Detecting passive rf components using radio frequency identification tags
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorsThomas Kummetz, Stefan Eisenwinter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for automatically detecting passive components in communications systems using radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tags. A coupling circuit is provided in a system between a communications network and an RFID tag. The RFID tag is associated with a passive element of a distributed antenna system (“DAS”). The coupling circuit can allow an RFID signal received from an RFID transmitter over the communications network to be transported to the RFID tag. The coupling circuit can substantially prevent mobile communication signals on the communications network from being transported to the RFID tag.
Claims17
A system comprising:
- a coupling circuit between a communications network and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with a passive element of a distributed antenna system;
- and
- an attenuation circuit between the coupling circuit and the RFID tag, wherein the attenuation circuit is configured for coupling the RFID tag to ground;
- wherein the coupling circuit comprises a physical coupling between the RFID tag and the communications network, the physical coupling having a resonant frequency that allows an RFID signal received from the RFID transmitter over the communications network to be transport to the RFID tag and substantially prevents one or more non-RFID communication signals from the communications network from being transported to the RFID tag, wherein the RFID signal and the one or more non-RFID communication signals are carried on the communications network over at least one shared conductor.
A distributed antenna system comprising:
- a communications network;
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) transmitter positioned in a remote antenna unit;
- an RFID tag associated with a passive element remote from a position of the RFID transmitter over the communications network;
- a coupling circuit providing a physical coupling between the RFID tag and the communications network, wherein RFID signals received from the RFID transmitter and non-RFID signals are carried on the communications network over at least one same conductor;
- wherein the coupling circuit has a resonant frequency that allows the RFID signals received from the RFID transmitter over the communications network through the coupling circuit and substantially prevents the non-RFID signals from being transported to the RFID tag through the coupling circuit;
- and
- an attenuation circuit between the coupling circuit and the RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag is configured to be coupled to ground via the attenuation circuit.
A method comprising:
- providing a coupling circuit between a communications network and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with a passive element of a distributed antenna system;
- and
- transmitting an RFID signal received from an RFID transmitter to the RFID tag via the communications network and coupling circuit, wherein the RFID tag is coupled to ground via an attenuation circuit between the RFID tag and the coupling circuit, wherein the RFID signal and mobile communication signals are carried on the communications network over at least one same conductor;
- wherein the coupling circuit substantially prevents the mobile communication signals on the communications network from being communicated to the RFID tag;
- wherein providing the coupling circuit comprises providing a coupling circuit configured with a resonant frequency for allowing the RFID signal received from the RFID transmitter over the communications network to the transported to the RFID tag and for substantially preventing the mobile communications signals on the communications network from being transported to the RFID tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.