EP0608961A1 - Detection system for detecting resonance effects of a label in a frequency-swept interrogation field by means of single sideband demodulation and method for carrying out such detection - Google Patents
Detection system for detecting resonance effects of a label in a frequency-swept interrogation field by means of single sideband demodulation and method for carrying out such detection Download PDFInfo
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- EP0608961A1 EP0608961A1 EP94200205A EP94200205A EP0608961A1 EP 0608961 A1 EP0608961 A1 EP 0608961A1 EP 94200205 A EP94200205 A EP 94200205A EP 94200205 A EP94200205 A EP 94200205A EP 0608961 A1 EP0608961 A1 EP 0608961A1
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- frequency
- label
- sideband
- interrogation field
- detection system
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
- G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
- G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
- G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
- G08B13/2405—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used
- G08B13/2414—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used using inductive tags
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
- G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
- G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
- G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
- G08B13/2405—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used
- G08B13/2414—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used using inductive tags
- G08B13/2417—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used using inductive tags having a radio frequency identification chip
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
- G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
- G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
- G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
- G08B13/2428—Tag details
- G08B13/2431—Tag circuit details
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
- G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
- G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
- G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
- G08B13/2465—Aspects related to the EAS system, e.g. system components other than tags
- G08B13/2468—Antenna in system and the related signal processing
- G08B13/2471—Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter
Definitions
- This invention relates to a detection system for detecting or identifying a responder, more specifically a label, comprising at least one resonant circuit, the system comprising a transmitter unit for generating a frequency-swept electromagnetic interrogation field and a detection unit for detecting resonance effects caused by a label located in the interrogation field.
- the system according to the Dutch patent application is provided with means for detecting noise and interfering components in a frequency band which does not coincide with the frequency band in which the resonance effects to be expected are detected.
- This entails the disadvantage that the total radio-frequency bandwidth of the receiver unit must be enlarged to make it possible for both frequency bands to be detected. As a result, the sensitivity of the receiver unit to noise and interfering components is increased, so that the disadvantages referred to are not adequately removed.
- a detection system is characterized in that the detection unit comprises a receiver unit which detects signals coming from just one label frequency sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field for detecting resonance effects which occur at least substantially in one frequency sideband of a resonance frequency of the label.
- the receiver unit for receiving the resonance effects is tuned only to one sideband of the interrogation field, herein referred to as the label frequency sideband, no noise and interfering components coming from the other sideband occur in the further processing of a received signal, since signals from this last sideband are not mixed with signals from the label frequency sideband. This yields a considerable gain in the signal to noise ratio.
- a frequency sweep will typically be implemented so as to ascend and descend alternately.
- the position of the label frequency sideband is dependent on this.
- the system accordingly selects an upper or lower sideband of the interrogation field for the label frequency sideband, depending on the frequency sweep. If a frequency sweep is performed which, for instance, is only ascending (saw tooth), the label frequency sideband may be set at a predetermined sideband.
- an average frequency of the label frequency sideband at a time of a frequency sweep corresponds with the frequency of the interrogation field at a previous time of the frequency sweep.
- the label frequency sideband is an upper sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field during a period in which the frequency of the interrogation field decreases per unit time and/or the label frequency sideband is a lower sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field during a period in which the frequency of the interrogation field increases per unit time.
- the label frequency sideband may accordingly have been set as such beforehand or selected as such by the system.
- the receiver unit comprises means for detecting spectral components of noise and interfering signals in an interfering frequency sideband of the frequency of the interrogation field, whilst the label frequency and interfering frequency sidebands are located on opposite sides of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field, and signals coming from these sidebands are detected separately from each other.
- the resonance effects only occur in one sideband, herein referred to as the label frequency sideband.
- interference sideband In the complementary sideband associated with this sideband, hereinafter referred to as interference sideband, these resonance effects do not occur, so that only the noise and interfering components, if any, are present in this sideband.
- interfering components are accordingly detected separately from any resonance effect and may further be used for determining and setting, for instance, noise threshold levels in the receiver unit.
- the radio-frequency bandwidth of the receiver unit need not be enlarged, in contrast with the system according to Dutch patent application 8202951.
- the sensitivity of the system according to the invention is not reduced when the noise and interfering signals referred to are detected.
- label is understood to include the broader term responder.
- the resonance effects of a label can be caused by, for instance, coils in combination with a capacitor.
- the coils can be wound air-core coils or etched coils, such as for instance the coils used in adhesive labels, or coils wound onto a ferrite core.
- label as used herein is understood to include labels resonating in a different manner, for instance labels based on mechanical resonance, in combination with the magnetostriction effect, or labels based on ferroresonance.
- the present invention further relates to a method for detecting or identifying a label comprising at least one resonant circuit, in which method a frequency-swept electromagnetic interrogation field is generated and resonance effects caused by a label located in the interrogation field are detected.
- the method is characterized in that said detection is carried out within just one label frequency sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field.
- a transmittive circuit 1 controls a transmitting coil circuit 2.
- This circuit comprises an antenna coil L1 and a tuning capacitor C1.
- the electric losses in the antenna coil are represented by the resistor R1.
- the label, whose circuit is indicated by 3 comprises in this example an air-core coil L2 and a capacitor C2.
- the resistor R2 represents the electric circuit losses.
- the current I1(t) through the coil L1 generates a primary magnetic alternating field H1(t), also referred to as the interrogation field.
- V2(t) - d ⁇ /dt (1)
- ⁇ the magnetic flux through the label coil L2 as a result of the magnetic alternating field H1(t). This also means that the induced voltage V2(t) lags 90° in phase behind the magnetic alternating field H1(t).
- the voltage V2(t) causes a current I2(t) to flow in the series circuit L2, C2, R2.
- the magnitude and the phase of the current I2(t) with regard to the voltage V2(t) depends on the (instantaneous) frequency f c of the interrogation signal - in this example defined as the primary alternating field H1(t) or the current I1(t) - and on the resonance frequency f o of the circuit 3.
- the following applies: with v f c /f o - f o /f c (3) and
- v is also referred to as the normalized frequency and Q as the quality factor of the circuit 3.
- I2 and V2 are the known rotary vector notations of I2(t) and V2(t), respectively.
- the absolute magnitude of the current I2 can be defined as:
- the phase angle between the current I2 and the voltage V2 can be defined as: Relation (5) gives the known resonance curve, as shown in Fig. 2a.
- f c ⁇ f o i.e. for v ⁇ 0, the phase difference lies between 0 and 90 degrees, so that the current I2 leads the voltage V2 in phase.
- f c > f o i.e.
