Rotation-activated electronic component with time-limited use

• US 20110199189A1
• Filed: 01/15/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Eluard, Marc, Maetz, Yves, Stahl, Niclas
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• 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: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00275 the key being stored on a chip attached to the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2537 Optical discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/657 Memory in disc [MID]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/282 Limited play
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/284 on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A rotation-activated electronic component, preferably a RFID tag mounted on or incorporated in a support that is rotated when read, e.g. a CD or DVD. The RFID tag comprises an antenna, a rotational switch, a component, advantageously a processor, and a time usage limiter. The antenna is adapted to transform received RFID signals to electric energy that powers the component and the rotational switch is adapted to cut the circuit unless the support does not rotate at or above a certain rotational speed. The time usage limiter counts down a timer when it is powered via the rotational switch and disables the RFID tag when the timer expires. Supports equipped with the RFID tag of the invention will thus respond until the timer expires, and preferably only if they rotate sufficiently.

Claims

1. An electronic module comprising:

communication means adapted to interact with an external device,

a power source,

a component adapted to process first information received from the communication means and to send second information to the communication means,

wherein the second information being intended for the external device,

a time usage limiter for disabling the electronic module after a predetermined time in use, and

a switch adapted to provide power to the time usage limiter when it is subject to predetermined rotational speed so that the time usage limiter can keep track of the time in use.

2. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the switch provides power when the rotational speed is above a threshold value.

3. The electronic module of claim 2, wherein the power provided by the switch also is provided to the component.

4. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the communication means is an antenna.

5. The electronic module of claim 4, wherein the electronic component is a Radio Frequency Identification tag.

6. The electronic module of claim 4, wherein the antenna is further adapted to function as the power source by transforming Radio Frequency signals to electric energy.

7. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

8. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the time usage limiter disables the electronic module by physically destroying a part of the electronic module.

9. An information medium adapted to store content and comprising an electronic module according to claim 8.

10. The information medium of claim 9, wherein access to content stored on the information medium is enhanced or enabled by information accessible from the electronic module.