Wireless activation system and method

• US 20040022542A1
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Kestrel Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Atkinson, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00608 wherein the material that the record carrier is made of is altered, e.g. adding reactive dyes that alter the optical properties of a disc after prolonged exposure to light or air
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/281 by changing the physical properties of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/284 on the record carrier

Abstract

A system and method for wireless activation of a target. A communication device transmits an ID associated with the target to a network operations center. The network operations center provides an activation signal to the communication device. The communication device wirelessly transmits an acoustic activation signal to a nearby activation device. The activation device is positioned proximate the target and causes a change in at least one physical property of the target. The target may be an optical media containing an electrochromic material with optical properties that change on application of an electric signal.

Claims

1. A method for wireless activation of a target comprising:

determining whether a user is authorized to activate the target;

generating an activation signal based on this determination and transmitting the activation signal from a third party to the user'"'"'s communication device;

wirelessly transmitting the activation signal from the user'"'"'s communication device to an activation device proximate the target; and

activating the target by applying a signal from the activation device to the target that alters at least one physical property of the target.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination is made with reference to an ID manually entered by the user into the communication device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination is made with reference to an ID automatically obtained by the third party from the activation device, the target or another source at the user'"'"'s point of presence.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation signal transmitted by the communication device to the activation device is an acoustic signal.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the communication device is a phone, and the activation signal is transmitted from a speaker of the phone to a microphone of the activation device.

6. An optical media that is altered by application of an electrical signal to affect the perceptibility of the optical media.

7. An optical media as claimed in claim 6, wherein the optical media comprises an electro-optic material having an optical property that changes in response to application of an electrical signal.

8. An optical media as claimed in claim 7, wherein the optical media further comprises an embedded ID for provision to an authorizing entity, the embedded ID changing in response to application of the electrical signal.

9. A method for regulating access to content within an optical media comprising:

emitting an acoustic signal from a communication device proximate the optical media to alter at least one optical property of the optical media.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein an activation device receives the acoustic signal from the communication device and applies an electrical signal to an electro-optic material contained in the optical disk.

11. A wireless activation system comprising:

a target to be activated;

an activation device that applies an electrical signal to the target to effect a change in at least one physical property of the target and thereby activate the target;

a communication device for providing an activation signal to the activation device to permit activation of the target; and

a third party entity that participates in the activation of the target in response to information provided by the communication device.

12. A wireless activation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the target comprises an optical media having at least one optical property that is changed upon application of the electrical signal.

13. A wireless activation system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the optical media comprises an electrochromatic or liquid crystal material.

14. A wireless activation system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the activation device is a sticker disposed proximate the optical media and in communication with the communication device.

15. An article comprising:

an optical media comprising a material having at least one optical property that changes in response to application of an electrical signal, the change in the optical property of the material affecting the accessibility of the optical media, and the change in the optical property being reversible and repeatable.

16. An article as claimed in claim 15, and further comprising an input interface element in contact with the material to apply the electrical signal to the film.

17. An article as claimed in claim 16, wherein the input interface element applies a power component of the signal to the material and uses a data component of the signal to regulate application of power.

18. An article as claimed in claim 16, wherein the optical media is an optical disk or a hologram embedded in a credit card.

19. A method for wireless activation of an optical media comprising:

obtaining an ID from a user to determine whether the user is authorized to activate the optical media;

wirelessly transmitting an activation signal to an activation device proximate the optical media to authorize activation of the optical media;

sending an electrical signal from the activation device to the optical media to alter at least one property of and activate the optical media.

20. An optical media that incorporates thin films or gels organized as a battery, the battery being rendered operable or inoperable by application of an external electrical signal to the thin films or gels.

21. An article configured for activation comprising:

an optical media;

a material in contact with the optical media and having at least one optical property that is altered by application of an electrical signal to affect the readability or writeability of the optical medium; and

a removable activation device proximate the material for applying the electrical signal to the material.