OBJECT IDENTIFYING APPARATUS

• US 3,849,633 A
• Filed: 07/17/1973
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herbert J.P. Reitboeck, Thomas P. Brody
• Original Assignee: Herbert J.P. Reitboeck, Thomas P. Brody
• Inventors: Reitboeck, Herbert J. P., Brody, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Daryl W.
• Application Number:
  US05/380,182
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 235/61.12R,61.12N,61.12M,61.12C,61.12LC,61.11D,61.11H,61.7B,61.6 340/146.3K 343/6.5R,6.5SS
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/12 using electric or electronic detecting means B07C3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/496 by use of magnetic responsive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10425 the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10435 the interrogation device being positioned close to a conveyor belt or the like on which moving record carriers are passing conveying in accordance with bodily destination marks, see B65G47/46, sorting of objects carrying identity markings, see B07C5/34
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

An object-identifying label having printed on a throw-away flexible substrate an identifying electrical circuit and moved with the object through a region where the identifying circuit is read. Typically, the object is a mail sack or baggage which is to be directed along a predetermined path. When the object moves through the region, the label is randomly positioned in the region. A substantially homogeneous electromagnetic field is produced in the region and as the object moves through the region, the circuit on the label is powered only by, and reacts with, the field, absorbing energy from the field.

Claims

1. A label, to be subjected to an electromagnetic field while attached to an object in said field, for identifying said object, the said label including a substrate having printed thereon antenna means to be electromagnetically coupled to said electromagnetic field to absorb energy therefrom, said substrate also having printed thereon counter means, including a plurality of counters and also printed thereon, means for selectively connecting certain of said counters to said antenna means to produce a predetermined number of field-energy absorbing counts.

2. The label of claim 1 wherein the counter means includes a succession of counting components, conduction of each component being controllable, and each component being, in the absence of energy absorption from the field by the antenna means, non-conducting, the label also including means, connecting a first of said components to said antenna means, to be rendered conducting on receipt of a signal by said component from said antenna means, means connecting the other components in said succession each to a preceding component so as to be rendered conducting, only, both, on the conduction of the just preceding component and on said absorption of energy by said antenna means, and selective means for interrupting the flow of the signal from the antenna to any one of the succession of components thereby to permit connection in succession only of the components preceding said one component.

3. The label of claim 1 wherein the counter means includes a first counter including a plurality of counting components connected in a first succession, the antenna means being connected to energize a first of said components in said succession, an absorption of energy from the field, each succeeding component in said succession being connected to be energized only, both, while said antenna is absorbing energy from the field and when the just preceding component is energized, each component including timing means for timing the occurrence of energization of each succeeding component so that it occurs a predetermined first time interval after the energization of the just preceding component, the said label also including a second counter including a plurality of counting components, said last-named components being connected in a second succession with each of the components of the first counter and being, on absorption of energy from the field, connected in controllable energizing relationship with the components in said second succession and each component in said second succession being connected to energize the just succeeding component in said second succession only while a. a component of said first succession is in energizing relationship with the last-named just succeeding component of said second succession, and b. the just preceding component in said second succession is energized, each component in said second succession including timing means timing the occurrence of energization of each succeeding component so that energization of said last-named succeeding component occurs a predetermined second time interval substantially shorter than said first interval.

4. The label of claim 3 including connections between each of the components of the first succession and the components of the second succession for selectively setting the number of successive components of said second succession to be energized for each energization of each component of the first succession.

5. The label of claim 3 including means preventing back flow of current from each component of the second succession to other components of said succession and to the components of the first succession.

6. An object-identifying label to be subjected to an electromagnetic field, the said label including a substrate having printed thereon a circuit requiring a power supply external of said circuit and being capable of being powered by energy absorbed from said field, said circuit including antenna means to be electromagnetically coupled to said field to absorb energy therefrom, said circuit also including a plurality of counters and means for selectively connecting certain of said counters to said antenna means To produce a predetermined number of field energy absorbing counts in absorption of energy by said antenna means.

7. An object-identifying label to be subjected to an electromagnetic field the said label including a substrate having printed thereon a circuit devoid of any internal power supply but being capable of being powered by energy absorbed from said field, said circuit including:

a. antenna means to be electromagnetically coupled to said field to absorb energy therefrom, b. a plurality of components each capable of passing abruptly from an OFF to an ON condition, and c. means connecting certain selected of said components to said antenna means in a sequential network such that when energized by energy absorbed from said field by said antenna means they pass from OFF to ON to OFF in sequence producing a sequence of counts.

8. The label of claim 7 wherein the plurality of components include a first set of components and a second set of components, and the connecting means includes means, connecting the components of said first set to said antenna means in a sequential network wherein in the absorption of energy by said antenna means said components of said first set, beginning with a first component, are turned ON in succession, each for a first predetermined time interval, and thereafter turned OFF, each succeeding last-named component being turned ON as the just preceding last-named component is turned OFF as shown in FIG. 6A hereof, and the connecting means also includes means connecting the components of the second set in a sequential network and means selectively connecting each of the components of the first set to the last-named sequential network so that in the turning ON of each component of the first set, a preselected number of components of the second set, beginning with a first component of the second set, are turned ON and, after a second predetermined time interval, turned OFF in succession, each succeeding last-named component being turned ON as the just preceding last-named component is being turned OFF as shown in FIG. 6B hereof.

9. The label of claim 8 wherein the first time interval is substantially longer than the second time interval so that a substantial number of second intervals can occur during a first interval.