Patent ID: 7375636

Claim:
An apparatus for functional testing of Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID tags), and for identifying bad RFID tags, on a continuous web passing through said apparatus, comprising: (a) a long range antenna suitable for communication with said RFID tags, (b) a plurality of baffles for restricting the radio frequency (RF) field created by said antenna, (c) an optical sensor for detecting boundaries of RFID tags passing through said RF field, hence past said baffles and said antenna, thereby providing a coarse indication of a position of said RFID tags relative to said antenna, (d) a sensor for detecting the position of said individual RFID tags as they pass through said optical sensor, thereby providing a fine indication of the position of said RFID tags relative to said antenna and said optical sensor, (e) a support bracket suitable for holding said antenna, said baffles, said optical sensor and said position sensor in the correct orientation relative to said continuous web of RFID tags for each element to function per its specific requirements, (f) said support bracket being physically joined to said antenna, said position sensor, and said optical sensor so that said continuous web of RFID tags may be moved past said antenna, said position sensor, and said optical sensor, (g) an RFID reader suitable for communication with said RFID tags through said antenna, (h) a microcontroller suitable for real time monitoring of said optical sensor and said position sensor as well as real time control of said RFID reader, (i) said microcontroller being electrically connected to said reader so that triggering signals may be applied to said reader, and reply signals monitored from said reader, (j) said microcontroller being electrically connected to said optical sensor and said position sensor in order to monitor their signals.