Smart package and monitoring system with indicator and method of making same
First Claim
1. A smart package comprising:
- a card having one or more product receptacles;
a tag having re-usable electronic circuitry and power source, the tag being an electronic sensor monitoring tag;
a conductive grid printed on a thin flexible substrate and connected to the tag so the tag and grid are in electrical continuity to form a monitoring device, the conductive grid being aligned with the one or more product receptacles in the card; and
an optical ink indicator that is electrically connected with the conductive grid and surrounds the one or more product receptacles;
wherein the optical ink indicator is configured to display a status of the one or more product receptacles by changing color;
the one or more product receptacles are configured so that opening one of the product receptacles breaks the conductive grid, and wherein the optical ink indicator is configured to automatically change the status in response to breaking the conductive grid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a smart package and monitoring system having a status indicator and a method of making the same. The smart package includes an electronic sensor monitoring tag having re-usable electronic circuitry and power source along with a conductive grid printed on a thin flexible substrate and connected to the tag so the tag and grid are in electrical continuity to form a monitoring device. The conductive grid is aligned with an opening of the smart package. The smart package can also include an optical ink indicator configured to display the status of the package. A multiplexer can be used to connect the tag to the conductive grid. The conductive grid can include capacitive sensors formed on a thin plastic layer and positioned so as to form a capacitive element with the conductive side of the blister.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A smart package comprising:
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a card having one or more product receptacles; a tag having re-usable electronic circuitry and power source, the tag being an electronic sensor monitoring tag; a conductive grid printed on a thin flexible substrate and connected to the tag so the tag and grid are in electrical continuity to form a monitoring device, the conductive grid being aligned with the one or more product receptacles in the card; and an optical ink indicator that is electrically connected with the conductive grid and surrounds the one or more product receptacles; wherein the optical ink indicator is configured to display a status of the one or more product receptacles by changing color; the one or more product receptacles are configured so that opening one of the product receptacles breaks the conductive grid, and wherein the optical ink indicator is configured to automatically change the status in response to breaking the conductive grid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification