PACKAGE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20020067267A1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Paper ZAO (Sylvamo Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Paper ZAO (Sylvamo Corp.)
• Inventors: Kirkham, Richard
• Application Number:
  US09/809,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067267A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4233 Cards, coupons, labels or the like formed separately from the container or lid
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure

The present invention is embodied in a package for protecting and displaying goods, the package includes a wireless smart package assembly and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The assembly comprises a package having at least one sheet of material adapted to support a product during the shipment and storage of the product. An electrically conductive material distributed along a portion of the sheet so as to form a non-planar antenna. The non-planar antenna may be configured to form a corner antenna or an array of spaced-apart dipole antennas. The invention when used with a passive RFID tag includes a power source within the RFID tag that allows for a one-time transmit capability.

Claims

1. A wireless smart package assembly for use in the protection of a product, said assembly comprising:

a package having at least one sheet of material adapted to enclose said product;

said sheet having interior and exterior surfaces; and

an electrically conductive layer covering a portion of at least one of said surfaces of said sheet.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive layer covers a non-planar region of said sheet and is adapted to form an antenna.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

said sheet is folded to form multiple interior and exterior surfaces to surround said product; and

said electrically conductive layer is adapted to traverse at least one fold and cover a portion of at least two surfaces.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said electrically conductive layer is adapted to form an antenna and said layer is defined by a length and width along said surfaces in proportion to at least one property selected from the group consisting of size of said package, material used in said sheet, uses for said antenna, material properties of said product, and operating frequency of said antenna.

5. The assembly of claim 2 or 4 wherein said layer has a thickness defined proportionally to a selected range and a selected radiating efficiency.

6. The assembly of claim 2 or 4 wherein said antenna is adapted to receive excitation from a transceiver, said excitation being selected from the group consisting of linear and circular polarization.

7. The assembly of claim 2 or 4 wherein said antenna includes a 5% VSWR bandwidth.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said VSWR bandwidth is increased by resistively loading said electrically conductive layer.

9. The assembly of claim 2 or 4 wherein said layer is printed onto said surfaces.

10. The assembly of claim 2 or 4 wherein said layer is formed from copper metalization.

11. The assembly of claim 2 or 4 wherein said layer is formed from a conductive ink.

12. A wireless smart package assembly for use in the protection of a product, said assembly comprising:

a package having a least one sheet of material folded to form multiple interior and exterior surfaces to surround said product; and

an electrically conductive layer adapted to traverse at least one fold and cover a portion of at least two surfaces to form a non-planar antenna.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said electrically conductive layer is defined by a length and width along said surfaces in proportion to at least one property selected from the group consisting of size of said package, material used in said sheet, uses for said antenna;

material properties of said product; and

operating frequency of said antenna.

14. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said layer has a thickness defined proportionally to a selected range and a selected radiating efficiency.

15. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said antenna is adapted to receive excitation from a transceiver, said excitation being selected from the group consisting of linear and circular polarization.

16. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said antenna includes a 5% VSWR bandwidth.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said VSWR bandwidth is increased by resistively loading said electrically conductive layer.

18. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said layer is printed onto said surfaces.

19. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said layer is formed from copper metalization.

20. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said layer is formed from a conductive ink.

21. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said at least one sheet is adapted with at least four surfaces to surround said product and said layer covers a portion of four of said surfaces.

22. The assembly of claim 13 wherein sheet is or a two ply material and said layer is formed in between said two-ply layers.

23. The assembly of claim 13 including an RFID tag electrically connected with said layer.

29. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said antenna includes a 5% VSWR bandwidth.

30. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said VSWR bandwidth is increased by resistively loading said electrically conductive layer.

33. The assembly of claim 12 or 13 wherein said layer is formed from a conductive ink.

24. A wireless smart package assembly for use in the protection and display of a product, said assembly comprising:

a package having a least one sheet of material folded and cut to form multiple interior and exterior surfaces to surround said product;

an electrically conductive layer adapted to traverse at least one fold and cover a portion of at least two surfaces to form a non-planar antenna; and

an RFID tag electrically connected with said layer.

25. A wireless smart package assembly for use in the distribution of a product, said assembly comprising:

a package having at least one sheet of material adapted to support the shipment and storage of a product; and

an electrically conductive material distributed along a portion of said sheet so as to form an non-planar antenna using said package.

26. The assembly of claim 25 wherein:

said package is adapted to surround said product;

said electrically conductive material is arranged to form a non-planar layer

aid sheet is folded to form multiple interior and exterior surfaces to surround said product; and

said electrically conductive layer is adapted to traverse at least one fold and cover a portion of at least two surfaces.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein said layer has a thickness defined proportionally to a selected range and a selected radiating efficiency.

28. The assembly of claim 26 wherein said antenna is adapted to receive excitation from a transceiver, said excitation being selected from the group consisting of linear and circular polarization.

31. The assembly of claim 26 wherein said layer is printed onto said surfaces.

32. The assembly of claim 26 wherein said layer is formed from copper metalization.

34. The assembly of claim 25 wherein:

said product is a roll of paper;

said package is a cylindrical core having an inner surface surrounding a hollow center and an outer surface about which said paper is rolled;

said electrically conductive material is arranged to form a ring of spaced-apart linear dipoles about the circumference of said core

said dipoles are connected to a combiner circuit to form a dipole antenna array.

35. The assembly of claim 25, 26 or 34 including:

a passive RFID tag having a power source for a one-time transmit operation.