Radio Frequency Identification Tag Switching Device

Abstract

An RFID switching tag device includes a first cover and a second cover, a tag circuit, and an activation circuit. The first cover and the second cover cooperatively define an accommodation space therein. The tag circuit is disposed in the accommodation space and is secured to the second cover. The tag circuit includes a signal enhancement circuit and at least one ultra-high frequency RFID module that is separate from the signal enhancement circuit. The activation circuit is disposed in the accommodation space, and the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one ultra-high frequency RFID module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of radio frequency identification technology, and specifically to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag switching device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, RFID technology uses electromagnetic fields to wirelessly transmit data. A primary application of RFID technology is the automatic identification and tracking of objects through RFID tag devices, which can be attached to or integrated into various objects. These objects include, for example, credit cards, passports, license plates, identity (ID) cards, cellular phones / mobile devices, etc. RFID technology can also be applied in many fields, including but not limited to electronic toll collection, parking fees, border control, payment processing, asset management, and transportation. For example, vehicle license plates incorporating RFID tags can be used for electronic toll collection (ETC), electronic vehicle registration (EVR), transportation, and other purposes.

[0003] However, existing RFID tag devices are not fully functional, lack intelligence and practicality, and therefore cannot meet the requirements of social development. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide an RFID tag switching device that has complete functions and is easy to use.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an RFID tag switching device. The RFID tag switching device includes: a first cover and a second cover, a tag circuit, and an activation circuit. The first cover and the second cover cooperate to define a receiving space therein. The tag circuit is disposed in the receiving space and fixed to the second cover. The tag circuit includes: a signal enhancement circuit and at least one UHF RFID module spaced apart from the signal enhancement circuit. The activation circuit is disposed in the receiving space and couples the signal enhancement circuit to one of the at least one UHF RFID module.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the label circuit is fixed to the second cover by adhesive.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the tag circuit includes: a substrate and a double-sided adhesive layer; at least one UHF RFID module and a signal enhancement circuit are disposed between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; and the double-sided adhesive layer is adhered to a second cover.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, each of at least one UHF RFID module includes: an RFID tag chip and an antenna formed by traces; the RFID tag chip is electrically connected to the antenna, and the antenna and signal enhancement circuit are coplanar conductive patterns on a substrate.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the RFID tag switching device further includes a slider; the slider includes a substrate and a button; the substrate is disposed in a receiving space; and the button is configured to protrude on the side of the substrate facing a first cover; the first cover defines an opening, the button is arranged through the opening of the first cover, and an activation circuit is fixedly connected to the side of the substrate facing away from the first cover.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the RFID tag switching device further includes: at least one color indicator light disposed on the side of the slider facing the second cover; the second cover is provided with a window (also referred to as an enhancement window), and the window is configured to allow observation of the corresponding one of the at least one color indicator light through the window when the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to one of at least one UHF RFID module.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the activation circuit includes: a substrate, a double-sided adhesive layer, and a printed conductive pattern disposed between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; the double-sided adhesive layer is adhered to the side of the substrate opposite to the first cover; and the printed conductive pattern is an open-loop shape.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the printed conductive pattern includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; the first portion and the second portion are spaced apart from each other and define a gap therebetween; and the line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than the line width of the third portion.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the length of the printed conductive pattern is greater than the length of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules, the line width of each of the first part and the second part is greater than the width of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules; and the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to one of the at least one UHF RFID modules by overlapping the printed conductive pattern with the signal enhancement circuit and one of the at least one UHF RFID modules.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the slider is movable relative to the first cover so as to switch between multiple positions of the first cover, and when the slider is in any of the multiple positions, the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to the corresponding one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the RFID tag switching device further includes: a plurality of color indicator lights disposed on the side of the slider facing the second cover; the second cover is provided with a window, and when the slider is in any of the plurality of positions, the corresponding one of the plurality of color indicator lights can be observed through the window of the second cover and the transparent portion of the tag circuit.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules includes: an RFID tag chip and an antenna formed by traces; the antenna is electrically connected to the RFID tag chip, and the RFID tag chips of the plurality of UHF RFID modules respectively store different sets of tag data, and each set of tag data includes an Electronic Product Code (EPC) and a Tag Identifier (TID).

