Remote communication devices, radio frequency identification devices, wireless communication systems, wireless communication methods, radio frequency identification device communication methods, and methods of forming a remote communication device

• US 20040178912A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Khatri, Dirgha, Smith, Freddie W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system

Abstract

Remote communication devices, radio frequency identification devices, wireless communication systems, wireless communication methods, radio frequency identification device communication methods, and methods of forming a remote intelligent communication device are provided. According to one aspect, a remote intelligent communication device includes communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive communication signals and generate communication signals; and an antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies, the antenna being configured to communicate wireless signals corresponding to the communication signals including at least one of receiving wireless signals and outputting wireless signals. Another aspect includes a wireless communication method including providing a remote intelligent communication device having an antenna substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies; and communicating wireless signals using the antenna including at least one of receiving wireless signals at one of the frequencies and outputting wireless signals at one of the frequencies.

Claims

1. A remote communication device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive communication signals and generate communication signals; and

an antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to first and second different frequency bands, the antenna being configured to communicate wireless signals corresponding to the communication signals including at least one of receiving wireless signals and outputting wireless signals.

2. The remote communication device according to claim 1 wherein the antenna comprises a microstrip antenna.

3. The remote communication device according to claim 1 wherein the antenna is configured to electromagnetically communicate with a return loss of less than or equal to approximately −

9 dB within the first and second frequency bands.

4. The remote communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a power supply coupled with the communication circuitry.

5. The remote communication device according to claim 1 wherein the antenna is configured to receive the wireless signals, and further comprising another antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to first and second different frequency bands, the another antenna being configured to output wireless signals.

6. The remote communication device according to claim 5 wherein the another antenna is configured to communicate via backscatter modulation.

7. The remote communication device according to claim 5 further comprising a quarter-wavelength transmission line coupled intermediate the communication circuitry and the another antenna.

8. The remote communication device according to claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry comprises radio frequency identification device circuitry.

9. The remote communication device according to claim 1 wherein the frequency bands are centered at approximately 915 MHz and 2.45 GHz.

10. The remote communication device according to claim 1 wherein the antenna includes an impedance reduction conductor.

11. A remote communication device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive communication signals and generate communication signals; and

an antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to communicate wireless signals corresponding to the communication signals including at least one of receiving wireless signals and outputting wireless signals, the antenna being configured to communicate at a plurality of substantially resonant frequencies.

12. The remote communication device according to claim 11 wherein the antenna is substantially tuned to the resonant frequencies.

13. The remote communication device according to claim 11 wherein the antenna is configured to electromagnetically communicate with a return loss of less than or equal to approximately −

9 dB at the first and second frequencies.

14. The remote communication device according to claim 11 wherein the antenna is configured to receive the wireless signals, and further comprising another antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to output the wireless signals at a plurality of substantially resonant frequencies.

15. The remote communication device according to claim 14 wherein the another antenna is configured to communicate via backscatter modulation.

16. The remote communication device according to claim 11 wherein the antenna includes an impedance reduction conductor.

17. The remote communication device according to claim 11 wherein the communication circuitry comprises radio frequency identification device circuitry.

18. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive communication signals and generate communication signals; and

an antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to electromagnetically communicate having a return loss less than or equal to approximately −

9 dB at a plurality of frequencies, the antenna being configured to communicate wireless signals corresponding to the communication signals including at least one of receiving the wireless signals and outputting the wireless signals.

19. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 18 wherein the antenna is configured to receive the wireless signals, and further comprising another antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies, the another antenna being configured to output the wireless signals.

20. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 19 wherein the another antenna is configured to communicate via backscatter modulation.

21. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 18 wherein the antenna includes an impedance reduction conductor.

22. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to receive communication signals and to generate communication signals;

a first antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies, the first antenna being configured to receive wireless signals corresponding to the received communication signals; and

a second antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies, the second antenna being configured to output wireless signals corresponding to the generated communication signals.

23. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 22 wherein the antennas are individually configured to electromagnetically communicate with a return loss of less than or equal to approximately −

9 dB at individual ones of the plurality of frequencies.

24. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 22 wherein the second antenna is configured to communicate via backscatter modulation.

25. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 22 wherein the antennas individually include an impedance reduction conductor.

26. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive forward signals from an interrogator and generate return signals; and

an antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to communicate wireless signals at one of a plurality of frequencies including at least one of receiving the forward signals and outputting the return signals.

27. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 26 wherein the antenna is configured to communicate at the one frequency responsive to a frequency of communication of the interrogator.

28. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 26 wherein the antenna is configured to receive the forward signals, and further comprising another antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to output the return signals at one of a plurality of frequencies.

29. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 28 wherein the another antenna is configured to communicate via backscatter modulation.

30. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 26 wherein the antenna includes an impedance reduction conductor.

31. A wireless communication system comprising:

an interrogator configured to emit forward signals; and

a remote communication device configured to at least one of receive the forward signals from the interrogator and generate return signals for communication to the interrogator, the remote communication device being configured to communicate wireless signals including at least one of receiving the forward signals and outputting the return signals at a plurality of frequencies.

