Apparatus for radio frequency identification coupler

Abstract

A device is disclosed. The device includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) coupler embedded over a printed circuit board (PCB). Further, at least one media sensor is embedded over the same PCB. The at least one PCB with one RFID coupler and one media sensor is configured to detect at least one media. Further, the at least one RFID coupler is designed as an eyewear-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one media sensor such that the at least one RFID coupler and the at least one media sensor are positioned in proximity to the at least one media.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, and more specifically to RFID couplers with media sensors for (mobile / desktop / industrial / handheld) RFID printers. Background Technology

[0002] In various RFID tag printers, an RFID coupler is present. When an RFID tag is placed inside the printer, the RFID coupler reads the tag. The RFID coupler needs to be centered so that it is always aligned with the center of the media. Therefore, RFID calibration is performed using the inserted media roll to determine the RFID read / write area of ​​the inserted media roll. However, the RFID coupler generates a near-field RF signal to excite the RFID tag to perform read / write operations. For a media sensor placed in the center, the user can determine the starting position and spacing distance of the inserted media roll together during media calibration. Generally, due to space constraints in mobile printers, there are challenges in the combined placement of RFID couplers and media sensors. The compactness of mobile printers forces RFID tags and / or RFID rolls to be placed near the RFID coupler. Furthermore, when multiple RFID tags are placed together in a single media roll, regardless of whether the transponder / tag is passively or actively powered, the RF signal may activate more than one RFID tag at a given time. This can lead to communication interference because each RFID tag may simultaneously send a response signal to the RFID coupler. Furthermore, when the RFID coupler and media sensor are placed separately, a significant amount of space is required to house both within the mobile printer. This large space can further increase the size of the mobile printer, thus increasing manufacturing costs, making it bulky, and affecting the aesthetics of the design. Additionally, RFID tags have various designs that vary based on the distance between the target RFID tag and adjacent RFID tags (called the spacing distance). As the spacing distance decreases, the probability of activating all adjacent transponders / RFID tags increases dramatically. Therefore, the RFID coupler is highly likely to activate adjacent RFID tags during a read / write operation on the target RFID tag.

[0003] The applicant has identified numerous defects and problems associated with conventional RFID coupler devices. Through effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been addressed by the developed solutions, including those described in the embodiments of this disclosure, and numerous examples of these solutions are detailed herein. Utility Model Content

[0004] The following is a simplified overview to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of this disclosure. This utility model is not an exhaustive summary and is neither intended to identify key or important elements nor to describe the scope of such elements. Its purpose is to serve as an introduction to the specific embodiments provided below, giving some concepts of the described features in a simplified form.

[0005] In an example embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) coupler embedded above a printed circuit board (PCB). Additionally, at least one media sensor is embedded above the same PCB. The at least one PCB having one RFID coupler and one media sensor is configured to detect at least one medium. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler is designed with a goggle-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one media sensor, such that the at least one RFID coupler and the at least one media sensor are positioned near the at least one medium.

[0006] In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor is positioned within the at least one RFID coupler. Furthermore, the at least one media sensor is centered with the at least one RFID coupler, or the at least one RFID coupler is centrally aligned with the at least one media sensor.

[0007] In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor is positioned within the at least one RFID coupler. Furthermore, the at least one media sensor is aligned with one end of the at least one RFID coupler, or the at least one media sensor is aligned with the other end of the at least one RFID coupler.

[0008] In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler includes a first end and a second end spaced apart from each other. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler is fed a radio frequency (RF) signal from the first end, which is split into at least two paths and merged at the center to form a closed loop. Furthermore, the RF signal is again split into at least two paths and merged at the second end of the at least one RFID coupler to form another closed loop. Moreover, the at least two paths of the RF signal correspond to the first path and the second path. The device also includes at least one resistor coupled to the second end of the at least one RFID coupler. The at least one resistor corresponds to a resistor of at least 50 ohms.

[0009] In some embodiments, the at least one medium corresponds to at least one RFID medium tag. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler is designed to have a combined total length of at least two connected loops, the combined total length being defined by the operating frequency.

[0010] In another example embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes the step of embedding at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) coupler above a printed circuit board (PCB). The method further includes the step of embedding at least one media sensor above the PCB, wherein the at least one media sensor is configured to detect at least one medium. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler has a goggle-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one media sensor, such that the at least one media sensor is positioned near the at least one medium.

[0011] The above-described utility model is provided merely to outline some exemplary embodiments to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or substance of this disclosure in any way. It should be understood that, in addition to those summarized herein, the scope of this disclosure covers many possible embodiments, some of which will be further explained in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Therefore, some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described in general terms, and reference will be made below to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which: Figure 1A A block diagram illustrating an apparatus comprising at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) coupler and at least one media sensor according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1B A printer according to an example embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated; Figure 2A A schematic diagram illustrating an RFID coupler housed within at least one media sensor according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2B Examples of one or more shapes of at least one closed loop of an RFID coupler according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure are illustrated; Figure 2C Examples of one or more dimensions of at least one closed loop of an RFID coupler according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure are illustrated; Figure 3 An exemplary scenario is illustrated in which at least one RFID coupler communicates with at least one medium according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4An exemplary scenario illustrating the placement of at least one RFID coupler and at least one media sensor according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 An exemplary scenario illustrating an example embodiment of the present disclosure, in which at least one media sensor is placed inside at least one RFID coupler, is shown; and Figure 6 A graphical representation of the operating frequency of at least one RFID coupler according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated; and Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a method for incorporating at least one media sensor within at least one RFID coupler according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Some embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some, but not all, embodiments of this disclosure. Various embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to enable this disclosure to meet applicable legal requirements.

[0014] The components illustrated in the accompanying drawings represent components that may or may not be present in the various embodiments of this disclosure described herein, such that embodiments may include fewer or more components than those shown in the figures without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Some components may be omitted from one or more figures, or shown in dashed lines to make components visible below.

[0015] As used herein, the term “comprising” means including but not limited to, and should be interpreted in the manner typically used in the patent context. The use of broader terms such as “comprising,” “including,” and “having” should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as “consisting of,” “substantially composed of,” and “substantially constituted by.”

[0016] The phrases “in various embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” etc., generally mean that the specific feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, and may be included in more than one embodiment of this disclosure (importantly, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment).

[0017] As used herein, the terms “example” or “exemplary” mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any specific implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other specific implementations.

[0018] If this specification states that a component or feature is "may", "can", "may", "should", "will", "preferably", "possibly", "typically", "optionally", "for example", "usually", or "may" (or other such language) included or has a characteristic, then the specific component or feature does not need to be included or have that characteristic. Such components or features may be optionally included in some embodiments, or they may be excluded.

[0019] In some embodiments, this invention relates to an RFID coupler with a media sensor for an RFID printer. In one example, the RFID printer corresponds to a mobile printer. The mobile printer used herein is a portable printing device configured to print RFID tags and other materials. The mobile printer is compact, lightweight, and battery-powered. The mobile printer also includes an RFID coupler and at least one media sensor. The RFID coupler is configured to interact with at least one medium placed within the mobile printer. Furthermore, the at least one media sensor is configured to detect the at least one medium within the mobile printer. The at least one RFID coupler has a goggle-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one media sensor, such that the at least one RFID coupler and the at least one media sensor are positioned near the at least one medium. Furthermore, in one example, the at least one media sensor is placed at the center of the at least one RFID coupler.

[0020] In one example, the RFID coupler is securely mounted inside the mobile printer and near the media path through which the RFID tag is configured. Furthermore, the RFID coupler is powered by the mobile printer's power supply. The at least one RFID coupler is connected to at least one processor. Additionally, at least one medium includes the RFID tag. The RFID tag has an embedded RFID mark that needs to be encoded with data. In one example, the RFID tag is fed into the mobile printer in roll or sheet form. The mobile printer has a feeding mechanism to allow the RFID tag to advance through the mobile printer. Furthermore, with the assistance of the at least one processor, the mobile printer is configured to synchronize the data to be printed on the RFID tag with the data to be encoded on the RFID mark once the at least one media sensor detects the presence of the RFID tag.

[0021] Furthermore, the mobile printer prints the RFID tag, and the at least one RFID coupler simultaneously writes data to the RFID tag. The mobile printer also includes a printhead configured to apply ink or thermal transfer to print the desired information onto the RFID tag. Simultaneously, as the RFID tag passes through the at least one RFID coupler, the coupler reads the data and writes it to the RFID tag. When the RFID tag moves through the encoding area, the RFID coupler writes the encoded data onto the RFID tag. Finally, the printed and encoded RFID tags are dispensing from the mobile printer.

