HK1147358A - Combination security tag using a perimeter rfid antenna surrounding an eas element and method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Combination security tag using a peripheral RFID antenna surrounding an EAS element and method thereof

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags or labels for preventing or deterring unauthorized removal of articles from a controlled area. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to security tags that use different combinations of EAS elements and radio frequency identification ("RFID") elements for tag detection.

Background

Electronic article surveillance ("EAS") systems are generally known in the art for preventing or deterring unauthorized removal of articles from a controlled area. In a typical EAS system, EAS tags, markers and markers (collectively "tags") are designed to interact with an electromagnetic field located in a controlled area, such as the exits of a retail store. These EAS tags are secured to the article to be protected. If an EAS tag is brought into an electromagnetic field or "detection zone," the presence of the tag may be detected and appropriate action may be taken, such as generating an alarm. For items authorized for removal, the EAS tag may be deactivated, removed, or bypassed around the electromagnetic field to prevent detection by the EAS system.

EAS systems typically employ either reusable EAS tags or disposable EAS tags or markers to monitor items to prevent theft or unauthorized removal of the item from a store. Reusable EAS tags are typically removed from the article before the customer leaves the store. Disposable labels or tags are typically affixed to the package or located inside the package with an adhesive. These tags typically remain within the item and must be deactivated before they can be removed from the store by the customer. The deactivator device may use a coil that is energized to generate a magnetic field of sufficient magnitude to deactivate the EAS tag. The deactivated tags are no longer responsive to incident energy of the EAS system so that an alarm is not triggered.

For the case where an item having an EAS tag is to be checked in or returned to a controlled area, the EAS tag must be reactivated or refastened to provide theft protection. Due to the desirability of source tagging, where EAS tags are applied to items being manufactured or dispensed, it is generally desirable that EAS tags be deactivatable and activatable rather than being removed from the items. In addition, passing items around the interrogation zone presents other problems because the EAS tags are still active and can interact with EAS systems in other controlled areas, inadvertently activating these systems.

Radio frequency identification ("RFID") systems are also generally known in the art and may be used in many applications, such as managing inventory, electronic access control, security systems, and automatically identifying cars on toll roads. An RFID system typically includes an RFID reader and an RFID device. The RFID reader may transmit a radio frequency ("RF") carrier signal to the RFID device. The RFID device may respond to the carrier signal with a data signal encoded with information stored in the RFID device.

The market need to combine EAS and RFID functionality in a retail environment is rapidly emerging. Many retail stores that are now being protected from theft with EAS rely on barcode information for inventory control. RFID provides faster and more detailed inventory control than barcodes. Retail stores have paid substantial amounts for reusable hard tags. The addition of RFID technology to EAS hard tags can easily provide benefits for additional costs due to inventory control and loss prevention.

Additionally, to minimize the interaction between the EAS and RFID elements, prior art combinations have placed two different elements, namely the EAS element and the RFID element, in an end-to-end, side-by-side, or stacked manner, far enough apart to minimize the interaction of each element. However, both of these approaches result in a certain level of increase in the overall size and/or packaging of the combination label or tag.

What is needed is a combination EAS and RFID tag in which the layout of the EAS element and the RFID element minimizes the coupling effect of the EAS element to the RFID element, thereby improving the overall read range of the RFID element while minimizing any increase in overall size and/or packaging.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention advantageously provides a security tag and system for protecting an object. In one embodiment, a security tag includes an acousto-magnetic ("AM") electronic article surveillance ("EAS") assembly having a housing with a defined surface area. The housing of the AM EAS component may include a peripheral boundary defining an EAS component plane. The security tag also includes a radio frequency identification ("RFID") component having a dipole antenna and an integrated circuit defining an RFID component plane that is substantially coplanar with the EAS component plane. The integrated circuit and dipole antenna are positioned externally along a peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

