# US 7,746,285 B2 · Wave antenna wireless communication device and method

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- Number: US 7,746,285 B2
- Document ID: US7746285B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/126,812
- Filed: 2008-05-23
- Published: 2008-10-02
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2001-10-29
- Inventors: Ian James Forster; Peter Robert George Horrell; Patrick F. King
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746285B2

## CPC

- H01Q 1/2241: {used in or for vehicle tyres}
- B60C 23/04: mounted on the wheel or tyre
- B60C 23/0433: {Radio signals}
- B60C 23/0452: {Antenna structure, control or arrangement (vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241)}
- B60C 23/0493: {for attachment on the tyre}
- 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}
- G06K 19/07758: {arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag}
- G06K 19/07764: {the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tyre (tyre temperature or pressure control arrangements, see B60C23/00)}
- G06K 19/07786: {the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole}
- 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}
- H01Q 1/36: Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence)
- 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)}
- H01Q 5/378: Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
- H01Q 5/40: Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
- H01Q 9/16: with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole (H01Q9/44 takes precedence)
- H01Q 9/26: with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength (resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00)
- H01Q 9/28: Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines (waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00)
- H01Q 9/285: {Planar dipole (H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407)}
- H01Q 9/42: with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
- Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
- Y10T 29/49169: Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
- Y10T 29/49179: by metal fusion bonding
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that provides greater increased durability and impedance matching. The wave antenna is a conductor that is bent in alternating sections to form peaks and valleys. The wireless communication device is coupled to the wave antenna to provide wireless communication with other communication devices, such as an interrogation reader. The wireless communication device and wave antenna may be placed on objects, goods, or other articles of manufacture that are subject to forces such that the wave antenna may be stretched or compressed during the manufacture and/or use of such object, good or article of manufacture. The wave antenna, because of its bent structure, is capable of stretching and compressing more easily than other structures, reducing the wireless communication device's susceptibility to damage or breaks that might render the wireless communication device coupled to the wave antenna unable to properly communicate information wirelessly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a wave antenna, the method comprising:
passing a conducting material through a first cog and a second cog having teeth and placed in proximity to each other, wherein the teeth in the first and second cogs substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate; and
placing alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material is passed through the first cog and the second cog to form the wave antenna, wherein the wave antenna is stretchable and, when the wave antenna is not stretched, the bent sections in the wave antenna touch each other and act as a dipole antenna without bent sections.

### Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a strip of wireless communication devices that are coupled to a wave antenna, the method comprising:
passing a conducting material through a first cog and a second cog having teeth and placed in proximity to each other, wherein the teeth in the first and second cogs substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate;
placing alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material passes through the first cog and the second cog to form a conducting material having a plurality of bends that form a plurality of peaks separated by valleys; and
electrically connecting a plurality of wireless communication devices to the conducting material, wherein each wireless communication device is individually connected across opposing sides of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys in the conducting material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein said electrically connecting the plurality of wireless communication devices comprises soldering, the method further comprising tinning each side of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys before soldering.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising:
re-flow soldering the plurality of wireless communication devices with hot gas;
cleaning away excess solder; and
removing a short formed across a wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valleys;
wherein said cleaning away and said removing a short are performed after said soldering.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein said electrically connecting the plurality of wireless communication devices comprises soldering, the method further comprising re-flow soldering the plurality of wireless communication devices with hot gas.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein said electrically connecting the plurality of wireless communication devices comprises soldering, the method further comprising cleaning away excess solder after soldering.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising removing a short formed across a wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valleys after soldering.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising encapsulating each wireless communication device after the wireless communication device has been electrically connected to one of the plurality of peaks or valleys.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising winding the conducting material with the plurality of wireless communication devices connected thereto onto a reel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising cutting the conducting material between the plurality of wireless communication devices to separate the wireless communication devices from each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching a separated wireless communication device to a tire.

### Claim 12

A system for manufacturing a wave antenna having a plurality of peaks separated by valleys, the system comprising:
a first cog and a second cog placed in proximity to each other, wherein the first and second cogs are configured to rotate, and wherein the first and second cogs have teeth that substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate;
wherein the first and second cogs are further configured to receive a conducting material and place alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material passes through the first and second cogs, and wherein the alternating bends form the plurality of peaks and valleys of the wave antenna such that the wave antenna is configured to be stretched and, when the wave antenna is not stretched, the angled sections in the wave antenna touch each other and act as a dipole antenna without angled sections.

### Claim 13

A system for manufacturing a wireless communication device that is coupled to a wave antenna, said wave antenna having a plurality of peaks separated by valleys, comprising:
a first cog and a second cog placed in proximity to each other, wherein the first and second cogs are configured to rotate, and wherein the first and second cogs have teeth that substantially interlock with each other as the first and second cogs rotate,
wherein the first and second cogs are further configured to receive a conducting material and place alternating bends in the conducting material when the conducting material passes through the first and second cogs, said alternating bends forming the plurality of peaks and valleys of the wave antenna; and
a station configured to electrically connect a wireless communication device across opposing sides of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect the wireless communication device by soldering, the station being further configured to tin each side of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys before soldering.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the station is configured to re-flow solder the wireless communication device with hot gas and wherein the station is configured for cleaning away excess solder, the system further comprising an apparatus configured to remove a short formed across the wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valley after soldering.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect the wireless communication device by soldering, the station being further configured to re-flow solder the wireless communication device with hot gas after soldering.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect the wireless communication device by soldering, the station being further configured for cleaning away excess solder after soldering.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, further comprising an apparatus configured to remove a short formed across the wireless communication device by one of the plurality of peaks or valleys after soldering.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, further comprising an apparatus configured to encapsulate the wireless communication device after the wireless communication device has been electrically connected to one of the plurality of peaks or valleys.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the station is configured to electrically connect multiple wireless communication devices to the conducting material, each wireless communication device being individually connected across the sides of a peak or valley in the conducting material.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising an apparatus configured to wind the conducting material with the wireless communication devices connected thereto onto a reel.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, further comprising an apparatus configured to cut the conducting material between the wireless communication devices to separate the wireless communication devices.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, further comprising an apparatus configured to attach the wireless communication device to a tire.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the station is further configured to electrically connect a plurality of wireless communication devices to the conducting material, and wherein each of the wireless communication devices is individually connected across opposing sides of one of the plurality of peaks or valleys in the conducting material.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, further comprising a reel onto which the conducting material with the wireless communication devices connected thereto is wound.