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules may operate at a frequency of 915 MHz or 2.45 GHz.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the RFID tag switching device further includes a retainer, and the first cover and the second cover are detachably supported on the retainer.

[0019] In a second aspect, embodiments of this application provide an RFID tag switching device, comprising: a first cover and a second cover, a tag circuit, and an activation circuit. The first cover and the second cover cooperate to define a receiving space therein. The tag circuit is disposed in the receiving space and attached to the second cover by an adhesive. The tag circuit includes: a signal enhancement circuit and at least one UHF RFID module spaced apart from the signal enhancement circuit. Each of the at least one UHF RFID module includes an RFID tag chip and an antenna formed by traces, the antenna being electrically connected to the RFID tag chip, and the signal enhancement circuit and the antenna having a coplanar conductive pattern. The activation circuit is disposed in the receiving space and configured to couple the signal enhancement circuit to one of the at least one UHF RFID module.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the RFID tag switching device further includes a slider; the slider includes a substrate and a button; the substrate is disposed in a receiving space; and the button is configured to protrude on the side of the substrate facing a first cover; the first cover defines an opening, the button is arranged through the opening of the first cover, and an activation circuit is fixed to the side of the substrate facing away from the first cover.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the slider is movable relative to the first cover so as to switch between multiple positions of the first cover, and when the slider is in any of the multiple positions, the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to the corresponding one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the RFID tag switching device further includes: at least one color indicator light disposed on the side of the slider facing the second cover; the second cover is provided with a window, and the window is configured to allow observation of the corresponding one of the at least one color indicator light through the window when the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to one of at least one UHF RFID module.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the activation circuit includes: a substrate, a double-sided adhesive layer, and a printed conductive pattern disposed between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; the double-sided adhesive layer is adhered to the side of the substrate opposite to the first cover, and the printed conductive pattern is an open-loop shape.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the printed conductive pattern includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; the first portion and the second portion are spaced apart from each other and define a gap therebetween; at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the length of the printed conductive pattern is greater than the length of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules, and the line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than the width of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules; and the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to one of the at least one UHF RFID modules by overlapping the printed conductive pattern with the signal enhancement circuit and one of the at least one UHF RFID modules.

[0025] In a third aspect, embodiments of this application provide an RFID tag switching device, including: a first cover and a second cover, a tag circuit, a slider, and an activation circuit. The first cover and the second cover cooperate to define an accommodating space therein. The tag circuit is disposed in the accommodating space and fixed to the second cover. The tag circuit includes: a signal enhancement circuit and a plurality of UHF RFID modules spaced apart from the signal enhancement circuit. The slider is slidably mounted on the first cover. The activation circuit is disposed in the accommodating space and fixed to the slider. The activation circuit is configured to switchably couple the signal enhancement circuit to one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules. The activation circuit includes: a substrate, a double-sided adhesive layer, and a conductive pattern disposed between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; the double-sided adhesive layer is adhered to the slider, and the conductive pattern is an open-loop shape.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, the slider can be switched between multiple positions of the first cover, and when the slider is in any of the multiple positions, the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit to a corresponding one of the multiple UHF RFID modules; the RFID tag switching device further includes: multiple color indicator lights disposed on the side of the slider facing the second cover; the second cover is provided with a window, and when the slider is in any of the multiple positions, a corresponding one of the multiple color indicator lights can be observed through the window of the second cover; the conductive pattern includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; the first portion and the second portion are spaced apart from each other and define a gap therebetween, and the line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than the line width of the third portion.

