Solid state activity-activated battery device and method

• US 20040131925A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
• Inventors: Jenson, Mark L., Klaassen, Jody J., Lemaire, Charles A., Sullivan, Jim, Billion, Richard E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,906,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/61
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/028 Positive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0071 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/36 Selection of substances as active materials, active masses, active liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/11 having a chip structure, e.g. micro-sized batteries integrated on chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A system includes a thin-film battery and an activity-activated switch. The system is placed on a substrate with an adhesive backing. In some embodiments, the substrate is flexible. Also formed on the substrate is an electrical circuit that includes electronics. The activity-activated switch places the thin-film battery in electrical communication with the circuit and electronics. The battery and the circuit are formed on the substrate and may be comprised of one or a plurality of deposited layers.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a substrate;

a circuit connected to the substrate;

a thin-film battery connected to the substrate and connected to the circuit, the thin-film battery for powering the circuit; and

an acceleration-enabled switch connected to the substrate for electrically activating the circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the acceleration-enabled switch is a MEMS device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the acceleration-enabled switch includes at least one cantilevered beam.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the acceleration-enabled switch includes at least one cantilevered beam and an electrical contact, the at least one cantilevered beam contacting the electrical contact in response to an acceleration.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the acceleration-enabled switch includes:

a first cantilevered-beam-closure-switch; and

a second cantilevered-beam-closure-switch.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a first acceleration and the second cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a second acceleration, the first acceleration different than the second acceleration.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the acceleration-enabled switch forms a first electrical contact in response to a first acceleration and forms a second electrical contact in response to a second acceleration, the first acceleration different than the second acceleration.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the first acceleration-enabled switch activates the circuit differently in response to acceleration in either of two different planes.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a first cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a first acceleration in a first plane, and a second cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a first acceleration in response to a second acceleration in a second plane.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the circuit further comprises:

a memory; and

a timer, wherein the time when one of the first cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a first acceleration, or the time when the second cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a second acceleration is stored in memory.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the time when the other of the first cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a first acceleration, or the time when the second cantilevered-beam-closure-switch forms electrical contact in response to a second acceleration is stored in memory.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery is sputtered onto the substrate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the circuit is formed on the battery.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit is sputtered onto the substrate.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the battery is sputtered onto the circuit.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system fits within a device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the device is a package.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the device is an ordinance.

19. The system of claim 2 further comprising an adhesive attached to the substrate wherein the system is adhesively attached to a device.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprises an adhesive attached to the substrate.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising comparing the times of the other accelerations to the time when a shipper was in possession of the activity activated switch.

21. A system comprising:

a substrate;

a thin-film battery positioned on the substrate, the thin-film battery further including;

a first lead;

a first electrical contact in electrical communication with the first lead;

a second lead;

a second electrical contact in electrical communication with the second lead; and

an activity-activated switch connected to one of the first and second lead on the substrate for electrically connecting the thin-film battery to the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an adhesive attached to the substrate.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the activity-activated switch is activated in response to acceleration.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the activity-activated switch is activated in response to a magnetic field.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the activity-activated switch is activated in response to moisture.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the activity-activated switch is activated in response to a radio signal.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the activity-activated switch is activated in response to pressure.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the activity-activated switch is activated in response to light.

29. The system of claim 21, further comprising electronics attached to the first lead and the second lead, wherein the electronics are also associated with the substrate.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the electronics are attached to the substrate and the thin-film battery is attached to the electronics.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the thin-film battery is attached to the substrate and at least a portion of the electronics are attached to the thin-film battery.

32. The system of claim 21, further wherein the activity-activated switch is formed using microelectronic fabrication techniques.

33. A method comprising:

activating an activity-activated switch to place a thin-film battery in communication with a set of electronics;

directing an ordinance using the powered electronics.

34. A method comprising:

activating an activity-activated switch to place a thin-film battery in communication with a set of electronics;

storing a start time for a warranty using the powered electronics.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein activating an activity-activated switch includes accelerating the activity-activated switch at a selected level.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

running a self-check; and

storing the result of the self-check in response to activating the activity-activated switch.

37. The method of claim 34, further including storing other accelerations.

38. The method of claim 34, further including storing the time associated with other accelerations over a selected threshold.