Thin flexible radio frequency identification tags and subsystems thereof

• US 20070103311A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Kippelen, Bernard, Durgin, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,642,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments according to the present invention comprised RFID tags comprised of components disposed on a flexible conformal substrate. The substrate may be substantially transparent or opaque and the components may be comprised of organic electronic components. Components and circuits may be manufactured using thin-film deposition processes or by deposition of metal-containing inks using inkjet technology. Exemplary use of an embodiment according to the present invention is as a component in an on-vehicle radio-frequency (RF) automated toll system

Claims

28. A radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder comprised of:

a flexible polyethylene teraphthalate (PET) substrate whereupon is disposed one or more electronic devices comprising;

a half-wave, folded dipole antenna comprised of indium tin oxide (ITO) deposited on the flexible PET substrate;

a power source;

a modulator; and

a data/identification memory unit,

wherein said electronic devices are operatively coupled using one or more conductive circuits disposed upon said flexible (PET) substrate.

29. The RFID transponder of claim 28, wherein said half-wave, folded dipole antenna comprises said half-wave, folded dipole antenna having a resonant frequency of greater than or equal to 900 megahertz (MHz).

30. The RFID transponder of claim 29, wherein said half-wave, folded dipole antenna comprises said half-wave, folded dipole antenna having a resonant frequency of between 900 and 930 MHz or a resonant frequency between 2.35 and 2.55 GHz.

31. The RFID transponder of claim 30, wherein said half-wave, folded dipole antenna comprises said half-wave, folded dipole antenna having a resonant frequency of 915 megahertz (MHz) or 2.45 gigahertz (GHz).

32. The RFID transponder of claim 28, wherein said power source comprises one or more of a charge pump, a rechargeable battery, a non-rechargeable battery, a photovoltaic cell, an organic photovoltaic cell, or combinations thereof.

33. The RFID transponder of claim 28, wherein said power source comprises a rechargeable battery and an organic photovoltaic cell.

34. The RFID transponder of claim 28, wherein said modulator comprises organic modulator circuitry.

35. The RFID transponder of claim 28, wherein said modulator comprises a positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) diode.

36. The RFID transponder of claim 28, wherein said RFID transponder is used on vehicles in an on-vehicle radio-frequency (RF) automated toll system.