[0027] This application can have at least one of the following beneficial effects: 1) The RFID tag switching device is provided with an activation circuit, a signal enhancement circuit, and at least one UHF RFID module, such that each of the at least one UHF module can be coupled to the signal enhancement circuit via the activation circuit to form a UHF system with desired performance (e.g., long operating range). 2) The slider is movable relative to the first cover of the RFID tag switching device, thereby switching between multiple positions of the first cover, which allows the activation circuit to move relative to the tag circuit, thereby switchably coupling one of the at least one UHF RFID module to the signal enhancement circuit; therefore, the operation of the RFID tag switching device is convenient. 3) The RFID switching tag device has multiple (e.g., three) UHF RFID modules, each storing different sets of tag data, including EPC and TID. These multiple UHF RFID modules can be switched between Single-Vehicle (SOV) and High-Vehicle (HOV) lanes. For example, they can be used in HOV lanes to obtain different toll discounts based on the number of people in the vehicle. Therefore, only one RFID switching tag device is needed for different driving conditions, instead of multiple RFID tag devices, simplifying user operation and reducing device costs. 4) At least one colored indicator light is provided in the RFID switching tag device and can be observed through a window in the second cover. The combination of the colored indicator light and the window reinforces the declaration of the number of people in the vehicle. 5) The tag circuit, including signal enhancement circuitry and at least one UHF RFID module, is disposed in the receiving space defined by the first and second covers and fixed to the second cover. This simplifies the structure of the RFID switching tag device and makes it easy for users to operate. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly explain the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on the structures shown in these described drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic structural perspective view of an RFID tag switching device according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0030] Figure 2 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 1 An exploded view of the RFID tag switching device from a first-person perspective.

[0031] Figure 3 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 1 Another schematic exploded view of the RFID tag switching device from a second perspective.

[0032] Figure 4 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 2 The positional relationship between the tag circuit and the activation circuit of the RFID tag switching device.

[0033] Figure 5 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 2 A top view of the schematic structure of a tag circuit with three UHF RFID modules.

[0034] Figure 6 An example of coupling according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated. Figure 3 The printed conductive pattern of the activation circuit in the middle and Figure 2 The positional relationship between the tag circuits in the diagram.

[0035] Figure 7 A schematic top view illustrating another tag circuit having two UHF RFID modules according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0036] Figure 8 A schematic top view illustrating the structure of another tag circuit having an ultra-high frequency RFID module according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0037] Figure 9 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 3 The positional relationship between the activation circuit and the slider of the RFID tag switching device.

[0038] Figure 10 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of the first cover in the middle.

[0039] Figure 11 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of the slider in the diagram.

[0040] Figure 12 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 5 A detailed schematic diagram of the ultra-high frequency RFID module in the image.

[0041] Figure 13 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the layer structure of the tag circuit.

[0042] Figure 14 Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the layer structure of the activation circuit in the diagram.

[0043] Figures 15A to 15H Examples of embodiments according to this application are illustrated. Figure 3 The diagram shows a schematic structure of the printed conductive pattern of the activation circuit, with the specific size of the printed conductive pattern shown in each diagram.

[0044] Figure 16 Examples illustrating embodiments according to this application are shown. Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the dimensions of the three UHF RFID modules and the signal enhancement circuit in the tag circuit.

[0045] Figure 17 An exploded schematic diagram illustrating another RFID tag switching device according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0046] Figure 18 The configuration according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated. Figure 17 A schematic diagram of the three colored indicator lights on the slider.

[0047] Figure 19 An example of a setting according to another embodiment of this application is illustrated. Figure 17 A schematic diagram of the two colored indicator lights on the slider.

