Abstract:
Transponder networks and transponder systems are provided which help to overcome the issues presented to transponders systems by FCC power limitations. One embodiment provides a transponder network that includes a plurality of RFID straps in order to increase the amount of memory that is practically available in the network. Other embodiments provide transponder systems employing a touch probe RFID reader device that enable information to be communicated to and from a transponder or a transponder network by establishing physical contact with the reader device rather than through an air interface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/884,524, entitled “RFID Strap Network and Mono-Probe Extension,” which was filed on Jan. 11, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/895,297, entitled “Security And Item Level RFID On Blister Packs,” which was filed on Mar. 16, 2007, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to transponder systems, such as radio frequency identification (RFID systems), and in particular to transponder networks employing a plurality of RFID straps and transponder systems employing a touch probe RFID reader device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     RFID devices typically contain an integrated circuit chip and an antenna that are connected together to form an electrical circuit that responds to certain transmitted radio frequency (RF) signals. The integrated circuit chip has very small attachment points, commonly referred to as pads, to which the antenna must be electrically connected. Such pads are typically square surfaces with less than 100 μm per side. Antennas used in RFID applications typically have conductors that must be connected to the pads of the integrated circuit chip that have widths of much greater than 100 μm. This difference in relative size makes the manufacture of RFID devices difficult. 
     As a manufacturing aid, an intermediate fabrication step is frequently employed where an intermediate component is first formed by attaching the integrated circuit chip to relatively short interfacing conductors that have a first end that is much larger than 100 μm and a second end that is sized to accommodate the smaller pads of the integrated circuit chip. This intermediate component that includes the chip and the interfacing conductors is commonly referred to as a strap. Particular strap embodiments are commercially available from a number of sources and are typically sold in large quantities to RFID device manufacturers. In the final manufacturing steps, the strap is attached to the antenna, and both are placed on some form of a substrate. The combination of a strap and an antenna on a substrate is commonly referred to as an inlay. The inlay may later be attached to a label or the like to form an RFID tag that may be attached to a product or item in order to track and/or communicate with the product or item using RF signals. 
     In many RFID implementations, such as those designed in accordance with the EPCglobal Class 1 Gen 2 specification, the chip/tag is powered by the continuous wave (CW) RF energy provided by an RFID reader device. FCC limits on the CW RF power that may be transmitted dictate certain chip power requirements and operating (maximum) distances. Thus, in such implementations, there is a limitation on the amount of memory that is practically available based on the power limitations. There is therefore room for improvement in the area of transponders and transponder systems, and in particular there is a need for transponders and transponder systems that help to overcome the issues presented by these power limitations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a first embodiment, the invention provides a transponder network that includes a plurality of RFID straps each including a substrate, first and second leads provided on the substrate, and a chip having a memory and one or more contacts provided on the substrate. Each of the first and second leads is electrically coupled to a respective one or more of the one or more contacts. In addition, the first leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another and the second leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another. Each of the RFID straps is provided with a unique identifier to enable the memory thereof to be selectively accessed. In one particular embodiment, the first leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another by a first conductor, the second leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another, and the first conductor and the second conductor are operatively coupled to an antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals. Each of the RFID straps may include an internal power source for providing power to the RFID strap, or, alternatively, each of the RFID straps may be passive and be powered by one or more RF signals received by the transponder network. 
     In another embodiment, the invention provides a transponder system that includes at least one transponder and a reader device. The at least one transponder includes a substrate, one or more leads provided on the substrate, and a chip having one or more contacts provided on the substrate, wherein each of the one or more leads is electrically coupled to a respective one or more of the one or more contacts. The at least one transponder has an antenna having a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is connected to one of the one or more leads. The reader device includes a control system, a radio module and a touch probe having a probe contact operatively coupled to the radio module. The radio module is adapted to generate one or more RF signals under the control of the control system. The probe contact is operatively coupled to the radio module for receiving the one or more RF signals and is structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna and the one of the one or more leads of the at least one transponder. When the probe contact receives the one or more RF signals and is brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna and the one of the one or more leads of the at least one transponder, the one or more RF signals are communicated to the at least one transponder. In one particular embodiment, the one or more leads comprise a first lead and a second lead, wherein the first terminal is connected to the first lead. In addition, the second terminal may be connected to the second lead. In such a case, the probe contact is structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna, the first lead and the second lead, and wherein when the probe contact receives the one or more RF signals and is brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna, the first lead and the second lead, the one or more RF signals is communicated to the at least one transponder. Preferably, the touch probe is a mono-probe and the probe contact is the only contact of the touch probe. 