- the phase difference lies between 0 and -90 degrees, so that the current I2 lags behind the voltage V2 in phase.
- the current V2 already lags 90 degrees behind the alternating field H1, so that the phase difference between the current I2 and the alternating field H1 lies between 0° and -180°.
- the scale for the phase difference between the current I2 and the alternating field H1 is shown on the right-hand side of Fig. 2b.
- Fig. 3 shows a vector diagram of vectors H1 V2 and I2.
- the direction of H1, V2 and I2 corresponds, respectively, with the phase of the alternating field H1(t), the voltage V2(t) and the current I2(t).
- the magnitude of H1, V2 and I2 corresponds with the amplitude of the alternating field H1(t), the voltage V2(t) and the current I2(t).
- the direction of vector V2 is fixed (relative to vector H1), but the direction of I2 is dependent on the frequency.
- the direction of I2 coincides with that of V2 if the frequency of the interrogating signal is equal to the resonance frequency of the circuit 3.
- Fig. 3 further shows a circle 6.
- This circle 6 is the geometrical position of all possible vectors I2 as a function of the normalized frequency v.
- Arrow 7 indicates the direction in which the circle 6 is traversed if the normalized frequency v is varied from low to high.
- the current I1 through the coil L2 of the circuit 3 causes a secondary magnetic alternating field H2 which is in phase with the current I2.
- This secondary alternating field H2 in turn induces an induction voltage V4 in the receiver coil L3.
- These two induction voltages V3 and V4 each lag 90 degrees in phase relative to their respective generatory magnetic fields H2 and H1, so that the phase difference between the voltages V3 and V4 is equal to the phase difference between the secondary alternating field H2 and the primary alternating field H1.
- the phase difference between the voltages V3 and V4 will also be between 0 and -180 degrees.
- a vector diagram can also be constructed for V3 and V4 (see Fig. 4).
- the frequency f c of the interrogating signal is uniformly varied from low (f min ) to high (f max ).
- f min low
- f max high
- the phase angle between V3 and V4 will be almost equal to zero. If the frequency f c passes the resonance frequency f o , the phase angle between V3 and V4 will shift from approx. 0° to approx. -180°.
- this negative phase shift means that its frequency, while passing the resonance frequency f o , is temporarily lowered somewhat, since the frequency is the first derivative of the phase of an alternating voltage, as is known from the signal theory.
- Fig. 6 gives the phase and frequency variation for this situation.
- the fact is the phase of the voltage V3 must increase by 180 degrees during the passage of the resonance frequency, which has as a consequence that the instantaneous frequency of V3 must be temporarily higher than the driving frequency f c of the alternating field signal H1 (overtaking effect).
- the current I2(t), and hence the voltage V3(t), can also be regarded as the result of a double modulation process, in which the amplitude of the current I2(t) arises through amplitude modulation of the voltage V2(t) in accordance with the amplitude resonance curve according to relation (5), and the phase of I2(t) through phase modulation of the voltage V2(t) in accordance with the phase resonance curve according to relation (6).
- f c .(t) represents the varying frequency of the interrogating signal, in this case the alternating field H1 or the current I1.
- Relation (7) is known per se from the general theory of amplitude-modulated signals. It represents a so-called single sideband signal (SSB).
- SSB single sideband signal
- a single sideband signal is an amplitude-modulated signal in which either of the two frequency sidebands, as well as the carrier wave, has been suppressed.
- Fig. 7a shows the frequency spectrum of an amplitude-modulated signal consisting of a carrier wave component f c and the usual two sidebands: lower sideband and upper sideband (abbreviated as LSB (Lower Side Band) and USB (Upper Side Band)).
- LSB Lower Side Band
- USB User Side Band
- Fig. 7b shows the spectrum of a single sideband signal, with the carrier wave and the upper sideband having been suppressed.
- relation (7) could indeed represent a single sideband modulated signal.
- the extent to which the other sideband has dropped away can either be determined by means of a quantitative analysis or must appear from an empirical investigation.
- Such an empirical investigation has demonstrated that the label signal I2(t) is indeed strictly a single sideband signal, in which the other sideband does not occur. Accordingly, the signal energy of the label signal is located entirely in the sideband that lags behind with regard to the frequency sweep.
- the label signal occurs alternately in the lower sideband during the ascending sweep and in the upper sideband during the descending sweep.
- the sideband in which the label signal occurs is also referred to as the label sideband, whilst the other sideband is referred to as the interference sideband.
- the present invention is based on the above-described physical phenomenon.
- FIG. 9 shows an exemplary embodiment of a schematic diagram of a detection and/or identification system according to the invention.
- a transmitter circuit 1 feeds a radio-frequency signal I1(t) sweeping in frequency f c to a transmitter coil L1.
- the transmitter coil L1 generates a magnetic alternating field H1(t) which is directly proportional to the signal I1(t).
- the interrogating signal H1(t) has a frequency which is equal to the resonance frequency f o or is equal to one of the resonance frequencies of label 3
- this label 3 will produce a label signal H2(t), which signal induces a voltage V3(t) in receiver coil L3.
- the receiver circuit 8, 9 comprises a synchronous demodulation circuit 8, which may for instance comprise one or more multiplication circuits to enable a received signal to be multiplied by a reference signal Ref, produced by the transmitter circuit 1 via line 14, for demodulating the received signal according to the principle of direct conversion so as to obtain a demodulated signal D(t).
- the reference signal Ref is for instance directly proportional to the signal I1(t) and comprises the frequency f c .
- the demodulated signal D(t) is then provided to a circuit 9, in which the demodulated signal D(t) is split into a signal LSB(t) coming from the lower sideband LSB and a signal USB(t) coming from the upper sideband USB.
- Both signals are applied to a bipolar switch 10, which is controlled by a control signal 15 from the transmitter circuit 1, in such a manner that during the ascending frequency sweep the signal LSB(t), in which the label signal H2(t) is possibly present, is transmitted to a label signal processor 11 and the signal USB(t), in which no label signal H2(t) can be present but which may contain noise and interference signals, is transmitted to an interference processor 12.
- the switch 10 is controlled by the control signal 15, in such a manner that the signal LSB(t) is supplied to the interference processor 12 and the signal USB(t) is supplied to the label signal processor 11.
- the switch 10 The consequence of the switching operation by means of the switch 10 is that a signal potentially comprising the label signal H2(t) is supplied in each case to the label signal processor (11), and that a signal which, except for noise and interfering signals, cannot comprise a label signal H2(t) is supplied in each case to the interference processor (12).
- the receiver circuit 8-13 has been split into two channels, which makes it possible to measure the level of noise and interfering signals independently of the presence of a label signal.
