Method and system for reading a transponder

• US 7,932,642 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Picon, Joaquin, Marmigere, Gerard, Clement, Jean-Yves, Bauchot, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US12/303,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20090189457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• 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

Abstract

A transponder, a method for powering the transponder, and a system relating to the method. The transponder includes at least two electrical coils, a dipole antenna, and a chip electrically connected to the dipole antenna and the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils surround the dipole antenna and the chip. The transponder is surrounded with a wiring loop. An alternating current is generated in the wiring loop. The alternating current generates a magnetic field at the electrical coils. The electrical coils receive energy from the magnetic field and transfer the received energy to the chip for powering the transponder. The dipole antenna is configured to transmit an output signal to a reader and to receive an input signal from the reader.

Claims

1. A method for powering a transponder, said method comprising:

providing the transponder, wherein the transponder comprises a plurality of electrical coils, a dipole antenna, and a chip electrically connected to the dipole antenna and the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils surround the dipole antenna and the chip;

surrounding the transponder with a wiring loop;

generating an alternating current in the wiring loop, wherein the alternating current generates a magnetic field at the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils receive energy from the magnetic field and transfer the received energy to the chip for powering the transponder, and wherein the dipole antenna is configured to transmit an output signal to a reader and to receive an input signal from the reader.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

said transponder receiving an incoming signal from the reader;

said transponder processing data contained in the incoming signal; and

said transponder transmitting a reply signal from the dipole antenna to the reader, said reply signal responsive to the incoming signal in consideration of the processed data, wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to the transponder to enable the transponder to perform said receiving the incoming signal, said processing data, and said transmitting the reply signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the received energy is sufficient to enable the transponder to perform said receiving the incoming signal from the reader spaced at a distance of 30 meters from the transponder and to perform said transmitting the reply signal to the reader at the distance of 30 meters from the transponder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a LED, and wherein the method further comprises:

said transponder receiving a specific power pulse from the reader; and

said LED lighting up the transponder to indicate a presence of the transponder in response to the transponder having received the specific power pulse from the reader, wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to enable performance of said lighting up the transponder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises a buzzer, and wherein the method further comprises:

said transponder receiving a specific power pulse from the reader; and

said buzzer generating an audible signal to indicate a presence of the transponder in response to the transponder having received the specific power pulse from the reader, wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to enable performance of said generating the audible signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transponder is a RFID tag, and wherein the reader is a RFID reader.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical coils comprise conductive ink.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an alternating current generator is electrically connected to the wiring loop via an electrical connection, and wherein the method further comprises:

said alternating current generator generating the alternating current in the wiring loop.

9. A system, comprising:

a transponder comprising a plurality of electrical coils, a dipole antenna, and a chip electrically connected to the dipole antenna and the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils surround the dipole antenna and the chip; and

a wiring loop surrounding the transponder, wherein the wiring loop is configured to comprise an alternating current such that the alternating current in the wiring loop generates a magnetic field at the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils are configured to receive energy from the magnetic field and to transfer the received energy to the chip for powering the transponder, and wherein the dipole antenna is configured to transmit an output signal to a reader and to receive an input signal from the reader.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to the transponder to enable the transponder to:

receive an incoming signal from the reader, process data contained in the incoming signal, and transmit a reply signal from the dipole antenna to the reader, said reply signal responsive to the incoming signal in consideration of the processed data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the received energy is sufficient to enable the transponder to receive the incoming signal from the reader spaced at a distance of 30 meters from the transponder and to transmit the reply signal to the reader at the distance of 30 meters from the transponder.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the transponder comprises a LED configured to light up the transponder to indicate a presence of the transponder in response to the transponder having received a specific power pulse from the reader, and wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to turn on the LED.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the transponder comprises a buzzer configured to generate an audible signal to indicate a presence of the transponder in response to the transponder having received a specific power pulse from the reader, and wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to turn on the buzzer.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the transponder is a RFID tag, and wherein the reader is a RFID reader.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag is configured to act as a passive RFID if the magnetic field does not exist at the electrical coils and to act as an active RFID tag if the magnetic field exists at the electrical coils.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrical coils comprise conductive ink.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises an alternating current generator electrically connected to the wiring loop via an electrical connection and configured to generate the alternating current in the wiring loop.

18. A transponder, comprising:

a plurality of electrical coils;

a dipole antenna; and

a chip electrically connected to the dipole antenna and the electrical coils, wherein the electrical coils surround the dipole antenna and the chip, wherein the electrical coils are configured to receive energy from a generated magnetic field at the electrical coils and to transfer the received energy to the chip for powering the transponder, wherein the generated magnetic field has been generated by an alternating current (AC) in a wiring loop that surrounds the transponder, and wherein the dipole antenna is configured to transmit an output signal to a reader and to receive an input signal from the reader.

19. The transponder of claim 18, wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to the transponder to enable the transponder to:

receive an incoming signal from the reader, process data contained in the incoming signal, and transmit a reply signal from the dipole antenna to the reader, said reply signal responsive to the incoming signal in consideration of the processed data.

20. The transponder of claim 19, wherein the received energy is sufficient to enable the transponder to receive the incoming signal from the reader spaced at a distance of 30 meters from the transponder and to transmit the reply signal to the reader at the distance of 30 meters from the transponder.

21. The transponder of claim 18, wherein the transponder comprises a LED configured to light up the transponder to indicate a presence of the transponder in response to the transponder having received a specific power pulse from the reader, and wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to turn on the LED.

22. The transponder of claim 18, wherein the transponder comprises a buzzer configured to generate an audible signal to indicate a presence of the transponder in response to the transponder having received a specific power pulse from the reader, and wherein the received energy provides sufficient power to turn on the buzzer.

23. The transponder of claim 18, wherein the transponder is a RFID tag, and wherein the reader is a RFID reader.