[0048] Figure 20 An example of a setting according to yet another embodiment of this application is illustrated. Figure 17 A schematic diagram of a colored indicator light on a slider. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0050] refer to Figures 1 to 6 This document illustrates an RFID tag switching device 800 according to an embodiment of this application. Specifically, the RFID tag switching device 800 includes a first cover 100, a second cover 200, a tag circuit 300, and an activation circuit 400. The first cover 100 and the second cover 200 cooperate to define an accommodating space therein. The tag circuit 300 is disposed in the accommodating space and fixed to the second cover 200. The tag circuit 300 includes a signal enhancement circuit 302 and at least one UHF RFID module 304 spaced apart from the signal enhancement circuit 302, such as three UHF RFID modules 304. The signal enhancement circuit 302 may be a UHF boost converter, which may include a passive boost converter, an active boost converter, or a battery-assisted passive boost converter, without limitation herein. The activation circuit 400 is disposed in the accommodating space and located on the side of the tag circuit 300 facing the first cover 100. The activation circuit 400 disposed in the accommodating space couples the signal enhancement circuit 302 to one of the three UHF RFID modules 304, for example, when the activation circuit 400 (e.g., as shown in the image) is activated, it will activate the tag circuit 300. Figure 6 When the printed conductive pattern 406 of the activation circuit 400 shown overlaps with one of the signal enhancement circuit 302 and the three UHF RFID modules 304, the signal enhancement circuit 302 is coupled to one of the three UHF RFID modules 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the RFID switching tag device 800 has three UHF RFID modules 304 that can be switched between SOV and HOV lanes. For example, they can be used in HOV lanes to obtain different toll discounts based on the number of people in the vehicle. Thus, only one RFID switching tag device is needed to apply to different driving conditions, instead of multiple RFID tag devices, thereby simplifying the user's operation and reducing device costs. In other embodiments, at least one UHF RFID module 304 may alternatively be as follows: Figure 7 The two UHF RFID modules 304 shown are as follows: Figure 8 The diagram shows one UHF RFID module 304 or other numbers of UHF RFID modules.

[0051] The tag circuit 300, including a signal enhancement circuit 302 and at least one UHF RFID module 304, is disposed within a receiving space defined by a first cover 100 and a second cover 200, and is fixed to the second cover 200. This simplifies the structure of the RFID tag switching device 800 and makes it easy for the user to use. Furthermore, the RFID tag switching device 800 includes an activation circuit 400, a signal enhancement circuit 302, and at least one UHF RFID module 304, such that each of the at least one UHF module 304 can be coupled to the signal enhancement circuit 302 via the activation circuit 400 to form a UHF system with desired performance (e.g., a long operating range). It should be noted that the principle of coupling the signal enhancement circuit 302 to each UHF RFID module 304 via the activation circuit 400 can be referred to the inductive or capacitive coupling disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 677,663, and will not be repeated herein.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 3 as well as Figures 9 to 11 As shown, the RFID tag switching device 800 also includes a slider 500. The slider 500 includes a substrate 504 and a button 502. The substrate 504 is disposed in a receiving space, and the button 502 is configured to protrude from the side of the substrate 504 facing the first cover 100. More specifically, the first cover 100 defines an opening 102, and the button 502 is arranged through the opening 102 of the first cover 100. An activation circuit 500 is fixedly connected to the side of the substrate 504 opposite to the first cover 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate 504 is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) to provide structural support for the activation circuit 400 and the button 502, and the material of the substrate 504 is not limited herein, as long as the substrate 504 can provide a structural support effect. Furthermore, it should be noted that if the tag circuit 300 only has one UHF RFID module 304, the button 502 and the opening 102 may or may not be omitted.

[0053] In some embodiments, when at least one UHF RFID module 304 is multiple (e.g., such as...), Figure 5 The three shown or as Figure 7When two UHF RFID modules 304 are shown, the slider 500 can move relative to the first cover 100, thereby switching between multiple positions of the first cover 100. When the slider 500 is in any of the multiple positions, the activation circuit 400 couples the signal enhancement circuit 302 to a corresponding one of the multiple UHF RFID modules 304. For example, when three UHF RFID modules 304 are present, the slider 500 can move relative to the first cover 100, thereby switching between three positions of the first cover 100. When the slider 500 is in any of the three positions, the activation circuit 400 couples the signal enhancement circuit 302 to a corresponding one of the three UHF RFID modules 304; or, when two UHF RFID modules 304 are present, the slider 500 can move relative to the first cover 100, thereby switching between two positions of the first cover 100. When the slider 500 is in either of the two positions, the activation circuit 400 couples the signal enhancement circuit 302 to a corresponding one of the two UHF RFID modules 304; however, this application is not limited to these.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the RFID switching tag device 800 also includes a retainer 600, and the first cover 100 and the second cover 200 are detachably supported together on the retainer 600. More specifically, when the first cover 100 and the second cover 200 are supported together on the retainer 600, the retainer 600 is arranged on the side of the second cover 200 opposite to the first cover 100. In some embodiments, the RFID switching tag device 800 can be used as a windshield tag; correspondingly, the retainer 600 of the RFID switching tag device 800 can be attached to the windshield of a vehicle using, for example, an adhesive (e.g., adhesive tape). When the RFID switching tag device 800 is used as a windshield tag, the RFID switching tag device 800 can be used in various electronic toll collection (ETC) applications.

