Electronic device and method of extending reading distance

Abstract

An electronic device includes a reader and a plurality of first coil units. The reader is configured to read at least one wireless signal. The reader is connected to a first coil unit of the first coil units to read the wireless signal in an original reading distance. Other first coil unit(s) of the first coil units is separately arranged in an order started from the first coil unit. Spacing between any two of the first coil units is lower than or equal to the original reading distance. The first coil units are configured to generate magnetic coupling with an adjacent first coil unit started from the first coil unit to extend the original reading distance as a first extended reading distance and adjust a direction of the first extended reading distance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a reader configured to read at least one wireless signal; and   a plurality of first coil units,   wherein the reader is connected to a first coil unit of the first coil units to read the at least one wireless signal in an original reading distance, and other first coil units of the first coil units are separately arranged in an order started from the first coil unit, wherein a spacing between two of the first coil units is smaller than or equal to the original reading distance; the first coil units are configured to generate magnetic coupling with an adjacent first coil unit started from the first coil unit to extend the original reading distance to a first extended reading distance and to adjust a direction of the first extended reading distance.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first coil units are arranged according to sizes of the first coil units, and the first coil unit is a minimum first coil unit in the first coil units. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first coil units are arranged according to sizes of the first coil units, and the first coil unit is a maximum first coil unit in the first coil units. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flexible supporting unit with a hollow channel, wherein the at least one wireless signal is from at least one data-generating module, and the first coil units are disposed along a surface of the flexible supporting unit to adjust the direction of the first extended reading distance to be along the hollow channel;   when the at least one data-generating module is in the hollow channel, the reader continuously read the at least one wireless signal.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one data-generating module is at least one radio frequency (RF) tag, the reader is a radio frequency reader, the at least one wireless signal is at least one radio frequency signal, and the flexible supporting unit is a non-metal structure. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one data-generating module is located on a plane same as a plane on which one of the first coil units is located. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one data-generating module is located on a plane different from planes on which the first coil units are located. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first coil units have different sizes and different shapes. 
     
     
         9 . A method of extending reading distance, comprising:
 generating magnetic coupling in turn by a plurality of first coil units that are separately arranged, wherein a reader is connected to a first coil unit of the first coil units to read at least one wireless signal in an original reading distance, and other first coil units of the first coil units are separately arranged in an order started from the first coil unit;   extending the original reading distance to a first extended reading distance; and   adjusting a direction of the first extended reading distance.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 adjusting the direction of the first extended reading distance to be along a hollow channel of the flexible supporting unit by a flexible supporting unit, wherein the first coil units are disposed along a surface of the flexible supporting unit, the at least one wireless signal is from at least one data-generating module; and   continuously reading the at least one wireless signal by the reader when the at least one data-generating module is in the hollow channel.