- Applicant's Dutch patent 8202951 discloses a system in which likewise a received signal is split for the purpose of obtaining a label signal channel and an interference channel.
- the splitting operation is carried out in an entirely different manner, viz. by splitting the received signal into two different frequency bands.
- the received signal is split into a label band (l.f. part) 3-15 kHz, and an interference band (h.f. part) 20-50 kHz.
- the label signal only comprises frequency components in the range of 3-15 kHz (originally also in the 0-3 kHz range, but that part is filtered out in the receiver to enable the sweep frequency itself with its harmonics to be sufficiently suppressed as well)
- Noise and interference signals - in particular interference signals resulting from interference with radio signals occurring in the radio-frequency band used and signals coming from other shoplifting detection systems - comprise frequency components that occur both in the frequency range of 3-15 kHz and in the range of 20-50 kHz.
- the interference band of 20-50 kHz referred to above is replaced with an interference channel having at least substantially the same frequency range as the label band, for instance 3-15 kHz.
- the label signal is separated from the received signal on the basis of a sideband separation.
- the output signals of the label signal processor 11 and the interference processor 12 are applied to a resonance detector 13.
- the label signal processor, together with the resonance detector 13, forms a first signal processing channel, and the interference processor 12, together with the resonance detector, forms a second signal processing channel.
- the label signal processor processes the label signal in a manner known per se.
- the label signal processor may for instance comprise a matched filter adapted to a resonance circuit of a label.
- the interference processor 12 is likewise of a known type and determines, for instance, the amplitude of spectral components of the detected noise and interfering signals. On the basis of this amplitude, a detection threshold level is determined which is supplied to the resonance detector 13. The resonance detector 13 produces an output signal, for instance only when the amplitude of the signal generated by the label signal processor exceeds the detection threshold level. The output signal of the resonance detector 13 may then be a predetermined signal ('alarm') or, for instance, the signal generated by the label signal processor 11.
- the radio communications technique For separating the two sidebands, a number of methods are known from the radio communications technique, such as for instance the filter method, the phase or quadrature method and the third or Weaver method.
- the filter method is useful only in combination with a superheterodyne receiver, which, however, is not preferred for practical reasons.
- the phase method is used, which is moreover entirely in line with the direct conversion technique already in use.
- Fig. 10 shows the block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a receiver/demodulator 8, 9 according to the phase method.
- the label signal is received by antenna coil L3 and passed to mixers 16 and 17.
- Both mixers 16, 17 also receive the reference signal Ref, comprising the frequency of the carrier wave, from the transmitter circuit 1.
- the reference signal Ref which is supplied to the mixer 17 has been phase-shifted 90° by means of a phase shifter 18.
- the output signal of either of the mixers, for instance mixer 17 in Fig. 10 is also phase-shifted 90° by means of a phase shifter 19.
- the sideband selecting operation will be evident from the following simple derivation.
- an input signal S generated by the coil L3 and supplied to the mixers 16, 17 comprises two frequency components, viz. a first component in the upper sideband, having frequency f usb , and a second component in the lower sideband, having frequency f lsb .
- the additional phase shift by means of phase shifter 19 in the Q channel has the following result:
- phase shifter 19 This circuit must meet the requirement that it can provide very accurately a phase shift of a magnitude of 90 degrees over a relatively wide frequency range of, for instance, 3-15 kHz. This requires a circuit which must meet very high quality requirements with regard to accuracy.
- a sideband splitting method derived from the phase method involves the use of 'Polyphase Networks' (PN), as disclosed in "Single Sideband Modulation using Sequence Asymmetric Polyphase Networks" by M.J. Gingell, Electrical Communication, vol. 48, nos. 1 and 2, 1973, pp. 21 - 25, and in British patent specifications 1,174,709 and 1,174,710.
- PN Polyphase Networks'
- Fig. 11 shows a block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the receiver/demodulator 8, 9, comprising two PNs 22, 23.
- the mixers 16 and 17 are symmetrically coupled to the PNs 22, 23. Since the signals from the mixers 16, 17 are shifted 90 degrees relative to each other, the combined four outputs of the mixers will form a ring to which the phases 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° can be assigned.
- Fig. 12 this is shown symbolically in a vector diagram.
- the reference numerals 24, 25, 26 and 27 indicate the input terminals of the PNs 22, 23, which are connected with the outputs of the mixers 16, 17, as shown in Fig. 11.
- a signal received by the coil L3 gives a displacement vector 28 as shown in the vector diagram according to Fig. 12.
- the rotary direction of the vector 28 depends on the order in which the mixers 16, 17 are connected and on the frequency of the received signal. If the frequency of the received signal is greater than the carrier wave frequency f c , i.e. a signal in the upper sideband, then the frequency of the output signal of the mixers is called positive (see also f usb in the relations 9 and 10).
- Fig. 13 shows an example of a Sequence Asymmetric Polyphase Network.
- the characteristic property of a PN is that a presented four-phase signal which, for instance, is presented in such an order that the vector 28 rotates counterclockwise, for instance, does propagate from the left to the outputs on the right through the circuit and that this signal does not as such propagate when it is presented in the reverse phase sequence, i.e. when the vector 28 rotates clockwise.
- PN 22, 23 discriminates between a positive frequency and a negative frequency.
- PN 22 will only transmit signals having positive frequencies, i.e. signals resulting from the detection with mixers 16, 17 of upper sideband signals with the carrier wave.
- PN 23 on the other hand, as a consequence of the reversal of the connections 25 and 27 of mixer 17, will only transmit signals having negative frequencies, i.e. signals resulting from the detection of signals in the lower sideband.
- USB(t) the demodulation product of the upper sideband signal appears
- LSB(t) the demodulation product of the lower sideband
- the circuit of Fig. 11 is therefore equivalent to that of Fig. 10.
- the advantage of the circuit of Fig. 11 is that the tolerances of components 22, 23 in the PN need to meet considerably less strict requirements than the tolerances of components in the phase shift network 19 of Fig. 10.
- DSP Digital Signal Processor
- Fig. 14 shows a particular embodiment of the invention in which a DSP is used.
- the circuit of Fig. 14 replaces the switch 10, label signal processor 11, interference processor 12 and resonance detector 13 according to Fig. 9.
- the lower sideband signal LSB(t) and the upper sideband signal USB(t) are applied, respectively, to an analog/digital converter ADC1 and ADC2.
- Switch 10, label signal processor 11, interference processor 12 and resonance detector 13 are integrated into an algorithm of the DSP.
