Distributed antenna array with centralized data hub for determining presence and location of RF tags
US8070065B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 6, 2008 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 6, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K7/10336
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A distributed antenna array with a centralized data hub for determining the presence and location of RF tags has been disclosed. This antenna array centralizes electronics and distributes the RF to zones in a facility to greatly reduce the expense of recurring components for monitoring RF tags. A single BRT/hub with multiple antennas attached to transmit and receive ports is used to cover an entire facility. Large facilities are covered by a small number of the BRT/hub combinations. The BRT/hub has transmit antennas coupled thereto, preferably by co-axial cable, that transmit signals to a portion or all of the RF tags and all or a portion of them modulate and reflect the RF signal to a particular receiving antenna. The receiving antenna then returns the RF signal with tag data to the BRT/hub, preferably by co-axial cable. Also disclosed is an RF backscatter tag that cleanly switches a resonant aperture antenna on and off, thereby greatly increasing the mark-to-space ratio of the backscatter data. This enables tags to be detected by the BRT at much greater distances.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.