CHIPLESS RFID-BASED TEMPERATURE THRESHOLD SENSOR

• US 20180180491A1
• Filed: 12/15/2017
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VDW Design, LLC
• Original Assignee: VDW Design, LLC
• Inventors: van der Weide, Daniel W., Martinez, Marcos
• Granted Patent: US 10,739,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/32 using change of resonant frequency of a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/343 the dielectric constant of which is temperature dependant
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications

Abstract

Provided herein are chipless radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based sensors that exhibit an altered electromagnetic signature when sensor-specific temperature threshold is crossed.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based sensor comprising a dielectric substrate material, one or more conductive resonators, and a temperature-sensitive superstrate material.

2. The RFID-based sensor of claim 1, wherein the temperature-sensitive superstrate material is an aqueous solution.

3. The RFID-based sensor of claim 2, wherein the aqueous solution comprises NaCl in H₂O.

4. The RFID-based sensor of claim 1, wherein:

(a) if the RFID-based sensor has not been exposed to a temperature more extreme than a threshold temperature, upon interrogation by an electromagnetic wave (EMW), the RFID-based sensor reflects a first electromagnetic signature (EMS);

(b) if the RFID-based sensor has been exposed to a temperature more extreme than a threshold temperature, upon interrogation by the EMW, the RFID-based sensor reflects a second EMS, wherein the second EMS is detectably distinct from the first EMS.

5. The RFID-based sensor of claim 4, wherein, if the RFID-based sensor has been exposed to the temperature more extreme than a threshold temperature, upon interrogation by the EMW, the RFID-based sensor reflects the second EMS, even if the temperature returns to a less extreme temperature than the threshold temperature.

6. The RFID-based sensor of claim 4, wherein a more extreme temperature is above the threshold temperature.

7. A method of determining whether a composition has experienced a temperature more extreme than a threshold temperature, comprising tagging the composition with an RFID-based sensor of one or claims 1-6.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the composition comprises temperature-sensitive objects, goods, and/or materials.