- the synchronization signal Ref 5 of the transmitter circuit 1 is supplied to the DSP.
- the adder and subtracter circuits 20 and 21, respectively, of Fig. 10 can for instance be integrated into the algorithm of the DSP.
- the broadband 90° phase shifter 19 of Fig. 10 can be of digital design. This phase shift is called a Hilbert transformation in the signal theory, and DSP algorithms for this purpose are known per se.
- the entire signal processing after the mixers 16, 17 can be carried out in a DSP, as schematically shown in Fig. 15.
- the invention relates to shoplifting dectection systems of the so-called radio-frequency type.
- labels are used with an air-core coil, both in a design with a coil wound from wire and in a design with a coil etched on a support material.
- a different type of shoplifting detection system utilizes the mechanical resonance of a plate of magnetic material, the magnetostriction effect being used for coupling to the magnetic interrogation field H1(t). This mechanism is described, for instance, in European patent 0096182 to Identitech Co.
- the invention can also be used for detection or identification of labels in which resonance effects according to the principle of magnetic ferroresonance are utilized, whereby the resonance is the result of the precession effect of the electron or core spin. This identification technique is disclosed in applicant's Dutch patent application 9101941.
- the invention can moreover be used in adsorption as well in transmission detection systems.
- a code number can be assigned to a label by detecting both the number of resonances and the precise frequencies of these resonances. This renders such a label useful for identification applications such as, for instance, person admission control, livestock management systems and for the identification of goods.
- the invention is applicable and can give rise to greater recognition distances and improved recognition reliability. Nor is the invention limited to the type of frequency sweep shown in Fig. 8.
- the invention is applicable wherever one or more resonance effects are to be detected or measured by means of a frequency-swept interrogating signal ans all of these applications are understood to fall within the concept of the invention.
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to a detection system for detecting or identifying a responder, more specifically a label, comprising at least one resonant circuit, the system comprising a transmitter unit for generating a frequency-swept electromagnetic interrogation field and a detection unit for detecting resonance effects caused by a label located in the interrogation field.
- An example of such a system is disclosed in Dutch patent application NL 8202951. This system comprises a receiver unit where a carrier wave with two sidebands of the interrogation field, together with an output signal of the transmitter unit, are applied to a mixer. An output signal of the mixer comprises the two sideband components transformed to a carrier wave of zero Hertz. A disadvantage of this system is that the signal to noise ratio is often not good enough to be able to detect a resonance effect with certainty. This is partly caused by noise and interfering components present in a sideband.
- To meet this disadvantage, the system according to the Dutch patent application is provided with means for detecting noise and interfering components in a frequency band which does not coincide with the frequency band in which the resonance effects to be expected are detected. This, however, entails the disadvantage that the total radio-frequency bandwidth of the receiver unit must be enlarged to make it possible for both frequency bands to be detected. As a result, the sensitivity of the receiver unit to noise and interfering components is increased, so that the disadvantages referred to are not adequately removed.
- The present invention is based on the insight that the resonance effect to be received occurs at least substantially in just one sideband of the interrogation field, whereas such effects are not present in the other sideband, which is complementary (for instance mirrored) with respect to the resonance frequency. Accordingly, a detection system according to the invention is characterized in that the detection unit comprises a receiver unit which detects signals coming from just one label frequency sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field for detecting resonance effects which occur at least substantially in one frequency sideband of a resonance frequency of the label.
- Because the receiver unit for receiving the resonance effects is tuned only to one sideband of the interrogation field, herein referred to as the label frequency sideband, no noise and interfering components coming from the other sideband occur in the further processing of a received signal, since signals from this last sideband are not mixed with signals from the label frequency sideband. This yields a considerable gain in the signal to noise ratio.
- A frequency sweep will typically be implemented so as to ascend and descend alternately. The position of the label frequency sideband is dependent on this. According to a particular embodiment, the system accordingly selects an upper or lower sideband of the interrogation field for the label frequency sideband, depending on the frequency sweep. If a frequency sweep is performed which, for instance, is only ascending (saw tooth), the label frequency sideband may be set at a predetermined sideband.
- For a label frequency sideband which is predetermined or set by the system, it holds in particular that an average frequency of the label frequency sideband at a time of a frequency sweep corresponds with the frequency of the interrogation field at a previous time of the frequency sweep.
- According to a particular embodiment, the label frequency sideband is an upper sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field during a period in which the frequency of the interrogation field decreases per unit time and/or the label frequency sideband is a lower sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field during a period in which the frequency of the interrogation field increases per unit time. The label frequency sideband may accordingly have been set as such beforehand or selected as such by the system.
- According to a highly advanced embodiment, the receiver unit comprises means for detecting spectral components of noise and interfering signals in an interfering frequency sideband of the frequency of the interrogation field, whilst the label frequency and interfering frequency sidebands are located on opposite sides of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field, and signals coming from these sidebands are detected separately from each other. As discussed hereinabove, the resonance effects only occur in one sideband, herein referred to as the label frequency sideband. In the complementary sideband associated with this sideband, hereinafter referred to as interference sideband, these resonance effects do not occur, so that only the noise and interfering components, if any, are present in this sideband. These interfering components are accordingly detected separately from any resonance effect and may further be used for determining and setting, for instance, noise threshold levels in the receiver unit. For detecting the noise and interfering components, the radio-frequency bandwidth of the receiver unit need not be enlarged, in contrast with the system according to Dutch patent application 8202951. As a result, the sensitivity of the system according to the invention is not reduced when the noise and interfering signals referred to are detected.
- For the sake of clarity, it is noted that throughout the present description, the term label is understood to include the broader term responder. The resonance effects of a label can be caused by, for instance, coils in combination with a capacitor. The coils can be wound air-core coils or etched coils, such as for instance the coils used in adhesive labels, or coils wound onto a ferrite core. The term label as used herein is understood to include labels resonating in a different manner, for instance labels based on mechanical resonance, in combination with the magnetostriction effect, or labels based on ferroresonance.
- The present invention further relates to a method for detecting or identifying a label comprising at least one resonant circuit, in which method a frequency-swept electromagnetic interrogation field is generated and resonance effects caused by a label located in the interrogation field are detected.
- In accordance with the invention, the method is characterized in that said detection is carried out within just one label frequency sideband of the instantaneous frequency of the interrogation field.