     In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method of communicating with a transponder apparatus that includes a substrate, one or more leads provided on the substrate, a chip having one or more contacts provided on the substrate, wherein each of the one or more leads being electrically coupled to a respective one or more of the one or more contacts, and an antenna having a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is connected to one of the one or more leads. The method includes steps of providing a reader device having a touch probe having a single probe contact, generating one or more RF signals in the reader device and providing the one or more RF signals to the single probe contact, and bringing at least one of the antenna and the one of the one or more leads of the transponder apparatus into electrical contact with the single probe contact to allow the one or more RF signals to be communicated to the transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from the transponder apparatus to the reader device. The one or more leads may comprise a first lead and a second lead, wherein the first terminal is connected to the first lead. In addition, the second terminal may be connected to the second lead, wherein the bringing step comprises bringing at least one of the antenna, the first lead and the second lead into electrical contact with the single probe contact to allow the one or more RF signals to be communicated to the transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from the transponder apparatus to the reader device. 
     In yet another embodiment, an RF reader device is provided that includes a control system, a radio module adapted to generate one or more RF signals under the control of the control system, and a touch probe having a single probe contact operatively coupled to the radio module. The single probe contact is structured to receive the one or more RF signals. In addition, the single probe contact is adapted to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least one of an antenna and one of one or more leads of a transponder apparatus to allow at least the one or more RF signals to be communicated to the transponder apparatus or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from the transponder apparatus to the RF reader device. 
     In still another embodiment, a transponder system is provided that includes at least one transponder network and a reader device. The at least one transponder network includes a plurality of RFID straps, wherein each of the RFID straps includes a substrate, first and second leads provided on the substrate, and a chip having a memory and one or more contacts provided on the substrate. Each of the first and second leads is electrically coupled to a respective one or more of the one or more contacts, the first leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another by a first conductor, and the second leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another by a second conductor. The reader device includes a control system, a radio module and a touch probe having one or more probe contacts operatively coupled to the radio module. The radio module is adapted to generate one or more RF signals under the control of the control system, and the one or more probe contacts are operatively coupled to the radio module for receiving the one or more RF signals. The one or more probe contacts are also structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least a portion of the at least one transponder network. When the one or more probe contacts receive the one or more RF signals and are brought into electrical contact with the at least a portion of the at least one transponder network, the one or more RF signals are communicated to each of the chips of the at least one transponder network. In one particular embodiment, the one or more probe contacts are structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with the first conductor and the second conductor. In this embodiment, when the one or more probe contacts receive the one or more RF signals and are brought into electrical contact with the first conductor and the second conductor, the one or more RF signals are communicated to each of the chips of the at least one transponder network. In another particular embodiment, the at least one transponder network has an antenna having a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is connected to the first conductor. In this embodiment, the one or more probe contacts comprise a single probe contact structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna and the first conductor. When the single probe contact receives the one or more RF signals and is brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna and the first conductor, the one or more RF signals are communicated to each of the chips of the at least one transponder network. In addition, the second terminal may be connected to the second conductor, wherein the single probe contact is structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna, the first conductor and the second conductor. When the single probe contact receives the one or more RF signals and is brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna, the first conductor and the second conductor, the one or more RF signals are communicated to each of the chips of the at least one transponder network. In any of the just described embodiments, each of the RFID straps may be provided with a unique identifier to enable the memory thereof to be selectively accessed. 
