Interface antenna

• US 20070146138A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rommelmann, Heiko, Rodriguez, Alberto, Phipps, Will, Bell, Scott, Hart, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,504,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.700
• 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: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794

Abstract

An interface antenna is positioned between a tag antenna associated with a tag and a reader antenna associated with a reader. The interface antenna receives an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by the reader antenna and causes an increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal at the location of the tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader. Where the tag is attached to a packaged object, the interface antenna may be included in the package to allow wireless data communication between the tag and a reader external to the package. For example, the interface antenna may be attached to a label on the package. At least a portion of the interface antenna may be formed from a conductive ink applied to the label and/or the container. The object may be a module, also known as a customer replaceable unit (CRU), and the tag may be configured as a customer replaceable unit monitor (CRUM).

Claims

1. An interface antenna for increasing a distance over which a tag can communicate with a reader, wherein, when the interface antenna is positioned between a tag antenna associated with the tag and a reader antenna associated with the reader, the interface antenna receives an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by the reader antenna and causes an increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal at the location of the tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader.

2. The interface antenna of claim 1, wherein the increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal is caused by oscillation of reactive elements of the interface antenna in response to the electromagnetic carrier signal received from the reader antenna.

3. The interface antenna of claim 2, wherein the reactive elements of the interface antenna include at least one of:

stray capacitance in the antenna, and capacitance associated with a charge storage element electrically coupled to the antenna.

4. The interface antenna of claim 1, wherein the carrier signal is a radio frequency carrier signal, the tag is a radio frequency identification tag, and the reader is a radio frequency identification reader.

5. The interface antenna of claim 1, comprising:

a substrate; and

at least one electrically conductive loop disposed on the substrate, wherein the at least one electrically conductive loop is disposed between a tag antenna and a reader antenna to increase the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader.

6. The interface antenna of claim 5, wherein the substrate includes at least one of:

a portion of a package and a label for a package.

7. The interface antenna of claim 6, wherein the tag is secured to hardware for electrostatographic printing, and the hardware for electrostatographic printing is disposed in the package.

8. The interface antenna of claim 5, wherein the electrically conductive loop is formed from a conductive ink applied to the substrate.

9. The interface antenna of claim 5, wherein the tag is disposed within an object, and the substrate is secured to the object.

10. The interface antenna of claim 5, wherein the substrate is secured to the reader.

11. A package for an object, the object having a tag associated therewith for wirelessly communicating data with a reader external to the package, the package including:

an interface antenna for increasing a distance over which the tag can communicate with a reader, wherein, when the interface antenna is positioned between a tag antenna associated with the tag and a reader antenna associated with the reader, the interface antenna receives an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by the reader antenna and causes an increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal at the location of the tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader.

12. The package of claim 11, wherein the carrier signal is a radio frequency carrier signal, the tag is a radio frequency identification tag, and the reader is a radio frequency identification reader.

13. The package of claim 11, wherein the interface antenna is attached to a label on the package.

14. The package of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the interface antenna is formed from a conductive ink applied to the label.

15. The package of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the interface antenna is formed from a conductive ink applied to the package.

16. The package of claim 11, wherein the object includes hardware for electrostatographic printing.

17. A label having an interface antenna attached thereto for increasing a distance over which a tag can communicate with a reader, wherein, when the interface antenna is positioned between a tag antenna associated with the tag and a reader antenna associated with the reader, the interface antenna receives an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by the reader antenna and causes an increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal at the location of the tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader.

18. The label of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the interface antenna is formed from a conductive ink applied to the label.

19. A method for increasing a distance over which a tag can communicate with a reader, the method comprising:

positioning an interface antenna between a tag antenna associated with the tag and a reader antenna associated with the reader, wherein the interface antenna receives an electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted by the reader antenna and causes an increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal at the location of the tag antenna, thereby increasing the distance over which the tag can communicate with the reader.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tag is secured to an object, and positioning the interface antenna includes:

placing the object in a package including the interface antenna.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the tag is secured to an object disposed within a package, and positioning the interface antenna includes:

attaching a label including the interface antenna to the package.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the tag is disposed within an object, and positioning the interface antenna includes attaching the interface antenna to the object.

23. A module installable in a machine, the module having:

a tag antenna associated therewith, the tag including a tag antenna coupled to an integrated circuit device having data related to the module stored therein, the tag being configured to superimpose the data from the integrated circuit device onto an electromagnetic carrier signal received by the tag antenna; and

an interface antenna associated therewith, the interface antenna being configured to increase an intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal at the location of the tag antenna.

24. The module of claim 23, wherein the module includes printing hardware that renders the module suitable for use in a printing apparatus.

25. The module of claim 24, wherein the module is one of a marking material supply module and a marking device module.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein the marking material supply module includes at least one of:

toner, liquid ink, solid ink, oil, and cleaning fluid.

27. The module of claim 25, wherein the marking device module includes at least one of:

an image receptor, a fusing device, and a printhead.

28. The module of claim 23, wherein the increase in intensity of the electromagnetic carrier signal is caused by oscillation of reactive elements of the interface antenna in response to the electromagnetic carrier signal.

29. The module of claim 28, wherein the reactive elements of the interface antenna include at least one of:

stray capacitance in the antenna, and capacitance associated with a charge storage element electrically coupled to the antenna.

30. The module of claim 23, wherein the interface antenna is attached to a package in which the module is disposed.

31. The interface antenna of claim 23, wherein the interface antenna is attached to the module.