Patent · US Expired

System and method for communicating with dormant radio frequency identification tags

US6693511B1 · kind B1 · utility

69Cited by
34References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 24, 1999
Grant dateFeb 17, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 24, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S13/751
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The position of a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder may be determined with respect to a plurality of stationary sensors located in an array within certain physical areas. Each sensor comprises a plurality of antenna coils arranged in unique physical orientations and capable of transmitting radio frequency signals of differing phase. The RFID transponder includes an antenna which receives the plurality of signals generated by the antenna coils, and compares the phase of at least two of the signals to determine the relative position of the transponder. The location of the transponder with respect to two or more sensor(s) may also be determined through measurement of the intensity of the signals received by the antenna coil of the transponder. The system and method may also transmit data between a sensor and a dormant (motionless) RFID transponder using a hand-held high intensity RF probe.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.