Automatic data collection device, method and article

• US 20070024423A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Martinez, Rene, Nikitin, Pavel, Kodukula, Venkata, Reynolds, Andrew, Lam, For
• Granted Patent: US 7,893,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• 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

Abstract

A radio frequency identification system comprises a radio-frequency identification substrate and an interrogator. In one embodiment, the radio-frequency identification substrate comprises a plurality of radio-frequency identification devices. In one embodiment, a controller on the substrate controls a first one of the plurality of radio-frequency identification devices based on a state of a second one of the plurality of radio-frequency identification devices. In one embodiment, an antenna system includes an S-shaped portion electrically coupled to an integrated circuit along a central portion of the S-shaped portion. Adjusting the parameters of the segments making up the S-shaped portion controls performance characteristics of a radio-frequency identification device.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency identification substrate, the substrate comprising:

a first radio-frequency identification device;

a second radio-frequency identification device; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the first radio-frequency identification device and to the second radio-frequency identification device and configured to control the first radio-frequency identification device based at least in part on a state of the second radio-frequency device.

2. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to control the second radio-frequency device based at least in part on a state of the first radio frequency device.

3. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the state of the second radio-frequency identification device is based at least in part on whether the second radio-frequency device has detected a radio-frequency signal.

4. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 3 wherein the controller is configured to activate the first radio-frequency identification device in response to the detection of the radio-frequency signal by the second radio-frequency identification device.

5. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the radio-frequency identification devices based at least in part on a power signal.

6. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the radio-frequency identification devices based at least in part on a signal indicating an amount of data stored in a memory.

7. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the radio-frequency identification devices based at least in part on a signal indicating a data transmission was not successful.

8. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate in accordance with a first protocol and the second radio-frequency device is configured to operate in accordance with the first protocol.

9. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a first integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

10. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the first integrated circuit comprises:

a memory; and

a power source.

11. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the first antenna system comprises a parasitic element.

12. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the first antenna system comprises a rectilinear portion.

13. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the first antenna system comprises a curved portion.

14. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the first antenna system comprises:

a first arm electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit; and

a second arm electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

15. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the first antenna system has an inner perimeter and the second radio-frequency identification device is contained within an area defined by the inner perimeter of the first antenna system.

16. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the second radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a second integrated circuit; and

a second antenna system electrically coupled to the second integrated circuit.

17. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 9 wherein the second radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a second antenna system electrically-coupled to the first integrated circuit.

18. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1, wherein the first radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a first integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system comprising;

a first convex portion electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit; and

a second convex portion electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

19. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 18 wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are configured to form an S-shaped portion of the first antenna system, the first antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit between the first and second convex portions.

20. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 19 wherein the S-shaped portion is rectilinear.

21. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 19 wherein the S-shaped portion comprises a curved portion.

22. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 18 wherein the second radio frequency identification device comprises:

a second antenna system electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

23. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 22 wherein the second antenna system comprises:

a third convex portion electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit; and

a fourth convex portion electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit, wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are configured to form a first S-shaped portion of the first antenna system, the first antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit along a central portion of the first S-shaped portion, and the third convex portion and the fourth convex portion are configured to form a second S-shaped portion of the second antenna system, the second antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit along a central portion of the second S-shaped portion.

24. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate in accordance with a first communication protocol and the second radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate in accordance with a second communication protocol.

25. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 1 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate at a first resonant frequency and the second radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate at a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

26. A radio-frequency identification system, comprising:

an interrogator operable to produce an interrogation signal; and

a substrate comprising;

first means for responding to the interrogation signal;

second means for responding to the interrogation signal; and

means for controlling the first means for responding to the interrogation signal based at least in part on a state of the second means for responding to the interrogation signal.

27. The radio-frequency identification system of claim 26 wherein the means for controlling is configured to control operation of the second means for responding to the interrogation signal based at least in part on a state of the first means for responding to the interrogation signal.

28. The radio-frequency identification system of claim 26 wherein the first means for responding to the interrogation signal comprises:

a first integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit, wherein the first antenna system has an inner perimeter and the second means for responding is contained within an area on the substrate defined by the inner perimeter of the first antenna system.

29. The radio-frequency identification system of claim 26, wherein the first means for responding to the interrogation signal comprises:

a first integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system comprising;

a first convex portion; and

a second convex portion, wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are configured to form an S-shaped portion of the first antenna system, the first antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit between the first convex portion and the second convex portion.

30. The radio-frequency identification system of claim 26 wherein the first means for responding to the interrogation signal is configured to operate in accordance with a first communication protocol and the second means for responding to the interrogation signal is configured to operate in accordance with a second communication protocol.

