Systems and methods for beam forming RFID tags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9977121-B1
Application number	US-201715631862-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an RFID interrogator and an RFID tag having a plurality of information sources and a beamforming network. The tag receives electromagnetic radiation from the interrogator. The beamforming network directs the received electromagnetic radiation to a subset of the plurality of information sources. The RFID tag transmits a response to the received electromagnetic radiation, based on the subset of the plurality of information sources to which the received electromagnetic radiation was directed. Method and other embodiments are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:
an RFID tag comprising:
a plurality of information sources; and
a beamforming network,

wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation via the beamforming network to a RFID receiver, the electromagnetic radiation encoding one or more identification codes, each identification code identifying one of the plurality of information sources, respectively.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more identification codes encoded in the electromagnetic radiation correspond to angular information indicating an angle at which the electromagnetic radiation is transmitted.

3. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising the RFID receiver, configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the RFID tag, the receiver associated with logic configured to derive, from the transmitted electromagnetic radiation, information pertaining to one or more of the following: a position of the RFID receiver, and an orientation of the RFID receiver.

4. A radio frequency identification (RFID) method, comprising:
transmitting electromagnetic radiation via a beamforming network within a RFID tag, the electromagnetic radiation encoding one or more identification codes, each identification code identifying a respective one of a plurality of information sources within the RFID tag;
receiving the transmitted electromagnetic radiation; and
deriving, based on the received transmitted electromagnetic radiation, information pertaining to a position or an orientation of an entity that received the transmitted electromagnetic radiation, relative to an entity that transmitted the electromagnetic radiation, or of an entity that transmitted the electromagnetic radiation, relative to an entity that received the transmitted electromagnetic radiation.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more identification codes encoded in the electromagnetic radiation correspond to angular information indicating an angle at which the electromagnetic radiation is transmitted.

Assignees

• The Us Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space
• Nasa

Inventors

• Fink Patrick W
• Lin Gregory Y
• Kennedy Timothy F
• Ngo Phong H

Classifications

• G06K7/10356

  using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas · CPC title

• G06K7/0008

  General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer · CPC title

• H01Q1/3275

  mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk · CPC title

• H01Q25/00

  Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns (arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00) · CPC title

• G01S13/765 Primary

  with exchange of information between interrogator and responder · CPC title