DEACTIVATING A DATA TAG FOR USER PRIVACY OR TAMPER-EVIDENT PACKAGING

• US 20070013521A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Fung-jou, Velazquez, Herb, Wagner, Eric, Lindsay, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• 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 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies

Abstract

Deactivating a data tag attached to packaging for user privacy or tamper-evident reasons. Each of a plurality of data tags stores identification information. At least one of the data tags is removable and capable of wireless signal transmission at a first range such that removal of the data tag substantially prevents communication of the identification information via the removed data tag and permits communication of the identification information via another data tag at a second range relatively smaller than the first range.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of data tags each storing identification information, said plurality of data tags attached to an article, wherein at least one data tag of the plurality of data tags is a removable data tag capable of wireless signal transmission at a first range such that removal of the at least one data tag substantially prevents communication of the identification information via the removed data tag and permits communication of the identification information via another data tag of the plurality of data tags, said another data tag being capable of wireless signal transmission at a second range, wherein the second range is relatively shorter than the first range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data tags comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip storing an RFID code, wherein the RFID chip is removable from the article and capable of radio frequency (RF) transmission at a first range such that removal of the RFID chip prevents communication of the RFID code via the removed RFID chip and enables communication of another RFID code via another RFID chip of the plurality of data tags, said another RFID chip being capable of RF transmission at a second range, wherein the second range is relatively smaller than the first range.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID chip is coupled to at least one other data tag of the plurality of data tags via printed conductive ink.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID chip comprises one or more of the following:

a passive RFID chip and a read-only RFID chip.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID chip is in direct electrical contact with at least one other data tag of the plurality of data tags prior to removal.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID chip prior to removal is coupled to at least one other data tag of the plurality of data tags and is capable of transferring energy to the at least one other data tag of the plurality of data tags via the coupling.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the removable RFID chip capable of RF transmission at the first range is adjacent to said another RFID chip and not in direct electrical contact via conductive leads with said another RFID chip, the removable RFID chip capable of RF transmission at the first range being separated from said another RFID chip by a dielectric material, such that radio frequency energy is transferred from said another RFID chip to the removable RFID chip capable of RF transmission at the first range prior to removal of the removable RFID chip capable of RF transmission at the first range.

8. A system having a container and a closure, said system comprising:

a first data circuit removably attached to the container;

a first antenna attached to the closure and connected to the first data circuit;

a second data circuit attached to the container; and

a second antenna attached to the container and connected to the second data circuit, wherein the first data circuit communicates a first wireless signal via the first antenna, and wherein disabling the first data circuit enables the second data circuit to communicate a second wireless signal via the second antenna.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein opening the closure disables the first data circuit to enable the second data circuit to communicate the second wireless signal via the second antenna.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the closure is removable, and wherein removing the closure disables the first data circuit to enable the second data circuit to communicate the second wireless signal via the second antenna.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein moving the closure relative to the container disables the first data circuit to enable the second data circuit to communicate the second wireless signal via the second antenna.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the container is a bottle and the closure is a cap.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the container comprises one or more of the following:

a box, a carton, a tank, and a product package.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the product package comprises one or more of the following:

plastic, paper, and metal.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the first data circuit removably attached to the container comprises a first radio frequency identification (RFID) chip removably attached to the container, wherein the second data circuit attached to the container comprises a second RFID chip attached to the container, wherein the first RFID chip communicates a first radio frequency (RF) signal via the first antenna, and wherein removing the first RFID chip enables the second RFID chip to communicate a second RF signal via the second antenna.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first RF signal comprises a first RFID code, and wherein the second RF signal comprises a second RFID code.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the second wireless signal is not communicated unless the power from the first antenna is not present.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the second data circuit comprises an alarm chip.

19. A system having a container and a closure, said system comprising:

a first data circuit removably attached to the closure;

a first antenna attached to the closure and connected to the first data circuit;

a second data circuit attached to the container; and

a second antenna attached to the container and connected to the second data circuit, wherein the first data circuit communicates a first wireless signal via the first antenna, and wherein disabling the first data circuit enables the second data circuit to communicate a second wireless signal via the second antenna.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first data circuit removably attached to the closure comprises a first radio frequency identification (RFID) chip removably attached to the closure, wherein the second data circuit attached to the container comprises a second RFID chip attached to the container, wherein the first RFID chip communicates a first radio frequency (RF) signal via the first antenna, and wherein removing the first RFID chip enables the second RFID chip to communicate a second RF signal via the second antenna.