1. A method of signaling when an object is about to be unloaded from a vehicle at a destination different from the object’s intended destination, comprising the steps of:
storing data representing the object’s intended destination in a memory device within an RFID transceiver tag;
mounting the tag on the object;
transporting the object in a vehicle to a first destination;
mounting an RFID interrogator transceiver adjacent an unloading aperture of the vehicle;
transmitting an RF interrogation signal from the interrogator transceiver so as to prompt the tag to respond by transmitting an RF signal containing its intended destination if said object is unloaded from the vehicle through said aperture;
the interrogator receiving the response RF signal from the tag; and
the interrogator comparing whether the intended destination contained in the response RF signal received from the tag is the same as the first destination and, if not, the interrogator signaling that the object should not be delivered to the first destination.
2. A method of signaling when an object is about to be loaded into a vehicle having a destination other than the object’s intended destination, comprising the steps of:
storing data representing the object’s intended destination in a memory device within an RFID transceiver tag;
mounting the tag on the object;
mounting an RFID interrogator transceiver adjacent a loading aperture of the vehicle;
transmitting an RF interrogation signal from the interrogator transceiver so as to prompt the tag to respond by transmitting an RF signal containing its intended destination if said object is loaded into the vehicle through said aperture;
the interrogator receiving the response RF signal from the tag; and
the interrogator comparing whether the intended destination contained in the response RF signal received from the tag is the same as the actual destination of the vehicle and, if not, the interrogator signaling that the object should not be loaded into the vehicle.
3. Apparatus for signaling when an object is about to be unloaded from a vehicle at a first destination different from the object’s intended destination, comprising:
(a) an RFID tag attached to an object transported by a vehicle, wherein said tag includes
(i) a first memory device in which data is stored that represents the intended destination of the object, and
(ii) an RFID transceiver, connected to the memory device, which transmits a response RF signal conveying said intended destination in response to receiving an interrogation RF signal;
(b) an RFID interrogator, mounted adjacent an unloading aperture of the vehicle, including
(i) an RFID interrogator transmitter which transmits said interrogation RF signal, and
(ii) an RFID interrogator receiver which which receives said response RF signal;
(c) a second memory device in which data is stored that represents the first destination; and
(d) a control logic circuit, connected to the RFID interrogator transceiver and the second memory device, wherein
(i) the control logic circuit compares whether the destination conveyed in a response RF signal received by the interrogator receiver is the same as the first destination stored in the second memory device, and
(ii) if the two destinations compared by the control logic circuit are different, the control logic circuit signals that the object which transmitted said response RF signal received by the interrogator should not be delivered to the first destination.
4. Apparatus for signaling when an object is about to be loaded into a vehicle having an intended destination different from the object’s intended destination, comprising:
(a) an RFID tag attached to an object, wherein said tag includes
(i) a first memory device in which data is stored that represents the intended destination of the object, and
(ii) an RFID transceiver, connected to the memory device, which transmits a response RF signal conveying said intended destination in response to receiving an interrogation RF signal;
(b) an RFID interrogator, mounted adjacent a loading aperture of the vehicle, including
(i) an RFID interrogator transmitter which transmits said interrogation RF signal, and
(ii) an RFID interrogator receiver which which receives said response RF signal;
(c) a second memory device in which data is stored that represents the intended destination of the vehicle; and
(d) a control logic circuit, connected to the RFID interrogator transceiver and the second memory device, wherein
(i) the control logic circuit compares whether the object’s intended destination conveyed in a response RF signal received by the interrogator receiver is the same as the vehicle’s intended destination stored in the second memory device, and
(ii) if the two destinations compared by the control logic circuit are different, the control logic circuit signals that the object which transmitted said response RF signal received by the interrogator should not be loaded into the vehicle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A passive RFID transponder sensor system providing a transponder antenna serving a dual function of housing, a transponder sensor and increasing magnetic flux collecting area of the RFID transponder sensor system, comprising:
an electronic sensor device; and
a transponder antenna, including an electrical transponder coil electrically connected to said electronic sensor device, said transponder antenna including an enclosure formed of a magnetically permeable metal within which said electrical transponder coil is disposed, said enclosure including a transponder antenna stem having a top portion with an exterior side configured to receive a magnetic flux entering said transponder antenna stem, and said enclosure including a portion configured to concentrate and direct said magnetic flux through said electrical transponder coil, whereby said enclosure of said transponder antenna houses said electronic sensor device and increases magnetic flux collecting area of the RFID transponder sensor system.
2. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, wherein said electronic sensor device is disposed in said enclosure.
3. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, wherein said enclosure comprises a flux return surface.
4. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, wherein said flux return surface is spaced apart from said top portion of said transponder antenna stem.
5. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, wherein said transponder antenna stem comprises an exterior stacking shelf.
6. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 5, wherein said transponder antenna comprises a low loss, non-permeable coil bobbin retainer disposed within said enclosure, and said transponder antenna stem includes a flux return surface spaced apart from said exterior stacking shelf by said low loss, non-permeable coil bobbin retainer.
7. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, wherein said electronic sensor device comprises an electronic pressure sensor device, said sensor assembly includes an interior air pressure sensor passage, and said electronic pressure sensor device is connected through said interior air pressure sensor passage for sensing air pressure.
8. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, further comprising a reader antenna having an exterior edge, said reader antenna including an electrical reader coil for generating a magnetic field including said magnetic flux, said magnetic flux extending from the exterior edge of the reader antenna to the transponder antenna, said electrical transponder coil and said electrical reader coil being coupled by said magnetic field, whereby information can be transferred to and from the sensor assembly through said magnetic field by which said electrical transponder coil and said electrical reader coil are coupled.
9. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 8, wherein said reader antenna comprises a reader extension arm.
10. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 9, wherein said reader extension arm is formed of magnetically permeable metal structure.
11. The passive RFID transponder sensor system of claim 1, wherein said transponder antenna comprises a low frequency RFID transponder system.
12. A passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system providing a transponder antenna serving a dual function of housing, a transponder sensor and increasing magnetic flux collecting area of the RFID transponder sensor system, comprising:
a sensor assembly, including an electronic sensor device and a sensor transponder antenna, said sensor transponder antenna transponder antenna including an electrical transponder coil electrically connected to said electronic sensor device, said transponder antenna including an enclosure formed of a magnetically permeable metal within which said electrical transponder coil is disposed, said enclosure including a transponder antenna stem having a top portion with an exterior side configured to receive a magnetic flux entering said transponder antenna stem, and said enclosure including a portion configured to concentrate and direct said magnetic flux through said electrical transponder coil; and
a reader antenna having an exterior edge, said reader antenna including an electrical reader coil for generating a magnetic field providing said magnetic flux, said magnetic flux extending from the exterior edge of the reader antenna to the sensor assembly, said electrical transponder coil and said electrical reader coil being coupled by said magnetic field, whereby information can be transferred to and from the sensor assembly through said magnetic field by which said electrical transponder coil and said electrical reader coil are coupled, whereby said enclosure of said transponder antenna houses said electronic sensor device and increases magnetic flux collecting area of the RFID transponder sensor system.
13. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 12, wherein said enclosure comprises a flux return surface.
14. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 12, wherein said transponder antenna stem comprises an exterior stacking shelf.
15. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 14, wherein said transponder antenna comprises a low loss, non-permeable coil bobbin retainer disposed within said enclosure, and said transponder antenna stem includes a flux return surface spaced apart from said exterior stacking shelf by said low loss, non-permeable coil bobbin retainer.
16. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 15, wherein said electrical transponder coil is disposed within an interior space in said coil bobbin retainer.
17. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 12, wherein said electronic sensor device comprises an electronic tire air pressure sensor device, said sensor assembly includes an interior air pressure sensor passage, and said electronic tire air pressure sensor device is connected through said interior air pressure sensor passage for sensing tire air pressure.
18. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 12, wherein said reader antenna comprises a reader extension arm.
19. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 18, wherein said reader extension arm is formed of a magnetically permeable metal structure.
20. The passive RFID transponder tire monitoring system of claim 12, wherein said transponder antenna comprises a low frequency RFID transponder system.