- The invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:
- Fig. 1 shows a detection system which is known per se;
- Fig. 2 shows a resonance curve and phase diagram relating to the detection system of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3 shows a vector diagram relating to the detection system of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 4 shows a vector diagram relating to the detection system of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 5 shows a phase and frequency diagram of a detection system according to the invention;
- Fig. 6 shows a phase and frequency diagram of a detection system according to the invention;
- Fig. 7 shows frequency spectra for explaining the invention;
- Fig. 8 shows frequency spectra for explaining the invention;
- Fig. 9 shows a possible embodiment of a detection system according to the invention;
- Fig. 10 shows a first particular embodiment of a
receiver circuit - Fig. 11 shows a second particular embodiment of a
receiver circuit - Fig. 12 shows a particular embodiment of a
PN 22 orPN 23 according to Fig. 11; - Fig. 13 shows a vector diagram for clarifying the operation of the circuit according to Fig. 11;
- Fig. 14 shows a particular embodiment of the
switch 10, label signal processor 11,interference processor 12 andresonance detector 13 according to Fig. 9; and - Fig. 15 shows a particular embodiment of a detection system according to the invention.
- An example of systems which are known per se and the prior art contained therein is described in applicant's Dutch patent application NL 89000658. The basic principle thereof is shown in Fig. 1. A
transmittive circuit 1 controls a transmittingcoil circuit 2. This circuit comprises an antenna coil L₁ and a tuning capacitor C₁. The electric losses in the antenna coil are represented by the resistor R₁. The label, whose circuit is indicated by 3, comprises in this example an air-core coil L₂ and a capacitor C₂. Here, too, the resistor R₂ represents the electric circuit losses. The current I₁(t) through the coil L₁ generates a primary magnetic alternating field H₁(t), also referred to as the interrogation field. As a result, in coil L₂ an induction voltage is generated, which is indicated with a voltage source V₂(t). The voltage V₂(t) can be written as:
wherein φ = the magnetic flux through the label coil L₂ as a result of the magnetic alternating field H₁(t). This also means that the induced voltage V₂(t) lags 90° in phase behind the magnetic alternating field H₁(t). - The voltage V₂(t) causes a current I₂(t) to flow in the series circuit L₂, C₂, R₂. The magnitude and the phase of the current I₂(t) with regard to the voltage V₂(t) depends on the (instantaneous) frequency fc of the interrogation signal - in this example defined as the primary alternating field H₁(t) or the current I₁(t) - and on the resonance frequency fo of the
circuit 3. The following applies:
with
Herein v is also referred to as the normalized frequency and Q as the quality factor of thecircuit 3. I₂ and V₂ are the known rotary vector notations of I₂(t) and V₂(t), respectively. - The absolute magnitude of the current I₂ can be defined as:
The phase angle between the current I₂ and the voltage V₂ can be defined as:
Relation (5) gives the known resonance curve, as shown in Fig. 2a. Fig. 2b shows the phase relation between I₂ and V₂. If the frequency of the interrogating signal fc is equal to the resonance frequency fo, i.e. for v = 0 according to relation (3), then the phase difference between I₂ and V₂ is zero. For fc < fo, i.e. for v < 0, the phase difference lies between 0 and 90 degrees, so that the current I₂ leads the voltage V₂ in phase. For fc > fo, i.e. for v > 0, the phase difference lies between 0 and -90 degrees, so that the current I₂ lags behind the voltage V₂ in phase. The current V₂ already lags 90 degrees behind the alternating field H₁, so that the phase difference between the current I₂ and the alternating field H₁ lies between 0° and
-180°. The scale for the phase difference between the current I₂ and the alternating field H₁ is shown on the right-hand side of Fig. 2b. - Fig. 3 shows a vector diagram of vectors H₁ V₂ and I₂. Here, the direction of H₁, V₂ and I₂ corresponds, respectively, with the phase of the alternating field H₁(t), the voltage V₂(t) and the current I₂(t). The magnitude of H₁, V₂ and I₂ corresponds with the amplitude of the alternating field H₁(t), the voltage V₂(t) and the current I₂(t). In Fig. 3 the direction of vector V₂ is fixed (relative to vector H₁), but the direction of I₂ is dependent on the frequency. The direction of I₂ coincides with that of V₂ if the frequency of the interrogating signal is equal to the resonance frequency of the
circuit 3. Fig. 3 further shows acircle 6. Thiscircle 6 is the geometrical position of all possible vectors I₂ as a function of the normalized frequency v.Arrow 7 indicates the direction in which thecircle 6 is traversed if the normalized frequency v is varied from low to high. The points satisfying the equation
- The current I₁ through the coil L₂ of the
circuit 3 causes a secondary magnetic alternating field H₂ which is in phase with the current I₂. This secondary alternating field H₂ in turn induces an induction voltage V₄ in the receiver coil L₃. These two induction voltages V₃ and V₄ each lag 90 degrees in phase relative to their respective generatory magnetic fields H₂ and H₁, so that the phase difference between the voltages V₃ and V₄ is equal to the phase difference between the secondary alternating field H₂ and the primary alternating field H₁. Thus the phase difference between the voltages V₃ and V₄ will also be between 0 and -180 degrees. Analogously to the vector diagram of I₂ and H₁, a vector diagram can also be constructed for V₃ and V₄ (see Fig. 4). - Hereinafter it is assumed that the frequency fc of the interrogating signal is uniformly varied from low (fmin) to high (fmax). As long as fc << fo, the phase angle between V₃ and V₄ will be almost equal to zero. If the frequency fc passes the resonance frequency fo, the phase angle between V₃ and V₄ will shift from approx. 0° to approx. -180°. For the voltage V₃, this negative phase shift means that its frequency, while passing the resonance frequency fo, is temporarily lowered somewhat, since the frequency is the first derivative of the phase of an alternating voltage, as is known from the signal theory.
- Fig. 5 shows the phase shift φ and the instantaneous frequency fv3 of V₃ as a function of time t. At time t = to, fc = fo. The lower portion of Fig. 5 shows the frequency difference of fv3 and fc. During the passage of the resonance frequency fo of the label, this difference is negative.
- Likewise, for the situation where the frequency fc decreases uniformly from fmax to fmin, it can be derived that the frequency difference between fv3 and fc during the passage of the resonance frequency is temporarily greater than zero.
- Fig. 6 gives the phase and frequency variation for this situation. The fact is the phase of the voltage V₃ must increase by 180 degrees during the passage of the resonance frequency, which has as a consequence that the instantaneous frequency of V₃ must be temporarily higher than the driving frequency fc of the alternating field signal H₁ (overtaking effect).
- The current I₂(t), and hence the voltage V₃(t), can also be regarded as the result of a double modulation process, in which the amplitude of the current I₂(t) arises through amplitude modulation of the voltage V₂(t) in accordance with the amplitude resonance curve according to relation (5), and the phase of I₂(t) through phase modulation of the voltage V₂(t) in accordance with the phase resonance curve according to relation (6).
