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Patent Overview
• Patented RFID Components • Numerical Analysis of RFID Patents
• Trends• Geographical Distribution
• Qualitative Analysis of RFID Patents• Databases• Classification• Quality• Assignment
• Summary & Future Options
Commonly PatentedRFID System Components
• RFID Tags• Power transfer & regulation• Clock synchronization• Memory• Backscatter Modulation• Protocols• Antennas
• RFID Readers• Forward Link RF Transmission• Backscatter Link Receiver
Tag Antenna
Basic Tag Components
PowerRectifier /Regulator
ClockExtractor
Memory
Modulator
Logi
c
Silicon chip
Tag Antenna
Tag Power
PowerRectifier /Regulator
ClockExtractor
Memory
Modulator
Logi
c
Silicon chip
Power Transfer
AC Power Source
DC Power
AC PowerAC DC
Power Converter
WIRED
AC Power
TagWIRELESS
Reader
Tag Antenna
PowerRectifier /Regulator
ClockExtractor
Memory
Modulator
Logi
c
Tag Clock
Silicon chip
Clock Extraction
Reader Clock
Tag
Clo
ck 1
Clo
ck 2
Clo
ck 3
Clo
ck 4
Clo
ck 5
Clo
ck 6
Clo
ck 7
Clo
ck 8
Clo
ck 9
Clo
ck 1
0 Clo
ck 1
0
Reader
Tag Antenna
PowerRectifier /Regulator
ClockExtractor
Memory
Modulator
Logi
c
Tag Logic
Silicon chip
Anti-Collision
Reader
Tags
Tag Antenna
PowerRectifier /Regulator
ClockExtractor
Memory
Modulator
Logi
c
Tag Memory
Silicon chip
PowerRectifier /Regulator
ClockExtractor
Memory
Modulator
Logi
c
Tag Communication & Modulation
Silicon chip
Tag Antenna
Transport Modulation
• Forward link communication• Output RF power is modulated between
full and fractional power (AM modulation)• Modulation depth 30% to 95%• Amplitude Shift Keying and PR-ASK• PIE encoding
• Backscatter link communication• FMO or Miller encoded in C1G2• FSK used in C0G1 and others• FM1 used in C1G1
Host Interface
Transmitter
Receiver
Logi
cReader Antenna
AC DC Power Converter
Basic Reader Components
Power
Reader
Host Computer
Interrogator
Multiple RFID tags
Central data base
Communications Network
Workstation
Workstation
Workstation
Workstation
Attenuator or Amplifier
Attenuator or Amplifier
Demodulator Modulator
Processor
Power supply
Receiver Transmitter
Antenna
Receive / transmit switch
13
71
PackagingData Handling
3
111
Interrogator
Multiple RFID tags
Central data base
Communications Network
Workstation
Workstation
Workstation
Workstation
Attenuator or Amplifier
Attenuator or Amplifier
Demodulator Modulator
Processor
Power supply
Receiver Transmitter
Antenna
Receive / transmit switch
1313
711
PackagingData Handling
33
111111
2003 RFID Patent Map
Readers
Attenuator or Amplifier
Attenuator or Amplifier
Demodulator Modulator
Processor
Power supply
Receiver Transmitter
Antenna
Receive / transmit switch
174
1
116
1
Packaging 14Data Handling2
Tags
Numerical Patent Overview
• 4,279 RFID patents listed in High Impact Patent Database• Intermec patent portfolio
• 140 patents -- one of the largest RFID portfolios• Intermec not obligated to provide any limited "free" licenses • Patent infringement lawsuit already underway against Matrics/Symbol• Widespread concern about licensing terms
• Only one of 20 RFID patent portfolios with key blocking patents• Checkpoint• Motorola • Micron • Alien • Lucent • Sarnoff • BTG
• Others likely to watch and copy what Intermec does
RFID Patent Activitytrends in yearly USA RFID patents filings
Number of Patents per year
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
11 Micron Technology, Inc. (Boise, ID)10 Intermec IP Corp. (Woodland Hills, CA, Beverly Hills, CA)8 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Akron, OH) 7 International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)7 NCR Corporation (Dayton, OH) 6 Moore North America, Inc. (Grand Island, NY, Stamford, CT) 5 Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Holtsville, NY)5 X-Cyte, Inc. (San Jose, CA) 5 Xerox Corporation (Stamford, CT) 4 Gilbarco Inc. (Greensboro, NC) 4 Hewlett-Packard (Houston, TX, CO, CA)4 Marconi Communications Inc. (Warrendale, PA)4 Metrologic Instruments Inc. (Blackwood, NJ) 4 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd (Balmain, AU)3 3M Innovative Properties Company (St. Paul, MN)3 BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation (Wilmington, DE) 3 Brady Worldwide, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI)3 Harris Corporation (Melbourne, FL)3 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Eindhoven, NL) 3 Lincoln Global, Inc. (Monterey Park, CA) 3 Micro Beef Technologies, Ltd. (Amarillo, TX) 3 PSC Scanning, Inc. (Eugene, OR) 2 Access Business Group International LLC (Ada, MI) 2 Amerasia International Technology, Inc. (Princeton Junction, NJ)2 Automotive Technologies International Inc. (Denville, NJ) 2 Creative Kingdoms, LLC (Germany, Rhode Island)2 HID Corporation (Irvine, CA)2 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. (Wilmington, DE) 2 Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)2 Lucatron AG (Baar, CH)2 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Osaka, JP) 2 Microchip Technology Incorporated (Chandler, AZ) 2 New Flyer Industries (Manitoba, CA) 2 RF Code, Inc. (Mesa, AZ) 2 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (Munich, DE)2 Sierra Design Group (Reno, NV)2 Thermal Solutions, Inc. (Grand Forks, ND, Wichita, KS)2 TRW Inc. (Lyndhurst, OH)