     In still a further embodiment, a method of communicating with a transponder network is provided, wherein the transponder network includes a plurality of RFID straps, each of the RFID straps including a substrate, first and second leads provided on the substrate, and a chip having a memory and one or more contacts provided on the substrate. Each of the first and second leads is electrically coupled to a respective one or more of the one or more contacts, wherein the first leads of each of the RFID straps are electrically coupled to one another by a first conductor and the second leads of each of the REID straps are electrically coupled to one another by a second conductor. The method providing a reader device having a touch probe having a one or more probe contacts, generating one or more RF signals in the reader device and providing the one or more RF signals to the one or more probe contacts, and bringing the one or more probe contacts into electrical contact with at least a portion of the transponder network to allow the one or more RF signals to be communicated to each of the chips of the transponder network or to allow one or more transponder signals to be communicated from the transponder network to the reader device. The transponder network may have an antenna having a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is connected to the first conductor. In such an embodiment, the one or more probe contacts comprise a single probe contact structured to be temporarily brought into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna and the first conductor, and wherein the bringing the one or more probe contacts into electrical contact with at least a portion of the transponder network comprises bringing the one or more probe contacts into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna and the first conductor. In addition, the second terminal may be connected to the second conductor, wherein the bringing the one or more probe contacts into electrical contact with at least a portion of the transponder network comprises bringing the one or more probe contacts into electrical contact with at least one of the antenna, the first conductor and the second conductor. 
     Therefore, it should now be apparent that the invention substantially achieves all the above aspects and advantages. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Moreover, the aspects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. As shown throughout the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a prior art strap that may be employed as part of a transponder network according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a strap network according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of one particular embodiment wherein passive technology in the form of energy harvesting is employed to power each of the chips in the strap network of  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 ; 
         FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  are a schematic diagrams of alternative embodiments of a strap network according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a reader device according to one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are schematic diagrams of a transponder apparatus according to two different embodiments that may be employed in a aspect of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of an example strap  5  that may be employed in the present invention. As used herein, the term “strap” shall refer to an intermediate RF component that includes an integrated circuit chip operatively coupled to one or more interfacing conductors, either or both of which may (although not necessarily) be mounted on and supported by a substrate, wherein the interfacing conductors have a first end that is sized to accommodate the smaller pads of the integrated circuit chip and a second end that is typically larger than the first end to, for example, allow easy connection to another component such as an antenna. The strap  5  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a chip  10  having chip contacts (not shown) that is mounted on and supported by a strap substrate  15 . The strap substrate  15  may be made of any of a variety of suitable materials, such as, for example, suitable flexible polymeric materials like PET, polypropylene or other polyolefins, polycarbonate, or polysulfone. The chip  10  may be any of a variety of suitable electronic components for electrically coupling to and suitably interacting with an RFID reader as described herein to, for example, receive and/or to send signals. The contacts of the chip  10  are electrically coupled to strap leads  20  that are provided on the strap substrate  15 . The strap leads  20  may be made out of an electrically conducting material, such as, without limitation, a metal foil, a metal/conductive ink or a conductive polymer as described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/448,516 and 11/430,718, entitled “Method Of Making An Electronic Device Using An Electrically Conductive Polymer, And Associated Products,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the strap leads  20  may include an electrically insulating material along selected portions of the conducting material. Alternatively, the strap leads  20  may include a dielectric material with conductive layers on one or both sides. 
     As described elsewhere herein, normally, the strap leads  20  would be operatively coupled, through a suitable electrically-conductive connection, to an antenna provided on a substrate to form an inlay and thus form an RFID transponder, also known as a tag. However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of straps  5  may be used to form a strap network  21  as shown in  FIG. 2 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the strap network  21  includes a plurality of straps  5  that are connected in parallel. In particular, the top strap leads  20  of each of the straps  5  are electrically coupled to one another by a first conductor  22  and the bottom strap leads  20  of each of straps  5  are electrically coupled to one another by a second conductor  23 . The first and second conductors  22  and  23  may be made out of any suitable electrically conducting material, such as, without limitation, a metal foil, a metal/conductive ink or a conductive polymer. The first and second conductors  22 ,  23  are then operatively coupled to an antenna  24 , such as, for example, a square spiral antenna or any other suitable antenna type, to enable the strap network  21  to communicate using RF signals over an air interface with, for example, an RFID reader. In addition, each of chips  10  forming a part of the straps  5  is preferably provided with control circuitry, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller or some other suitable custom control circuitry, and an associated memory. Furthermore, each chip  10  and thus each strap  5 , is associated with a unique identifier that enables the memory of each of the chips  10  to be selectively accessed (addressed) by an RFID reader over the air interface through the antenna  24 . Thus, the strap network  21  provides increased memory capacity as compared to a single strap  5  (or RFID tag made with a strap  5 ). For example, if the memory capacity of each chip  10  is m bits, then the strap network  21  will have a total memory capacity of n*m bits. 
