Tagging and communication system and methods for use therewith

• US 20070115132A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Waterhouse, Paul, August, Jason, Stevens, John
• Application Number:
  US11/423,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A circular data-bearing medium having a hub hole has a chip and two distinct loop antennas, each offset from the other, each antenna disposed around the hub hole, the chip electrically connected with each of the two distinct antennas. The circular data-bearing medium does not have a battery. When bathed in RF energy the chip receives power from one of the loop antennas. During the power-up time the chip may receive messages on the other of the loop antennas, and may respond, on that antenna, to some of the received messages and not others, based upon internal states within the chip. At least one of the internal states is reset upon loss and restoration of the bathing RF energy. When passed nearby to an EAS sensor, for example at an exit of a store, the chip can selectively either trigger the sensor or not trigger the sensor, as a function of whether an EAS link has or has not been blown, and the triggering response is non-identical from one data-bearing medium to the next.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a circular data-bearing medium;

the circular data-bearing medium having a hub hole;

the circular data-bearing medium having an integrated circuit chip and no battery;

the circular data-bearing medium having first and second loop antennas;

each of the first and second loop antennas offset from the other,

each of the first and second loop antennas disposed around the hub hole,

the integrated circuit chip electrically connected with each of the two distinct antennas.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the a circular data-bearing medium comprises a compact disk.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the a circular data-bearing medium comprises a digital video disk. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the a circular data-bearing medium comprises a CD-ROM.

4. A method for use with a store and with a multiplicity of items of merchandise, each item comprising a respective integrated circuit chip, each item comprising first and second loop antennas, each of the first and second loop antennas electrically connected with the integrated circuit chip, the integrated circuit chip not powered by a battery, the integrated circuit chip defining at least on internal state, each item comprising a blowable link communicatively coupled with the integrated circuit chip, the store having an exit and having a sensor nearby to the exit, the method comprising the steps of:

bathing the items in RF energy, thereby providing power to the respective integrated circuit chip by means of the first of the loop antennas of each item;

transmitting messages;

at each of the items, receiving the messages at the second of the loop antennas;

at each of the items, responding, by means of the second antenna, to some of the received messages and not others, based upon the at least one internal state within the chip;

at each of the items, resetting the at least one internal state upon loss and restoration of the bathing RF energy;

at each of the items, if nearby to the sensor, selectively either triggering the sensor or not triggering the sensor, as a function of whether the respective link has or has not been blown;

the triggering of the sensor comprising communicating a response from the triggering item, the response being non-identical from one item of merchandise to the next.

5. An item of merchandise comprising:

an integrated circuit chip not powered by a battery;

the item of merchandise having first and second loop antennas, each of the two distinct loop antennas offset from the other, the integrated circuit chip electrically connected with each of the two distinct antennas;

the item of merchandise further comprising a blowable link;

the integrated circuit chip responsive to RF energy bathing the first of the loop antennas for providing power to the integrated circuit chip;

the integrated circuit chip responsive, when powered, to messages received at the second of the loop antennas;

the integrated circuit chip responsive to some of the received messages and not others, based upon at least one internal state within the chip and based upon whether or not the blowable link is blown;

the integrated circuit chip responsive to loss and restoration of the bathing RF energy by resetting the at least one internal state.

6. A multiplicity of items of merchandise, each item of merchandise comprising:

an integrated circuit chip not powered by a battery;

each item of merchandise having first and second loop antennas, each of the two distinct loop antennas offset from the other, the integrated circuit chip electrically connected with each of the two distinct antennas;

each item of merchandise further comprising a blowable link;

each integrated circuit chip responsive to RF energy bathing the first of the loop antennas for providing power to the integrated circuit chip;

each integrated circuit chip responsive, when powered, to messages received at the second of the loop antennas;

each integrated circuit chip responsive to some of the received messages and not others, based upon at least one internal state within the chip and based upon whether or not the blowable link is blown;

each integrated circuit chip responsive to loss and restoration of the bathing RF energy by resetting the at least one internal state;

the items of merchandise each, when responding with its blowable link not blown, responding differently from each other.