Planar Coil RFID Tag for Component Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RFID solutions are limited in size and configuration, making them unsuitable for tracking and identifying small, intricately positioned components in products like surgical tools and consumer electronics, and they require line-of-sight scanning, which is inefficient and poses safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A compact identification device with a first metal layer forming a planar coil winding and a second metal layer providing capacitance, separated by a dielectric layer, which can be adjusted for resonance frequency and capacitance to enable efficient inductive coupling and power absorption, allowing for precise verification of component design and position without the need for line-of-sight scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If RFID tags are made larger to maximize working distance, then the working distance is improved, but the tag size increases making it unsuitable for small components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating frequency parameter from conventional lower frequencies to higher frequencies (e.g., 6.78 MHz, 13.56 MHz, or higher). This frequency change allows the use of smaller coil diameters while maintaining adequate working distance, as the resonant frequency relationship between coil size and operating distance is inverted at higher frequencies. The identification device achieves this by configuring the coil to resonate at a target frequency that enables detection at the required working distance without requiring a large coil area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional planar RFID tag designs to a three-dimensional resonant structure with optimized coil geometry. By carefully designing the coil's spatial configuration and resonant characteristics, the system achieves effective coupling at higher frequencies with reduced physical footprint, allowing small components to be identified without requiring large tag surfaces.
2Measurement precision
If bar code scanning is used for tracking, then machine-readable information is provided, but line-of-sight requirement and manual handling create safety risks and prolonged scan time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical bar code scanning system with a wireless electromagnetic field-based RFID identification system. Instead of requiring physical contact or line-of-sight access for optical scanning, the system uses electromagnetic waves to non-contactly couple with the RFID tag, eliminating the need for manual handling and removing safety risks associated with operator exposure to hazardous environments. The identification device detects the resonant response of the RFID tag through electromagnetic coupling without requiring direct line-of-sight access.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID tag passively responds to electromagnetic fields by resonating at its target frequency, automatically providing identification information without requiring active scanning or manual intervention. The system leverages the tag's inherent resonant properties to enable automatic detection and identification, eliminating the need for operator involvement in the scanning process and thereby removing safety risks associated with manual handling.
3Measurement precision
If bar code labels are used for tracking, then machine-readable data is provided, but label size and physical space constraints limit information capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical bar code reading with electromagnetic field-based RFID detection. This substitution eliminates the physical space constraints that limit bar code label size, as the electromagnetic coupling mechanism can detect tags regardless of their physical dimensions. The identification device can read RFID tags with minimal surface area by detecting their resonant response to electromagnetic fields, thereby overcoming the label size limitations inherent in optical scanning systems.
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
Enables foolproof verification of component design and position, even in confined spaces, with reduced size and increased efficiency, minimizing safety risks and scan time, while maintaining the ability to uniquely identify components through adjustable resonance frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
the identification device is a laminate structure operable to absorb power that is maximized at the laminate structure's natural resonance frequency when inductively coupled to an AC magnetic field
Implementation Method 2
absorb power that is maximized at the laminate structure's natural resonance frequency
Data Source
AI summary
An identification device includes a first metal layer patterned into a planar coil winding and a second metal layer electrically connected to the first metal layer. The first metal layer is operable to provide a circuit inductance. The second metal layer is patterned to provide one or more overlapping areas with the first metal layer. The second metal layer is operable to provide a circuit capacitance. The identification device includes a dielectric layer separating the first metal layer and the second metal layer.