     Moreover, each strap  5  in the strap network  21  is, in the preferred embodiment, a passive strap, meaning it does not have an internal power supply. Instead, such passive straps (and passive RFID tags) are powered by electrical current that is induced therein by the RF signal sent by an RFID reader. Specifically, in the strap network  21 , if the transmitted RF power is large enough, the electrical current induced in the antenna  24  by the incoming RF signal from the RFID reader will provide enough power for each of the chips  10  to power up and function, e.g., transmit a response. One passive tag technology, known as backscatter technology, generates signals by backscattering the carrier signal sent from the RFID reader. In another technology, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,289,237, 6,615,074, 6,856,291, 7,057,514, and 7,084,605 (and commonly referred to as energy harvesting), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, RF energy from the RFID reader is harvested and converted to a DC voltage by an antenna/matching circuit/charge pump combination. The DC voltage is then used to power the circuitry (e.g., a processor/transmitter combination) that transmits information to the RFID reader at, for example, a different frequency. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of one particular embodiment wherein passive technology in the form of energy harvesting as just described is employed to power each of the chips  10  in the strap network  21 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , each chip  10  includes energy harvesting circuitry  120  that is operatively coupled to on-board electronic circuitry  125 , which in turn is operatively coupled to transmitter circuitry  130 . In operation, the energy harvesting circuitry  120  is structured to receive RF energy (e.g., from a reader device) and harvest energy therefrom by converting the received RF energy into DC energy, e.g., a DC voltage. The DC voltage is then used to power the on-board electronic circuitry  125  and the transmitter circuitry  130 . The transmitter circuitry  130  is structured to transmit an RF information signal to a receiving device such as an RFID reader. As described elsewhere herein, the on-board electronic circuitry  125  may include, for example, control circuitry, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller or some other suitable custom control circuitry, an associated memory, additional logic circuitry, and/or a sensing circuit for sensing or measuring a particular parameter (such as temperature, in which case a thermistor may be included in the sensing circuit). 
     In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the energy harvesting circuitry  120  of each chip  10  includes a matching network  135  electrically connected to the first and second conductors  22  and  23  (through the strap leads  20 ), and therefore to the antenna  24 . The matching network  135  is also electrically connected to a voltage boosting and rectifying circuit preferably in the form of a one or more stage charge pump  140 . Charge pumps are well known in the art. Basically, one stage of a charge pump essentially doubles the effective amplitude of an AC input voltage with the resulting increased DC voltage appearing on an output capacitor. The voltage could be stored using a rechargeable battery. Successive stages of a charge pump, if present, will essentially increase the voltage from the previous stage resulting in an increased output voltage. In operation, the antenna  24  receives RF energy that is transmitted in space by a far-field source, such as an RFID reader. The RF energy received by the antenna is provided, in the form of an AC signal, to each charge pump  140  through the associated matching network  135 . The charge pump  140  rectifies the received AC signal to produce a DC signal that is amplified as compared to what it would have been had a simple rectifier been used. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the matching network  135  for each chip  10  is chosen (i.e., its impedance is chosen) so as to maximize some criterion such as the voltage of the DC signal output by charge pump  140 . In other words, the matching network  135  matches the impedance of the antenna  24  to the charge pump  140  solely on the basis of maximizing the performance such as DC output of the charge pump  140 . In the preferred embodiment, the matching network  135  is an LC circuit of either an L topology (which includes one inductor and one capacitor) or a π topology (which includes one inductor and two capacitors) wherein the inductance of the LC circuit and the capacitance of the LC circuit are chosen so as to maximize the DC output of the charge pump  140 . The particulars of the matching network (e.g., the particular LC parameters) may be chosen so as to maximize the output of the charge pump  140  using a trial and error (“annealing”) empirical approach in which various sets of inductor and capacitor values are used as matching elements in the matching network  135 , and the resulting output of the charge pump  140  is measured for each combination, and the combination that produces the maximum output is chosen. In this process, the input impedance of the charge pump  140  with each matching network combination may be plotted as a point on a Smith chart with a color coding for the amount of energy