Patent Description:
The present invention relates generally to a planar conductor device and radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip that is folded to create a coil to form a RFID tag. The present subject matter is especially suitable for, but not limited to, both ultra-high frequency (UHF) and high frequency (HF) tags. However, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also equally amenable to other like applications.

Radio-frequency identification ("RFID") is the use of electromagnetic energy ("EM energy") to stimulate a responsive device (known as an RFID "tag" or transponder) to identify itself and in some cases, provide additionally stored data. RFID tags typically include a semiconductor device commonly called the "chip" on which are formed a memory and operating circuitry, which is connected to an antenna. Typically, RFID tags act as transponders, providing information stored in the chip memory in response to a radio frequency ("RF") interrogation signal received from a reader, also referred to as an interrogator. In the case of passive RFID devices, the energy of the interrogation signal also provides the necessary energy to operate the RFID device.

<CIT> describes a method of providing identification of an entity including maintaining a database of identification data specific to the appearance and condition of entities, providing a unique description for each entity enabling access to the entity's identification data in the database, providing identification means adapted for portage with the entity and containing the unique description and maintaining secondary databases containing the entity's identification data as acquired from prior encounters so that multiple comparisons can be made to assure that entity bearing the identification means is the same entity to whom the identification means were issued.

<CIT> describes techniques for an RFI device including a flexible substrate with an antenna pattern and a fold in the flexible substrate resulting in the antenna pattern crossing over itself and disposes a distal region of the antenna pattern away from a proximal region at about a predetermined angle.

<CIT> describes a data carrier-/transmitter device for fixing to an object, comprising an oscillatory circuit including at least one coil, an electrical circuit arrangement to which the at least one coil is coupled, and a fixing device including a contact face for the object, wherein the coil axis of the at least one coil is at least approximately parallel to the contact face of the fixing device.

<CIT> describes an inductive sensor including an inductor having one or more loops and a sensor material configured to respond to a parameter of interest by a dimensional change of the sensor material. Claim <NUM> is delimited against this document.

<CIT> describes a folded sheet article comprising a sheet material having a first set of folds defining segments of the sheet material and an electrically conductive pattern on a segment of the sheet material that does not extend across a fold in an unfolded state.

<CIT> describes a protective structure for an article such as a document, the article comprising: at least two panels connected together by a fold zone and at least one electronic device enabling data to be exchanged without contact.

RFID tags may be incorporated into or attached to articles to be tracked. In some cases, the tag may be attached to the outside of an article with adhesive, tape, or other means and in other cases, the tag may be inserted within the article, such as being included in the packaging, located within the container of the article, or sewn into a garment. The RFID tags are manufactured with a unique identification number which is typically a simple serial number of a few bytes with a check digit attached. This identification number is incorporated into the tag during manufacture. The user cannot alter this serial/identification number and manufacturers guarantee that each serial number is used only once. This configuration represents the low-cost end of the technology in that the RFID tag is read-only and it responds to an interrogation signal only with its identification number. Typically, the tag continuously responds with its identification number. Data transmission to the tag is not possible. These tags are very low cost and are produced in enormous quantities.

Such read-only RFID tags typically are permanently attached to an article to be tracked and, once attached, the serial number of the tag is associated with its host article in a computer data base. Specifically, an object of the tag is to associate it with an article throughout the article's life in a particular facility, such as a manufacturing facility, a transport vehicle, a health care facility, a pharmacy storage area, or other environment, so that the article may be located, identified, and tracked, as it is moved. Tracking the articles through the facility can assist in generating more efficient dispensing and inventory control systems as well as improving work flow in a facility. This results in better inventory control and lowered costs.

Many RFID tags used today are passive in that they do not have a battery or other autonomous power supply and instead, must rely on the interrogating energy provided by an RFID reader to provide power to activate the tag. Passive RFID tags require an electromagnetic field of energy of a certain frequency range and certain minimum intensity in order to achieve activation of the tag and transmission of its stored data. Another choice is an active RFID tag; however, such tags require an accompanying battery to provide power to activate the tag, thus increasing the expense and the size of the tag and making them undesirable for use in a large number of applications.