[0022] Figure 1A A block diagram illustrating an apparatus 100 comprising at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) coupler 102 and at least one media sensor 104 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1B A printer 114 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. In some embodiments, the device 100 may include the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one media sensor 104, at least one processor 106, a memory 108, input / output circuitry 110, and communication circuitry 112.

[0023] In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be embedded above a printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown). Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 can be constructed with a goggle-shaped profile, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor 104 may be embedded above the PCB. The at least one media sensor 104 may be configured to detect at least one medium (not shown). In some embodiments, the at least one medium may correspond to at least one RFID media tag. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102 has the goggle-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one media sensor 104, such that the at least one RFID coupler and the at least one media sensor 104 are positioned near the at least one medium. Furthermore, the at least one media sensor 104 may be positioned within the at least one RFID coupler 102 in a printer. The at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104 may be embedded above a single PCB having a copper-etched structure with the goggle-shaped profile.

[0024] In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor 104 may be aligned with the center of the at least one RFID coupler 102. In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor 104 may be located at the center of the at least one RFID coupler 102 (not shown). In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor 104 may correspond to at least one of a gap sensor, a notch sensor, a reflective sensor, a black mark sensor, a die-cut hole sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive sensor, an infrared sensor, an RF sensor, a color sensor, or any other sensor known in the art. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102, together with the at least one media sensor 104, may communicate with the at least one medium disposed inside the printer.

[0025] Furthermore, the device 100 may include at least one processor 106. The at least one processor 106 may be configured to receive information about the detected at least one medium. The at least one processor 106 may be configured to analyze the received information about the detected at least one medium. The at least one processor 106 may be configured to determine, at least based on the received information, whether the at least one medium sensor 104 is located near the at least one medium. In some embodiments, the at least one medium may correspond to at least one RFID medium tag having an integrated circuit (IC). In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 may include suitable logic components, circuitry, and / or interfaces operable to execute one or more instructions stored in memory 108 to perform predetermined operations. In one embodiment, the at least one processor 106 may be configured to decode and execute any instructions received from one or more other electronic devices or servers. The at least one processor 106 may be configured to execute one or more computer-readable program instructions, such as program instructions for performing any of the functions described in this specification. Furthermore, one or more processor technologies known in the art may be used to implement the processor. Examples of processors include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors (e.g., Intel). ® or Advanced Micro Devices ® (AMD) microprocessors) and / or one or more dedicated processors (e.g., digital signal processors or Xilinx) ® System-on-a-Chip (SOC) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processor.

[0026] Furthermore, memory 108 is communicatively coupled to the at least one processor 106. Additionally, memory 108 can be configured to store a set of instructions and data executable by the one or more processors 106. Furthermore, memory 108 may include one or more instructions executable by the one or more processors 106 to perform specific operations. In some embodiments, memory 108 may be configured to include one or more instructions to receive information about the detected at least one medium. Furthermore, memory 108 may be configured to include one or more instructions to analyze the received information about the detected at least one medium. Furthermore, memory 108 may be configured to include one or more instructions to determine, at least based on the analysis, whether the at least one medium sensor 104 is located near the at least one medium. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the one or more instructions stored in memory 108 enable device 100 to perform predetermined operations. Some known implementations of memory include, but are not limited to, fixed (hard) drives, magnetic tape, floppy disks, optical disks, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memories (such as ROM), random access memory (RAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic cards or optical cards, or other types of media / machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions.

[0027] In some embodiments, device 100 may further include input / output circuitry 110. Input / output circuitry 110 enables a user to communicate with or interface with the printer via an interface (not shown). This interface may include N user devices (not shown). It should be noted that input / output circuitry 110 may act as a medium for sending input to or from device 100 via the interface. In some embodiments, input / output circuitry 110 may refer to hardware and software components that facilitate the exchange of information between the user and device 100. In one example, device 100 may include a graphical user interface (GUI) (not shown) as input circuitry to allow the user to input data. Input / output circuitry 110 may include various input devices for the user to provide data, such as a keyboard, barcode scanner, GUI, and various output devices for the user to receive data, such as a display, printer. In another example, input / output circuitry 110 may include various output circuitry, such as indicators indicating the correct and incorrect placement of the at least one media sensor 104.