According to another aspect, a system for protecting an object is provided. The system includes a combination radio frequency identification ("RFID")/electronic article surveillance ("EAS") reader that generates RFID and EAS interrogation signals and a security tag that receives the interrogation signals and transmits response signals. The security tag includes an acousto-magnetic ("AM") electronic article surveillance ("EAS") assembly having a housing with a defined surface area. The housing of the AM EAS component may include a peripheral boundary defining an EAS component plane. The security tag also includes a radio frequency identification ("RFID") component having a dipole antenna and an integrated circuit defining an RFID component plane that is substantially coplanar with the EAS component plane. The integrated circuit and dipole antenna are positioned externally along a peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method of constructing a composite security tag. An acousto-magnetic ("AM") electronic article surveillance ("EAS") component is provided, wherein the AM EAS component includes a peripheral boundary and an EAS component plane. A radio frequency identification ("RFID") component is secured to the EAS component plane. The RFID component has an RFID dipole antenna. The dipole antenna has a first antenna portion and a separate second antenna portion, wherein the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion are disposed outside of and at least partially around a peripheral boundary of the EAS component. The method may also include connecting the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion to an RFID integrated circuit.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

Drawings

A more complete appreciation of the invention and the attendant advantages and features thereof will be readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a combination electronic article surveillance/radio frequency identification detection system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed embodiment of the combined electronic article surveillance/radio frequency identification detection system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary tag having an antenna constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of another exemplary tag having an antenna constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and is

FIG. 5 is an exemplary process for constructing a combination security tag in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a diagram of an exemplary system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as "100". The communication system 100 provides an electronic identification system in the embodiments described herein. Additionally, the described communication system 100 is configured for backscatter communications as described in detail below. It is contemplated that other communication protocols may be utilized in other embodiments.

The depicted communication system 100 includes at least one combination EAS/RFID reader 102 having at least one electronic wireless telecommunication device 106. EAS-supported low frequency ("LF") communications and RFID-supported ultra high frequency ("UHF") communications may occur between the combination reader 102 and the remote communication device 106 for use in identification systems and product monitoring systems, as exemplary applications. It is noted that although reader 102 is shown in FIG. 1 as supporting both RFID and EAS communications, it should be understood that the present invention is not so limited and that separate RFID readers and EAS interrogation devices may be used in accordance with the present invention.

As discussed in detail below, in the embodiments described herein, the remote communication device 106 includes a radio frequency identification ("RFID") component and an EAS component. A plurality of wireless telecommunication devices 106 are typically in communication with the combo reader 102, although only one such device 106 is shown in fig. 1.

Although multiple communication devices 106 may be used in the communication system 100, there is typically no communication between the multiple communication devices 106. Instead, a plurality of communication devices 106 communicate with the combo reader 102. Multiple communication devices 106 may be used in the same field of the combo reader 102, i.e., within communication range of the combo reader 102. Similarly, multiple combo readers 102 may be in proximity to one or more of the communication devices 106.

In one embodiment, the remote communication device 106 is configured to couple with the combination EAS/RFID reader 102 using a wireless medium. More specifically, in the depicted embodiment, communication between the communication device 106 and the reader 102 occurs via an electromagnetic link, such as an RF link, for example, at the microwave frequency of the RFID component and the low frequency of the EAS component. The combination reader 102 is configured to output forward link wireless RFID and EAS communication signals 108. In addition, the combination reader 102 is operable to receive return link wireless communication signals 110, such as EAS and RFID reply signals from the devices 106 in response to the forward link communication signals 108. In accordance with the above, the forward link communication signals and the return link communication signals are wireless signals, such as radio frequency signals. Other forms of communication signals are contemplated, such as infrared, acoustic, and the like.

The combination reader unit 102 includes at least one RFID antenna 112 and at least one EAS antenna 113, as well as transmit and receive circuitry that transmits and receives RFID and EAS interrogation signals. The RFID antenna 112 includes a transmit/receive RFID antenna connected to the combination reader 102. The EAS antenna includes a transmit/receive EAS antenna also connected to the combination reader 102. In alternative embodiments, the reader 102 may have separate transmit and receive antennas for the RFID and/or EAS subsystems.

