Fabric antenna for tags

• US 20030160732A1
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Heerden, Clive R., Marmaropoulos, George
• Granted Patent: US 6,677,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/897
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/027 the material being suitable for use as a textile, e.g. woven-based RFID-like labels designed for attachment to laundry items markings attached to laundry items in general D06F93/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• 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: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals

Abstract

A method and system for providing a RFID transponder having a fabric antenna. The system including a radio frequency (RF) transponder, the transponder having a housing, an RF circuit enclosed in said housing, and a fabric antenna coupled to the RF circuit. The method of fabricating a radio frequency (RF) transponder including the steps of enclosing an RF circuit in a housing, forming a fabric antenna and coupling the fabric antenna to the RF circuit.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) transponder, said transponder comprising:

a transponder housing;

an RF circuit enclosed in said transponder housing; and

a fabric antenna located outside of said transponder housing and coupled to said RF circuit.

2. The RF transponder of claim 1, wherein said fabric antenna is comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

conductive thread, conductive glue, and interfaced layers of conductive material.

3. The RF transponder of claim 1, wherein said fabric antenna comprises a conductive material disposed on a fabric surface.

4. The RF transponder of claim 1, wherein said fabric antenna comprises a conductive material concealed in a seam of a fabric surface

5. The RF transponder of claim 1, wherein said fabric antenna comprises at least one conductive thread interwoven with a fabric surface.

6. The RF transponder of claim 1, wherein said fabric antenna is comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

a conductive material, an insulating material, and a dielectric material.

7. The fabric antenna of claim 1, wherein said fabric antenna is flexible.

8. The fabric antenna of claim 1, wherein a size, shape, or routing of said fabric antenna is greater than an area enclosed by said transponder housing.

9. A method of fabricating a radio frequency (RF) transponder, said method comprising the steps of:

enclosing an RF circuit in a transponder housing;

locating a fabric antenna outside of said transponder housing; and

coupling said fabric antenna to said RF circuit.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising the step of forming said fabric antenna.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said fabric antenna comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

conductive thread, conductive glue, and interfaced layers of conductive material.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said fabric antenna comprises a conductive material disposed on a fabric surface.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said fabric antenna comprises a conductive material concealed in a seam of a fabric surface

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said fabric antenna comprises at least one conductive thread interwoven with a fabric surface.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said fabric antenna comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

a conductive material, an insulating material, and a dielectric material.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said fabric antenna is flexible.

17. The method of claim 9, comprising configuring a size, shape, or routing said fabric antenna greater than an area enclosed by said transponder housing.