[0028] In some embodiments, device 100 may further include communication circuitry 112. Communication circuitry 112 allows the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104 to exchange data or information with other systems or devices. Furthermore, communication circuitry 112 may include network interfaces, protocols, and software modules responsible for transmitting and receiving data or information. In some embodiments, communication circuitry 112 may include an Ethernet port, a Wi-Fi adapter, or a communication protocol such as HTTP or MQTT for connecting to other systems. Communication circuitry 112 allows device 100 to stay up-to-date and accurately track the placement of the at least one media sensor 104.

[0029] In some implementations, device 100 may be referred to as printer 114, such as Figure 1B As illustrated, printer 114 may correspond to device 100. Printer 114 may include the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104. Furthermore, printer 114 may include at least one adjacent medium 116. The at least one adjacent medium 116 may be placed near the at least one RFID coupler 102, i.e., above or below the at least one RFID coupler 102. Furthermore, the at least one media sensor 104 may be placed along one or more sides of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The at least one media sensor 104 can be placed as long as the at least one adjacent medium 116 is positioned near the range of the at least one media sensor 104. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may activate the at least one adjacent medium 116 during read / write operations on the at least one medium.

[0030] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the aforementioned components of the apparatus 100 are provided for illustrative purposes only without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 2A A schematic diagram illustrating the at least one RFID coupler 102 housed within the at least one medium sensor 104 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2B Examples of RFID couplers according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure include one or more shapes of at least one closed loop. Figure 2C Examples of RFID couplers according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure include one or more dimensions of at least one closed loop.

[0032] In some embodiments, device 100 may include at least one RFID coupler 102 and at least one media sensor 104. The at least one RFID coupler 102 may be embedded above a printed circuit board (PCB) 200. Furthermore, the at least one media sensor 104 may be embedded above the PCB 200. In some embodiments, PCB 200 may include one or more dimensions. In one example embodiment, PCB 200 may include dimensions of 100 × 10 × 1.6 mm.

[0033] Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may include a first end 202 and a second end 204 spaced apart from each other. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be fed with a radio frequency (RF) signal from the first end 202, the RF signal being split into at least two paths. Furthermore, the at least two paths of the RF signal may correspond to a first path 206 and a second path 208. In one example embodiment, the widths of the first path 206 and the second path 208 may be different. In another example embodiment, the widths of the first path 206 and the second path 208 may be the same. The RF signal, split into at least two paths, may then be merged at the second end 204 of the at least one RFID coupler 102.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first path 206 and the second path 208 of the at least one RFID coupler 102 may merge at a center 210 to form the outline of a goggle shape of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The first ends 202 of the first path 206 and the second path 208 may branch off and then merge at the center 210, thereby forming a closed loop 212. Furthermore, from the center 210, the first path 206 and the second path 208 may branch off and then merge at a second end 204 to form another closed loop 214, thereby forming the outline of the goggle shape of the at least one RFID coupler 102. Therefore, the outline of the goggle shape of the at least one RFID coupler 102 can form at least two loops, namely a closed loop 212 and another closed loop 214, including the first path 206 and the second path 208.

[0035] In some embodiments, a closed loop 212 of the at least two loops can be formed when the first path 206 and the second path 208 branch off from the first end 202 and then merge at the center 210. Furthermore, another closed loop 214 of the at least two loops can be formed when the first path 206 and the second path 208 branch off from the center 210 and then merge at the second end 204. The at least one RFID coupler 102 can be manufactured with multiple different lengths for the closed loops 212 and 214 of the at least two loops. Furthermore, the total length of the at least one RFID coupler 102 can be a determining factor in the size of the closed loops 212 and 214 of the at least one RFID coupler 102. Each of the at least two loops can have a different length, depending on the placement of the at least one RFID coupler 102 inside the printer. Moreover, even when the at least two loops can have different lengths, the total length of the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be the same.

