Wireless communication devices, radio frequency identification devices, and methods of forming wireless communication devices and radio frequency identification devices

• US 6,031,459 A
• Filed: 07/22/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Lake, Rickie C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/120,599
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.8, 340/572.7, 340/572.5, 340/825.3, 340/825.34, 340/825.54, 340/825.31, 340/825.33, 156/213, 156/308.4, 29/855, 29/825, 29/829, 29/827, 29/600, 29/601, 342/51, 342/42, 342/44, 361/737, 361/761, 343/806, 343/845, 343/873, 257/673, 257/666, 257/735
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07728 the record carrier comprising means for protection against impact or bending, e.g. protective shells or stress-absorbing layers around the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

The present invention provides wireless communication devices, radio frequency identification devices, and methods of forming wireless communication devices and radio frequency identification devices. According to one aspect of the invention, a wireless communication device includes a substrate; communication circuitry supported by the substrate; and a housing over at least a portion of the substrate and including a substantially rigid first housing portion; and a second housing portion configured to have increased flexibility with respect to the first housing portion.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a substrate having a length;

communication circuitry supported by the substrate; and

a housing over at least a portion of the substrate and comprising;

a substantially rigid first housing portion over the communication circuitry and a predominate portion of the length of the substrate; and

a second housing portion over at least a portion of the substrate laterally adjacent the first housing portion and configured to have increased flexibility with respect to the first housing portion.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device comprises a remote intelligent communication device.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device comprises a radio frequency identification device.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the second housing portion is provided over at least a portion of the first housing portion.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the second housing portion is provided over substantially the entire substrate.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first housing portion encapsulates at least a portion of the communication circuitry and the second housing portion encapsulates the first housing portion.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a battery and the communication circuitry comprises transponder circuitry, and the first housing portion encapsulates the battery and the transponder circuitry.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first housing portion has a flexural modulus within an approximate range of 3,500 MPa to 20,000 MPa, and the second housing portion has a flexural modulus within an approximate range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the second housing portion is provided substantially entirely laterally of the first housing portion.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion comprise different first and second materials, and the first and second materials overlap one another.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first housing portion, second housing portion and substrate form a substantially solid device.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the second housing portion forms plural edges of the device.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a lateral periphery, and wherein the second housing portion extends to the lateral periphery of the device.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a device periphery, and wherein the second housing portion comprises a lateral periphery which is coincident with the device periphery.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first housing portion has a first thickness and the second housing portion has a second thickness less than the first thickness.

16. The wireless communication device according to claim 15 wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion comprise the same material.

17. A wireless communication device comprising:

a substrate;

a battery supported by the substrate;

communication circuitry supported by the substrate and coupled with the battery;

a first housing portion having a first flexural modulus and provided over the communication circuitry and the battery and a predominate portion of the substrate; and

a second housing portion having a second flexural modulus different than the first flexural modulus and provided over at least a portion of the substrate laterally adjacent the first housing portion.

18. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the wireless communication device comprises a remote intelligent communication device.

19. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the wireless communication device comprises a radio frequency identification device.

20. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the first housing portion encapsulates at least a portion of the communication circuitry and the second housing portion encapsulates the first housing portion.

21. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the communication circuitry comprises transponder circuitry, and the first housing portion encapsulates the battery and the transponder circuitry.

22. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the flexural modulus of the first housing portion is within an approximate range of 3,500 MPa to 20,000 MPa, and the flexural modulus of the second housing portion is within an approximate range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa.

23. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the first housing portion has a first thickness and the second housing portion has a second thickness less than the first thickness.

24. The wireless communication device according to claim 17 wherein the second housing portion is provided over at least a portion of the first housing portion.

25. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

a substrate;

communication circuitry supported by the substrate and including an integrated circuit and a conductive trace including at least one antenna coupled with the integrated circuit;

a first housing portion having a first flexural modulus and provided over the integrated circuit and the conductive trace of the communication circuitry and a predominate portion of the substrate; and

a second housing portion having a second flexural modulus less than the first flexural modulus, the second housing portion being provided over at least a portion of the substrate laterally adjacent the first housing portion.

26. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 25 wherein the first housing portion has a flexural modulus within an approximate range of 3,500 MPa to 20,000 MPa, and the second housing portion has a flexural modulus within an approximate range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa.

27. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 25 wherein the first housing portion encapsulates at least a portion of the communication circuitry including the integrated circuit, and the second housing portion encapsulates the first housing portion.

28. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 27 further comprising a battery and the first housing portion encapsulates the battery.

29. The wireless communication device according to claim 25 wherein the second housing portion is provided over at least a portion of the first housing portion.

30. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

a substrate having a length;

transponder circuitry supported by the substrate;

a first housing portion having a first flexural modulus and provided over the transponder circuitry and over a predominate portion of the length of the substrate; and

a second housing portion having a second flexural modulus less than the first flexural modulus, the second housing portion being provided over at least a portion of the substrate laterally adjacent the first housing portion.

31. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 30 wherein the first housing portion encapsulates the transponder circuitry and the second housing portion encapsulates the first housing portion.

32. The radio frequency identification device according to claim 30 wherein the first housing portion has a flexural modulus within an approximate range of 3,500 MPa to 20,000 MPa, and the second housing portion has a flexural modulus within an approximate range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa.

