Reader system for waste bin pickup vehicles

摘要

A reader for radio frequency identification tags having at least one magnetic field transmitting and receiving coil which is oriented in a given plane and which is responsive to a received magnetic exciter field of a first frequency to produce and radiate an identifying magnetic field comprised of a carrier at a second different frequency modulated by an identifying code. The reader comprises a first circuit for producing a radio frequency signal of the first frequency; a first magnetic field coupling arrangement connected to the output of said first circuit for producing a corresponding exciter field at the first frequency to be magnetically coupled to the receiving coil of the tag, with the first magnetic field coupling arrangement including a solenoidal exciter coil having at least one wound exciter winding and a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tag coil; a second magnetic field coupling arrangement for receiving a magnetic field of the second frequency produced by the tag and providing a corresponding electrical signal, with the second magnetic field coupling arrangement including at least one receiver coil disposed adjacent one end of the solenoidal coil; and circuitry connected to the receiver coil for decoding the received electrical signal. Preferably the tag is disposed on the lid of a trash or waste bin with the tag coil being substantially horizontal and the axis of the exciter coil is disposed substantially vertically.