Radio frequency data communications device with selectively removable antenna portion and method

• US 7,283,035 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Tuttle, John R., Tuttle, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): AU, SCOTT D
• Application Number:
  US11/370,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.7, 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 340/10.2, 343/795, 428/901
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• 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 19/0726 the arrangement including a circuit for tuning the resonance frequency of an antenna on the record carrier
• 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 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• 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 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

An adjustable radio frequency data communications device has a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit with integrated circuitry, interrogation receiving circuitry provided on the monolithic integrated circuit forming at least part of the integrated circuitry and configured to receive an interrogation signal from the interrogator unit, an antenna electrically coupled to the interrogation receiving circuitry and configured to communicate with the remote interrogator unit, a power source electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry and configured to generate operating power for the communications device, and at least one of the antenna and the interrogation receiving circuitry having reconfigurable electrical characteristics, the electrical characteristics being reconfigurable to selectively tune the at least one of the antenna and the interrogation receiving circuitry within a range of tuned and detuned states to realize a desired receiver sensitivity of the communications device. Additionally, a method for tuning receiver sensitivity and/or transmitter sensitivity according to construction of the above device is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency data communications device, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:

providing an RFID integrated circuit, including backscatter transponder circuitry, and the integrated circuit including connectors, the integrated circuit being configured to transmit, in response to an interrogation signal from a remote interrogator, a responsive signal which includes identification information;

electrically coupling an antenna to the connectors of the integrated circuit using conductive adhesive; and

configuring the antenna such that the sensitivity of the transponder circuitry of the integrated circuit is selectively purposely reduced by removing a portion of the antenna after the antenna is coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, thereby purposely reducing a communications range of the RFID integrated circuit.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the antenna is printed on a surface.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the antenna is formed of printed conductive epoxy.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the antenna is a microstrip antenna.

5. A method of using a radio frequency data communications device manufactured in accordance with claim 1, comprising attaching the device to an object.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein in response to receiving a signal from an interrogator, the device responds with unique information that uniquely identifies the object to which the device is attached.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the device responds using backscatter communications.

8. A method of using a radio frequency data communications device manufactured in accordance with claim 1, comprising tracking objects in inventory.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising laminating the device to a surface.

10. A method in accordance in claim 1 and comprising printing the antenna on a surface and, after the printing, flip-chip mounting the antenna relative to the connectors of the integrated circuit using a conductive adhesive.

11. A method in accordance in claim 1 and comprising printing the antenna on a surface and, after the printing, flip-chip mounting the antenna relative to the connectors of the integrated circuit using a conductive adhesive.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein antennas for multiple devices are formed on a single plastic sheet, and antennas for respective devices are later separated.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein antennas for multiple devices are printed on a single plastic sheet, and are later separated.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the antenna is connected to the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive.

15. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the antenna is a dipole antenna.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein a first conductive lead has a first end coupled to one of the integrated circuit connectors and has a second end coupled to a dipole antenna, and wherein a second conductive lead has a first end coupled to another of the integrated circuit connectors and has a second end coupled to the dipole antenna.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein a first conductive lead has a first end coupled to one of the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive and has a second end coupled to a dipole antenna using conductive adhesive, and wherein a second conductive lead has a first end coupled to another of the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive and has a second end coupled to the dipole antenna using conductive adhesive.

18. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device includes a visual identification feature.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the visual identification feature comprises text.

20. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency data communications device, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:

providing an RFID integrated circuit, including backscatter transponder circuitry, and the integrated circuit including connectors, the integrated circuit being configured to transmit, in response to an interrogation signal from a remote interrogator, a responsive signal which includes identification information;

electrically coupling an antenna to the connectors of the integrated circuit using conductive adhesive; and

configuring the antenna such that the sensitivity of the transponder circuitry of the integrated circuit is selectively purposely reduced by removing a portion of the antenna after the antenna is coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, thereby purposely reducing a communications range of the RFID integrated circuit; and

wherein the RFID integrated circuit is formed from a single monolithic chip that includes the transponder circuitry and further includes logic circuitry, memory control logic circuitry, and a programmable memory array.

21. A method of reducing the sensitivity of an integrated circuit including backscatter transponder circuitry, and the integrated circuit including connectors, the integrated circuit being configured to transmit, in response to an interrogation signal from a remote interrogator, a responsive signal which includes identification information, the integrated circuit being supported on a substrate, an antenna being electrically coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, the method comprising:

purposely reducing the sensitivity of the transponder circuitry of the integrated circuit by removing a portion of the antenna after the antenna is coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, and therefore purposely reducing a communications range of the transponder circuitry; and

wherein the RFID integrated circuit is formed from a single monolithic chip that includes the transponder circuitry and further includes logic circuitry, memory control logic circuitry, and a programmable memory array.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein the antenna is printed on a surface.