[0055] In some embodiments, such as Figure 12 As shown, each UHF RFID module 304 includes an RFID tag chip 3042 and an antenna formed by a trace 3046. The antenna is connected to the RFID tag chip 3042, for example, via pins 3044 of the trace 3046. The trace 3046 is arranged on two opposite sides of the RFID tag chip 3042. In some embodiments, each UHF RFID module 304 can operate at a frequency of 915 MHz or 2.45 GHz. In some embodiments, the RFID tag chips 3042 of the plurality of UHF RFID modules 304 respectively store different sets of tag data, and each set of data in the different sets of tag data includes an Electronic Product Code (EPC) and a Tag Identifier (TID).

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 13 As shown, the tag circuit 300 is fixed to the second cover 200 by adhesive. For example, the tag circuit 300 also includes a substrate 306 and a double-sided adhesive layer 308. Various UHF RFID modules 304, including an RFID tag chip 3042 and an antenna (formed by traces 3046), as well as a signal enhancement circuit 302, are arranged between the substrate 306 and the double-sided adhesive layer 308. The antenna (formed by traces 3046) and the signal enhancement circuit 302 are coplanar conductive patterns on the substrate 306. The double-sided adhesive layer 308 is adhered to the second cover 200. As an example, the substrate 306 may be a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, and the antenna (formed by traces 3046) and the signal enhancement circuit 302 of the various UHF RFID modules 304 may be printed on the substrate 306 using silver paste or other conductive paste.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 and Figure 14 As shown, the activation circuit 400 includes a substrate 402, a double-sided adhesive layer 404, and a printed conductive pattern 406 disposed between the substrate 402 and the double-sided adhesive layer 404. The double-sided adhesive layer 404 is adhered to the side of the substrate 504 opposite to the first cover 100. Figure 6 As shown, the printed conductive pattern 406 is in an open-loop shape. Furthermore, the substrate 402 can be a PET film, and the printed conductive pattern 406 can be printed onto the substrate 402 using silver paste or other conductive paste.

[0058] In some embodiments, such as Figures 15A to 15H The diagram illustrates exemplary dimensions of the printed conductive pattern 406 of the activation circuit 400. Specifically, the printed conductive pattern 406 includes a first portion 4062, a second portion 4064, and a third portion 4066 connecting the first portion 4062 and the second portion 4064. The first portion 4062 and the second portion 4064 are spaced apart from each other and define a gap 4068 therebetween. The linewidth W1 of the first portion 4062 and the linewidth W2 of the second portion 4064 are each greater than the linewidth W3 of the third portion 4066. The third portion 4066 is U-shaped and includes two vertical portions and a horizontal portion connecting the two vertical portions. Of course, the third portion 4066 can alternatively be other shapes.

[0059] More specifically, such as Figure 15AAs shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5 mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 1 mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21 mm or 22 mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 (that is, the distance between the horizontal part of the third part 4066 and either the first part 4062 or the second part 4064) is 4 mm.

[0060] like Figure 15B As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 2mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 4mm.

[0061] like Figure 15C As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 1mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 5mm.

[0062] like Figure 15D As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 2mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 5mm.

[0063] like Figure 15E As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 1mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 4.5mm.

[0064] like Figure 15F As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 2mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 4.5mm.

[0065] like Figure 15G As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 1mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 5.5mm.

[0066] like Figure 15H As shown, the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each 5mm, the width Wo of the gap 4068 is 2mm, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 is 21mm or 22mm, and the width W4 of the area surrounded by the first part 4062, the second part 4064 and the third part 4066 is 5.5mm.

