Conveyor system for identifying RFID tags on parcels
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor system for identifying an object on which an identification tag is affixed, the conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor frame for supporting between the conveyor frame'"'"'s two opposite sides a plurality of transverse conveyor rollers each having a roller shaft; and
an RFID interrogator for reading information from said identification tag, via a radiant antenna, wherein;
said RFID interrogator is electrically connected to an excitation circuit distinct from said RFID interrogator and from said radiant antenna, andsaid excitation circuit is configured to excite a first magnetic loop formed by said conveyor frame and two adjacent roller shafts and constituting said radiant antenna.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor system for identifying an object (16) on which an identification tag (26) is affixed, comprising a conveyor frame (12) for supporting between its two opposite sides (12A, 12B) a plurality of transverse conveyor rollers (14) each having a roller shaft (14A) and an RFID interrogator exciting a radiant antenna for reading information from the identification tag, the radiant antenna being a first magnetic loop (22) formed by the conveyor frame and two adjacent roller shafts and excited by an excitation circuit (18) connected to, but distinct from, said RFID interrogator.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A conveyor system for identifying an object on which an identification tag is affixed, the conveyor system comprising:
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a conveyor frame for supporting between the conveyor frame'"'"'s two opposite sides a plurality of transverse conveyor rollers each having a roller shaft; and an RFID interrogator for reading information from said identification tag, via a radiant antenna, wherein; said RFID interrogator is electrically connected to an excitation circuit distinct from said RFID interrogator and from said radiant antenna, and said excitation circuit is configured to excite a first magnetic loop formed by said conveyor frame and two adjacent roller shafts and constituting said radiant antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for identifying an object that a conveyor conveys, the conveyor including a conveyor frame having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the conveyor frame supporting a plurality of transverse conveyor rollers between the first side and the second side, each of the plurality of transverse conveyor rollers having a respective roller shaft that is transverse to the first side and the second side, the plurality of transverse conveyor rollers including two successively adjacent conveyor rollers having respective first ends and second ends, the first respective ends of the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers separated by and coupled via at least a portion of the first side of the conveyor frame, the second respective ends of the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers separated by and coupled via at least a portion of the second side of the conveyor frame, the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers, at least the portion of the first side of the conveyor frame that separates and couples the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers, and at least the portion of the second side of the conveyor frame that separates and couples the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers constituting a loop, the method comprising:
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positioning an antenna between or across the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers of the plurality of transverse conveyor rollers of the conveyor, the antenna having at least one dimension; orienting a largest one of the at least one dimension of the antenna perpendicular to the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers; exciting, by a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator distinct from the antenna and communicatively coupled to the antenna, the antenna; responsive to excitation of the antenna by the RFID interrogator, emitting, by the antenna, radiation that magnetically couples the antenna with the loop constituted by the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers, at least the portion of the first side of the conveyor frame that separates and couples the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers, and at least the portion of the second side of the conveyor frame that separates and couples the two successively adjacent conveyor rollers; and responsive to magnetic coupling of the antenna with the loop, emitting, by the loop, radiation that magnetically couples the loop with an RFID tag affixed to the object that the conveyor conveys. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification