic aperture provided in the wall, so as to divide the interior region into two subregions on either longitudinal side of the wall, the two subregions configured for coupling with each other upon generation of the electromagnetic field in the interior region.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second signal is coupled from the at least one feed to the RFID reader, via the at least one RF transmission line, the system further comprising:

the RFID reader;

the at least one RF transmission line; and

a processor configured for (1) communicating with the RFID reader, and (2) analyzing the second signal that has been coupled from the at least one feed to the RFID reader, via the at least one RF transmission line.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein a lateral dimension of the interior region is within a range of about one-quarter of a wavelength to about 25 wavelengths of the electromagnetic field.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the two subregions contains a dielectric material.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one feed comprises at least one feed probe, planar feed, or feed in the form of a closed shape.

20. The system of claim 15,

wherein the enclosure comprises a second container configured for containing items, and

wherein the structure comprises a displaceable portion configured (1) for opening, so as to create an opening between the structure and the exterior, and (2) for closing, so as to close the opening between the structure and the exterior,

whereby an item may be transferred between the exterior and the second container, via the opening.