WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE USING VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL

• US 20100264224A1
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Inventors: Kosowsky, Lex
• Application Number:
  US12/820,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20100264224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/488
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07735 the record carrier comprising means for protecting against electrostatic discharge
• 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: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/60 Protection against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0254 High voltage adaptations; Electrical insulation details; Overvoltage or electrostatic discharge protection electrostatic discharge protection for electric apparatus in general H05K9/0067, H05K9/0079; Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0373 containing additives, e.g. fillers H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0738 Use of voltage responsive materials, e.g. voltage switchable dielectric or varistor materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A wireless communication device, such as an RFID tag, is provided material that is dielectric, unless a voltage is applied that exceeds the materials characteristic voltage level. In the presence of such voltage, the material becomes conductive. The integration of such material into the device may be mechanical and/or electrical.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a substrate;

one or more logic elements provided on the substrate, wherein the one or more logic elements generate data, including identification information about the device;

a transmission component provided on the substrate, wherein the transmission component is configured to generate a signal that carries the identification information from the one or more logic elements; and

a material that has a characteristic of switching from being dielectric to being conductive when a voltage is applied to the material that exceeds a characteristic voltage level, and wherein the material is positioned to ground at least a portion of the device when a voltage is encountered that exceeds the characteristic voltage level.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a package that contains the one or more logic elements and the transmission component, and wherein the material is provided within the package.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the characteristic voltage level of the material exceeds an operating voltage level of the device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the material is applied to or incorporated as part of the substrate.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the transmission component or the one or more logic elements are positioned on the substrate to overlay at least some of the material.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the transmission component or the one or more logic elements are positioned on the substrate to overlay the material by including elements that are formed onto the material through a plating process that is performed concurrently with a voltage application to the material that makes the material conductive.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the transmission component includes an arrangement of conductive traces, and wherein at least a portion of the arrangement of conductive traces is positioned to overlay the material.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the device includes conductive elements disposed to interconnect the one or more logic elements and the transmission component, and wherein at least a portion of the interconnect elements are positioned on the substrate to overlay at least some of the material.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the package includes a top layer and a bottom layer, and wherein the material is provided as an adhesive between the top layer and the bottom layer.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmission component or the one or more logic elements are combined or are in contact with the material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a power source and power connect elements that extend conductivity between the power source and at least one of the transmission component or the one or more logic elements, and wherein at least one of the power source or the power connect elements are combined or are in contact with the material.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power source and power connect elements that extend conductivity between the power source and at least one of the transmission component or the one or more logic elements, and wherein at least one of the power source or the power connect elements are positioned on the substrate to overlay at least some of the material.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the power source is a receiver for receiving an applied external power signal.