Depending on the requirements of the RFID tag application, such as the physical size of the articles to be identified, their location, and the ability to reach them easily, tags may need to be read from a short distance or a long distance by an RFID reader. Furthermore, the read range (i.e., the range of the interrogation and/or response signals) of RFID tags is also limited.

Furthermore, when the RFID tags are attached to a conductive surface, typically the RFID tag cannot be read. Specifically, if the space between a dipole and its image is very small (less than one wavelength), then the total effective current between the dipole and its image is equal to zero. Thus, the total radiated field is negligible and therefore, the RFID tag is unable to capture data and power from the reader. This is a significant problem given that in many commercial applications it is desirable to apply the RFID tag to a metal or other type of conductive surface. What is needed therefore is an RFID tag device and/or system that allows the RFID tag to operate in proximity to metal surfaces or other types of conductive surfaces.

The present invention discloses a planar conductor device and RFID chip that is folded to create a coil to form an RFID tag. The result is the formation of a solenoid coil, not planar, which allows the device to be placed against metal.

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. The invention is defined by the subject-matter of the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are subject-matter of the dependent claims. require an accompanying battery to provide power to activate the tag, thus increasing the expense and the size of the tag and making them undesirable for use in a large number of applications.

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. The claimed invention is defined by the subject-matter of the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are subject-matter of the dependent claims.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a planar conductor device (system and method) and RFID chip which is folded to create a coil to form an RFID tag. The device comprises a planar structure involving a meandering conductive trace formed by etching, laser cutting, die cutting, or any other suitable method. An RFID chip is then connected to the planar structure. The planar structure is then folded into a concertina fold. After folding, a spiral conductor is formed in the Z direction, forming a coil with the RFID chip connected to both ends. This structure operates as a resonant RFID tag.

In an example, the planar conductor device can be folded in various directions. For example, a web carrying the planar antenna can be folded in the cross-web direction or in the web direction to form the concertina coil elements. Further, the planar device can also be folded to produce two coils in series, which allows the spacing between the coils to be altered during folding. The multiple coils allow an increase in inductance to be achieved with two read zones, one zone over each coil with a null zone in between as the reader system equally passes current through the coils.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

The invention is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. It may be evident, however, that the invention can be practiced without these specific details.

The present text discloses a conductor device, that in one example is planar, and RFID chip that is folded to create a coil to form an RFID tag. The result is the formation of a coil such as a solenoid coil, not planar, which allows the device to be placed against metal. Specifically, an RFID chip is connected to a planar structure. The planar structure is then folded into a concertina fold. After folding, a spiral conductor is formed in one direction, forming a coil with the RFID chip connected to both ends. In one example, the present invention contemplates that the spiral conductor is formed in the Z direction. This structure operates as a resonant RFID tag.

Referring initially to the drawings, <FIG> illustrates the structure of a standard coil device <NUM> designed to resonate with an RFID chip <NUM>. Typically, the standard coil device <NUM> is a planar coil but the standard coil device <NUM> can be any suitable size, shape, and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the shape and size of the standard coil device <NUM> as shown in <FIG> is for illustrative purposes only and many other shapes and sizes of the standard coil device <NUM> are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although dimensions of the standard coil device <NUM> (i.e., length, width, and height) are important design parameters for good performance, the standard coil device <NUM> may be any shape or size that ensures optimal performance during use.

The standard coil device <NUM> forms a planar spiral. To form a resonant circuit the RFID chip <NUM> with a capacitance between A and B must connect to the two ends of the coil C and D that are resonant at or close to the wanted frequency. In this simplified circuit, the effects of resistance have been ignored as they primarily affect the quality factor. Further, in this circuit the operational frequency is when the inductance between A and B is resonant with the inductance between C and D.

Additionally, the standard coil device <NUM> is especially suitable for both ultra-high frequency (UHF) and high frequency (HF) tags depending on the wants and needs of a user. Accordingly, the present specification makes specific reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also equally amenable to other like applications as are known in the art.

Further, the connection in a standard HF RFID tag can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, as shown in <FIG>, an additional conductor bridge <NUM> can be added to allow the RFID chip <NUM> to connect to the inside and outside of the coil device <NUM>. Specifically, the additional conductor <NUM> forms a bridge from the center of the coil device <NUM> to the outside of the RFID chip <NUM> to make a connection and create a conductive bridge.

