Combination EAS and RFID label or tag
AssigneeSensormatic Electronics Corporation
InventorRichard L. Copeland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security tag includes an EAS component having a defined surface area, and an RFID component having a defined surface area. The EAS component surface area is configured to at least partially overlap the RFID component surface area. The RFID component includes an antenna which at least partially overlaps the first surface. A substantially planar spacer having a thickness is at least partially disposed between the defined surface areas of the EAS and RFID components. The thickness of the spacer determines a read range between an RFID reader and the RFID component. The RFID reader is capable of activating the RFID component when the RFID component is within the read range. The antenna has a complex impedance, and the EAS component forms a part of an impedance matching network of the antenna.
Claims14
A security tag comprising:
- an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component having a defined surface area;
- and
- a radiofrequency (RFID) component, the RFID component comprising:
- an antenna configured to impedance match using properties of the EAS component;
- and
- a defined surface area, the defined surface area of the EAS component being configured to at least partially overlap the defined surface area of the RFID component.
A security tag comprising:
- an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component having a defined surface area;
- and
- radiofrequency identification (RFID) component having:
- an antenna configured to impedance match using properties of the EAS component;
- a defined surface area, the surface area of the EAS component configured to at least partially overlap the surface area of the RFID component;
- and
- an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC having a complex impedance, the complex impedance of the ASIC being configured to match a coupled complex conjugate impedance of the antenna and the EAS component.
A method of operating a combination of an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component and a radio frequency identification (RFID) component, the method comprising the step of:
- arranging the RFID component to overlap with the EAS component;
- and
- using the EAS component to adjust an impedance of an antenna associated with the RFID component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.