Systems and methods for RFID-enabled pressure sensing apparatus

• US 9,785,877 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Fink, Patrick W., Lin, Gregory Y., Kennedy, Timothy F., Ngo, Phong H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US15/065,215
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 3405727
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2845 for discrete levels G01F23/288, G01F23/292 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• 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 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• 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 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications (“RSSI”) of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled pressure sensing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of RFID tags attached to an operatively insulating and compressible substrate having a proximal side, a distal side and at least one extension, wherein each RFID tag of the plurality of RFID tags is attached to a near field loop and is positioned on a ring element, each ring element being positioned on a foam pad, each foam pad being attached to the proximal surface of the compressible substrate; and

a collector in communication with the plurality of RFID tags, the collector comprising a microstrip patch antenna positioned on the distal side of the compressible substrate and connected to one or more microstrip lines coupling the microstrip patch antenna to the ring elements, the microstrip lines each terminating in a load element near the end of each extension,

wherein one or more of the RFID tags is energized when operably depressed to send signals via the collector to an interrogator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operatively insulating and compressible substrate is comprised of fabric.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the substrate is shaped in the form of a human hand.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a dipole antenna which provides direct coupling to a depressed ring is partially disposed on the distal side of the compressible substrate along the at least one extension and in a location opposite to the ring elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the dipole antenna includes meander lines to achieve resonance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein secondary antennas are positioned on the at least one extension of the compressible substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the secondary antennas are microstrip patches.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the secondary antennas are planar inverted “

F”

antennas.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a secondary antenna remote from the at least one extension.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the interrogator that is configured to derive information from the radio frequency signals and forward the information to a processor for analysis.

11. A radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled pressure sensing apparatus, comprising:

a glove having a palm side and a back side and at least one digit;

a plurality of ring elements, each on a foam pad, the foam pads being attached to the palm side of the glove on the digits and palm, each ring element including an RFID sensor attached to a near field loop; and

a microstrip patch antenna on the back side of the glove, connected to one or more microstrip lines coupling the antenna to the ring elements, the microstrip lines each terminating in a load element near the end of each digit, which prevents development of a standing wave pattern, wherein pressure on a ring element activates its RFID sensor allowing the RFID sensor to transmit a signal to an interrogator.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the glove is comprised of fabric allowing it to be removed from a hand.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the glove is an artificial hand.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a dipole antenna which provides direct coupling to a depressed ring is partially disposed on the surface of a digit in a location opposed to the ring elements.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dipole antenna includes meander lines to achieve resonance.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein secondary antennas are positioned on top of the at least one digit of the glove.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the secondary antennas are microstrip patches.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the secondary antennas are planar inverted “

F”

antennas.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a secondary antenna remote from the at least one digit.