Deactivation and coding system for a contactless antitheft or identification label

• US 5,608,380 A
• Filed: 05/18/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Original Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Inventors: Hogen Esch, Johannes H. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/444,377
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/067 Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0672 with resonating marks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details

Abstract

A deactivation and coding system for a contactless antitheft or identification label, uses a pyrotechnic material to burn away a track portion, whereby an electrical connection is severed. The labels in the system according to the invention consist of tuned circuits in the form of one or more coil/capacitor combinations. Deactivation can be effected by severing the connection between a coil and the associated capacitor. Coding can be effected by severing the connection with one of several parallel-connected coils or capacitors. Coding can also be effected by removing an initial short-circuit of one of several series-connected capacitors.

The pyrotechnic material may consist of one or a combination of the mixtures Pb₃ O₄, Si, Ti and Fe₂ O₃ ; PbCrO₄, and Zr; Pb₃ O₄, Si and KNO₂ ; and Pb₃ O₄ and Si or a mixture having comparable properties. The heat released during the combustion reaction can be used in combination with a thermosensitive paper for the purpose of causing readable information to appear on the label upon deactivation or coding. The use of protective foils can prevent damage to the goods on which the labels are provided.

Claims

1. A contactless label for antitheft or identification purposes, comprising an electric circuit, wherein the label comprises a pyrotechnic mixture which is provided adjacent at least one electroconductive connection of the electric circuit, in such a manner that the pyrotechnic mixture upon being ignited severs the electroconductive connection by combustion, with the electrical properties of the electric circuit altering as a result of the severance of the electroconductive connection.

2. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the pyrotechnic mixture is provided on the electroconductive connection.

3. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the electric circuit is deactivated when the electroconductive connection is severed.

4. A contactless label according to claim 3, wherein the electric circuit comprises at least one electric resonance circuit in the form of at least one coil and at least one capacitor, while by ignition of the pyrotechnic mixture the resonance circuit is severed and the electric circuit is deactivated.

5. A contactless label according to claim 4, wherein a number of pyrotechnic mixtures are provided for respectively terminating the currents through a number of the short-circuit connections.

6. A contactless label according to claim 4, wherein the electric circuit comprises a number of electric resonance circuits having mutually different resonance frequencies for increasing the number of available codes of the label.

7. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the electric circuit can be coded by severing the at least one electroconductive connection.

8. A contactless label according to claim 7, wherein the label comprises a number of pyrotechnic mixtures which are respectively provided near a number of electrical connections of the electric circuit, the electric circuit being codable by selectively severing said electrical connections.

9. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the electric circuit can be activated by severing the at least one electroconductive connection.

10. A contactless label according to any one of the preceding claims 1-3, 7, 9, wherein the electric circuit comprises at least one electric resonance circuit in the form of a number of parallel-connected coils and at least one capacitor, while by ignition of the at least one pyrotechnic mixture the current through at least one of these coils is terminated, whereby a resonance frequency of the electric resonance circuit alters for coding and/or activating the label.

11. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the electric circuit comprises at least one electric resonance circuit in the form of at least one coil and a number of capacitors connected in parallel, while by ignition of the at least one pyrotechnic mixture the current through at least one of these capacitors is terminated, whereby a resonance frequency of the electric resonance circuit alters for coding and/or activating the label.

12. A contactless label according to claim 11, wherein a number of pyrotechnic mixtures are provided for respectively terminating the currents through a number of the parallel-connected capacitors.

13. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the electric circuit comprises at least one electric resonance circuit in the form of at least one coil and a number of series-connected capacitors, the capacitors, except for at least one capacitor, each being short-circuited by means of a short-circuit connection, while by ignition of the at least one pyrotechnic mixture at least one short-circuit connection is severed, whereby a resonance frequency of the resonance circuit alters for coding and/or activating the label.

14. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the electric circuit comprises at least one electric resonance circuit in the form of at least one capacitor and a number of series-connected coils, the coils, except for at least one coil, each being short-circuited by means of a short-circuit connection, while by ignition of the at least one pyrotechnic mixture at least one short-circuit connection is severed, whereby a resonance frequency of the resonance circuit alters for coding and/or activating the label.

15. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the label comprises ignition means which upon receiving an electromagnetic field generate a spark for igniting the at least one pyrotechnic mixture.

16. A contactless label according to claim 15, wherein the ignition means comprise at least one tuned circuit with a capacitor and conductors coupled thereto, while by causing the tuned circuit to oscillate through electromagnetic induction, a sufficiently high voltage arises over the capacitor of the tuned circuit and the conductors coupled thereto in order that the spark is generated at a predetermined position where the conductors have a particular small distance relative to each other.

17. A contactless label according to claim 16, wherein the tuned circuit is part of the electric resonance circuit.

18. A contactless label according to claim 16, wherein the ignition means comprise a number of circuits tuned to different frequencies and conductors coupled thereto, for respectively and selectively igniting a number of pyrotechnic mixtures.

19. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein in order to limit the combustion reaction of the at least one pyrotechnic mixture, at least one protective fire-resistant foil is provided on the label.

20. A contactless label according to claim 1, wherein the label further comprises a thermosensitive layer which colors visibly when the at least one pyrotechnic mixture combusts.

21. A contactless label according to claim 20, wherein through the coloration of the thermosensitive layer, characters are depicted on the label.

22. A contactless label according to claim 21, wherein the pyrotechnic mixture consists of one or a combination of the substances Pb₃ O₄, Si, Ti and Fe₂ O₃ ;

PbCrO₄ and Zr;

Pb₃ O₄, Si and KNO₃ ;

or Pb₃ O₄ and Si.

23. An electric circuit for use in a label according to claim 1.

24. A deactivation and/or coding system, comprising at least one label according to claim 1 and further comprising a transmitter unit for generating an electromagnetic field by means of which the pyrotechnic mixture is ignited.