Handheld combination bar code and RFID reader with integrated electronics and antenna
View Patent ↗A handheld barcode/RFID reader includes a printed circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side includes at least a portion of barcode/RFID electronic circuitry affixed thereto. The second side contains a ground plane for the electronic circuitry. The handheld barcode/RFID reader further includes a patch antenna, electrically coupled to the circuitry, and mounted on the second side of the printed circuit board such that the ground plane of the printed circuit board also provides a ground for the patch antenna.
1. A handheld barcode/RFID (“radio frequency identification”) reader, comprising:
a printed circuit board, including:
a first side having at least a portion of barcode/RFID electronic circuitry affixed thereto; and
a second side opposite the first side, the second side having a ground plane electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry; and
a patch antenna affixed to the second side of the printed circuit board, the patch antenna being electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry and the ground plane.
2. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 1 , wherein the patch antenna includes:
a dielectric material; and
a square shaped metal patch etched on one side of the dielectric material.
3. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 2 , wherein an area of the ground plane is at least four times greater than an area of the metal patch.
4. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 2 , further comprising an RFID antenna module, the RFID module having:
a first housing cover; and
a second housing cover opposite the first housing cover, the second housing cover affixable to the first housing cover to define an internal cavity,
wherein the printed circuit board and the patch antenna are encapsulated within the internal cavity.
5. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 4 , further comprising a housing base, the housing base defining at least one aperture, wherein the RFID antenna module is mounted to the housing base within the aperture.
6. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 2 , wherein the patch antenna further includes a single feedpoint located approximately halfway between a geometric center of the patch and an edge of the patch antenna.
7. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 2 , wherein the metal patch includes a pair of truncated corners, the truncated corners being aligned along a diagonal of either corner of the metal patch.
8. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 2 , wherein the dielectric material is at least one of ceramic, and a combination of ceramic and Teflon, the dielectric material having a relative dielectric constant of 10 or higher and a dielectric loss factor of 0.01 or less.
9. The handheld barcode/RFID reader of claim 1 , wherein the second side of the printed circuit board further has at least some electronic circuitry affixed thereto.
10. An RFID (“radio frequency identification”) antenna module, comprising:
a printed circuit board, including:
a first side having at least a portion of electronic RFID circuitry affixed thereto; and
a second side opposite the first side, the second side having a ground plane electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry; and
a patch antenna affixed to the second side of the printed circuit board, the patch antenna being electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry and the ground plane.
11. The RFID antenna module of claim 10 , wherein the patch antenna includes:
a dielectric material; and
a square shaped metal patch etched on one side of the dielectric material.
12. The RFID antenna module of claim 11 , wherein an area of the ground plane is at least four times greater than an area of the metal patch.
13. The RFID antenna module of claim 11 , wherein the metal patch includes a pair of truncated corners, the truncated corners being aligned along a diagonal of either corner of the metal patch.
14. The RFID antenna module of claim 11 , wherein the patch antenna further includes a single feedpoint located approximately halfway between a geometric center of the patch and an edge of the patch antenna.
15. The RFID antenna module of claim 11 , wherein the metal patch includes notches on all four corners of the square shaped metal patch.
16. The RFID antenna module of claim 11 , wherein the dielectric material is at least one of ceramic, and a combination of ceramic and Teflon, the dielectric material having a relative dielectric constant of 10 or higher and a dielectric loss factor of 0.01 or less.
17. The RFID antenna module of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first housing cover; and
a second housing cover opposite the first housing cover, the second housing cover being affixable to the first housing cover to define an internal cavity,
wherein the printed circuit board and the patch antenna are encapsulated within the internal cavity.
18. A method for manufacturing an RFID(“radio frequency identification”) antenna module having a printed circuit board with a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the second side having a ground plane for electronic RFID circuitry, the method comprising:
affixing at least a portion of the electronic RFID circuitry to the first side;
electrically connecting the electronic RFID circuit to the ground plane;
mounting a patch antenna to the second side of the printed circuit board, the patch antenna being in electrical communication with the RFID circuitry on the first side and the ground plane on the second side.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the patch antenna includes:
a dielectric material; and
a square shaped metal patch etched on one side of the dielectric material.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein an area of the ground plane is at least four times greater than an area of the metal patch.