[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 16 The diagram illustrates exemplary dimensions of the UHF RFID module 304 and the signal enhancement circuit 302. Specifically, each UHF RFID module 304 has a length Lm of 14 mm, a spacing S between any two adjacent UHF RFID modules 304 of 8.0 mm, and a width Wm of 3.0 mm. Furthermore, the signal enhancement circuit 302 includes two vertical portions and a horizontal portion connected between the two vertical portions. The length Ls1 of the signal enhancement circuit 302 (also referred to as the length of the horizontal portion) is 70 mm, the distance Ls2 between the two vertical portions is 66 mm, the width Ws1 of the signal enhancement circuit 302 is 25 mm, and the length Ws2 of each of the two vertical portions is 20 mm.

[0068] As from Figures 15A to 15H , Figure 16 and Figure 6 As can be seen, the length La of the printed conductive pattern 406 of the activation circuit 400 is greater than the length Lm of each UHF RFID module 304, and the line width W1 of the first part 4062 and the line width W2 of the second part 4064 are each greater than the width Wm of each UHF RFID module 304.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 17 and Figure 18As shown, the RFID tag switching device 800 also includes at least one color indicator light 700, for example, three color indicator lights 700, and correspondingly, the second cover 200 is provided with a window 201. The three color indicator lights 700 are disposed (e.g., printed) on the side of the slider 500 facing the second cover 200. The window 201 may be an opening defined in the second cover 200 or a transparent portion of the second cover 200, such that the three color indicator lights 700 can be observed through the window 201. In the illustrated embodiment, the three color indicator lights 700 can be observed through the window 201 or even the transparent portion of the tag circuit 300, and the colors of the three color indicator lights 700 may be different colors among yellow, red, and green, but this application is not limited thereto. In one implementation, when the RFID tag switching device 800 is equipped with three UHF RFID modules 304, at least one color indicator light 700 corresponds to three color indicator lights 700; and when the slider 500 moves to couple the signal enhancement circuit 302 of the tag circuit 300 to one of the three UHF RFID modules 304 by the activation circuit 400, one of the three color indicator lights 700 can be observed through the window 201 of the second cover 200.

[0070] In one implementation, in an application scenario, the color of the color indicator 700, as observed through window 201, is used to indicate the number of people in a vehicle on which the RFID switching tag device 800 is installed. For example, yellow indicates one person in the vehicle, green indicates two people, and red indicates three people. Specifically, when a manager (e.g., a police officer) finds that the actual number of people in the vehicle is inconsistent with the number indicated by the color observed through window 201, the police will issue a ticket. Therefore, the configuration of the color indicator 700 and window 201 facilitates the assertion of the number of people in the vehicle; hence, window 201 can also be referred to as a reinforcing window.

[0071] In some embodiments, the number of at least one color indicator light 700 is not three; for example, it may instead be as follows: Figure 19 The two shown or as Figure 20 As shown in the figure. Correspondingly, at least one UHF RFID module 304 may be two UHF RFID modules that correspond to two color indicator lights 700 respectively, or at least one UHF RFID module 304 may be one UHF RFID module that corresponds to one color indicator light 700.

[0072] In addition, as an implementation method, in an application scenario, when at least one UHF RFID module 304 is replaced by three UHF RFID modules 304, these three UHF RFID modules 304 can be switched between SOV lanes and HOV lanes. For example, they can be used in HOV lanes to obtain different toll discounts based on the number of people in the vehicle. Thus, only one RFID switching tag device is needed to apply to the three driving conditions, instead of three RFID tag devices, thereby simplifying the user's operation and reducing the device cost.

[0073] Furthermore, embodiments of this application provide an RFID system including an RFID interrogator and an RFID tag switching device 800. Data can be exchanged between the RFID interrogator and the RFID tag switching device 800 via radio transmission signals and radio reception signals. The RFID interrogator may include: an RF transceiver comprising transmitter and receiver electronics; and an antenna configured to generate and receive radio transmission signals and radio reception signals, respectively. Data exchange can be achieved via electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the RF spectrum combined with various modulation and coding solutions.

