Monitoring Device and Method of Operating a Monitoring Device to Transmit Data

• US 20180252554A1
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Published: 09/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cryovac, LLC
• Original Assignee: RR Donnelley & Sons Company
• Inventors: Cyman, JR., Theodore F., Palmer, Eric V., Cameron, Ali K., Renzo, III, Dave, Murzynowski, Alan R., Kanfoush, Daniel E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,445,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/502 LED transmitters

Abstract

A monitoring device and a method of operating the monitoring device are disclosed. The monitoring device includes a first substrate adapted to be secured to a structure, a second substrate, and a third substrate disposed between the first and the second substrates. The monitoring device further includes an electronic circuit affixed to the third substrate, wherein the electronic circuit comprises at least one light emitting device and a processor, and the at least one light emitting device is positioned such that light emitted thereby is directed outwardly through the second substrate. The processor selects a plurality binary values to transmit, and in response, to operates the at least one light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each binary value.

Claims

1. A monitoring device, comprising:

a first substrate adapted to be secured to a structure;

a second substrate;

a third substrate disposed between the first and the second substrates; and

an electronic circuit affixed to the third substrate, wherein the electronic circuit comprises at least one light emitting device and a processor, and the at least one light emitting device is positioned such that light emitted thereby is directed outwardly through the second substrate,

wherein the processor is adapted to select a plurality binary values to transmit, and in response, to operate the at least one light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each binary value.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, further including means for securing the first and the second substrate to one another.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third substrates include first, second, and third perimeters, respectively, and the third perimeter does not extend beyond the first and the second perimeters.

4. The monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the third substrate is enclosed between the first and the second substrates.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1, further including a removable liner, wherein the first substrate includes an adhesive disposed on an outer surface thereof, the removable liner is secured to the adhesive, and removal of the liner enables the monitoring device to be attached to the structure.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is affixed to only one surface of the third substrate.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the second substrate includes at least one orifice aligned with the at least one light emitting device such that light emitted by the at least one light emitting device passes through the at least one orifice.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a conductive trace, and the conductive trace is imprinted on the thirds substrate.

9. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the second substrate includes indicia printed on an outer surface thereof.

10. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein, the at least one light emitting device includes a first light emitting device and a second light emitting device, where the processor is adapted to operate the first light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each one of the plurality of binary values and to transition the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state to indicate that the state of the first light emitting device represents one of the plurality of binary values.

11. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a sensor adapted to generate a signal in response to where the sensor is disposed, and the processor selects the binary value in response to the signal.

12. The monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the processor selects the plurality of binary values in accordance with signal.

13. The monitoring device of claim 1 in combination with a receiving device, wherein the processor synchronizes the operation of the at least one light emitting device with operation the receiving device.

14. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 13, wherein the electronic circuit includes a sensor disposed on the electronic circuit, the receiving device is adapted to generate a signal, and the processor synchronizes operation of the at least one light emitting device in accordance with detection of the signal by the sensor.

15. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 14, herein the sensor is a photo sensor, and the signal generated by the receiving device includes an emission of light.

16. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 13, wherein the receiving device includes a light-sensor operating at a predetermined frame rate, the at least one light emitting device includes a first light emitting device and a second light emitting device, where the processor is adapted to operate the first light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each one of the plurality of binary values and to transition the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state to indicate that the state of the first light emitting device represents one of the plurality of binary values, wherein frequency of transitions of the second light emitting device is in accordance with the predetermined frame rate.

17. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 16, wherein the receiving device is a smartphone having a digital camera, and the digital camera includes the light-sensor.

18. The monitoring device and receiving device of claim 13, wherein the at least one light emitting device includes first light emitting device and a second light emitting device spatially separated on the electronic circuit, and the receiving device includes spatially separated first and second sensors such that when the first light emitting device and the first sensor are aligned, the second light emitting device and the second sensor are aligned.

19. A method of operating a monitoring device that includes an electronic circuit affixed to a substrate, wherein the electronic circuit comprises at least one light emitting device and a processor, comprising:

selecting a plurality of binary values to transmit;

operate the at least one light emitting device in one of an on state and an off state in accordance with each binary value.

20. The method of claim 19, further including securing the substrate to another substrate.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the substrate comprises a first substrate and the monitoring device comprises second and third substrates, further including enclosing the first substrate between the second and third substrates.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the monitoring device includes an adhesive disposed on an outer surface thereof and a removable liner secured to the adhesive, further including removing the removable liner to enable enables the monitoring device to be attached to a structure.

23. The method of claim 19, further including aligning the at least one light emitting device with at least one orifice disposed on external surface of the monitoring device such that light emitted by the at least one light emitting device passes through the at least one orifice.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein, the at least one light emitting device includes a first light emitting device and a second light emitting device, further including operating the first light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each one of the plurality of binary values, and transitioning the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state to indicate that the state of the first light emitting device represents one of the plurality of binary values.

25. The method of claim 19, further including synchronizing operation of the at least one light emitting device with operation a receiving device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the monitoring device includes a sensor disposed, further including detecting a signal by the sensor, and operating the at least one light emitting device in accordance with detection of the signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the sensor is a photo sensor and the signal includes an emission of light.

28. The method of claim 27, further including operating the first light emitting device in one of an on state and off state in accordance with each one of the plurality of binary values, and transitioning the second light emitting device between an on state and an off state in accordance with predetermined frequency.