Merchandise Tags Incorporating a Wireless Communication Device

• US 20150356845A1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian James
• Granted Patent: US 9,779,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/027 the material being suitable for use as a textile, e.g. woven-based RFID-like labels designed for attachment to laundry items markings attached to laundry items in general D06F93/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07728 the record carrier comprising means for protection against impact or bending, e.g. protective shells or stress-absorbing layers around the integrated circuit
• 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: G08B 13/24 by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2451 Specific applications combined with EAS
• 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 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for labeling a piece of merchandise with a wireless communication device. In addition to a wireless communication device, the merchandise tag includes an associated label made of a washable fabric material. The wireless communication device is incorporated into the label and includes an RFID chip and a slot-loop hybrid antenna, with the antenna including a conductor sheet that defines a slot. The label is secured to a piece of merchandise at a sew line, with the sew line dividing the label into an upper portion and a lower portion. The RFID chip and the slot of the antenna are positioned within the upper portion of the label, which may itself be positioned within a seam or neckline or waistband of the piece of merchandise.

Claims

1. A merchandise tag comprising:

a label formed of a fabric material;

a wireless communication device incorporated into the label and including

an RFID chip, and

a slot-loop hybrid antenna electrically coupled to the RFID chip and including a conductor sheet defining a slot; and

a sew line at which the label is secured to a piece of merchandise, wherein

the sew line divides the label into an upper portion and a lower portion,

the upper portion of the label is smaller than the lower portion of the label, and

the RFID chip and the slot of the antenna are positioned within the upper portion of the label.

2. The merchandise tag of claim 1, wherein the conductor sheet is at least partially positioned within the sew line.

3. The merchandise tag of claim 1, wherein the conductor sheet is at least partially positioned within the lower portion of the label.

4. The merchandise tag of claim 1, wherein the conductor sheet has a width approximately equal to the width of the label and a height approximately equal to the height of the label.

5. The merchandise tag of claim 1, wherein the conductor sheet is formed of two pieces having different stiffness.

6. The merchandise tag of claim 5, wherein the slot is defined in the piece of the conductor sheet having a greater stiffness than the other piece of the conductor sheet.

7. A labeled piece of merchandise, comprising:

a piece of merchandise including a seam or neckline or waistband;

a merchandise tag secured to the piece of merchandise at a sew line, which divides the merchandise tag into an upper portion positioned within the seam or neckline or waistband and a lower portion positioned outside of the seam or neckline or waistband, the merchandise tag including

a label formed of a fabric material;

a wireless communication device incorporated into the label and including an RFID chip and a slot-loop hybrid antenna electrically coupled to the RFID chip and including a conductor sheet defining a slot, wherein the RFID chip and the slot of the antenna are positioned within the upper portion of the label.

8. The labeled piece of merchandise of claim 7, wherein the upper portion of the label is smaller than the lower portion of the label.

9. The labeled piece of merchandise of claim 7, wherein the conductor sheet is at least partially positioned within the sew line.

10. The labeled piece of merchandise of claim 7, wherein the conductor sheet is at least partially positioned within the lower portion of the label.

11. The labeled piece of merchandise of claim 7, wherein the conductor sheet has a width approximately equal to the width of the label and a height approximately equal to the height of the label.

12. The labeled piece of merchandise of claim 7, wherein the conductor sheet is formed of two pieces having different stiffness.

13. The labeled piece of merchandise of claim 12, wherein the slot is defined in the piece of the conductor sheet having a greater stiffness than the other piece of the conductor sheet.

14. A method for labeling a piece of merchandise, comprising:

providing a piece of merchandise;

providing a merchandise tag including a label formed of a fabric material and a wireless communication device incorporated into the label, the wireless communication device including an RFID chip and a slot-loop hybrid antenna electrically coupled to the RFID chip and including a conductor sheet defining a slot; and

securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise at a sew line, which divides the label into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the merchandise tag is secured to the piece of merchandise such that

the upper portion of the label is smaller than the lower portion of the label, and

the RFID chip and the slot of the antenna are positioned within the upper portion of the label.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the piece of merchandise includes a seam or neckline or waistband and said securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise includes securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise such that the upper portion of the label is positioned within the seam or neckline or waistband.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise includes securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise such that the conductor sheet is at least partially positioned within the sew line.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise includes securing the merchandise tag to the piece of merchandise such that the conductor sheet is at least partially positioned within the lower portion of the label.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductor sheet has a width approximately equal to the width of the label and a height approximately equal to the height of the label.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said providing a merchandise tag includes providing a merchandise tag formed of two pieces having different stiffness.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the slot is defined in the piece of the conductor sheet having a greater stiffness than the other piece of the conductor sheet.