THERMAL TAGS FOR REAL-TIME ACTIVITY MONITORING AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING THE SAME

• US 20180103875A1
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hung, Li-Wen, Lai, Jui-Hsin
• Granted Patent: US 10,376,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3979 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/02 Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0058 relating to optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0066 relating to arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

A thermal tag for activity monitoring. The thermal tag includes a base layer having a plurality of metal lines to provide a conductive path, and a pattern layer having one or more infrared emitting features positioned over portions of the conductive path, wherein at least one infrared emitting feature couples to the conductive path to emit a predetermined infrared pattern in accordance with nearby activity.

Claims

1. A thermal tag for activity monitoring, comprising:

a base layer having a plurality of metal lines to provide a conductive path; and

a pattern layer having one or more infrared emitting features positioned over portions of the conductive path, wherein at least one infrared emitting feature couples to the conductive path to emit a predetermined infrared pattern in accordance with nearby activity.

2. The thermal tag of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared emitting features includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of electrically conducting material and thermally conductive material.

3. The thermal tag of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal lines include one or more metal trace points and each metal trace point is separated from a metal trace point of an adjacent metal line by a gap.

4. The thermal tag of claim 3, wherein the at least one infrared emitting feature is positioned within the gap to connect respective adjacent metal trace points.

5. The thermal tag of claim 3, wherein the at least one infrared emitting features includes an infrared light emitting diode.

6. The thermal tag of claim 4, wherein the one or more metal trace points are selectively positioned in a predetermined pattern.

7. The thermal tag of claim 6, wherein the one or more infrared emitting features includes an array of infrared light emitting diodes.

8. The thermal tag of claim 1, further comprising heat point sources connected to adjacent metal lines.

9. The thermal tag of claim 8, wherein the one or more infrared emitting features includes thermally conductive patches positioned over respective heat point sources, the thermally conductive patches having a heat spreading element to emit a temperature gradient within the predetermined infrared pattern.

10. The thermal tag of claim 8, wherein portions of the plurality of metal lines are coated with a thin dielectric material.

11. A thermal tag for activity monitoring, comprising:

a base layer having a plurality of metal lines to provide a conductive path, wherein the plurality of metal lines form a metal grid to emit infrared light; and

a pattern layer having one or more infrared reflective features positioned over portions of the conductive path, wherein at least one infrared reflective feature blocks portions of the infrared light to provide a predetermined infrared pattern in accordance with nearby activity.

12. The thermal tag of claim 11, wherein the predetermined infrared pattern includes a temperature distribution pattern.

13. The thermal tag of claim 11, wherein the one or more infrared reflective features includes at least one reflective material.

14. The thermal tag of claim 11, wherein the infrared light includes a uniform heat gradient.

15. A method for fabricating a thermal tag for activity monitoring, comprising:

forming a plurality of metal lines to provide a conductive path on a base layer;

forming one or more infrared emitting features positioned over portions of the conductive path on a pattern layer; and

coupling the base layer to the emitting layer, wherein at least one infrared emitting feature couples to the conductive path to emit a predetermined infrared pattern in accordance with nearby activity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plurality of metal lines includes printing one or more metal trace points such that each metal trace point is separated from a metal trace point of an adjacent metal line by a gap.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the one or more metal trace points includes positioning the one or more metal trace points in a predetermined pattern.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plurality of metal lines includes forming heat point sources between adjacent metal lines such that the adjacent metal lines are connected.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the one or more infrared emitting features includes forming thermally conductive patches positioned over respective heat point sources, the thermally conductive patches having a heat spreading element to emit a temperature gradient within the predetermined infrared pattern.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming a thin dielectric material over portions of the plurality of metal lines.