Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
  • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
  • G06K19/077—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
  • G06K19/07749—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
  • G06K19/07773—Antenna details
  • G06K19/07794—Antenna details the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B3/00—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
  • A43B3/34—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use with electrical or electronic arrangements
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
  • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
  • G06K19/077—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
  • G06K19/07749—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
  • G06K19/07758—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
  • G06K19/07762—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a radio identification device or RFID identification device (acronym for Radio Frequency Identification which means in French radio-identification) adapted to be attached to an object to be identified.
• a radio identification device or RFID identification device (acronym for Radio Frequency Identification which means in French radio-identification) adapted to be attached to an object to be identified.
• RFIDs are commonly used routinely for identifying, tracking, and managing objects. These tags generally include an RFID chip connected to an antenna formed by a magnetic loop. This is called magnetic RFID tags.
• the label is then arranged at best on said object to overcome these disadvantages.
• the scope of these labels is however limited.
• an antenna, called secondary antenna on said object, this secondary antenna being coupled to the antenna of the tag.
• the present invention provides a solution to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the state of the art.
• the metal or conductive parts of the object as a secondary antenna to improve the range of the label.
• the invention relates to a non-contact type radio-identification device capable of being fixed on an object to be identified, said device comprising
• a module comprising at least one electronic chip and at least one electrical and / or magnetic antenna, called a primary antenna, intended to supply said at least one electronic chip with signals,
• an electrical and / or magnetic antenna called a secondary antenna
• said secondary antenna is a conductive element constituting said object or is made by modifying a constituent element of said object, said secondary antenna being coupled, without electrical connection, to said primary antenna.
• a conductive element of the object to be identified is used as a secondary antenna.
• the latter is electromagnetically coupled to the primary antenna.
• This conductive element may be a constituent element of the object, for example a metal arm of a pair of spectacles, or may be a modified component of said object, for example a slot in a metal plate of an object.
• a constituent element of the object to be identified is therefore an integral part of the radio-identification device.
• the module is positioned near the secondary antenna to allow the best possible electromagnetic coupling between said primary antenna and said secondary antenna.
• the module is positioned relative to said secondary antenna to adapt the mechanical strength and / or chemical and / or thermal and / or radio device at the expense of electromagnetic coupling.
• the device further comprises means for fixing said module to said object.
• the module is for example glued to said object.
• the module is disposed in a stirrup for fixing said module to the object, said stirrup thus forming an intermediate antenna coupled on the one hand to the primary antenna of the module and to secondly to the secondary antenna of the object.
• the dimensions of the module are much smaller than the dimensions of the conductive element, forming the secondary antenna, of the object so that the attachment of the module to the object does not change. the mechanical characteristics of the object.
• the module is for example rigid and the conductive element, forming the secondary antenna, is flexible. The small size of the module allows it, although rigid, not to significantly mitigate the flexible nature of the secondary antenna.
• the secondary antenna is deformable and has electromagnetic characteristics which depend on the deformation applied to the secondary antenna.
• the primary antenna of the module has an area of between 1 mm 2 and 1000 cm 2 , preferably between 4 mm 2 and 400 mm 2 , and a thickness of between 0.2 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 0, 2 mm and 2 mm.
• the electronic chip and the primary antenna coupled to the secondary antenna are able to receive and / or transmit signals in at least one of the following frequency bands:
• a frequency band between 840.5 MHz and 844.5 MHz; a frequency band between 902 MHz and 928 MHz;
• the radio-identification device of the invention can have various applications.
• the conducting element forming the secondary antenna is for example one of the following elements:
• a metal identification plate provided with a slot
• the device of the invention can thus be used to perform the management of objects at the time of their production (production monitoring) or their marketing (inventory in warehouse or in store).
• - Fig.1 shows a detailed schematic view of a first module used in the device according to the invention
• FIG. 2 represents a detailed schematic view of a second module that can be used in the device according to the invention
• FIG. 3 represents an exploded view of a sole and a shank of a shoe, said shank being provided with the module of FIG. 2 so as to form a radio-identification device according to the invention
• - Fig.4 shows a schematic view of a pair of surgical scissors provided with the module of Fig.1;
• - Fig.5 shows a schematic view of a pair of glasses provided with the module of Fig.1.
• - Figure 6 shows a schematic view of an identification plate provided with a slot and a module according to the module of Fig.1, the assembly forming a device according to the invention;
• Fig.7 shows a schematic view of a carriage with an identification plate according to Fig.6;
• - Fig.8 shows a perspective view illustrating the introduction of the module of Fig.1 in a stirrup
• a conductive element of the object to be identified to form the secondary antenna which is coupled to the antenna of the RFID module.
• FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of a rigid RFID module 1 comprising an electronic chip 2 connected to an antenna, called a primary antenna 3, of magnetic type.
• the antenna 3 comprises a metal loop made on a support or rigid substrate 4.
• the antenna 3 is connected to two terminals of the chip 2, which is fixed to the substrate 4 by bonding, soldering or other equivalent means.
• the assembly is arranged in a housing not shown in the figure.
• Fig.2 shows a schematic view of another flexible RFID module 10 comprising a small rigid (less than 1 cm 2 ) rigid electronic chip 20 connected to a magnetic type primary antenna 30 having a single metal loop.
• This loop is performed on a flexible support 40, the electronic chip 20 being connected by two terminals to the metal loop.
• the chip 20 is connected to the support 40 by appropriate means, for example by welding to the magnetic loop.
• This support can be adhesive on one of its faces to fix the module on an object.
• it is proposed according to the invention to couple the primary antenna module to a conductive element of the object on the module must be placed, said conductive element then forming a antenna, called secondary antenna, coupled to the primary antenna of the module.
• This invention is described in the following description through multiple application examples.
• the module 10 is disposed on the metal shank 50 of a boot.
• This metal piece which is present in the sole thickness of the shoe, generally has the function of supporting the arch and maintain the arch of the shoe. According to the invention, it is used as a secondary antenna for the module 10.
• the shank is indeed an electric dipole able to form an electrical antenna for the module.
• the conductive element must of course have minimum characteristics. It must be electrically conductive. It can therefore be made of an electrically conductive material, for example metal or carbon. In the example of Fig.3, the shank is metallic.
• the conductive element must also be capable of receiving the radio-identification signals.
• the conductive element is an electric dipole.
• This electric dipole is an open circuit that picks up the electric field, in opposition to a magnetic loop which is a closed circuit.
• Its length is advantageously of the order of half a wavelength of the radio-identification signals (approximately 15 cm at 900 MHz), which is the case of the shank.
• Its thickness is advantageously greater than or equal to the skin thickness at the frequency considered (2 ⁇ at 900MHz +/- 60MHz UHF ISM band).
• the module is preferably placed in the middle of this electric dipole, at the point where the current is maximum, as shown in FIG. Note that the electric dipole is not necessarily straight but may have zigzags or meanders. It has the advantage of being more compact.
• Fig.4 illustrates another example of application where the secondary antenna conductor element is an electric dipole.
• the RFID module 1 is attached to one of the scissors of a pair of surgical scissors 60. It is fixed to the chisel by means of a slide fastener which may be metallic. This chisel then serves as a secondary antenna to the RFID module.
• Fig.5 illustrates another application where the conductive element forming a secondary antenna is also an electric dipole.
• the RFID module with primary antenna is disposed on a metal arm 71 of a pair of spectacles 70.
• the conductive element forming the secondary antenna is not necessarily a wire element as in the examples of FIGS. 3 to 5.
• the conductive element may for example be a slot antenna.
• the conductive element can then be in the form of a metal plate having a slot, this slot being initially present in the plate or being made later to form the secondary antenna.
• the RFID module is disposed on a metal identification plate 81 of an object.
• This object is for example a carriage 80 as illustrated in FIG.
• the identification plate 81 is an integral part of said object 80. It comprises, for example, an identification number 82 engraved for a visual identification.
• a constituent element of the object, namely the identification plate is modified to transform it into a secondary antenna.
• a slot 83 is made in the plate so as to create a slot antenna which will serve as a secondary antenna for the RFID module placed at one of the ends of the slot.
• the length of the slot is advantageously of the order of a quarter of a wavelength of the radio-identification signals (7.5 cm for a signal at 900 MHz) and the RFID module is placed at one of its ends, point where the current is maximum and where the electromagnetic coupling between the primary antenna and the secondary antenna is the strongest.
• the primary antenna is a magnetic antenna (magnetic loop of the module) and the secondary antenna is electric (electric dipole). But, more generally, the primary antenna can be electric or magnetic as well as the secondary antenna.
• the module 1 or 10 is positioned relative to the antenna to allow optimum electromagnetic coupling between the primary antenna of the module and the secondary antenna (module placed in the middle of a dielectric dipole having a length of ⁇ / 2 or module placed at the end of a slot antenna of length ⁇ / 4). It should also be noted that in order to obtain this electromagnetic coupling, there is no need for an electrical connection between the primary antenna and the secondary antenna.