[0036] In some implementations, the total area occupied by the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102 can be defined. The total area occupied by the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102 can correspond to the sum of the area occupied by the closed loop 212, the area occupied by the other closed loop 214, and the area occupied by the at least one medium sensor 102. The total area occupied by the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102 can be calculated using formula (1): The area occupied by closed loop 212 + the area occupied by another closed loop 214 + the area occupied by the at least one medium sensor 104 = the total area occupied by the at least one RFID coupler 102 (1) In some implementations, a minimum loop area may be defined for the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The minimum loop area may correspond to the area occupied by the at least one media sensor 104. Furthermore, a maximum loop area may be defined for the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The maximum loop area may correspond to the difference between the total area occupied by the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the area occupied by the at least one media sensor 104. The maximum loop area can be calculated using formula (2): Maximum loop area = Total area occupied by the at least one RFID coupler 102 - Area occupied by the at least one medium sensor 104 (2) In some embodiments, the width of each of the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be different. The width of each of the at least two loops may depend on the area occupied by each of the at least two loops. The width of each of the at least two loops may vary from 1 mm to a customized value. The width of each of the at least two loops may be different such that the total input impedance (Zi) of the at least one RFID coupler 102 is equal to 50 ohms (Ω).

[0037] refer to Figure 2B The closed loop 212 and the other closed loop 214 can be circular or elliptical (as illustrated in 216), or rectangular or square (as illustrated in 218), or triangular, or pentagonal (as illustrated in 220), or heptagonal (as illustrated in 222), or hexagonal (as illustrated in 224), or any other shape known in the art, thereby forming at least two connected closed loops on both sides of the center 210, and thus forming the outline of the goggle shape of the at least one RFID coupler 102.

[0038] Furthermore, the device 100 may include at least one resistor (not shown) coupled to a second terminal 204 of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The at least one resistor may be configured to match the input impedance from the RF signal when detecting the at least one medium. In one example embodiment, the at least one resistor may correspond to a resistor of at least 50 ohms. Furthermore, the at least one medium may correspond to at least one RFID medium tag.

[0039] In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be manufactured having at least one closed loop. In some embodiments, the length of the at least one RFID coupler 102 may vary at least based on the desired operating frequency. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler is designed to have at least two connection loops. The length of the loop is defined by the operating frequency and the substrate dielectric constant, i.e., λg = 300 / (f*√ε). r ), where f is the operating frequency, ε r This refers to the PCB dielectric constant. In one example, using an FR4 PCB, at 910MHz, the lengths of the first path 206 and the second path 208 are 40mm, as shown below. Figure 2CAs illustrated in 226, each path forms at least one closed loop with a length of 80 mm. Furthermore, the total loop length of at least two connected closed loops can be 160 mm. The operating frequency of the at least one RFID coupler can vary based on at least 860 MHz to 960 MHz, 2.45 GHz, or 5.8 GHz. Additionally, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may include at least one of an inductive coupler, a capacitive coupler, a microstrip coupler, a near-field coupler, or any other coupler known in the art.

[0040] Figure 3 An exemplary scenario 300 is illustrated, in which at least one RFID coupler 102 communicates with at least one medium 302 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] The at least one RFID coupler 102 may accommodate the at least one media sensor 104, such that the at least one media sensor 104 is positioned near the at least one medium 302. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 can communicate with the at least one medium 302 located near the at least one media sensor 104 within the printer. When communicating with the at least one medium 302, the adjacent at least one medium 304 may not be targeted for communication by the at least one RFID coupler 102. In one example, the adjacent at least one medium 304 may correspond to, for example... Figure 1B The at least one adjacent medium 116 is shown. In various embodiments, the at least one medium 302 can be targeted by the at least one RFID coupler 102 to communicate with the at least one adjacent medium 304.

[0042] Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 can communicate with the at least one medium 302 using a magnetic field 306. The magnetic field 306 can be generated by the at least one RFID coupler 102. Furthermore, the at least one medium 302 can capture energy from the generated magnetic field 306. The at least one medium 302 captures energy to exchange data with the at least one RFID coupler 102 using the captured energy. Additionally, the generated energy 306 can be modulated by the at least one medium 302 to encode data in the magnetic field, which can be read or decoded by the RFID coupler 102. Subsequent data exchange can then be completed between the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one medium 302 by modulation in the generated magnetic field 306. In this way, the RFID coupler 102 can read and / or write data encoded on the at least one medium 302.

