The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 11, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2010
Ming Chen, Bellevue, WA (US);
Fong Shi, Clyde Hill, WA (US);
Kenneth G. Voyce, Bellevue, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A particular portable radio frequency identification (RFID) reader includes an active antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements to receive RFID signals from RFID devices. The antenna elements include control circuitry to control a beam pattern generated by the active antenna array. The portable RFID reader further includes sum circuitry and difference circuitry. The sum circuitry is operable to determine a sum signal by summing the RFID signals received by at least two of the plurality of antenna elements. The difference circuitry is operable to determine a difference signal between the RFID signals received by at least two of the plurality of antenna elements. The portable RFID reader also includes a controller to electronically steer the beam pattern and to determine a direction from the RFID reader to a particular RFID device.