32. The wireless communication system according to claim 31 wherein the interrogator is configured to output the forward signals at one of the frequencies.

33. The wireless communication system according to claim 31 wherein the remote communication device is configured to communicate at one of the plurality of frequencies responsive to a frequency of communication of the interrogator.

34. The wireless communication system according to claim 31 wherein the remote communication device includes an antenna substantially tuned to the frequencies.

35. The wireless communication system according to claim 34 wherein the antenna is configured to receive the forward signals, and the remote communication device includes another antenna substantially tuned to the frequencies and configured to output the return signals.

36. The wireless communication system according to claim 35 wherein the antennas individually include an impedance reduction conductor.

37. The wireless communication system according to claim 31 wherein the remote communication device comprises a radio frequency identification device.

38. A wireless communication method comprising:

providing a remote communication device having an antenna substantially tuned to first and second different frequency bands; and

communicating wireless signals using the antenna including at least one of receiving wireless signals at a frequency within one of the frequency bands and outputting wireless signals at a frequency within one of the frequency bands.

39. The method according to claim 38 wherein the providing comprises providing a remote communication device having the antenna configured to electromagnetically communicate with a return loss of less than or equal to approximately −

9 dB within the first and second frequency bands.

40. The method according to claim 38 wherein the providing comprises providing a remote communication device having a plurality of antennas individually substantially tuned to first and second different frequency bands.

41. The method according to claim 40 wherein the communicating comprises receiving using one of the antennas and outputting using another of the antennas.

42. The method according to claim 38 further comprising processing wireless signals using the remote communication device.

43. The method according to claim 38 wherein the providing comprises providing a radio frequency identification device.

44. A wireless communication method comprising:

providing a remote communication device having an antenna configured to communicate at a plurality of resonant frequencies; and

communicating wireless signals using the antenna including at least one of receiving wireless signals at one of the frequencies and outputting wireless signals at one of the frequencies.

45. The method according to claim 44 wherein the providing comprises providing a remote communication device having the antenna configured to electromagnetically communicate with a return loss of less than or equal to approximately −

9 dB at the plurality of frequencies.

46. The method according to claim 44 wherein the providing comprises providing a remote communication device having a plurality of antennas individually substantially tuned to the plurality of frequencies.

47. The method according to claim 46 wherein the communicating comprises receiving using one of the antennas and outputting using another of the antennas.

48. The method according to claim 44 further comprising processing wireless signals using the remote communication device.

49. The method according to claim 44 wherein the providing comprises providing a radio frequency identification device.

50. A radio frequency identification device communication method comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device configured to communicate wireless signals at a plurality of frequencies;

receiving forward signals at one of the frequencies; and

outputting return signals at one of the frequencies.

51. The method according to claim 50 wherein the providing comprises providing a radio frequency identification device having one antenna substantially tuned to the frequencies and configured to receive the forward signals and another antenna substantially tuned to the frequencies and configured to output the return signals.

52. The method according to claim 50 further comprising processing wireless signals using the radio frequency identification device.

53. The method according to claim 50 wherein the receiving and outputting occur at the same frequency.

54. A wireless communication method comprising:

communicating a forward link signal at one of a plurality of frequencies using an interrogator;

receiving the forward link signal using one antenna of a remote communication device substantially tuned to the plurality of frequencies; and

outputting a return link signal using another antenna of the remote communication device substantially tuned to the plurality of frequencies.

55. The method according to claim 54 further comprising processing wireless signals using the remote communication device.

56. The method according to claim 54 wherein the receiving and outputting comprise receiving and outputting using a radio frequency identification device.

57. A method of forming a remote communication device comprising:

providing communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive forward signals and output return signals;

coupling at least one antenna with the communication circuitry; and

substantially tuning the at least one antenna to communicate at a plurality of frequencies.

58. The method according to claim 57 further comprising coupling a power supply with the communication circuitry.

59. The method according to claim 57 wherein the providing comprises providing radio frequency identification device communication circuitry.

60. The method according to claim 57 wherein the coupling comprises coupling a plurality of antennas with the communication circuitry, one of the antennas being configured to receive wireless signals corresponding to the forward signals and the other of the antennas being configured to communicate wireless signals corresponding to the return signals.

61. The method according to claim 57 wherein the tuning comprises tuning using an impedance reduction strip.

62. A radio frequency identification device communication method comprising:

providing an interrogator;

communicating a forward signal at one of a plurality of frequencies using the interrogator;

providing a radio frequency identification device configured to communicate with interrogator;

receiving the forward signal using one antenna of the radio frequency identification device substantially tuned to the plurality of frequencies;

processing the forward signal using communication circuitry of the radio frequency identification device after the receiving;

outputting a continuous wave signal using the interrogator after the communicating;

generating a return signal using the communication circuitry after the processing; and

modulating the continuous wave signal according to the return signal using another antenna of the radio frequency identification device substantially tuned to the plurality of frequencies.