[0043] In some embodiments, during the encoding process, the at least one medium 302 may be encoded similarly or using one or more individual parameters, based on commands from the at least one RFID coupler 102. In one embodiment, a timing signal for encoding the at least one medium 302 as it passes through the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be automatically generated by the at least one RFID coupler 102 based on the speed at which the at least one medium 302 travels along the first end 202 and the second end 204. Other methods for individually encoding the at least one medium 302 may also be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0044] As illustrated, the goggle shape of the at least one RFID coupler 102 facilitates wireless communication with the at least one medium sensor 104 and the at least one medium 302 oriented in various directions, because the magnetic field 306 emanating from the at least one RFID coupler 102 can have a significant off-axis component relative to the path of the at least one medium 302. In some embodiments, the orientations of the first path 206 and the second path 208 can be selected so that the at least one medium 302 can be encoded by the at least one RFID coupler 102 configured to operate at one operating frequency or another.

[0045] Figure 4 An exemplary scenario 400 is illustrated, illustrating the placement of the at least one medium sensor 104 and the at least one RFID coupler 102 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] As discussed herein, the at least one media sensor 104 may be aligned with the center of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The at least one medium 302 may be targeted by the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the media sensor 104. Furthermore, the RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104 may detect the at least one medium 302 targeted. Additionally, the at least one medium 302 and the at least one adjacent medium 304 may be positioned at a distance from each other within the printer. In some embodiments, this distance may correspond to a pitch distance. Furthermore, the at least one medium may include one or more designs (not shown) based on this pitch distance. In some example embodiments, the pitch distance may start from 0.5 inches, 0.6 inches, 0.8 inches, 1 inch, 1.2 inches, 1.5 inches, 1.8 inches, 2 inches, 2.5 inches, or any other pitch distance value known in the art. Furthermore, the pitch distance value may be increased according to user requirements. In some embodiments, as the pitch distance decreases, the likelihood of activating all adjacent at least one medium 304 may increase. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 is likely to excite the at least one adjacent medium 304 during a read / write operation on the at least one medium 302.

[0047] As discussed above, the at least one RFID coupler 102 can communicate only with the at least one medium 302 that is being targeted, because the copper etched structure is shaped to the outline of the goggles. Subsequently, the copper etched structure does not degrade the performance of the at least one RFID coupler 102 because the copper etched structure on the PCB allows for easy placement of the at least one medium sensor 104 in the printer.

[0048] Figure 5 An exemplary scenario 500 is illustrated, in which at least one medium sensor 104 is placed inside at least one RFID coupler 102 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] As discussed in Figure 1, the at least one media sensor 104 can be placed anywhere along one or more sides of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The at least one media sensor 104 can be placed as long as the adjacent at least one medium 304 is located near the range of the at least one media sensor 104. Furthermore, both the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104 can be embedded above the PCB 502. In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor 104 can be positioned at center 210, aligned with the at least one RFID coupler 102.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first medium sensor 104A and the second medium sensor 104B may be positioned above the PCB 502A, respectively, close to the first end 202A and the second end 204A of the at least one RFID coupler 102A having a center 210A. In another example embodiment, the first medium sensor 104A and the second medium sensor 104B may be positioned above the PCB 502B, between the first end 202B of the at least one RFID coupler 102B and the center 210B, and between the second end 204B and the center 210B, respectively. In yet another example embodiment, each of the first medium sensor 104A and the second medium sensor 104B may be positioned above the PCB 502C, close to the center 210C, aligned with the at least one RFID coupler 102C having a first end 202C and a second end 204C.

[0051] In another example embodiment, the first dielectric sensor 104A may be placed at the center of PCB 502D. The second dielectric sensor 104B may be placed near the second end 204D of PCB 502D. Furthermore, a center 210D aligned with the at least one RFID coupler 102D having the first end 202A may be shifted within PCB 502D near the second end 204D. In another example embodiment, the first dielectric sensor 104A may be placed at the center of PCB 502E. The second dielectric sensor 104B may be placed near the first end 202E of PCB 502E. Furthermore, a center 210E aligned with the at least one RFID coupler 102E having the second end 204E may be shifted within PCB 502E to the vicinity of the first end 202E, where the second dielectric sensor 104B is placed.