In operation, the combination reader 102 transmits forward link communication EAS and/or RFID signals 108, such as interrogation and/or command signals, via antennas 112 and 113. The communication device 106 is operable to receive an incoming forward link signal 108. Upon receipt of the EAS and/or RFID signal 108, the communication device 106 responds by transmitting a responsive return link communication signal 110, such as a responsive RFID reply signal and/or a return EAS signal. Communications within system 100 are described in detail below.

In one embodiment, the responsive return link communication signal 110 (e.g., a responsive RFID reply signal) is encoded with information that uniquely identifies or tags the particular device 106 that is transmitting in order to identify any object, animal or human that is associated with the communication device 106. The communication device 106 may be a combination RFID/EAS tag that is affixed to an object or person, where the RFID portion of each tag is programmed with information about the object or person to which it is affixed. Depending on how the information is used, the information may take a wide variety of forms and may vary in the degree of detail. For example, the information may include article identification information, such as a universal product code. The RFID portion of the tag may include identification information and security check information for approved persons to whom the tag has been issued. The tag may also have a unique serial number to uniquely identify the object or person of interest. Alternatively, the RFID portion of the tag may include more detailed information about the object or person, such as a complete description of the object or person. As a further exemplary alternative, the RFID portion of the tag may store a single bit to provide theft control, or to track entry and exit merely by detecting an object or person at a particular reader, without specifically identifying the object or person.

The remote communication device 106 is configured to output an EAS and/or RFID reply signal within the reply link communication 110 in response to receiving the forward link EAS and/or RFID wireless communication signal 108. The combination reader 102 is configured to receive and recognize reply signals, such as EAS and/or RFID return signals, within the reply link communication 110. The reply signal may be used to identify a particular transmitting communication device 106 and may include various types of information corresponding to that communication device 106, including but not limited to stored data, configuration data, or other command information. The EAS component portion of the communication device may also be activated to allow detection of the device 106 in an EAS interrogation zone established by the combination reader 102. Conversely, the EAS component portion of the communication device may also be deactivated so that the EAS component is not detected in the EAS interrogation zone established by combination reader 102. Further, it is contemplated that the system 100 may be arranged to read the RFID portion of the communication device 106 when an active EAS component portion is detected in the interrogation zone.

Fig. 2 illustrates an RFID system 100 configured to operate with one or more remote communication devices 106. As shown in FIG. 2, the remote communication device 106 (e.g., security tag) is physically located a distance "D1" from the RFID reader 102. The telecommunication device 106 includes an RFID component 208 having an operating frequency in the ultra high frequency ("UHF") band, which is considered to be a frequency of 300MHz to 3 GHz. However, the RFID system 100 can also be configured to operate the RFID component 208 using other portions of the RF spectrum as desired for a given implementation. The embodiments are not limited herein. The remote communication device 106 also includes an EAS component 214, such as an EAS tag or label. According to one aspect of the invention, EAS component 214 is an acousto-magnetic (AM) tag or label. The exemplary AM EAS component 214 operates at a low frequency band of 30kHz-300kHz, specifically 58 kHz.

The EAS detection distance D1 is defined as the distance from the antenna 113 when an EAS element is detected due to the EM field from the antenna 113. The RFID reading range RR1 depends on the UHF field radiated from the antenna 112. The UHF field is used to activate the RFID component 208 and does so as long as the RFID component is within the read range RR 1. Once the RFID component 208 is activated, it can then transmit information stored in its memory register, such as ROM (or NVRAM)210, via the response signal 110.

