Systems and methods for reading RFID tags
US11995501B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 29, 2019 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2024 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 29, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04K2203/20
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An RFID system comprises an array of antennas each configured to emit a plurality of beams in different directions. The beams of each pair of adjacent antennas are directed towards one another and overlap. A pair of adjacent antennas transmits simultaneously and the overlapping beams interfere to create an interference pattern. An RFID reader controls the relative phase and/or frequency of the beams to move the interference pattern to read an RFID tag within the moving pattern. As the chance of a RFID tag responding to an emitted beam generally increases with signal strength of the reader beam an area of constructive interference means that RFID tags in that region are more likely to respond to the signal. The system can cover a large proportion of the area below ceiling-mounted antennas, where cover generally means that RFID tags in that area will be successfully read.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.