Drawer Bottom RFID Reader Placement for Reliable Tag Reading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage devices for biological products and drugs face challenges in reliably reading RFID tags when the tags are not positioned directly opposite the reader, leading to incomplete information retrieval and inefficient storage management.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a drawer assembly system where each drawer has a bottom that allows radio frequency waves to pass through, equipped with a second wireless communication unit positioned below the slots to communicate with RFID tags, and a processing unit to determine slot occupancy and element state, triggering alarms if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the reader is positioned above the drawer to read RFID tags, then the reading process is simplified, but the tags must be positioned directly opposite the reader which reduces storage space flexibility and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional reader placement from above the drawer to below the drawer bottom. This inversion allows the reader to communicate with RFID tags on elements regardless of their horizontal position in the drawer, eliminating the need for precise tag positioning and improving reading reliability without compromising storage space flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the reader from a two-dimensional horizontal reading plane (above the drawer) to a three-dimensional configuration (below the drawer bottom), allowing radio frequency waves to penetrate through the drawer bottom and reach tags at any horizontal position, thus resolving the contradiction between reading reliability and storage space utilization.
2Strength
If the drawer bottom is made of metal for strength, then the structural integrity is improved, but radio frequency waves cannot pass through to communicate with RFID tags
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite drawer bottom structure combining metal reinforcement for strength with radio frequency permeable materials (such as plastic or mesh) that allow communication. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating both structural integrity and wireless communication capabilities in a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer bottom acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the structural requirements (strength) and communication requirements (RF wave transmission). By using materials or structures that provide both properties, the drawer bottom simultaneously satisfies both contradictory demands.
3Reliability
If additional readers are installed above each drawer to ensure complete tag reading, then the reading coverage is improved, but the device complexity and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single reader below the drawer universal by positioning it to serve multiple drawers simultaneously. The reader's strategic placement allows it to communicate with tags across several drawer levels, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated readers and reducing system complexity while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the function of multiple potential readers into a single reader unit positioned below the drawer assembly. This consolidation achieves complete tag reading coverage across multiple drawers without requiring proportional increases in the number of readers, thereby reducing device complexity and footprint.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the drawer is made thicker for structural stability, then the stability is improved, but the distance for radio frequency communication increases reducing signal strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the thickness-signal strength contradiction by adjusting communication parameters such as increasing transmission power or using higher sensitivity reception settings. This allows the system to maintain reliable communication despite the increased distance through the thicker drawer bottom, preserving both structural stability and communication reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures reliable checking of element states and occupancy without occupying additional storage space, allowing for efficient management and easy assembly, while reducing the device's footprint and weight, making it easier to handle and install.
Implementation Method 1
at least one second wireless communication unit capable of transmitting radio frequency waves, wherein the bottom of the drawer is made of a material that may be traversed by radio frequency waves transmitted by the, or each, second communication unit
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided for storing elements, each element including a first wireless communication unit. The device includes at least two drawer units each including: a drawer including a bottom defining at least one location for receiving an element; for each location, at least one second wireless communication unit including an antenna having a radiation-zone field, each antenna having a first state in which the antenna is activated and a second state in which the antenna is deactivated; and a data-processing unit able to control the activation and deactivation of the antenna of each second communication unit according to a control law.