INTEGRATED SMART LABEL

• US 20110062237A1
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Chaves, Leonardo Weiss F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06018 one-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06056 the marking comprising a further embedded marking, e.g. a 1D bar code with the black bars containing a smaller sized coding
• 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: H05K 1/0266 Marks, test patterns or identification means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0269 for visual or optical inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09927 Machine readable code, e.g. bar code
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

Implementations of the present disclosure provide an integrated smart label, comprising a plurality of electronic components, each of the electronic components including a profile defining at least a portion of a machine-readable indicia, at least one of the electronic components storing first data, and the machine-readable indicia being a visual representation of second data. Implementations of the present disclosure also provide a method of producing an integrated smart label, and a system employing an integrated smart label.

Claims

1. An integrated smart label, comprising a plurality of electronic components, each of the electronic components including a profile defining at least a portion of a machine-readable indicia, at least one of the electronic components storing first data, and the machine-readable indicia being a visual representation of second data.

2. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components comprises printed electronics.

3. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components comprises organic electronics.

4. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable indicia is further defined by at least one profile that is distinct from profiles of the plurality of electronic components.

5. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises the second data and additional data.

6. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electronic components comprises a color that is machine-detectable.

7. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic components comprises at least one of memory, circuitry, a battery and an antenna.

8. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein the electronic components define a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.

9. The integrated smart label of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable indicia includes one of a one-dimensional indicia and a two-dimensional indicia.

10. A method of producing an integrated smart label, comprising:

generating a plurality of electronic components, each of the electronic components including a profile;

arranging the plurality of electronic components to define at least a portion of a machine-readable indicia;

storing first data in at least one of the electronic components, wherein the machine-readable indicia being a visual representation of second data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating comprises printing at least one of the plurality of electronic components.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic components comprises organic electronics.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating at least one profile that defines at least a portion of the machine-readable indicia, and that is distinct from profiles of the plurality of electronic components.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of electronic components comprises at least one of memory, circuitry, a battery and an antenna.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic components define a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the machine-readable indicia includes one of a one-dimensional indicia and a two-dimensional indicia.

17. A system for reading data, comprising:

an integrated smart label, comprising a plurality of electronic components, each of the electronic components including a profile defining at least a portion of a machine-readable indicia, at least one of the electronic components storing first data, and the machine-readable indicia being a visual representation of second data; and

a device for reading at least one of the first data and the second data from the integrated smart label.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the integrated smart label is printed directly on an item.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the integrated smart label is printed to a sticker that is subsequently affixed to an item.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the device comprises at least one of an optical scanner, and a smart label reader.