harvested. After a number of tries, it will be easy to see a clustering of the color coded points to selectively choose other points in or around the cluster to achieve a near optimum value. This trial and error/annealing approach is also described in Minhong Mi, et al., “RF Energy Harvesting with Multiple Antennas in the Same Space,”  IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine , Vol. 47, No. 5, October 2005, and Marlin Mickle et al., “Powering Autonomous Harvesting with Multiple Antennas in the Same Space,”  IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine , Vol. 48, No. 1, February 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     In many applications, particularly those governed by FCC regulations, the RF power transmitted by an RFID reader will not be large enough to power each of the chips  10  in the strap network  21  shown in  FIG. 2 , at least not at all distances from the reader that may be required for a particular application. Thus, described herein are two alternate strap network embodiments, shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  as strap networks  21 ′ and  21 ″, that use touch probe technology to provide power and communicate with (i.e., read) each of the chips  10  rather than communicating over an air interface through RF signals using the antenna  24 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a strap network  21 ′ according to one particular embodiment wherein the strap network  21 ′ is able to communicate with an RFID reader without operatively coupling the strap network  21 ′ to an antenna such as the antenna  24  shown in  FIG. 2 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , in the strap network  21 ′, each conductor  22 ,  23  terminates at a contact  26  rather than being connected to the antenna  24 .  FIG. 5  shows a strap network  21 ″ according to another particular embodiment wherein the strap network  21 ″ is also able to communicate with an RFID reader without operatively coupling the strap network  21 ″ to the antenna  24 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the strap network  21 ″ includes an antenna  27  wherein the terminal a of the antenna  27  is connected to the conductor  22  and the terminal b of the antenna  27  is connected to the conductor  23 . In an alternative embodiment, the terminal a of the antenna  27  is connected to either the conductor  22  or the conductor  23 , and the terminal b of the antenna  27  is not connected to the strap network  21 ″ at all. Preferably, the antenna has a generally square shape so as to form a conductive loop as shown in  FIG. 5 . The antenna  27  may also take on other shapes and/or configurations, such as a circular or spiral (coil) shape, that may be necessary to achieve desired characteristics (e.g. input impedance and power) or a dipole where there is no electrical connection between conductors  22  and  23 . 
     As described in more detail below, in the case of either the strap network  21 ′ or the strap network  21 ″, a direct electrical connection may be made between the strap network  21 ′ or the strap network  21 ″, and in particular the conductors  22  and/or  23  thereof, and a properly equipped RFID reader to enable signals to be communicated between the RFID reader and the strap network  21 ′ or the strap network  21 ″ (and in particular the chips  10  provided therein). As will be appreciated, a similar direct electrical connection may be made between the strap network  21 , and in particular the conductors  22  and/or  23  thereof, and a properly equipped RFID reader, in which case the functionality of the antenna  24  will not be used. However, for illustrative purposes, the strap network  21 ′ and the strap network  21 ″ embodiments will used in the description provided below. 
     Additionally, in any of the embodiments of the strap network  21 ,  21 ′, or  21 ″, there may be multiple antenna type connections between the conductors  22  and  23 , as shown in, for example, the modified strap network  21 ′  FIG. 6 . The main purpose of such inter-terminal connectivity is to provide connection redundancy and a single contact probe. 
     In order to fully understand the operation of the strap network  21 ′ and the strap network  21 ″, it will be necessary to describe an embodiment of the particular type of RFID reader that must be used therewith.  FIG. 7  is a block diagram of such an RFID reader  25 . The RFID reader  25  includes a control system  30  and a radio module  45 . In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , the control system  30  includes a processor  35 , such as a microcontroller or microprocessor, and a digital signal processor (DSP)  40 , although other configurations are possible. The processor  35  provides control over high level operation of the RFID reader  25  and may communicate with an external network and/or peripheral devices. The DSP  40  provides direct control over all operations of the radio module  40  in response to high level commands provided by the processor  35 , and processes data signals received from individual RFID tags and/or strap networks as described herein. The radio module  40  is adapted to provide for communications to/from RFID tags or strap networks (e.g., strap network  21 ) provided with a suitable antenna (e.g., antenna  24 ), by generating and receiving RF signals in the manner described herein. 