23. A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein the antenna is formed of printed conductive epoxy.

24. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the antenna is a microstrip antenna.

25. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein the antenna is connected to the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive.

26. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein the antenna is a dipole antenna.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein a first conductive lead has a first end coupled to one of the integrated circuit connectors and has a second end coupled to a dipole antenna, and wherein a second conductive lead has a first end coupled to another of the integrated circuit connectors and has a second end coupled to the dipole antenna.

28. A method in accordance with claim 21, comprising attaching the device to an object.

29. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency data communications device, for use with a remote interrogator unit, the method comprising:

providing an RFID integrated circuit, including backscatter transponder circuitry, and the integrated circuit including connectors, the integrated circuit being configured to transmit, in response to an interrogation signal from a remote interrogator, a responsive backscatter signal which includes identification information that uniquely identifies the device;

electrically coupling a dipole antenna to the connectors of the integrated circuit, wherein a first conductive lead has a first end coupled to one of the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive and has a second end coupled to the dipole antenna using conductive adhesive, and wherein a second conductive lead has a first end coupled to another of the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive and has a second end coupled to the dipole antenna using conductive adhesive; and

configuring the antenna such that a communications range of the radio frequency data communications device is selectively purposely reduced by removing a portion of the antenna after the antenna is coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein the antenna is printed on a surface.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein the antenna is formed of printed conductive epoxy.

32. A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein the antenna is a microstrip antenna.

33. A method of using a radio frequency data communications device manufactured in accordance with claim 29, comprising attaching the device to an object.

34. A method of using a radio frequency data communications device manufactured in accordance with claim 29, comprising tracking objects in inventory.

35. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein the RFID integrated circuit is formed from a single monolithic chip that includes the transponder circuitry and further includes logic circuitry, memory control logic circuitry, and a programmable memory array.

36. A method in accordance with claim 29 and further comprising laminating the device to a surface.

37. A method in accordance in claim 29 and comprising printing the antenna on a surface and, after the printing, flip-chip mounting the connectors of the integrated circuit to the antenna using a conductive adhesive.

38. A method in accordance in claim 29 and comprising printing the antenna on a surface and, after the printing, flip-chip mounting the connectors of the integrated circuit relative to the antenna using a conductive adhesive.

39. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein antennas for multiple devices are formed on a single plastic sheet, and antennas for respective devices are later separated.

40. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein antennas for multiple devices are printed on a single plastic sheet, and are later separated.

41. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein the device includes a visual identification feature.

42. A method in accordance with claim 41 wherein the visual identification feature comprises text.

43. A method comprising:

providing an RFID integrated circuit, including an integrated circuit housing, the housing supporting transponder circuitry, and the integrated circuit including connectors accessible from exterior of the housing, the integrated circuit being configured to transmit, in response to an interrogation signal from a remote interrogator, a responsive signal which includes identification information, the integrated circuit being supported on a substrate, an antenna being electrically coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, and the antenna being configured such that the communications range of the transponder circuitry of the integrated circuit is selectively purposely reduced by removing a portion of the antenna after the antenna is coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit;

attaching the device to an object; and

tracking objects in inventory.

44. A radio frequency data communications device, for use with a remote interrogator unit, comprising:

an RFID integrated circuit, including an integrated circuit housing, the housing supporting transponder circuitry, and the integrated circuit including connectors accessible from exterior of the housing, the integrated circuit being configured to transmit, in response to an interrogation signal from a remote interrogator, a responsive signal which includes identification information, the integrated circuit being supported on a substrate; and

an antenna electrically coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, the antenna being configured such that the sensitivity of the transponder circuitry of the integrated circuit is selectively purposely reduced by removing a portion of the antenna after the antenna is coupled to the connectors of the integrated circuit, thereby reducing the communications range of the transponder circuitry.

45. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein the antenna is printed on a surface.

46. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 45 wherein the antenna is formed of printed conductive epoxy.

47. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44, wherein the antenna is a microstrip antenna.

48. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44, wherein the RFID integrated circuit is formed from a single monolithic chip that includes the transponder circuitry and further includes logic circuitry, memory control logic circuitry, and a programmable memory array.

49. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein the device is laminated to a surface.

50. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein in response to receiving a signal from an interrogator, the device responds with unique information that uniquely identifies the device.

51. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein the device is configured to respond to an interrogator using backscatter communications.

52. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein the antenna is connected to the integrated circuit connectors using conductive adhesive.

53. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein the antenna is a dipole antenna.

54. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 44 wherein the visual identification feature.

55. A radio frequency data communications device in accordance with claim 54 wherein the visual identification feature comprises text.