The EAS component 214, such as a biasing element and an acousto-magnetic ("AM") resonant component for EAS detection, includes a housing (not shown) that encloses the AM resonant component and the biasing element. The housing has a defined surface area and the defined surface area has a peripheral boundary defining a plane of the EAS component. The EAS component 214 also affects the RFID reading range RR 1. For example, when the RFID component 208 and the EAS component 214 are packaged together and have some degree of overlap and some degree of separation (e.g., by spacing), the EAS component 214 may cause a significant amount of detuning and signal loss of the RFID component 208, which results in a reduction in the RFID reading range of the combination tag 106. The detection performance of the EAS element is not affected by the presence of the UHF RFID element. For example, in a combination tag 106 where the EAS element 214 and the RFID component 208 are stacked on top of one another, the spacing between these components is about 2 mm. The RFID read range is approximately 80 to 90 cm. In another embodiment of the combination tag 106, a 1mm spacer placed between the stacked EAS element 214 and the RFID component 208 yields a measured RFID read range of approximately 30 to 40 cm.

In contrast, for a combination tag 106 in which the RFID integrated circuit 306 (FIG. 3) and the RFID antenna 304 (FIG. 3) of the RFID component 208 are placed externally along the peripheral boundary of the EAS component 214, an RFID read range of greater than 100cm has been measured. Accordingly, externally placing the RFID antenna 304 (fig. 3) of the RFID component 208 along the peripheral boundary of the EAS component 214 advantageously results in significantly increased RFID read range while minimizing the overall increase in packaging of the combination tag 106.

The combination reader 102 includes a controller 202 that controls an RFID transceiver 204 and an EAS transceiver 206. The controller 202 may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, or other similar component that directs the operation of the combo reader 102. The RFID transceiver 204 may be any RFID transceiver known in the art that transmits and receives RFID interrogation signals using the antenna 112. The EAS transceiver 206 may be any EAS transceiver known in the art that transmits and receives EAS interrogation signals using the EAS antenna 113.

FIG. 3 illustrates a combination security tag 300 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, the combination security tag 300 includes an EAS component 214 that is generally rectangular, but may have various other geometries to meet packaging and performance parameters, and an RFID component 208 that includes an antenna 302 connected to an integrated circuit chip 304. It should be appreciated that the RFID component 208 and the EAS component 214 may define a longitudinal axis 306 that is substantially parallel to the proximal and distal long sides of the EAS component 214 and intersects the center point of the EAS component 214. Longitudinal axis 306 is located on the x-axis and divides EAS assembly 214 into a distal half and a proximal half. EAS component 214 also defines a transverse axis 308 that is parallel to the left and right short edges of EAS component 214, perpendicular to longitudinal axis 306, and intersects the center point of EAS component 214. Transverse axis 308 is located on the y-axis and divides EAS component 214 into a first left half and a second right half.

The antenna 302 has a plurality of antenna portions connected to both sides of the RFID integrated circuit chip 304. The first antenna part comprises segments 310a, 310b and 310 c. The first antenna portion is connected to the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 at point 312. The first antenna portion terminates at point 314. Similarly, the second antenna portion of antenna 302 includes segments 316a, 316b, and 316 c. The second antenna portion is connected to the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 at point 318. The second antenna portion terminates at point 320. It is contemplated that the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion may be symmetric about the lateral axis 308 or the longitudinal axis 306. The RFID integrated circuit chip 304 has conductive pads at points 312 and 318 that are electrically connected to both antenna portions. In this embodiment, the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 and the connected antenna portion may be placed 1 to 5mm outside the peripheral boundary along the proximal long side of the EAS component 214. In another embodiment, the connected antenna portion may be positioned up to 10mm outside of the peripheral boundary along the proximal long side of EAS component 214.

The first antenna portion, which includes linear antenna segments 310a, 310b, and 310c, is connected to one side of RFID integrated circuit chip 304. From point 312, segment 310a extends linearly along the long side of EAS component 214 in a direction that is substantially parallel to the x-axis. Segment 310b engages segment 310a and extends along a path that is substantially parallel to the y-axis and along a short side of EAS component 214. Segment 310c engages segment 310b and extends along a path substantially parallel to the x-axis and along a distal edge of EAS component 214 to a terminus 314.