• the module is then positioned on said object at a location where the electromagnetic coupling between the primary antenna and the secondary antenna is not maximum.
• the module can be fixed at a point remote from the middle of the electric dipole to improve the mechanical strength of the device because the midpoint of the electric dipole can in some cases constitute a vulnerable point of the object.
• the coupling between the two antennas being reduced, the reading range of the RFID device will be reduced.
• the module may be shifted relative to the center of the chisel, at a point where the attachment of the module on the chisel will be more resistant. It is possible to adjust the reading range by varying the position of the module with respect to the point maximum current (midpoint in the case of a dipole length ⁇ / 2 and end point in the case of a slot length ⁇ / 4).
• the positioning of the RFID module near the conductive element of the object proves difficult because, for example, the conductive element is covered with plastic, it is also possible to add intermediate resonant structures. These structures will allow, despite the distance between the RFID module and the conductive element, to couple them.
• SRR Split Ring Resonator circuits
• SRRs are metamaterial patterns with dimensions of a few centimeters on the side for UHF frequencies. The perimeter of the pattern is rectangular or circular and of length close to ⁇ / 2. These circuits make it possible to focus the electromagnetic field strongly and locally and thus improve the coupling between the conductive element of the object and the RFID module if these two elements were to be too distant from each other to function effectively.
• the RFID module can be attached to the object.
• the fixing means used may be various: fixing by gluing, nailing, sewing, encapsulation in the object, screwing, clipping by stirrup or slide.
• the module is for example glued into a machined cavity in the sole of the shoe so as to be arranged tangentially relative to the shank of the shoe.
• the module is also glued on the glasses branch.
• the RFID module is glued to one end of the slot 83.
• this fixing means may be a stirrup 90 in which the module 1 is inserted.
• the stirrup then forms an intermediate antenna coupled on the one hand to the primary antenna of the module and on the other hand to the secondary antenna of the object.
• the stirrup is fixed by any means to the object, by gluing, by welding, etc. It is also possible to use tabs 91 present on the stirrup. It is possible to multiply the intermediate antennas to couple the primary antenna to the secondary antenna.
• the dimensions of the module are much smaller than the dimensions of the conductive element, forming a secondary antenna, of the object so that the attachment of the module to the object does not alter the mechanical characteristics of the object.
• the module 1 or 10 is for example in the form of a hexahedron of length 7 mm, width 7 mm and thickness 1.5 mm. If the conductive element, forming the secondary antenna, of the object has a much greater length, for example 10 cm, the module 1 or 10 can be rigid and fixed to a flexible secondary antenna without affecting the flexible nature of the the secondary antenna. For example, to identify flexible metal pipes, we can fix a module 1 or 10 of small size on the metal channel, the latter then serving as secondary antenna. The small dimensions of the module allow the pipe to maintain its flexibility.
• the secondary antenna forming element is deformable and has electromagnetic characteristics which depend on the deformation applied to said secondary antenna.
• the secondary antenna forming element can serve as a secondary antenna for an RFID module that would be stuck on it.
• the electrical characteristics of this secondary antenna change when folding or unfolding the chair. It could thus be arranged that the secondary antenna has appropriate electrical characteristics to operate with the RFID module only in one of the two states (folded or unfolded) of the chair.
• the radio-identification device of the invention may be adapted to transmit and / or receive signals in one or more frequency bands from among the following frequency bands:
• the device of the invention can be used for the radio-identification of a shoe, a surgical instrument, a container or a carriage, a pair of glasses.
• a conductive element for example a brassiere, the metal armature of the bra then serving as a secondary antenna, or a baggage comprising a part metallic, a bottle having a metal neck, a luggage tag comprising a cord with a wire, a metal gas bottle, a metal prosthesis, a tire comprising a metal frame.
• a conductive element already serving as an antenna as a secondary antenna.
• the antenna of the phone can serve as a secondary antenna to an RFID module attached to or in the phone.
• an RFID module comprising an electronic chip.
• electronic chip a semiconductor circuit comprising memories. It could be envisaged to use, instead of this module with an electronic chip, a so-called passive module without an electronic chip.
• This module is described in the patent application FR 2 956 232. This is known as a "chipless" technique. The chip is replaced by disjoint conductive strips formed on a dielectric support The geometry and dimensions of these bands are determined to, when receiving a given RF signal, reflect this signal with a specific spectral signature.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Details Of Aerials (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-04-23 WO PCT/FR2013/050905 patent/WO2013160611A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2013-04-23 US US14/395,965 patent/US10192160B2/en active Active
  • 2013-04-23 EP EP13724855.5A patent/EP2842081A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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