Hybrid banknote with electronic indicia

• US 10,150,325 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
• Original Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
• Inventors: Cok, Ronald S., Rotzoll, Robert R., Bower, Christopher, Willner, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Shin H
• Application Number:
  US15/433,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20170246899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 257 88, 257 89, 257 98
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/30 Identification or security features, e.g. for preventing forgery
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/305 Associated digital information record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/485 by electronic processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/16 Handling of valuable papers within containers G07D11/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/24 Managing the stock of valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/30 Tracking or tracing valuable papers or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/01 Testing electronic circuits therein
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors

Abstract

A hybrid currency banknote includes a banknote having visible markings. One or more light-controlling elements and a controller are embedded in or on the banknote. The controller is electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements to control the one or more light-controlling elements. A power input connection is electrically connected to the controller, or one or more light-controlling elements, or both. A power source can be connected to the power input connection, for example a piezoelectric or photovoltaic power source. In response to applied power, the controller causes the one or more light-controlling elements to emit light. A value can be stored in a memory in the controller and displayed by the light-controlling elements. The value can be assigned or varied by a hybrid currency teller machine.

Claims

1. A hybrid currency banknote, comprising:

a flexible banknote having visible markings;

one or more relatively rigid inorganic light-emitting diodes embedded in or on the banknote;

a controller embedded in or on the banknote electrically connected to the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes for controlling the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes; and

a power input connection electrically connected to (i) the controller, or (ii) the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes, or (iii) both (i) and (ii); and

wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes each comprises a fractured tether, the controller, or both the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller each comprises a fractured tether.

2. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, comprising a power source connected to the power input connection.

3. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 2, wherein the power source is a piezoelectric power source or a photovoltaic power source.

4. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 2, wherein the power source is indicated by the visible markings, the power source forms a part of the visible markings, or the power source is obscured by the visible markings.

5. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 2, wherein the power source comprises a plurality of electrically connected individual power source components.

6. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, comprising a power convertor connected to the power input connection and the controller or the one or more tight-controlling elements inorganic light-emitting diodes to convert the power provided from the power input connection to a form that is used by the controller or the inorganic light-emitting diodes.

7. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the banknote is a government-issued banknote indicated by the visible markings.

8. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the banknote includes a flexible substrate that includes paper, plastic, or impregnated paper, and the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller are printed on the flexible substrate.

9. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the banknote includes a ribbon or thread woven into the banknote and the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes and the controller are printed on the ribbon or thread.

10. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 9, wherein the ribbon or thread or portions of the ribbon or thread are at least partially electrically conductive or include conductive wires.

11. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes are disposed in a location corresponding to a portion of the visible markings to highlight or otherwise indicate the portion of the visible markings.

12. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, comprising one or more light pipes located in association with the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to transmit light emitted by the inorganic light-emitting diode into the light pipe and emit the transmitted light from the opposite end of the light pipe.

13. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to flash or flash sequentially.

14. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes forms a display or a two-dimensional array.

15. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the controller includes protective layers disposed over at least one or more portions of the controller.

16. The hybrid currency banknote of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a circuit having a memory that stores a value and the circuit causes the one or more inorganic light-emitting diodes to indicate the value or the memory stores an electronic serial number.

17. A method of making a hybrid currency banknote, comprising:

providing a flexible banknote having visible markings;

providing a light-emitting diode wafer having a plurality of relatively rigid micro-transfer printable inorganic light-emitting diodes connected by light-emitting diode tethers to the wafer;

providing a controller wafer having a plurality of controllers connected by controller tethers to the wafer;

micro-transfer printing at least one of the plurality of controllers and one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes from the controller wafer and the light-emitting diode wafer, respectively, with a stamp, thereby (i) fracturing each light-emitting diode tether that connected the one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes to the light-emitting diode wafer and each controller tether that connected the at least one of the plurality of controllers to the controller wafer and (ii) embedding the one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes and the at least one of the plurality of controllers in or on the banknote; and

electrically connecting the at least one of the plurality of controllers to the one or more of the plurality of inorganic light-emitting diodes and to a power input connection.