RFID devices using metamaterial antennas

• US 8,596,533 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Qu, Huyu, Feng, Chen, Wang, Ynjiun Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/211,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/492, 235/440, 23546245-46246, 23547201-4723, 340/572.2, 340/572.7, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 235/440
• 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: 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 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials

Abstract

An EIR terminal can comprise a microprocessor, a memory communicatively coupled to the microprocessor, and a radio frequency identifier (RFID) reading device including an antenna having a composite right- and left-handed (CRLH) structure. The antenna can comprise one or more spatially separated conductive cell patches mounted on a dielectric substrate, a feed pad mounted on the dielectric substrate, one or more conductive feed lines connected to the feed pad, and one or more ground planes mounted on the dielectric substrate. One or more conductive feed lines can be spatially separated from one or more conductive cell patches. One or more conductive cell patches can be connected by one or more vias to one or more conductive via lines.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor;

a memory communicatively coupled to said microprocessor; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

wherein said RFID reader comprises an antenna;

wherein said antenna comprises;

one or more spatially separated conductive cell patches mounted on a dielectric substrate,

a feed pad mounted on said dielectric substrate,

one or more conductive feed lines connected to said feed pad so that the feed pad provides power to at least one of the one or more conductive feed lines, wherein at least one of the one or more conductive feed lines comprises a microstrip line that is disposed between the one or more spatially separated conductive cell patches, and

one or more ground planes mounted on said dielectric substrate;

wherein said one or more conductive feed lines are spatially separated from said one or more conductive cell patches; and

wherein each of said one or more conductive cell patches are connected by one or more vias to one or more conductive via lines.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an EIR device selected from the group consisting of:

a bar code reading device and a card reading device, said EIR device configured to perform at least one of;

outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more conductive via lines comprises a via line tuner.

4. The apparatus (EIR) terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more conductive feed lines comprises a feed line tuner.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising two or more ground planes;

wherein at least two of said two or more ground planes are disposed on opposite surfaces of said dialectic substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said via line tuner is configured to adjust a resonant frequency of said antenna.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said feed line tuner is configured to adjust a resonant frequency of said antenna.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dielectric substrate has a folded plane form factor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dielectric substrate is provided by a printed circuit board.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said antenna is configured to support one or more frequency bands.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said conductive cell patches has one of:

a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, a circular shape.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dielectric substrate has a form factor selected from the group consisting of:

a curved plane, a folded plane, a 3 D surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feed pad is electrically coupled to a coaxial cable connector.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feed pad is electrically coupled to a twisted cable connector.