Rfid tag readers with angled antenna groups
AssigneeAutomaton, Inc.
InventorsJoe Mueller, Phillip A. Lindsey, Jeff Goos, Craig Owens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor for the detection of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags is disclosed. The sensor includes an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements disposed on relative facets of a surface. Each antenna element is disposed such that a boresight of each antenna element is not parallel with a boresight of another antenna element of the antenna array. A processor is configured to control the transmission of one or more interrogation signals from a plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array.
Claims31
A sensor for locating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, the sensor comprising:
- a transceiver to generate at least one interrogation signal and receive at least one reply signal;
- an antenna array, operably coupled to the transceiver and comprising antenna elements disposed on respective facets of a faceted surface, to transmit the at least one interrogation signal and detect the at least one reply signal;
- at least one switch, operably coupled to the transceiver and the antenna array, to communicatively couple one or more of the antenna elements to the transceiver;
- and
- a processor, operably coupled to the transceiver and the antenna elements, to determine a location of the RFID tag using one or more reply signals received by the antenna array.
A method of interrogating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, the method comprising:
- generating an interrogation signal at a transceiver;
- selecting a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array, each of the plurality of antenna elements disposed on a respective facet of a faceted surface, to communicatively couple to the transceiver using at least one switch;
- transmitting the interrogation signal by the plurality of antenna elements;
- and
- receiving, at the selected plurality of antenna elements, a reply signal from the RFID tag in response to the interrogation signal.
A method of interrogating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag with an antenna array comprising antenna elements arranged having boresights pointing in different directions, the method comprising:
- generating, with a transceiver operably coupled to the antenna array, a first interrogation signal;
- transmitting the first interrogation signal from a first subset of antenna elements in the antenna array to the RFID tag, the first subset of antenna elements comprising a first plurality of antenna elements;
- receiving, by at least the first subset of antenna elements, a first reply to the first interrogation signal from the RFID tag;
- generating, with the transceiver, a second interrogation signal;
- transmitting the second interrogation signal from a second subset of antenna elements in the antenna array to the RFID tag, the second subset of antenna elements comprising a second plurality of antenna elements;
- and
- receiving, by at least the second subset of antenna elements, a second reply to the second interrogation signal from the RFID tag.
A sensor for interrogating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, the sensor comprising:
- a transceiver to generate at least one interrogation signal and receive at least one reply signal;
- an antenna array, operably coupled to the transceiver and comprising antenna elements having boresights pointing in different directions, to transmit the at least one interrogation signal and detect the at least one reply signal;
- at least one switch, operably coupled to the transceiver and the antenna array, to communicatively couple one or more of the antenna elements to the transceiver;
- and
- a processor, operably coupled to the transceiver and the antenna elements, to process the at least one reply signal.
A method for locating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag with an antenna array comprising antenna elements on respective facets of a faceted surface, the method comprising:
- generating, with a transceiver operably coupled to the antenna array, a first interrogation signal;
- transmitting the first interrogation signal from a first subset of antenna elements in the antenna array to the RFID tag, the first subset of antenna elements comprising a first plurality of antenna elements disposed at an elevation angle with respect to a centerline axis;
- receiving, by at least the first subset of antenna elements, a first reply to the first interrogation signal from the RFID tag;
- generating, with the transceiver, a second interrogation signal;
- transmitting the second interrogation signal from a second subset of antenna elements in the antenna array to the RFID tag, the second subset of antenna elements comprising a second plurality of antenna elements disposed at the elevation angle with respect to the centerline axis;
- and
- receiving, by at least the second subset of antenna elements, a second reply to the second interrogation signal from the RFID tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.