-
- Relation (7) is known per se from the general theory of amplitude-modulated signals. It represents a so-called single sideband signal (SSB). A single sideband signal is an amplitude-modulated signal in which either of the two frequency sidebands, as well as the carrier wave, has been suppressed.
- Fig. 7a shows the frequency spectrum of an amplitude-modulated signal consisting of a carrier wave component fc and the usual two sidebands: lower sideband and upper sideband (abbreviated as LSB (Lower Side Band) and USB (Upper Side Band)).
- Fig. 7b shows the spectrum of a single sideband signal, with the carrier wave and the upper sideband having been suppressed.
- It has already been derived that when the frequency of the interrogating signal H₁(t), I₁(t) swings from a mininum value fmin to a maximum value fmax, the frequency of the label signal (I₂(t), H₂(t)) at the time of the passage of the resonance frequency is temporarily lower than fc, hence temporarily lags behind the sweep of fc. If this is regarded as a modulation of V₂(t), then that frequency of I₂(t) is temporarily located in the frequency range of the lower sideband. Conversely, if fc swings from maximum to minimum, the frequency of the label signal upon resonance increases slightly temporarily, also lags slightly behind the sweep of fc, and therefore falls into the frequency range of the upper sideband.
- It has thus been rendered plausible that relation (7) could indeed represent a single sideband modulated signal. The extent to which the other sideband has dropped away, however, can either be determined by means of a quantitative analysis or must appear from an empirical investigation. Such an empirical investigation has demonstrated that the label signal I₂(t) is indeed strictly a single sideband signal, in which the other sideband does not occur. Accordingly, the signal energy of the label signal is located entirely in the sideband that lags behind with regard to the frequency sweep.
- This means that if the interrogating frequency fc oscillates continuously between the minimum and the maximum frequency, so that the direction of the frequency sweep is reversed all the time, the label signal occurs alternately in the lower sideband during the ascending sweep and in the upper sideband during the descending sweep. This is shown in Fig. 8. In this connection, the sideband in which the label signal occurs is also referred to as the label sideband, whilst the other sideband is referred to as the interference sideband.
- The present invention is based on the above-described physical phenomenon.
- Fig. 9 shows an exemplary embodiment of a schematic diagram of a detection and/or identification system according to the invention. A
transmitter circuit 1 feeds a radio-frequency signal I₁(t) sweeping in frequency fc to a transmitter coil L₁. The transmitter coil L₁ generates a magnetic alternating field H₁(t) which is directly proportional to the signal I₁(t). At the instant when the interrogating signal H₁(t) has a frequency which is equal to the resonance frequency fo or is equal to one of the resonance frequencies oflabel 3, thislabel 3 will produce a label signal H₂(t), which signal induces a voltage V₃(t) in receiver coil L₃. Thereceiver circuit synchronous demodulation circuit 8, which may for instance comprise one or more multiplication circuits to enable a received signal to be multiplied by a reference signal Ref, produced by thetransmitter circuit 1 vialine 14, for demodulating the received signal according to the principle of direct conversion so as to obtain a demodulated signal D(t). The reference signal Ref is for instance directly proportional to the signal I₁(t) and comprises the frequency fc. The demodulated signal D(t) is then provided to acircuit 9, in which the demodulated signal D(t) is split into a signal LSB(t) coming from the lower sideband LSB and a signal USB(t) coming from the upper sideband USB. Both signals are applied to abipolar switch 10, which is controlled by acontrol signal 15 from thetransmitter circuit 1, in such a manner that during the ascending frequency sweep the signal LSB(t), in which the label signal H₂(t) is possibly present, is transmitted to a label signal processor 11 and the signal USB(t), in which no label signal H₂(t) can be present but which may contain noise and interference signals, is transmitted to aninterference processor 12. During the descending frequency sweep theswitch 10 is controlled by thecontrol signal 15, in such a manner that the signal LSB(t) is supplied to theinterference processor 12 and the signal USB(t) is supplied to the label signal processor 11. The consequence of the switching operation by means of theswitch 10 is that a signal potentially comprising the label signal H₂(t) is supplied in each case to the label signal processor (11), and that a signal which, except for noise and interfering signals, cannot comprise a label signal H₂(t) is supplied in each case to the interference processor (12). Thus, the receiver circuit 8-13 has been split into two channels, which makes it possible to measure the level of noise and interfering signals independently of the presence of a label signal. - Applicant's Dutch patent 8202951 discloses a system in which likewise a received signal is split for the purpose of obtaining a label signal channel and an interference channel. The splitting operation, however, is carried out in an entirely different manner, viz. by splitting the received signal into two different frequency bands. For use in a shoplifting detection system, the received signal is split into a label band (l.f. part) 3-15 kHz, and an interference band (h.f. part) 20-50 kHz. The label signal only comprises frequency components in the range of 3-15 kHz (originally also in the 0-3 kHz range, but that part is filtered out in the receiver to enable the sweep frequency itself with its harmonics to be sufficiently suppressed as well) Noise and interference signals - in particular interference signals resulting from interference with radio signals occurring in the radio-frequency band used and signals coming from other shoplifting detection systems - comprise frequency components that occur both in the frequency range of 3-15 kHz and in the range of 20-50 kHz.
- In the detection and identification equipment according to the invention, the interference band of 20-50 kHz referred to above is replaced with an interference channel having at least substantially the same frequency range as the label band, for instance 3-15 kHz. In accordance with the invention, the label signal is separated from the received signal on the basis of a sideband separation. The output signals of the label signal processor 11 and the
interference processor 12 are applied to aresonance detector 13. The label signal processor, together with theresonance detector 13, forms a first signal processing channel, and theinterference processor 12, together with the resonance detector, forms a second signal processing channel. The label signal processor processes the label signal in a manner known per se. For that purpose the label signal processor may for instance comprise a matched filter adapted to a resonance circuit of a label. Theinterference processor 12 is likewise of a known type and determines, for instance, the amplitude of spectral components of the detected noise and interfering signals. On the basis of this amplitude, a detection threshold level is determined which is supplied to theresonance detector 13. Theresonance detector 13 produces an output signal, for instance only when the amplitude of the signal generated by the label signal processor exceeds the detection threshold level. The output signal of theresonance detector 13 may then be a predetermined signal ('alarm') or, for instance, the signal generated by the label signal processor 11. - Thus the following improvements over the prior art systems are achieved:
- 1. The sensitivity to noise and interfering signals is reduced without the received label signal being weakened. The total radio-frequency bandwidth for which the receiver is sensitive is reduced from, for instance, 2*(15 - 3 + 50 - 20) = 84 kHz to 2*(15 - 3) = 24 kHz. Thus the sensitivity to noise and interfering signals is reduced by, for example, 10log(84/24) = 5.4 dB, without the label signal being weakened.
