Radio frequency transponders having three-dimensional antennas
AssigneeScience Applications International Corporation
InventorJan N. Hodges
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Three-dimensional objects, such as product packages or gaming tokens, have formed thereon a three-dimensional antenna pattern coupled to a radio frequency transponder, such as an RFID tag. The antenna pattern permits signals from the transponder to be received regardless of the orientation or stacking condition of the objects. In one variation, a gaming token has formed thereon antenna portions on a top, bottom, and sides thereof, and a label having an RFID chip and antenna connectors is applied to the gaming token, thus coupling the RFID chip to the antenna that is formed around the gaming token.
Claims26
An object having a first dimensional axis, a second dimensional axis, and a third dimensional axis, the object comprising a radio frequency transponder affixed thereto and an antenna coupled to the radio frequency transponder, wherein the antenna is formed around all sides of the object such that a first antenna portion is formed along the first dimensional axis, a second antenna portion is formed along the second dimensional axis, and a third antenna portion is formed along the third dimensional axis.
A method of producing an RFID-enabled object comprising:
- forming a three-dimensional antenna pattern on the object;
- and
- applying to the object a label having adhered thereon an RFID chip and conductive leads leading from the RFID chip to positions corresponding to one or more points on the three-dimensional antenna pattern such that the RFID chip is in electrical communication with the three-dimensional antenna pattern.
A method of activating an antenna formed on an object in three dimensions, comprising the step of applying to the object a label having adhered thereon a radio transponder device and conductive leads leading from the radio transponder device to positions corresponding to one or more points on a three-dimensional antenna pattern such that the radio transponder device is in electrical communication with the three-dimensional antenna pattern.
A gaming table configured to read signals from a plurality of gaming tokens placed thereon, comprising:
- at each of a plurality of player positions, a plurality of antennas arranged to read signals from gaming tokens having radio transponders associated therewith, wherein each of the plurality of antennas at each player position is located under a corresponding game area associated with a game for which the gaming table is used;
- and
- a multiplexing circuit that successively causes signals to be read from respective ones of the plurality of antennas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.