[0052] In the example embodiments discussed above, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the placement of the first medium sensor 104A and the second medium sensor 104B relative to the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D and the at least one RFID coupler 102E may be selected based at least on the design requirements and operational considerations of the device 100.

[0053] In some embodiments, the at least two paths of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E may be shifted based on the placement of the first medium sensor 104A and the second medium sensor 104B. Furthermore, based on at least the shift of the at least two paths, the structure of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E may be altered while maintaining the outline of the goggle shape. Additionally, the structural alteration may correspond to a positional offset of the center 210 aligned with the at least one RFID coupler 102 toward one or more ends of PCB 502, PCB 502A, PCB 502B, PCB 502C, PCB 502D, and PCB 502E.

[0054] In some embodiments, the goggle-shaped contours of at least one RFID coupler 102, at least one RFID coupler 102A, at least one RFID coupler 102B, at least one RFID coupler 102C, at least one RFID coupler 102D, and at least one RFID coupler 102E can form at least two loops in PCB 502, PCB 502A, PCB 502B, PCB 502C, PCB 502D, and PCB 502E, respectively. The at least one RFID coupler 102, at least one RFID coupler 102A, at least one RFID coupler 102B, at least one RFID coupler 102C, at least one RFID coupler 102D, and at least one RFID coupler 102E can be manufactured to have multiple different lengths for each of the at least two loops. Furthermore, the total length of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E may be a factor determining the size of each of the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E.

[0055] Each of the at least two loops may have a different length, the length of which depends on the placement of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E inside the printer. Even when the at least two loops may have different lengths, the total length of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E may also be the same.

[0056] In some implementations, the total area occupied by the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E may be defined. The total area can correspond to the area occupied by the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E; the area occupied by another loop of the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E; and the area occupied by the at least one medium sensor 104, the at least one medium sensor 104A, or the at least one medium sensor 104B, which is equal to the area occupied by the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The total area occupied by the at least two loops can be calculated using formula (1).

[0057] In some implementations, a minimum loop area may be defined for the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E. This minimum loop area may correspond to the area occupied by the at least one media sensor 104, the at least one media sensor 104A, or the at least one media sensor 104B, respectively. Furthermore, a maximum loop area may be defined for the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E. The maximum loop area corresponds to the difference between the total area of ​​the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, or the at least one RFID coupler 102E and the area occupied by the at least one medium sensor 104, the at least one medium sensor 104A, or the at least one medium sensor 104B, respectively. The maximum loop area can be calculated using formula (2).

[0058] In some embodiments, the width of each of the at least two loops of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E may be different. The width of each of the at least two loops may depend on the area occupied by each of the at least two loops. The width of each of the at least two loops may vary from 1 mm to a customized value. The width of each of the at least two loops may be different such that the total input impedance (Zi) of the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E is equal to 50 Ω.

[0059] Furthermore, it can be noted that PCBs 502A, PCB 502B, PCB 502C, PCB 502D, and PCB 502E are similar to PCB 502, as described above. Additionally, it can be noted that the at least one RFID coupler 102, the at least one RFID coupler 102A, the at least one RFID coupler 102B, the at least one RFID coupler 102C, the at least one RFID coupler 102D, and the at least one RFID coupler 102E retain the same meaning and function within this specification. Furthermore, it can be noted that the at least one medium sensor 104, the first medium sensor 104A, and the second medium sensor 104B retain the same meaning and function within this specification.

[0060] Figure 6 A graphical representation 600 of the operating frequency of at least one RFID coupler according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0061] In some implementations, graphical representation 600 may represent the operating frequency of the at least one RFID coupler 102. The x-axis of graphical representation 600 may represent the operating frequency in MHz as "Frequency (MHz)". The y-axis of graphical representation 600 may represent the return loss in decibels (dB) as "Return Loss (dB)" of the operating frequency as a percentage. Graphical representation 600 may include a curve 602 representing the operating frequency with return loss. In one example, graphical representation 600 may include an operating frequency of 910 MHz for a return loss of -30 dB.

[0062] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a method 700 for incorporating at least one media sensor 104 within the at least one RFID coupler 102 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0063] At operation 702, the at least one RFID coupler 102 is embedded above the PCB 200. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may include a first end 202 and a second end 204 spaced apart from each other. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be fed with an RF signal from the first end 202, the RF signal being split into at least two paths and merged at the second end 204 of the at least one RFID coupler 102. In some embodiments, the at least two paths of the RF signal correspond to a first path 206 and a second path 208. Furthermore, the widths of the first path 206 and the second path 208 may be different.

