The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) Awards Patent To India- Based RFID Technology Co Essen RFID For XtennaTM (Integrated UHF Reader/Antenna)

The present invention discloses an integrated reader with Dual Circular Bi-Static Antenna technology termed here in below as `XtennaTM` & has been developed in India. The integrated device can be driven to 330 ft without any RF deterioration

Mumbai (I-Newswire) February 4, 2013 - Essen RFID, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) based out of Mumbai, India has managed to successfully get a Patent from the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) for its invention namely the Integrated UHF Reader/Antenna device namely the XtennaTM

The patent was filed on May 15 2008 & was accepted on August 7, 2012. The Patent Number is US 8,237,570 B1 & can be accessed online as well through the website of the USPTO (www.uspto.gov)

Commenting on the development, Essen RFID’s Managing Director & Chief Inventor, Mr.Apurva Parekh commented “This is a breakthrough invention as our device XtennaTM has overcome all the shortcomings that a traditional RFID device has had besides delivering a higher read range to our customers who will stand to gain the most, all of which results in greater convenience and cost savings during installation as well as operation, at all levels-device integration, data transmission and power supply.”

Essen RFID’s inventive device XtennaTM has resulted in multiple RFID applications being implemented across the country. Some of these applications include Vehicle Tracking, Asset Tracking, Animal Tracking, Warehouse Management, etc which have been deployed at various locations of the country. Several leading Fortune 500 companies & some of India’s largest corporations as well as Small & Medium Enterprises (SME) are Essen’s clients.

Traditionally a RFID hardware device comprises of 2 independent hardware components namely the Reader & the Antenna. Due to this factor, these devices have drawbacks such as limited RF cable length, deterioration of signal strength, due to short cable length and separate mounting of antenna and reader.

Hence there was a need in the art to develop a highly efficient radio frequency identifier which ameliorated the above stated problems & was convenient, user friendly as well as more efficient.
Therefore the current invention aims to provide a potential successor in the field of radio frequency, which comprises the reader electronics, integrated with dual circular bi-static antenna and further an integral DC to DC converter. Thus, was born XtennaTM, an Integrated Reader cum Antenna device under which both the Reader as well as the Dual circular Antenna reside within the same device.

This power-extended RF technology eliminates existing limitations by converting analog RF signals to digital at source, using Power-on-Ethernet (PoE) for transmission. It is easy to mount, sturdy yet light-weight, and can be put to versatile use.

XtennaTM 's unique advantage is its ability to be also used in remote locations and over long distances without signal breakdowns, due to its use of Power-on-Ethernet to transmit both data and 48V DC power over a normal CAT-6 cable. It further eliminates the need for a regular 115/230V power source near the reader or constant battery recharging, as well as overcomes the severe distance limitation imposed by expensive RF cables.

Another key advantage of the device describes an integral DC to DC converter built to supply the required power to the reader offers a method of generating multiple controlled voltages from a single 48V voltage generated through a Network Switch, which functions as a Power source as well as connecting TCP/IP signals to the Edge/Main server collating data, thereby saving space, instead of using multiple wall outlets, which again may not be available in remote locations.

A summary of the advantages of the Present Invention are listed below again:-

• This alleviates the problem of having a separate wall power source.
• There is no deterioration of signal strength, unlike the RF signal.
• The integrated device can be driven to 330 ft without any perceptible deterioration.
• Use of CAT 6 cable in place of RF cable, which is cheaper and capable of carrying highly reliable digital signal.
• No loss of signal, unlike RF cable.
• Alleviate separate mounting of Antenna and Reader.
• Highly maintenance free due to Antenna and Reader electronics being integrated