The second antenna portion of the antenna 302, including the linear antenna segments 316a, 316b, and 316c, is connected to the other side of the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 at point 318. From point 318, segment 316a extends linearly along the long side of EAS component 214 in a direction that is substantially parallel to the x-axis. Segment 316b engages segment 316a and extends along a path that is substantially parallel to the y-axis and along a short side of EAS component 214. Segment 316c engages segment 316b and extends along a path substantially parallel to the x-axis and along a distal edge of EAS component 214 to a terminus 320.

Both antenna terminal segments 310c and 316c may achieve a suitable resonant frequency for wireless communication by further extension and winding or by further reduction.

The placement of the antenna 302 around the peripheral boundary or region of the EAS component 214 advantageously reduces electrical losses caused by the EAS component 214 and allows for a substantially coplanar arrangement between the components. By eliminating stacking of the RFID component 208 on the EAS component 214, a significant improvement in RFID read range may be obtained.

FIG. 4 illustrates another combination security tag 400 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, the combination security tag 400 also includes an EAS component 214 and an RFID component 208, which are generally rectangular in shape, but may have various other geometries to meet packaging and performance parameters. According to this embodiment, the RFID component 208 includes an antenna 402 coupled to the RFID integrated circuit chip 304. It should be appreciated that the RFID component 208 and the EAS component 214 may define a longitudinal axis 404 that is substantially parallel to the proximal and distal long sides of the EAS component 214 and intersects the center point of the EAS component 214. Longitudinal axis 404 is located on the x-axis and divides EAS assembly 214 into a distal half and a proximal half. EAS component 214 also defines a transverse axis 406 that is parallel to the left and right short edges of EAS component 214, perpendicular to longitudinal axis 404, and intersects the center point of EAS component 214. Horizontal axis 406 is located on the y-axis and divides EAS component 214 into a first left half and a second right half.

The antenna 402 has a plurality of antenna portions connected to both sides of the RFID integrated circuit chip 304. The first antenna portion includes meander line segments 408a, 408b, and 408 c. The first antenna portion is connected to the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 at point 410. The first antenna portion terminates at point 412. Similarly, the second antenna portion of antenna 402 includes meander line segments 414a, 414b, and 414 c. The second antenna portion is connected to the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 at point 416. The second antenna portion terminates at point 418. It is contemplated that the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion may be symmetric about the lateral axis 406 or the longitudinal axis 404. The RFID integrated circuit chip 304 has conductive pads at points 410 and 416 that are electrically connected to both antenna portions. In this embodiment, the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 and the connected antenna portion may be placed 1 to 5mm outside the peripheral boundary along the proximal long side of the EAS component 214. In another embodiment, the connected antenna portion may be positioned up to 10mm outside of the peripheral boundary along the proximal long side of EAS component 214.

A first antenna portion of antenna 402, including meander line antenna segments 408a, 408b, and 408c, is connected to one side of RFID integrated circuit chip 304. From point 410, the meander line segment 408a extends linearly along the long side of the EAS component 214 in a direction substantially parallel to the x-axis. The meander line segment 408b joins segment 408a and extends along a path that is substantially parallel to the y-axis and along a short edge of the EAS component 214. The meander line segment 408c joins segment 408b and extends along a path substantially parallel to the x-axis and along a distal edge of the EAS component 214 to a termination point 412.

The second antenna portion of the antenna 302, including the meander line antenna segments 414a, 414b, and 414c, is connected to the other side of the RFID integrated circuit chip 304 at point 416. From point 416, a meander line segment 414a extends linearly along a long side of EAS component 214 in a direction substantially parallel to the x-axis. The meander line segment 414b joins segment 414a and extends along a path that is substantially parallel to the y-axis and along a short edge of the EAS component 214. The meander line segment 414c joins segment 414b and extends along a path substantially parallel to the x-axis and along a distal edge of EAS component 214 to a termination point 418.

