Patent ID: 8350196

Claim:
An induction heating system comprising: a component for generating a magnetic field in order to inductively heat an object, said component presenting a heating hob, said magnetic field creating a magnetic flux zone through the heating hob; control circuitry operably coupled with said field generating component in order to control the operation of the component, including an RFID tag reader and an antenna coupled with the RFID tag reader in order to interrogate a proximal RFID tag associated with said object, and to receive information from said RFID tag, said antenna including a plurality of continuous, conductive antenna loops oriented to cooperatively and substantially surround said heating hob, each of said antenna loops having an inner section proximal to said heating hob and defining a respective, enclosed RF communication region outboard of said inner antenna loop section, said RF communication regions cooperatively defining a substantially continuous RF communication zone located in outwardly spaced relationship from said magnetic flux zone and disposed about the heating hob; and circuitry including at least two conductive paths coupled with said RFID tag reader, said plurality of antenna loops each having one terminal end connected to at least one of said conductive paths, and having a second terminal end connected to at least one other of said conductive paths, in order to operably couple the RFID tag reader with said antenna, the spacing between said magnetic flux zone and said RF communication zone permitting very little penetration of magnetic flux into the RF communication zone.