[0074] The RFID tag switching device 800 disclosed herein can be applied to wireless communication devices with UHF RFID capability. The features and attributes of the specific exemplary embodiments disclosed above can be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0075] While this application provides certain exemplary embodiments and applications, other embodiments that are obvious to those skilled in the art, including embodiments that do not provide all the features and advantages set forth herein, are also within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) switching tag device, comprising: a first cover and a second cover cooperating therein to define an accommodation space; a tag circuit disposed in the accommodation space and fixed to the second cover, wherein the tag circuit comprises: a signal enhancement circuit and at least one ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID module separated from the signal enhancement circuit; and an activation circuit disposed in the accommodation space and located on a side of the tag circuit facing the first cover, wherein the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one UHF RFID module; RFID tag chips of the at least one UHF RFID module respectively store different sets of tag data, and each of the different sets of tag data comprises an electronic product code (EPC) and a tag identifier (TID), the at least one UHF RFID module being switchable for a SOV lane and a HOV lane; wherein the RFID switching tag device further comprises a slider, the slider comprising a substrate and a button; the substrate is disposed in the accommodation space; and the button is disposed to protrude on a side of the substrate facing the first cover; wherein the first cover defines an opening, the button is arranged to pass through the opening of the first cover, and the activation circuit is fixedly connected to a side of the substrate facing away from the first cover.

2. The RFID switching tag device of claim 1, wherein, The tag circuit is fixed to the second cover by an adhesive.

3. The RFID switching tag device of claim 2, wherein, The tag circuit comprises: a substrate and a double-sided adhesive layer; the at least one UHF RFID module and the signal enhancement circuit are arranged between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; and the double-sided adhesive layer is pasted to the second cover.

4. The RFID switching tag device of claim 3, wherein, Each of the at least one UHF RFID module comprises: an RFID tag chip and an antenna formed by a trace; the RFID tag chip is electrically connected with the antenna, and the antenna and the signal enhancement circuit are coplanar conductive patterns on the substrate.

5. The RFID switching tag device of claim 1, further comprising: At least one colored indicator light is disposed on a side of the slider facing the second cover; wherein the second cover is provided with a window, and the window is configured to allow a corresponding one of the at least one colored indicator light to be observed through the window when the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one UHF RFID module.

6. The RFID switching tag device of claim 1, wherein, The activation circuit comprises: a substrate, a double-sided adhesive layer, and a printed conductive pattern arranged between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; the double-sided adhesive layer is pasted to the side of the substrate facing away from the first cover, and the printed conductive pattern is in an open loop shape.

7. The RFID switching label device of claim 6, wherein, The printed conductive pattern comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; the first portion and the second portion are separated from each other and define a gap therebetween; and a line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than a line width of the third portion.

8. The RFID switching tag device of claim 7, wherein, The at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the length of the printed conductive pattern is greater than the length of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules, and the line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than the width of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules; And the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one UHF RFID module by overlapping the printed conductive pattern with the one of the at least one UHF RFID module.

9. The RFID switching tag device of claim 1, wherein, The at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the slider is movable relative to the first cover so as to be switchable between a plurality of positions of the first cover, and the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with a corresponding one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules when the slider is at any one of the plurality of positions.

10. The RFID switch tag device of claim 9, further comprising: A plurality of colored indicator lights disposed on a side of the slider facing the second cover; The second cover is provided with a window, and a corresponding one of the plurality of colored indicator lights is observed through the window of the second cover and a transparent portion of the tag circuit when the slider is at any one of the plurality of positions.

11. The RFID switching tag device of claim 9, wherein, Each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules includes an RFID tag chip and an antenna formed by a trace; the antenna is electrically connected with the RFID tag chip; The RFID switching tag device further includes a holder, and the first cover and the second cover are detachably supported on the holder together with the second cover.