31. The radio-frequency identification system of claim 26 wherein the first means for responding to the interrogation signal is configured to operate at a first resonant frequency and the second means for responding to the interrogation signal is configured to operate at a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

32. A method of controlling a first radio-frequency identification device on a substrate, comprising:

determining, on the substrate, a state of a second radio-frequency identification device on the substrate;

generating, on the substrate, a control signal based at least in part on the determined state of the second radio-frequency identification device; and

controlling the first radio-frequency identification device on the substrate based at least in part on the control signal.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein determining the state of the second radio-frequency identification device comprises determining whether an interrogation signal has been received by the second radio-frequency identification device.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

controlling the second radio-frequency identification device based at least in part on a state of the first radio-frequency identification device.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein controlling the first radio-frequency identification device comprises enabling the first radio-frequency identification device in response to receipt of the interrogation signal by the second radio-frequency identification device.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

disabling the first radio-frequency identification device when a first criteria is satisfied.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein determining the state of the second radio-frequency device comprises determining a state of a memory.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein determining a state of the second radio-frequency device comprises determining a state of a power supply.

39. A method of operating a radio-frequency identification system, comprising:

receiving a first response signal from a first radio-frequency identification device of a radio-frequency identification tag in response to an interrogation signal;

when the first response signal is received, processing the first response signal;

determining whether a second response signal is received from a second radio-frequency identification device of the radio-frequency identification tag; and

when the first response signal is received and it is determined that the second response signal is not received, initiating error processing.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the first response signal is in a first frequency range and the second response signal is in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the first frequency range is lower than the second frequency range.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein the interrogation signal comprises a first component signal at a first frequency and a second component signal at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

43. The method of claim 39 wherein determining whether the second response signal is received comprises determining whether the second response signal is received within a defined period of time of receipt of the first response signal.

44. A radio-frequency identification substrate, comprising:

a first radio-frequency identification device on the substrate and configured to operate in accordance with a first communication protocol; and

a second radio-frequency identification device on the substrate and configured to operate in accordance with a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol.

45. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 44 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a first integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

46. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 45 wherein the first integrated circuit comprises:

a data system; and

a power system.

47. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 45 wherein the first antenna system comprises a parasitic element.

48. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 45 wherein the first antenna system comprises:

a first antenna trace; and

a second antenna trace electrically coupled to the first antenna trace and extending from the first antenna trace in a direction approximately perpendicular to the first antenna trace.

49. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 45 wherein the first antenna system has an inner perimeter and the second radio-frequency identification device is contained within an area on the substrate defined by the inner perimeter of the first antenna system.

50. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 45 wherein the second radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a second integrated circuit; and

a second antenna system electrically coupled to the second integrated circuit.

51. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 44, further comprising:

a controller on the substrate communicatively coupled to the first and second radio-frequency identification devices and configured to control at least one of the radio-frequency identification devices.

52. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 44, wherein the first radio-frequency identification device comprises:

a first integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system comprising;

a first convex portion electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit; and

a second convex portion electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

53. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 52 wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are configured to form an S-shaped portion of the first antenna system, the first antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit between the first convex portion and the second convex portion.

54. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 53 wherein the S-shaped portion is rectilinear.

55. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 52 wherein the first convex portion comprises:

a first segment electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit and extending from the integrated circuit in a first direction; and

a second segment electrically coupled to the first segment and extending from the first segment in second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction.

56. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 52 wherein the second radio frequency identification device comprises:

a second antenna system electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit.

57. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 56 wherein the second antenna system comprises:

a third convex portion; and

a fourth convex portion, wherein the first convex portion and the second convex portion are configured to form a first S-shaped portion of the first antenna system, the first antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit between the first convex portion and the second convex portion, and the third convex portion and the fourth convex portion are configured to form a second S-shaped portion of the second antenna system, the second antenna system being electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit between the third convex portion and the fourth convex portion.

58. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 44 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device and the second radio-frequency identification device share a common memory.

59. The radio-frequency identification substrate of claim 44 wherein the first radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate at a first resonant frequency and the second radio-frequency identification device is configured to operate at a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency.

60. A radio-frequency identification device comprising:

an integrated circuit; and

a first antenna system comprising a first S-shaped portion, the first S-shaped portion comprising;

a first convex portion; and

a second convex portion, wherein the first S-shaped portion is electrically coupled to the integrated circuit between the first convex portion and the second convex portion of the first S-shaped portion.

61. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60 wherein the first S-shaped portion is rectilinear.

62. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60 wherein the first S-shaped portion comprises a curved portion.

63. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60 wherein the first antenna system further comprises a parasitic element.

64. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60 wherein the first convex portion comprises:

a first segment electrically coupled to the integrated circuit, extending from the integrated circuit in a first direction, and having a first width and a first length;

a second segment electrically coupled to the first segment, extending from the first segment in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction, and having a second width and a second length; and

a third segment electrically coupled to the second segment, extending from the second segment in third direction generally opposite to the first direction, and having a third width and a third length.

65. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 64 wherein the second convex portion comprises:

a fourth segment electrically coupled to the integrated circuit, extending from the integrated circuit in the third direction, and having a fourth width and a fourth length;

a fifth segment electrically coupled to the fourth segment, extending from the fourth segment in a fourth direction generally opposite to the second direction, and having a fifth width and a fifth length; and

a sixth segment electrically coupled to the fifth segment, extending from the fifth segment in the first direction, and having a sixth width and a sixth length.

66. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 65 wherein:

the first width is equal to the fourth width;

the first length is equal to the fourth length;

the second width is equal to the fifth width;

the second length is equal to the fifth length;

the third width is equal to the sixth width; and

the third length is equal to the sixth length.

67. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 66 wherein:

the second width is equal to the third width; and

the first length is equal to the third length.

68. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 64 wherein the first convex portion comprises a copper trace.

69. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 64 wherein the first convex portion comprises a silver ink trace.

70. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60 wherein the first convex portion comprises:

a first segment electrically coupled to the integrated circuit, extending from the integrated circuit in a first direction, and having a first width and a first length; and

a first return segment electrically coupled to the first segment, extending from the first segment in a second direction, and having a second width, a second length and a first curvature.

71. The radio-frequency-identification device of claim 70 wherein the second convex portion comprises:

a second segment electrically coupled to the integrated circuit, extending from the integrated circuit in a third direction opposite from the first direction, and having a third width and a third length; and

a second return segment electrically coupled to the second segment, extending from the first segment in a fourth direction, and having a fourth width, a fourth length and a second curvature.

72. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60 wherein the first antenna system further comprises a second S-shaped portion, the second S-shaped portion comprising:

a third convex portion; and

a fourth convex portion, wherein the second S-shaped portion is electrically coupled to the integrated circuit between the third convex portion and the fourth convex portion of the second S-shaped portion.

73. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 72 wherein the third convex portion is in a plane of the first convex portion and rotated approximately 90 degrees from the first convex portion with respect to the integrated circuit.

74. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 60, further comprising a second antenna system, the second antenna system comprising a second S-shaped portion, the second S-shaped portion comprising:

a third convex portion; and

a fourth convex portion.

75. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 74 wherein the third convex portion is in a plane of the first-convex portion and rotated with respect to the first convex portion.

76. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 75 wherein the third convex portion is rotated ninety degrees with respect to the first convex portion.

77. The radio-frequency identification device of claim 74 wherein the second S-shaped portion is electrically coupled to the integrated circuit between the third convex portion and the fourth convex portion of the second S-shaped portion.

78. A method of making a radio-frequency identification device, comprising:

printing a first convex portion of an S-shaped portion of an antenna system on a substrate;

printing a second convex portion of the S-shaped portion of the antenna system on the substrate; and

electrically coupling the antenna system to an integrated circuit between the first convex portion and the second convex portion of the antenna system.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein the printing the first convex portion comprises:

printing a first segment extending in a first direction and having a first width and a first length;

printing a second segment extending from the first segment in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction and having a second width and a second length; and

printing a third segment extending from the second segment in a third direction opposite from the first direction and having a third width and a third length.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein modifying the first length modifies a performance characteristic of the radio-frequency identification device.

81. A system for manufacturing a radio-frequency identification device, comprising:

means for printing segments of an antenna system on a substrate; and

means for controlling the means for printing configured to control the width, length and direction of segments printed by the means for printing and to cause the means for printing to print segments forming first and second convex portions of the antenna system, the first and second convex portions forming an S-shaped portion of an antenna system, the S-shaped portion configured for electrical coupling between the first and second convex portions.

82. The system of claim 81 wherein the means for printing comprises a trace printer operable to deposit a conductive ink on selected portions of the substrate.

83. A computer-readable memory medium storing instructions for causing a control system to control a trace printer by generating control signals causing the trace printer to:

print a first convex antenna trace on a substrate; and

print a second convex antenna trace on the substrate, wherein the first convex antenna trace and the second convex antenna trace together form a first S-shaped portion of an antenna system, the first S-shaped portion adopted for electrical coupling of the antenna system between the first and second convex antenna traces.

84. The computer readable memory medium of claim 83 wherein the stored instructions include instructions for generating control signals to cause the trace printer to:

print a first segment of the first convex antenna trace, the first segment having a first width and a first length and extending in a first direction;

print a second segment of the first convex antenna trace, the second segment having a second width and a second length and extending from an end portion of the first segment in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

print a third segment of the first convex antenna trace, the third segment having third width and a third length and extending from an end portion of the second segment in a third direction opposite of the first direction.

85. The computer readable memory medium of claim 83 wherein the stored instructions include instructions for generating control signals to cause the trace printer to:

print a first segment of the first convex antenna trace, the first segment having a first width and a first length and extending in a first direction; and

print a first return segment of the first convex antenna trace, the first return segment extending from an end portion of the first segment in a second direction, and having a second width, a second length and a first curvature.

86. The computer readable memory medium of claim 83 wherein the stored instructions further include instructions for generating control signals to cause the trace printer to:

print a third convex antenna trace on the substrate, the third convex antenna trace rotated approximately 90 degrees with respect to the first convex trace; and

print a fourth convex antenna trace on the substrate, wherein the third convex antenna trace and the fourth convex antenna trace together form a second S-shaped portion of the antenna system, the second S-shaped portion adopted for electrical coupling of the antenna system between the third and fourth convex antenna traces.