RFID TAG SENSORS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor system comprising:
- an RFID device comprising;
a near field only RFID tag, wherein the near field only RFID tag in and of itself does not function as a far field RFID tag;
a conductive element independent from the near field only RFID tag and configured to function as a far field antenna; and
a coupling structure coupled to the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element, wherein the coupling structure is configured to selectively locate the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element in at least a first position and a second position relative to each other;
wherein the first position locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element relative to each other such that the conductive element is sufficiently decoupled from the near field only RFID tag in order that the RFID device only operates in a near field with respect to an RFID reader; and
wherein the second position locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element relative to each other such that the conductive element is sufficiently coupled to the near field only RFID tag such that the RFID device operates in both the near field and a far field with respect to the RFID reader.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices for use in RFID-based sensors and related methods are described herein. In one implementation, an RFID sensor system includes an RFID device having a near field only RFID tag and a conductive element which functions as a far field antenna. A coupling structure selectively locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element in at least a first position and a second position relative to each other; wherein in the first position, the RFID device only operates in a near field, and in the second position, the RFID device operates in both the near field and a far field. The system may also include an RFID reader and controller located within the far field to read the RFID device only when the coupling structure locates the components in the second position.
83 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor system comprising:
an RFID device comprising; a near field only RFID tag, wherein the near field only RFID tag in and of itself does not function as a far field RFID tag; a conductive element independent from the near field only RFID tag and configured to function as a far field antenna; and a coupling structure coupled to the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element, wherein the coupling structure is configured to selectively locate the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element in at least a first position and a second position relative to each other; wherein the first position locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element relative to each other such that the conductive element is sufficiently decoupled from the near field only RFID tag in order that the RFID device only operates in a near field with respect to an RFID reader; and wherein the second position locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element relative to each other such that the conductive element is sufficiently coupled to the near field only RFID tag such that the RFID device operates in both the near field and a far field with respect to the RFID reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for using a radio frequency identification (RFID) device as a sensor comprising:
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locating a near field only RFID tag and a conductive element of an RFID device at one of a first position and a second position relative to each other, wherein the near field only RFID tag in and of itself does not function as a far field RFID tag, wherein the conductive element is configured to function as a far field antenna, wherein the first position locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element relative to each other such that the conductive element is sufficiently decoupled from the near field only RFID tag in order that the RFID device only operates in a near field with respect to an RFID reader, wherein the second position locates the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element relative to each other such that the conductive element is sufficiently coupled to the near field only RFID tag such that the RFID device operates in both the near field and the far field with respect to the RFID reader; and locating the near field only RFID tag and the conductive element at another of the first position and the second position relative to each other. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification