Metal fastener with embedded RFID tag and method of production
OwnerGeoffrey Grove, Tao Wei +1inventors
InventorsGeoffrey Grove, Tao Wei, Otto Gregory
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is generally directed to an RFID tag for use with a metal fastener where the fastener operates as the antenna of the RFID tag. The RFID tag includes a microchip for storing data. The chip is electrically coupled to the metal fastener in order to receive and transmit the RF signal, the metal fastener thereby operating as the antenna for the RFID tag.
Claims21
An RFID tag comprising a semiconductor chip and an antenna, wherein the antenna comprises a metal fastener including a proximal end and a distal end and the semiconductor chip is in communicative connection with one or more sensors, the metal fastener being constructed and arranged to secure two or more objects together.
An RFID tag comprising a semiconductor chip and an antenna, wherein the antenna comprises a metal fastener selected from the group consisting of nails, bolts, rivets, screws, studs, nuts and washers, and wherein the semiconductor chip is in communicative connection with the metal fastener.
A method for determining an inductance of a matching network between an antenna and a semiconductor chip, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a metal fastener and the semiconductor chip including a printed circuit board, wherein the metal fastener is to be used as the antenna of the semiconductor chip;
- b) connecting the semiconductor chip to the metal fastener using a wire;
- c) twisting the wire into a loop formation having a diameter;
- d) reading the semiconductor chip using an RFID reader at different distances from the semiconductor chip;
- e) repeating steps c and d using different diameters to find a diameter at which the semiconductor chip can be read from a farthest distance;
- and
- f) converting the diameter at which the semiconductor chip can be read from the farthest distance into a circuit model.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.