     More particularly, the radio module  45  further comprises a transmitter portion  50 , a receiver portion  55 , and a hybrid  60 . The hybrid  60  may further comprise a circulator. The transmitter portion  50  preferably includes a local oscillator that generates an RF carrier frequency. The transmitter portion  50  sends a transmission signal modulated by the RF carrier frequency to the hybrid  60 , which in turn passes the signal to either or both of a touch probe  65  provided as part of the RFID reader  25  and an antenna  70  provided as part of the RFID reader  25 . The hybrid  60  connects the transmitter  50  and receiver  55  portions to the touch probe  65  and antenna  70  while isolating them from each other. In particular, the hybrid  60  allows a strong signal to be sent from the transmitter portion  50  while simultaneously receiving a weak signal reflected from an RFID tag or strap network. The touch probe  65  includes one or more electrical contacts or leads that are adapted to be selectively and temporarily mated and brought into electrical contact with both of the contacts  26  of the strap network  21 ′ (in which case the touch probe  65  would include at least two electrical contacts) or either of the conductors  22  or  23  of the strap network  21 ″ (in which case the touch probe would preferably include only a single electrical contact, i.e., a mono-probe). In the case where both terminals a and b are connected to the conductors  22 ,  23  (as in  FIG. 5 ), the single probe contact may touch either one of the conductors  22 ,  23 , and in the case where only either the terminal a or the terminal b is connected to one of the conductors  22 ,  23 , the single probe contact should touch the same conductor  22 ,  23 . As such, the signals generated by the RFID reader  25 , that normally would be sent over an air interface, may instead be directly transmitted to the strap network  21 ′ or the strap network  21 ″, as the case may be, and thus the chips  10  provided therein. Those signals, which are RF signals, may also be used to provide power to the strap network  21 ′ or the strap network  21 ″, as the case may be, as described elsewhere herein. Similarly, the signals generated by the chips  10 , that also normally would be sent via antenna over an air interface to the RFID reader  25 , may instead be directly transmitted to the RFID reader  25  through the touch probe  65 . The antenna  70 , on the other hand, enables communication with conventional RFID tags that are equipped with an antenna (or the strap network  21  including the antenna  24 ) by broadcasting the modulated signal generated by the RFID reader  25  (which may be received by the conventional RFID tags or the strap network  21 ) and capturing any signals radiated by the conventional RFID tags or the strap network  21 . The tag/network signals, whether they are transmitted through the touch probe  65  or captured by the antenna  70 , are passed back to the hybrid  60 , which forwards the signals to the receiver portion  55 . The receiver portion  55  mixes the captured signals with the RF carrier frequency generated by the local oscillator to directly downconvert the captured signals to a baseband information signal, which is proceed to the DSP  40  for processing thereby. In an alternative embodiment, the antenna  70  may be omitted from the RFID reader  25 . As will be appreciated, in such a configuration, it will not be possible to communicate using an air interface with conventional RFID tags equipped with an antenna, but instead all communication will need to be performed through a direct connection to the touch probe  65 . 
     In still another embodiment, a transponder  75 , shown in  FIG. 8 , is provided which comprises a single strap  5  configured to allow the chip  10  included therein to communicate (as described elsewhere herein) with a RFID reader  25  that includes a touch probe  65  having a single electrical contact (a mono-probe a described above). In particular, in the transponder  75 , the strap  5  is operatively coupled to an antenna  27  shown in  FIG. 5  so that, as described elsewhere herein, a direct electrical connection may be made between the strap  5 , and in particular one of the strap leads  20 , and an RFID reader  25  equipped as described above to enable signals to be communicated between the RFID reader  25  and the strap  5  (and in particular the chip  10  provided therein) of the transponder  75 . Specifically, in the transponder  75 , the terminal a of the antenna  27  is connected to one lead  20  and the terminal b of the antenna is connected to other lead  20 . In another embodiment, a transponder  75 ′, shown in  FIG. 9 , is structured so that the terminal a of the antenna  27  is connected to one of the strap leads  20  and the terminal b of the antenna  27  is not connected to the strap  5  at all. The transponders  75  or  75 ′ may either be powered from the modulated electromagnetic field provided by the reader device, or may contain its own internal power source, such as a battery. The transponder embodiments  75  and  75 ′ are thus similar to the strap network  21 ″ in that they allow coupling to an RFID reader  25  having a mono-probe type touch probe  65 , except that the transponder embodiments  75  and  75 ′ have a single strap  5  rather then a network of straps  5 . 
     While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Additions, deletions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.