Both antenna terminal segments 408c and 414c may achieve a suitable resonant frequency for wireless communication by further extension and winding or by further reduction.

Although fig. 4 illustrates the geometry of antenna segments 408 and 414 as meander line antenna segments, the invention is not so limited. It is contemplated that the segments may also have other geometries.

The placement of the antenna 402 around the peripheral boundary or region of the tag or label 400 advantageously reduces the electrical losses created by the presence of the EAS component 214. In addition, the longer the antenna line length of an antenna pattern, such as the meanderline antenna pattern of FIG. 4, the lower the RFID frequency resonance that can be achieved on a given size tag or label.

It should be noted that although the antenna portions are shown as being symmetrical in fig. 3 and 4, e.g., in fig. 3 the antenna portions made up of segments 310a-c and the antenna portions made up of segments 316a-c are symmetrical about the transverse axis 308, and in fig. 4 the antenna portions made up of segments 408a-c and the antenna portions made up of segments 414a-c are symmetrical about the transverse axis 406, the invention is not so limited. It is contemplated that the antenna portions need not be arranged to be symmetrical about a longitudinal or transverse axis. Accordingly, while RFID integrated circuit chip 3034 is shown as being positioned about lateral axes 308 and 406, the invention is not limited thereto. The RFID chip 304 may be placed anywhere along the peripheral boundary or area of the tag or label 300 or 400, while the antenna portions are likewise placed along the peripheral boundary or area of the tag or label 300 or 400.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the RFID antennas shown in fig. 3 and 4 are arranged as dipole antennas. Referring to fig. 3, according to this arrangement, the terminals 320 and 314 are not in contact. The result is that the antenna portion comprised of segments 310a-c is separated from the antenna portion comprised of segments 316a-c and does not form a loop with the antenna portion comprised of segments 316 a-c. Similarly, referring to fig. 4, terminals 412 and 418 are not in contact according to this arrangement. Thus, the antenna portion comprised of segments 408a-c is separated from the antenna portion comprised of segments 414a-c and does not form a loop with the antenna portion comprised of segments 414 a-c. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the impedance of the RFID antennas 302 (and 402) is approximately the complex conjugate of the RFID chip 304.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary process for constructing security tag 106 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Referring to fig. 2, 3 and 5, at step S502, EAS component 214 is assembled with a peripheral boundary. The EAS component 214 may be disposed in a separate structure such as in a hard EAS tag or the EAS component 214 itself may form a housing, i.e., the housing encloses the magneto-acoustic and biasing elements. In the case of a standalone structure, such as a hard tag, the portion of the hard tag directly surrounding the EAS magnetoacoustic and biasing element is considered to be the housing for the purposes of the present invention. In step S504, the RFID component 208 is assembled. Methods and techniques for the actual physical manufacture of the RFID component 208, such as the printing of antennas and the securing of the RFID integrated circuit chip 304/406, are generally known. It should be noted, however, that in accordance with the present invention, the antenna is arranged such that when the RFID component 208 is mated with the EAS component 213, the antenna is disposed on the RFID component 208 such that it is outside the peripheral boundary of the EAS component 214.

At step S506, RFID component 208 is secured to the housing, for example, to EAS component 214 such that the RFID antenna is outside the peripheral boundary of EAS component 214. In one embodiment, the first and second portions of RFID antenna 304 may partially surround about 50% or more of the peripheral boundary of EAS component 214.

The present invention advantageously provides a device and monitoring system for enhancing the RFID reading range of a combination security tag having an EAS component and an RFID component in a single package.

The present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the spirit and essential attributes of the invention, and accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A security tag, comprising:

an acousto-magnetic ("AM") electronic article surveillance ("EAS") assembly, the AM EAS assembly including a housing with a defined surface area having a peripheral boundary and defining an EAS assembly plane; and

a radio frequency identification ("RFID") component comprising an RFID integrated circuit and a dipole antenna, the integrated circuit and the dipole antenna defining an RFID component plane, the RFID component plane being substantially coplanar with the EAS component plane, the integrated circuit and the antenna being disposed externally along the peripheral boundary of the AM EAS component.

2. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the dipole antenna surrounds at least fifty percent of the peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

3. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID dipole antenna comprises a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion, the first antenna portion having a first antenna terminal and a second antenna terminal, the first antenna terminal of the first antenna portion in electrical contact with the RFID integrated circuit; and

the second antenna portion being separate from the first antenna portion and having a first antenna terminal and a second antenna terminal, the first antenna terminal of the second antenna portion being in electrical contact with the RFID integrated circuit,

wherein the first and second antenna portions are positioned up to 10mm outside of the peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

4. The security tag according to claim 3, wherein the first and second antenna portions comprise at least one linear antenna segment.

5. The security tag according to claim 3, wherein said first and second antenna portions include at least one meander line antenna segment.

6. The security tag according to claim 3, wherein the first and second antenna portions are asymmetrically positioned with respect to at least one of a transverse axis of the EAS assembly and a longitudinal axis of the EAS assembly.

7. The security tag of claim 3, wherein the RFID antenna has an antenna impedance that includes proximity effects of the EAS component, and wherein the impedance of the RFID antenna is approximately the complex conjugate of the RFID chip.

8. The security tag according to claim 3, wherein the body includes a transverse axis, the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion being symmetric about the transverse or longitudinal axis.

9. The security tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID component is secured to the EAS housing.

10. A combination radio frequency identification ("RFID")/electronic article surveillance ("EAS") system, the system comprising:

a radio frequency identification reader that generates EAS and RFID interrogation signals; and

a security tag arranged to receive said EAS and RFID interrogation signals and to transmit a response signal, said security tag comprising:

an acousto-magnetic ("AM") EAS component comprising a housing with a defined surface area having a peripheral boundary and defining an EAS component plane; and

an RFID component including an RFID integrated circuit and a dipole antenna, the integrated circuit and the dipole antenna defining an RFID component plane, the RFID component plane being substantially coplanar with the EAS component plane, the integrated circuit and the dipole antenna being disposed externally along the peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the antenna surrounds at least fifty percent of the peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the dipole antenna comprises a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion, the first antenna portion having a first antenna termination and a second antenna termination, the first antenna termination of the first antenna portion in electrical contact with the RFID integrated circuit; and

the second antenna portion being separate from the first antenna portion and having a first antenna terminal and a second antenna terminal, the first antenna terminal of the second antenna portion being in electrical contact with the RFID integrated circuit, an

Wherein the first and second antenna portions are positioned up to 10mm outside of the peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

13. A system as in claim 12, wherein said first and second antenna portions comprise at least one linear antenna segment.

14. A system as in claim 12, wherein said first and second antenna portions comprise at least one meander line antenna segment.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first antenna portion is arranged in a counterclockwise direction extending from the RFID integrated circuit and the second antenna portion is arranged in a clockwise direction extending from the RFID integrated circuit.

16. A system as in claim 12, wherein the housing includes a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the transverse axis, the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion being symmetric about one of the transverse axis and the longitudinal axis.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the RFID component is secured to the EAS housing.

18. A method of constructing a combination tag, the method comprising:

providing an acousto-magnetic ("AM") electronic article surveillance ("EAS") component, the AM EAS component including a peripheral boundary; and

securing a radio frequency identification ("RFID") component to the EAS component, the RFID component having an RFID dipole antenna with a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion separate from the first antenna portion, the first and second antenna portions being disposed outside of and at least partially surrounding the peripheral boundary of the EAS component.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the first and second antenna portions are asymmetrically positioned with respect to at least one of a transverse axis of the EAS component and a longitudinal axis of the EAS component.

20. A method as in claim 18, where said first and second antenna portions comprise at least one meander line antenna segment.