REVERSIBLY DEACTIVATING A RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION DATA TAG

• US 20070152829A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Fung-Jou, Velazquez, Herb, Lindsay, Jeffrey, Onderko, John, Wagner, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,948,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• 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 19/07345 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• 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

Reversibly activating or deactivating a radio frequency identification (RFID) data tag comprising a circuit responsive to an environmental factor. An RFID tag includes an RFID chip for storing an RFID code, an antenna for communicating a radio frequency (RF) signal, and an environmentally sensitive switch.

Claims

1. A system for reducing the risk of unwanted scanning of an article comprising an RFID circuit, wherein the RFID circuit comprises a data circuit comprising:

an RFID chip;

an antenna for receiving and emitting radio frequency signals from an external RFID scanner;

a connection joining the antenna and the RFID chip; and

an environmentally sensitive switch in communication with at least one part of the RFID circuit such that the RFID scanning of the RFID circuit is substantially disabled when the state of the switch is off, and enabled when the state of the switch is on, the state of the switch being determined by an environmental factor that can be selectively controlled by a user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch responsive to applied pressure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch responsive to orientation relative to the vertical axis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a touch sensitive switch that can be turned on by contact with skin.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a photosensitive switch that is turned on by the presence of light having predetermined characteristics.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is responsive to a sensor that selected from one or more of the following:

a load sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a light sensor, a contact sensor, and an orientation sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical switch comprises a micro electro mechanical system device having a gravity-sensitive circuit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the article comprises a first member and a second member that can be moved relative to the first member between at least two different relative orientation states, wherein the switch is responsive to the relative orientation state of the first and second members.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the article is foldable.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is in a first region of the article and wherein the switch is responsive to the proximity of an element in a second region of the article, the second region being foldably movable relative to the first region.

11. An article having a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached thereto, said RFID tag comprising personal data related to a user, said tag being responsive to an environmental condition, said RFID tag comprising:

an RFID chip for storing an RFID code;

an antenna for communicating a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

a switch coupling the RFID chip to the antenna, wherein the environmental condition closes the mechanical switch to enable the RFID chip and the antenna to communicate the RFID code via the RF signal.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the package comprises paperboard or corrugated board.

13. The package of claim 11, wherein the switch is normally off but can be temporarily activated upon demand by an action of the user to modify the environmental condition.

14. A personal protective article comprising an RFID tag in an RFID circuit comprising a switch, the switch being responsive to an environmental condition related to the manner in which the article is used, such that the RFID tag is activated when the article is being worn properly, and can be deactivated when the article is in a configuration indicative of improper use.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the switch is selected from a load-sensitive switch, an orientation-sensitive switch, a relative orientation sensitive switch, a switch sensitive to the presence of a magnetic field, and a light-sensitive switch.

16. A face mask comprising a filtration section, attachment means connected to the filtration section, and an RFID tag attached to at least one of the filtration section and attachment means, the RFID tag having an RFID circuit with a tension-sensitive switch, wherein the RFID circuit is open by default but can be closed by application of suitable force applied to the attachment means.