Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing an Electronic Package

• US 20090111393A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LBT IP LLC (Location Based Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Location Based Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Butler, David, Scalisi, Joseph F., Morse, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14639 for obtaining an insulating effect, e.g. for electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3456 Antennas, e.g. radomes
• 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: H05K 2203/1316 Moulded encapsulation of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1322 Encapsulation comprising more than one layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing

Abstract

An apparatus to package an electronic device. The apparatus includes a composite plastic package that is durable to environmental conditions. In particular, a mold process to produce a plastic composite material package and support an electronic component inserted therein. At least one injection nozzle supplies a specified level of plastic composite material into the mold to produce a substantially hermetically sealed package. A multi-patch antenna provides increased receiver sensitivity. An inductive battery power option provides a user flexibility to charge a tracking device and communicate near-field signals and energy with a tracking monitoring station.

Claims

1. An apparatus to package an electronic device comprising:

a molding area to inject at least one plastic composite material and support an electronic component inserted therein; and

at least one injection nozzle to inject a specified level of the at least one plastic composite material into the molding area to substantially surround the electronic component and to produce a substantially hermetic sealed package substantially resistant to shock and vibration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the specified level of the at least one plastic composite material comprises a first non-conductive molding material to substantially seal active electronic components and a second non-conductive molding material to substantially seal at least one region outside of the active electronic components.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one plastic composite material comprises a blend of non-conductive molding materials to produce a non-uniform wireless signal communicating profile structure across a surface area of the substantially hermetic sealed package.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the molding area comprises a first molding area to fill active electronic components and a second molding area to fill outside of a perimeter of the active electronic components.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially hermetic sealed package comprises a one-piece structure that receives unit charging energy through induction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially hermetic sealed package comprises an antenna deposited therein to communicate location coordinates among one or more objects or individuals to a wireless communication link;

and

wherein the wireless communication link is capable of communicating among at one location coordinate service provider and at least one gateway to relay information to an authorized user through a mobile communication device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially hermetic sealed package comprises circuitry to inductively charge the electronic component.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially hermetic sealed package comprises an outer covering and shape to substantially blend an appearance of the package with an object'"'"'s skin or an individual'"'"'s clothing.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first non-conductive molding material and the second non-conductive molding material comprise at least one of a thermoplastic resin, thermoplastic elastomer, polymer, thermoplastic, polycarbonate, and a polyurethane;

and wherein the electronic component is capable of selectively communicating its location coordinates between other electronic components in accordance with a designated security criteria.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one plastic composite material comprises a blend of non-conductive molding materials to produce at least one of a non-uniform density and tensile strength profile structure across the substantially hermetic sealed package.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the injection of the second non-conductive molding material does not subject an integrated circuit disposed within the first non-conductive molding material to electro-static discharge.

12. An injection-molded article comprising:

an integrated circuit disposed on a substrate;

a first protective molding formed by a first thermoplastic resin disposed on the integrated circuit; and

a second protective molding formed by a second thermoplastic resin to substantially cover at least a portion of an exposed area of the substrate;

wherein the first and the second protective moldings are injected as an overmolding material into a mold tool to substantially selectively provide low-loss communication to wireless communication networks and provide a package to the integrated circuit that has resistance to moisture and shock variation.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the injection-molded article comprises a tracking device for use on objects and individuals to monitor and track location information upon traveling within one or more designated areas.

14. The article of claim 12, wherein the injection-molded article comprises battery charging circuitry to remotely charge using at least one non-direct contact charging method.

15. The article of claim 12, wherein the first injection molding and the second injection molding are performed at substantially consecutive intervals to increase electronic packaging throughput.

16. The article of claim 12, wherein the first injection molding and the second injection molding are performed sequentially to promote stability of the article after manufacture to at least one of temperature cycling and pressure cycling.

17. The article of claim 12, wherein the first injection molding and the second injection molding comprise substantially similar thermoplastic resin to promote subsequent stability of the device after manufacturing.

18. A tracking device comprising:

a transceiver;

a printed circuit board substrate comprising wireless location and tracking circuitry to assist in monitoring location coordinates of an object or individual attached thereto;

a first patch antenna mounted on a first side of the tracking device;

a second patch antenna disposed substantially parallel to the first patch antenna and mounted on a second side opposed to the first side of the tracking device;

wherein the first patch antenna and the second patch antenna are configured to periodically communicate signals to the wireless location and tracking circuitry processor to determine if the first patch antenna or the second patch antenna provides optimal antenna performance when the transceiver is placed in a low-power mode; and

wherein the signals comprise at least one of periodic or a periodic sampling interval substantially less than a duration of a communicated location and tracking signal.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

an electronic package deposited on the printed circuit board substrate by an injection process to apply a thermoplastic resin in a first fill pattern on a first region of the printed circuit board and in a second fill pattern on a second region on the printed circuit board.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the first fill pattern and the second fill pattern substantially seal the device within a desired shaped cavity to substantially camouflage the device from detection by unauthorized individuals.

21. The tracking device of claim 18, further comprising inductive charging circuitry coupled to a charge storage unit within the tracking device.

22. The tracking device of claim 18, further comprising memory to store a first identification code to identify an object or individual associated with the tracking device to at least one of a user and an information server.

23. The tracking device of claim 18, wherein the wireless location and tracking circuit communicates with a server that stores informational profile of an individual or an object to monitor or track and communicates the informational profiles in accordance with authorization criteria in both a secure and an insecure manner.

24. The tracking device of claim 18, wherein the injection process of the thermoplastic resin comprises an elastomer selected from the group that consists of polycarbonate, polycarbonate-urethane, urethane, and polyurethane to achieve a stabilized device that selectively provides for wireless communication signaling in response to receipt of location coordinates of nearby tracking devices and wireless communication links and hubs.

25. The tracking device of claim 18, wherein the tracking device is capable of selectively communicating location coordinates with other tracking devices in a secure manner.

26. The tracking device of claim 18, wherein the tracking device is capable of computing its location coordinates utilizing location coordinates of other tracking devices in response to at least one of inadequate signal strength and last known positional coordinates within an adequate signal strength area of the tracking device.

27. The tracking device of claim 18, further comprising a battery;

inductive charging circuitry to provide non-contact power charging of the battery; and

an electronic package configured to conform to a shape of an inductive charger located proximal to the tracking device.

28. The tracking device of claim 18, further comprising a demodulator circuit;

a battery, battery charging circuitry, and inductive charging circuitry magnetically coupled to a location and tracking device monitoring station through an inductive charging station to provide a near field communication link.

29. The tracking device of claim 18, further comprising inductive charging circuitry and a demodulator circuit to provide battery charging capability to the tracking device and a near field communication link with a proximally located monitoring station.

30. The tracking device of claim 18, further comprising an electronic package shaped to conform to shape of a proximately located battery charger unit that magnetically couples to the tracking device, the tracking device configured to receive at least one of battery charging signals or near field electrical signals from the battery charger unit electrically coupled to a transformation network from either a computer or a standard AC wall outlet.