• Companies not yet heard from in 2003• Impinj• Checkpoint• Motorola• TI• Philips
2003 RFID Patent Assignments
2003 Patent Assignments
4
2
CT-2
DE-3
3
3
1
3 1
1 1
MA-2
MD-1
4
22
1NH-1
NJ-6
1
6
4
1
RI-2
1
7
2
VT-13
3
24
5 5
5
4
2
CT-2
DE-3
3
3
1
3 1
1 1
MA-2
MD-1
4
22
1NH-1
NJ-6
1
6
4
1
RI-2
1
7
2
VT-13
3
24
5 5
5
Country # Patents Country # Patents
U.S. 108 Bermuda 1
Germany 11 Denmark 1
Japan 7 Israel 1
U.K. 5 Italy 1
France 4 Korea 1
Canada 3 Netherlands 1
Switzerland 3 New Zealand 1
Australia 2 South Africa 1
Singapore 2 Sweden 1
Taiwan 1
Qualitative Analysis RFID Patent Databases
• "High Impact RFID" Patent Database• 1st level USPTO database word searches (4,279 patents)
between 1974 and 2003 derived from word searches• 2nd level review of only some 2003 patents • Excellent summaries of 80 2003 issued patents• No quality ratings or legal review • Summary info & analysis presented in WORD format
• Sourland Mountain RFID Patent Database• 1st level USPTO database word searches (4,000 patents)• 2nd level sort based on abstract & figure review (300 patents)• 3rd level review by multiple technical & legal experts (top 30)• Benefits from the technical & legal review & comment:
• 20 technical experts• 10 patent lawyers at 7 different companies & organizations
• Summary info in EXCEL database format
RFID Patent Classifications
• Tag Chip• memory• frequency synchronization• power extraction, regulation &
management• Tag Structure
• chip packaging• batteries & energy storage• manufacturing
• Antennas• readers & tags• impedance transformation & resonance
• Protocols• anti- collision protocols• wireless data transport• security
• Reader• low- noise transmitters & receivers
• Systems• exotic reader/tag combinations• range & location sensing• testing
• Applications• libraries• retail• security
Data
Technical Quality Ratings
A The most significant blocking RFID patents. They usually include a breakthrough technical specification and will be extremely difficult or impossible to work around.
B Important patents with key technical innovation that appear to be difficult to work around when designing certain RFID products.
C Useful patents with significant technical innovation but narrower scope. While they have technical merit, there are alternative solutions that could be implemented if necessary.
D Secondary patents that -- while perhaps useful for some special products -- appear only marginally useful in mainstream RFID applications.
All quality ratings assume that the patents will be proven valid.
Patent Assignments
• Primarily based on the patent itself.
• Updated to reflect the sale or exclusive licensing of the patent to another party based on the claims of the other party.
• The details of such assignments are of course unknown to anyone except the direct parties to the assumed Agreement.
Patent Numbering
• Why are most of the patents organized under USA patent numbers?• Although many of the key RFID patents originated in
non-USA countries, virtually all worldwide RFID patents are issued USA patent numbers at some point.
• Faster and easier to use a single reference number for each patent.
Patent Ownership Summary
Company A-Patents B-Patents C-Patents TotalIntermec 7 13 9 23%Checkpoint 1 8 10 10%Motorola 3 5 6 10%Micron 1 5 7 7%Avid 2 2 -- 5%Lucent 1 3 2 5%BTG -- 3 2 3%TI 1 -- 2 2%Sarnoff 1 1 -- 2%3M 1 -- -- 2%Alien 1 -- -- 2%Marconi -- 2 1 2%Northrup -- 2 1 2%Tadiran 1 -- -- 2%Tek 1 -- -- 2%U of Pittsburgh 1 -- -- 2%Others -- 20 25 19%
Summary & Future Options• The Current Situation
• Key patent holders are offered nothing and are demanding high licensing fees• Widespread RFID litigation almost certain • If patent holders win, licensing fees could approach 50%• Even if patent holders ultimately lose, litigation will take years
• 270 different vendors, 20 major patent owners, over 4,000 patents • Testing even a few of these patents in court will cost millions of dollars• Uncertainty will delay both RFID manufacturing & adoption by users
• All RFID manufactures equally exposed • Both litigation and licensing costs are passed on to users
• Change the product and interface specifications• Patent problems mostly unrelated to any particular specification• Performance degradation• Increased costs of non-optimal design• Specification changes are unlikely to alter the legal outcome significantly
• Enlist Government or Consortium Help• Can anyone force companies to surrender it's patents without compensation?
• Settle matter out-of-court via a patent pool or similar remedy