12. An RFID switching tag device, comprising: a first cover and a second cover cooperating therein to define an accommodation space; a tag circuit disposed in the accommodation space and attached to the second cover by an adhesive, wherein the tag circuit includes a signal enhancement circuit and at least one UHF RFID module separated from the signal enhancement circuit; each of the at least one UHF RFID module includes an RFID tag chip and an antenna formed by a trace, the antenna is electrically connected with the RFID tag chip, and the signal enhancement circuit is a conductive pattern coplanar with the antenna; and an activation circuit disposed in the accommodation space and configured to couple the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one UHF RFID module; the RFID tag chips of the at least one UHF RFID module respectively store different sets of tag data, and each set of data in the different sets of tag data includes an electronic product code (EPC) and a tag identifier (TID), the at least one UHF RFID module is switchable for SOV lanes and HOV lanes; The RFID switching tag device further includes a slider, the slider includes a base plate and a button; the base plate is disposed in the accommodation space; and the button is disposed to protrude on a side of the base plate facing the first cover; The first cover defines an opening, the button is arranged to pass through the opening of the first cover, and the activation circuit is fixed to a side of the substrate opposite to the first cover.

13. The RFID switching tag device of claim 12, wherein, The at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, the slider is movable relative to the first cover, so that the plurality of UHF RFID modules can be switched between a plurality of positions of the first cover, and when the slider is in any one of the plurality of positions, the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with a corresponding one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules.

14. The RFID switch tag device of claim 12, further comprising: At least one colored indicator light is arranged on a side of the slider facing the second cover. The second cover is provided with a window, and the window is configured to allow a corresponding one of the at least one colored indicator light to be observed through the window when the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one UHF RFID module.

15. The RFID switching tag device of claim 12, wherein, The activation circuit includes a substrate, a double-sided adhesive layer, and a printed conductive pattern arranged between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; the double-sided adhesive layer is attached to the side of the substrate opposite to the first cover, and the printed conductive pattern is in an open loop shape.

16. The RFID switching tag device of claim 15, wherein, The printed conductive pattern includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; the first portion and the second portion are spaced apart from each other and define a gap therebetween. The at least one UHF RFID module is a plurality of UHF RFID modules, a length of the printed conductive pattern is greater than a length of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules, a line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than a width of each of the plurality of UHF RFID modules; and the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with one of the at least one UHF RFID module by overlapping the printed conductive pattern with the signal enhancement circuit and the one of the at least one UHF RFID module.

17. An RFID switching tag device, comprising: a first cover and a second cover cooperating therein to define a receiving space; a tag circuit arranged in the receiving space and fixed to the second cover, wherein the tag circuit includes a signal enhancement circuit and a plurality of UHF RFID modules spaced apart from the signal enhancement circuit; a slider slidably mounted on the first cover; and An activation circuit is disposed in the accommodation space and fixed to the slider, wherein the activation circuit is configured to switchably couple the signal enhancement circuit with one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules; the activation circuit comprises a substrate, a double-sided adhesive layer, and a conductive pattern disposed between the substrate and the double-sided adhesive layer; the double-sided adhesive layer is attached to the slider, and the conductive pattern is in an open loop shape; the RFID tag chips of the at least one UHF RFID module respectively store different sets of tag data, and each set of the different sets of tag data includes an electronic product code (EPC) and a tag identifier (TID), and the at least one UHF RFID module is switchable for SOV lanes and HOV lanes; The slider includes a substrate and a button; the substrate is disposed in the accommodation space; and the button is disposed to protrude on a side of the substrate facing the first cover; The first cover defines an opening, the button is arranged to pass through the opening of the first cover, and the activation circuit is fixed to a side of the substrate facing away from the first cover.

18. The RFID switching tag device of claim 17, wherein, The slider is switchable between a plurality of positions of the first cover, and when the slider is in any one of the plurality of positions, the activation circuit couples the signal enhancement circuit with a corresponding one of the plurality of UHF RFID modules; The RFID switching tag device further comprises a plurality of colored indicator lights disposed on a side of the slider facing the second cover; The second cover is provided with a window, and when the slider is in any one of the plurality of positions, a corresponding one of the plurality of colored indicator lights is observed through the window of the second cover; The conductive pattern includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; the first portion and the second portion are spaced apart from each other and define a gap therebetween, and a line width of each of the first portion and the second portion is greater than a line width of the third portion.

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