Patent ID: 8204438

Claim:
An RF ID card reader, comprising: RF ID circuitry to generate an RF ID signal; a transceiver in communication with said RF ID circuitry; a switched polarization antenna associated with said transceiver for communication with at least one tag, wherein the switched polarization antenna provides a plurality of RF signals with at least one vertically polarized RF signal and at least one horizontally polarized RF signal; and a hybrid coupler connected with the switched polarization antenna via at least one single pole double throw switch, wherein the at least one horizontally polarized RF signal and the at least one vertically polarized RF signal passes through the at least one single pole double throw switch, wherein the at least one single pole double throw switch outputs the at least one horizontally polarized RF signal and the at least one vertically polarized RF signal to the hybrid coupler or passes the at least one horizontally polarized RF signal and the at least one vertically polarized RF signal without converting the polarization, wherein the hybrid coupler converts vertical/horizontal polarizations into two slant polarizations at +45° and −45°.