- 2. The signal to noise ratio of the received label signal is improved. The label channel no longer includes any noise and interfering components coming from the sideband where no label signal is present. This also yields a gain in the signal to noise ratio of, for instance, 3 dB.
- For separating the two sidebands, a number of methods are known from the radio communications technique, such as for instance the filter method, the phase or quadrature method and the third or Weaver method. The filter method is useful only in combination with a superheterodyne receiver, which, however, is not preferred for practical reasons. The Weaver method is not preferred either because the radio-frequency reference signal to be used therein also does not have the same frequency as the frequency of the interrogating signal (= fc). Preferably, however, the phase method is used, which is moreover entirely in line with the direct conversion technique already in use.
- Fig. 10 shows the block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a receiver/
demodulator mixers mixers transmitter circuit 1. The reference signal Ref which is supplied to themixer 17 has been phase-shifted 90° by means of aphase shifter 18. The output signal of either of the mixers, forinstance mixer 17 in Fig. 10, is also phase-shifted 90° by means of aphase shifter 19. The sideband selecting operation will be evident from the following simple derivation. - Suppose that an input signal S generated by the coil L₃ and supplied to the
mixers
In this example the reference signal Ref is written asrespective mixers
and
Therefore
and
The additional phase shift by means ofphase shifter 19 in the Q channel has the following result:
Anadder circuit 20 then gives as output signal:
i.e., only the lower sideband signal.
Asubtracter circuit 21 then gives as output signal:
i.e. only the upper sideband signal. - This method of splitting the sideband is known per se from the art of radio communications technique. An associated disadvantage is the
phase shifter 19. This circuit must meet the requirement that it can provide very accurately a phase shift of a magnitude of 90 degrees over a relatively wide frequency range of, for instance, 3-15 kHz. This requires a circuit which must meet very high quality requirements with regard to accuracy. - A sideband splitting method derived from the phase method involves the use of 'Polyphase Networks' (PN), as disclosed in "Single Sideband Modulation using Sequence Asymmetric Polyphase Networks" by M.J. Gingell, Electrical Communication, vol. 48, nos. 1 and 2, 1973, pp. 21 - 25, and in British patent specifications 1,174,709 and 1,174,710.
- Fig. 11 shows a block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the receiver/
demodulator PNs mixers PNs mixers phases 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° can be assigned. - In Fig. 12 this is shown symbolically in a vector diagram. The reference numerals 24, 25, 26 and 27 indicate the input terminals of the
PNs mixers PN displacement vector 28 as shown in the vector diagram according to Fig. 12. However, the rotary direction of thevector 28 depends on the order in which themixers relations 9 and 10). If the frequency of the received signal is smaller than fc, then a signal in the lower sideband is involved, and then the frequency of the mixer output signals are called negative, as is also evident with regard to flsb in therelations PN 22vector 28 rotates counterclockwise, in the direction indicated by anarrow 29, for a positive frequency, i.e. for a received signal in the upper sideband, whereas for a negative frequency, i.e. a lower sideband signal, thevector 28 rotates clockwise, in the direction indicated by anarrow 30. At the input ofPN 23 the outputs ofmixer 17 are changed round. As a result,vector 28 will rotate in the reverse direction with regard toPN 22. - Fig. 13 shows an example of a Sequence Asymmetric Polyphase Network. The characteristic property of a PN is that a presented four-phase signal which, for instance, is presented in such an order that the
vector 28 rotates counterclockwise, for instance, does propagate from the left to the outputs on the right through the circuit and that this signal does not as such propagate when it is presented in the reverse phase sequence, i.e. when thevector 28 rotates clockwise. - Thus the
PN instance PN 22 will only transmit signals having positive frequencies, i.e. signals resulting from the detection withmixers PN 23, on the other hand, as a consequence of the reversal of theconnections mixer 17, will only transmit signals having negative frequencies, i.e. signals resulting from the detection of signals in the lower sideband. This means that at the output ofPN 22 the demodulation product of the upper sideband signal appears, indicated by USB(t), whilst at the output ofPN 23 the demodulation product of the lower sideband appears, indicated by LSB(t). - The circuit of Fig. 11 is therefore equivalent to that of Fig. 10. However, the advantage of the circuit of Fig. 11 is that the tolerances of
components phase shift network 19 of Fig. 10. - Still further sophisticated embodiments of the invention can be obtained by using a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). A DSP can take over one or more functions from the previously mentioned analog function blocks in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.
- Fig. 14 shows a particular embodiment of the invention in which a DSP is used. The circuit of Fig. 14 replaces the
switch 10, label signal processor 11,interference processor 12 andresonance detector 13 according to Fig. 9. In the example of Fig. 14, the lower sideband signal LSB(t) and the upper sideband signal USB(t) are applied, respectively, to an analog/digital converter ADC1 and ADC2.Switch 10, label signal processor 11,interference processor 12 andresonance detector 13 are integrated into an algorithm of the DSP. For that purpose, thesynchronization signal Ref 5 of thetransmitter circuit 1 is supplied to the DSP. - In addition, yet more functions can be taken over by the DSP. The adder and
subtracter circuits broadband 90°phase shifter 19 of Fig. 10 can be of digital design. This phase shift is called a Hilbert transformation in the signal theory, and DSP algorithms for this purpose are known per se. Thus, the entire signal processing after themixers - As decribed hereinabove, the invention relates to shoplifting dectection systems of the so-called radio-frequency type. In them, labels are used with an air-core coil, both in a design with a coil wound from wire and in a design with a coil etched on a support material. A different type of shoplifting detection system utilizes the mechanical resonance of a plate of magnetic material, the magnetostriction effect being used for coupling to the magnetic interrogation field H₁(t). This mechanism is described, for instance, in European patent 0096182 to Identitech Co. The invention can also be used for detection or identification of labels in which resonance effects according to the principle of magnetic ferroresonance are utilized, whereby the resonance is the result of the precession effect of the electron or core spin. This identification technique is disclosed in applicant's Dutch patent application 9101941. The invention can moreover be used in adsorption as well in transmission detection systems.