Alternatively, as shown in <FIG>, the RFID chip <NUM> can be placed on a strap <NUM> which then itself bridges the coil device <NUM> to allow connections to both ends. Thus, the strap <NUM> carries the RFID chip <NUM> and is positioned to form a bridge from the center of the coil device <NUM> to the outside of the RFID chip <NUM>. Accordingly, in both of these methods shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, additional joints (in the form of a bridge <NUM> or a strap <NUM>) need to be made to complete the resonant circuit, and the bridge <NUM> or strap <NUM> must be made large enough to cross the width of the coil device <NUM>.

However, the disclosed planar conductor device is folded on itself to create a coil to attach to an RFID chip to form an RFID tag. The coil is created by folding a planar component which allows a single joint on a simple planar component to create an RFID tag. As no bridges or straps are required, the planar conductor device can be made of paper and aluminum foil, or any other suitable material as is known in the art, with a minimum of other materials improving its recyclability.

<FIG> illustrates the basic structure of the planar device <NUM>. The planar device <NUM> comprises a meandering conductive trace <NUM>. The meandering conductive trace <NUM> is formed by a number of suitable means, such as etching, laser cutting, die cutting, or any other suitable means as is known in the art for creating a conductive trace. An RFID chip <NUM> is connected to the planar device <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Specifically, the RFID chip <NUM> is connected to the planar device <NUM> via direct chip attach, strap, or any other suitable means as is known in the art. The planar device <NUM> is then folded in a concertina or accordion type fold, a zig-zag fold, or a z-fold. Specifically, the planar device <NUM> is folded in a continuous parallel arrangement, in an accordion-like fashion with folds alternatively made to the front and back in zig-zag folds. Examining the device <NUM> after folding, a user now has a spiral of a conductor in the Z direction, forming a solenoid coil, with the RFID chip <NUM> connected to both ends. This device <NUM> can operate as a resonant RFID tag.

<FIG> illustrates how the web <NUM> carrying the planar antenna can be folded in the cross-web direction to form concertina coil elements <NUM>. Generally, the RFID chip <NUM> will be applied in the planar state before folding. Then, the web <NUM> is folded in a cross-web direction to form the concertina coil elements <NUM>. The concertina coil elements <NUM> are then flattened to create a printable surface.

<FIG> illustrates the web <NUM> carrying the planar antenna folded in the web direction to form a coil strip <NUM>. Once again, the RFID chip <NUM> is typically applied in the planar state before folding. Then, the web <NUM> is folded in the direction of the web <NUM> to form a concertina coil strip <NUM>. The concertina coil strip <NUM> can then be flattened to create a printable surface.

<FIG> illustrates a planar device <NUM> in accordance with the invention that when folded produces two adjacent coils in series <NUM>. These coils allow an increase in inductance to be achieved with two read zones, one over each coil, with a null zone in between as the reader system equally passes current through the coils. Variables such as the spacing between coils when folded can be altered to suit user preference. Further, winding the coils clockwise and counterclockwise creates a common field that produces differential voltage. Thus, the structure essentially trades length of the planar device <NUM> for the number of turns when folded in a given area and thickness, as each turn adds the thickness of the planar device <NUM>. This increased thickness potentially makes it suitable for additional applications such as transportation ticketing. Furthermore, how compressed the coil is changes the frequency of the structure, so potentially with the right adhesive, a nip pressure can be used to tune the RFID tag in production to remove unwanted variability.

Claim 1:
A radio-frequency identification, RFID, tag comprising:
a conductor component (<NUM>); and
an RFID chip (<NUM>) secured to the conductor component (<NUM>),
characterized in that:
the conductor component (<NUM>) comprises a meandering conductive trace (<NUM>) such that the conductor component (<NUM>), when provided in a concertina fold, produces at least two adjacent coils in series (<NUM>);
wherein the two adjacent coils (<NUM>) are respectively wound clockwise and counterclockwise and produce two read zones, one read zone over each of said two adjacent coils; and
with a null zone between the two read zones, with current equally passing through the two adjacent coils.