[0064] At operation 704, the at least one media sensor 104 is embedded above the PCB 200, wherein the at least one media sensor 104 is configured to detect at least one medium 302. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler 102 may be shaped into a goggle-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one media sensor 104, such that the at least one media sensor 104 is positioned near the at least one medium 302. In some embodiments, the at least one media sensor 104 may be positioned within the at least one RFID coupler 102. Furthermore, the at least one RFID coupler 102, together with the at least one media sensor 104, communicates with the at least one medium 302 disposed inside the printer.

[0065] Furthermore, the position of the at least one medium sensor 104 may include the at least one medium sensor center 104 aligned with the at least one RFID coupler 102 or the at least one medium sensor 104 offset from the center of the at least one RFID coupler 102.

[0066] In some embodiments, at least one resistor may be coupled to a second end 204 of the at least one RFID coupler 102. Furthermore, the at least one resistor may correspond to a resistor of at least 50 ohms. In some embodiments, the at least one medium may correspond to at least one RFID medium tag. In some embodiments, the at least one RFID coupler is manufactured to have a length (e.g., 80 mm). It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the aforementioned length (e.g., 80 mm) of the at least one RFID coupler 102 is provided for illustrative purposes only without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0067] In some embodiments, the disclosed invention minimizes interference from other components of the printer due to the unique goggle-shaped structure of the at least one RFID coupler 102. Furthermore, the disclosed invention ensures the proper placement of the at least one media sensor 104 without degrading the performance of the at least one RFID coupler 102. Moreover, due to the goggle-shaped structure, the at least one media sensor 104 can be housed within the at least one RFID coupler 102, and therefore, the total area occupied by the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104 is the same. Furthermore, due to this same total area occupied, the at least one RFID coupler 102 and the at least one media sensor 104 can be encapsulated within the limited space of a portable printer.

[0068] As those skilled in the art will understand, aspects of this disclosure may be embodied as an apparatus, system, method, or computer program product. Therefore, aspects of various embodiments may take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects, all of which are generally referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” “system,” or “subsystem.” Furthermore, aspects of this disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied thereon.

[0069] The foregoing description of specific embodiments has been presented for illustrative and descriptive purposes. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed, and it will be apparent that many modifications and variations are possible in accordance with the foregoing teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain their principles and practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to make optimal use of the various embodiments with various modifications suited to the intended particular purpose. It should be understood that, as the case, various omissions and substitutions of equivalents can be contemplated, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or specific implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims. The following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of the embodiments to the specific embodiments described herein.

Claims

1. A device for a radio frequency identification coupler, characterized in that, The device includes: At least one RFID coupler, said at least one RFID coupler being embedded above a printed circuit board; and At least one media sensor is embedded above the printed circuit board, wherein the at least one media sensor is configured to detect at least one medium. The at least one radio frequency identification coupler has a goggle-shaped profile to accommodate the at least one medium sensor, such that the at least one radio frequency identification coupler and the at least one medium sensor are positioned near the at least one medium.

2. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 1, wherein the at least one medium sensor is located within the at least one radio frequency identification coupler.

3. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 2, wherein the at least one medium sensor is centered with the at least one radio frequency identification coupler, or the at least one radio frequency identification coupler is centered with the at least one medium sensor.

4. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency identification coupler includes a first end and a second end spaced apart from each other.

5. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification (RFID) coupler according to claim 4, wherein the at least one RFID coupler is fed with an RFID signal from the first end, the RFID signal being split into at least two paths and merged at the second end of the at least one RFID coupler.

6. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 5, wherein the at least two paths of the radio frequency signal correspond to a first path and a second path.

7. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one resistor coupled to the second terminal of the at least one radio frequency identification coupler.

8. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 7, wherein the at least one resistor corresponds to a resistor of at least 50 ohms.

9. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 1, wherein the at least one medium corresponds to at least one radio frequency identification medium tag.

10. The apparatus for a radio frequency identification coupler according to claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency identification coupler is manufactured to have a length defined by the operating frequency.

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