- By incorporating into a label such vibration elements, both electromagnetic and mechanical, that a plurality of resonance frequencies occur, a code number can be assigned to a label by detecting both the number of resonances and the precise frequencies of these resonances. This renders such a label useful for identification applications such as, for instance, person admission control, livestock management systems and for the identification of goods. In these systems, too, where resonance effects are detected by means of a frequency-swept interrogating signal, the invention is applicable and can give rise to greater recognition distances and improved recognition reliability. Nor is the invention limited to the type of frequency sweep shown in Fig. 8. It is also possible, for instance, to implement a saw-tooth or triangular frequency sweep, whereby the frequency ascends or descends monotonously from a predetermined frequency value fx to, respectively, a value fx + Δf or fx - Δf, only to return very quickly to the initial value fx. Because in that case only a sweep ascending in frequency or descending in frequency is used, the label frequency sideband will always be, respectively, a lower or upper sideband of the frequency of the interrogation field, so that the switching
unit 10 in Fig. 9 can be omitted. - The invention is applicable wherever one or more resonance effects are to be detected or measured by means of a frequency-swept interrogating signal ans all of these applications are understood to fall within the concept of the invention.
Claims (25)
characterized in that an average frequency of the label frequency sideband at a time of a frequency sweep corresponds with the frequency of the interrogation field at a previous time of the frequency sweep.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL9300180 | 1993-01-28 | ||
NL9300180A NL9300180A (en) | 1993-01-28 | 1993-01-28 | Detection of resonance by single-sideband demodulation. |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0608961A1 true EP0608961A1 (en) | 1994-08-03 |
EP0608961B1 EP0608961B1 (en) | 1998-09-02 |
Family
ID=19861997
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19940200205 Expired - Lifetime EP0608961B1 (en) | 1993-01-28 | 1994-01-28 | Detection system for detecting resonance effects of a label in a frequency-swept interrogation field by means of single sideband demodulation and method for carrying out such detection |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0608961B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69412872T2 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2121139T3 (en) |
NL (1) | NL9300180A (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0700026A1 (en) * | 1995-07-25 | 1996-03-06 | Actron Produktion AG | Method and apparatus for remotely detecting electric resonant circuits |
EP0707296A1 (en) * | 1994-10-15 | 1996-04-17 | Esselte Meto International GmbH | Electronic article surveillance system |
NL1011416C2 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2000-09-06 | Nl App Nfabriek Oenedapoe Nv | Single side band transmitter application and circuits for RF ID interrogation unit. |
WO2000052637A1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2000-09-08 | Georg Siegel Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung zur Verwertung von gewerblichen Schutzrechten | Method for converting sensor systems for security labels on goods |
NL1011673C2 (en) * | 1999-03-25 | 2000-09-27 | Nedap Nv | Rotating field receiver for magnetic identification system. |
US8587489B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2013-11-19 | Checkpoint Systems, Inc. | Dynamic EAS detection system and method |
WO2014081383A1 (en) | 2012-11-23 | 2014-05-30 | Delaval Holding Ab | Registering of a transponder tag via an alternating electromagnetic field |
US8933790B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2015-01-13 | Checkpoint Systems, Inc. | Phase coupler for rotating fields |
WO2015171058A1 (en) | 2014-05-06 | 2015-11-12 | Delaval Holding Ab | Registering of a transponder tag via an alternating electromagnetic field |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102011014317B4 (en) * | 2011-03-18 | 2021-07-29 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Sensor monitoring of a position measuring device by means of heat noise |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0100128A1 (en) * | 1982-07-21 | 1984-02-08 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Absorption detection system |
US4812822A (en) * | 1987-08-31 | 1989-03-14 | Monarch Marking Systems, Inc. | Electronic article surveillance system utilizing synchronous integration |
EP0387970A1 (en) * | 1989-03-17 | 1990-09-19 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Shoplifting detection system of the transmission type |
-
1993
- 1993-01-28 NL NL9300180A patent/NL9300180A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
1994
- 1994-01-28 DE DE1994612872 patent/DE69412872T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-01-28 ES ES94200205T patent/ES2121139T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-01-28 EP EP19940200205 patent/EP0608961B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0100128A1 (en) * | 1982-07-21 | 1984-02-08 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Absorption detection system |
US4812822A (en) * | 1987-08-31 | 1989-03-14 | Monarch Marking Systems, Inc. | Electronic article surveillance system utilizing synchronous integration |
EP0387970A1 (en) * | 1989-03-17 | 1990-09-19 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Shoplifting detection system of the transmission type |
Cited By (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0707296A1 (en) * | 1994-10-15 | 1996-04-17 | Esselte Meto International GmbH | Electronic article surveillance system |
AU684389B2 (en) * | 1994-10-15 | 1997-12-11 | Esselte Meto International Gmbh | Apparatus for electronic article surveillance |
EP0700026A1 (en) * | 1995-07-25 | 1996-03-06 | Actron Produktion AG | Method and apparatus for remotely detecting electric resonant circuits |
EP1033669A3 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2000-11-22 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Single side-band modulation system for interrogating a label |
NL1011416C2 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2000-09-06 | Nl App Nfabriek Oenedapoe Nv | Single side band transmitter application and circuits for RF ID interrogation unit. |
EP1033669A2 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2000-09-06 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Single side-band modulation system for interrogating a label |
WO2000052637A1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2000-09-08 | Georg Siegel Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung zur Verwertung von gewerblichen Schutzrechten | Method for converting sensor systems for security labels on goods |
NL1011673C2 (en) * | 1999-03-25 | 2000-09-27 | Nedap Nv | Rotating field receiver for magnetic identification system. |
EP1041503A1 (en) * | 1999-03-25 | 2000-10-04 | N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek NEDAP | Rotary field receiver for magnetic identification system |
US8587489B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2013-11-19 | Checkpoint Systems, Inc. | Dynamic EAS detection system and method |
US8933790B2 (en) | 2007-06-08 | 2015-01-13 | Checkpoint Systems, Inc. | Phase coupler for rotating fields |
WO2014081383A1 (en) | 2012-11-23 | 2014-05-30 | Delaval Holding Ab | Registering of a transponder tag via an alternating electromagnetic field |
US9418261B2 (en) | 2012-11-23 | 2016-08-16 | Delaval Holding Ab | Registering of a transponder tag via an alternating electromagnetic field |
WO2015171058A1 (en) | 2014-05-06 | 2015-11-12 | Delaval Holding Ab | Registering of a transponder tag via an alternating electromagnetic field |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0608961B1 (en) | 1998-09-02 |
ES2121139T3 (en) | 1998-11-16 |
DE69412872D1 (en) | 1998-10-08 |
NL9300180A (en) | 1994-08-16 |
DE69412872T2 (en) | 1999-05-12 |
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