33. The wireless communication device according to claim 30 wherein the second housing portion is provided over at least a portion of the first housing portion.

34. A method of forming a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a length;

providing communication circuitry over the substrate; and

forming a housing over the substrate and comprising a substantially rigid first housing portion over a predominate portion of the length of the substrate and over the communication circuitry and a second housing portion over at least a portion of the substrate laterally adjacent the first housing portion and having increased flexibility with respect to the first housing portion.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises providing transponder circuitry configured to output an identification signal responsive to receiving an interrogation signal.

36. The method according to claim 34 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises:

printing circuitry over the substrate; and

coupling transponder circuity with the printed circuitry.

37. The method according to claim 36 further comprising connecting the printed circuitry and the transponder circuitry using a plurality of connectors.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the forming comprises encapsulating the connectors using the first housing portion.

39. The method according to claim 34 wherein the forming comprises encapsulating at least a portion of the communication circuitry using the first housing portion.

40. The method according to claim 34 wherein the forming comprises encapsulating the first housing portion using the second housing portion.

41. The method according to claim 34 wherein the forming comprises form ing the first housing portion hav ing a flexural modulus within the range of 3,500 MPa to 20,000 MPa and forming the second housing portion having a flexural modulus within the range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa.

42. The method according to claim 34 wherein the forming comprises forming the housing over substantially the entire substrate.

43. The method according to claim 34 wherein the forming provides a substantially solid device including the substrate and the housing.

44. The method according to claim 34 wherein the forming comprises forming the second housing portion over at least a portion of the first housing portion.

45. A method of forming a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

providing communication circuitry over the substrate;

coupling a battery with the communication circuitry;

forming a first housing portion over of the communication circuitry and the battery and having a first flexural modulus; and

forming a second housing portion over at least a portion of the substrate laterally adjacent the first housing portion and having a second flexural modulus different than the first flexural modulus.

46. The method according to claim 45 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises providing transponder circuitry configured to output an identification signal responsive to receiving an interrogation signal.

47. The method according to claim 45 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises:

printing circuitry over the substrate; and

coupling transponder circuity with the printed circuitry.

48. The method according to claim 45 wherein the forming the first housing portion comprises encapsulating at least a portion of the communication circuitry.

49. The method according to claim 45 wherein the forming the second housing portion comprises encapsulating the first housing portion.

50. The method according to claim 45 wherein the formings comprise forming a second housing portion having increased flexibility with respect to the first housing portion.

51. The method according to claim 45 wherein the formings comprise forming the first housing portion having a flexural modulus within the range of 3,500 MPa to 20,000 MPa and forming the second housing portion having a flexural modulus within the range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa.

52. The method according to claim 45 wherein the forming the second housing portion comprises forming the second housing portion over at least a portion of the first housing portion.

53. A method of forming a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

providing communication circuitry over the substrate;

first encapsulating the communication circuitry with a first encapsulant layer having a first flexural modulus, and wherein the first encapsulant layer is provided over a predominate portion of the substrate; and

second encapsulating the first encapsulating layer with a second encapsulant layer having a second flexural modulus different than the first flexural modulus of the first encapsulant layer, the second encapsuling providing the second encapsulant layer over the substrate laterally adjacent the first encapsulant layer.

54. The method according to claim 53 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises providing transponder circuitry configured to output an identification signal responsive to receiving an interrogation signal.

55. The method according to claim 53 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises:

printing circuitry over the substrate; and

coupling transponder circuity with the printed circuitry.

56. The method according to claim 53 wherein the second encapsulating comprises forming a second encapsulant layer having a second flexural modulus less than the first flexural modulus of the first encapsulant layer.

57. Eke method according to claim 53 wherein the second encapsulating forms a substantially solid device including the substrate, the first encapsulant layer and the second encapsulant layer.

58. A method of forming a radio frequency identification device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

providing communication circuitry including transponder circuitry and circuitry coupled with the transponder circuitry over the substrate;

first encapsulating the communication circuitry with a first encapsulant layer having a first flexural modulus, and wherein the first encapsulant layer is provided over a predominate portion of the substrate; and

second encapsulating the first encapsulant layer with a second encapsulant layer having a second flexural modulus different than the first flexural modulus, the second encapsulating providing the second encapsulant layer over the substrate laterally adjacent the first encapsulant layer.

59. The method according to claim 58 wherein the second encapsulating comprises forming a second encapsulant layer having a second flexural modulus less than the first flexural modulus of the first encapsulant layer.

60. The method according to claim 58 wherein the second encapsulating forms a substantially solid device including the substrate, the first encapsulant layer and the second encapsulant layer.

61. A method of forming a radio frequency identification device comprising:

providing a flexible substrate having a support surface;

printing a conductive trace comprising a plurality of terminal connections, a plurality of connectors, and first and second antennas over the support surface, the first antenna being configured to transmit wireless signals and the second antenna being configured to receive wireless signals;

conductively bonding a battery with the terminal connections;

conductively bonding transponder circuitry with the connectors and the first and second antennas;

first encapsulating the battery, the transponder circuitry, the terminal connections, and the connectors with a substantially rigid first encapsulant layer having a first flexural modulus within an approximate range of 3.500 MPa to 20,000 MPa, and wherein the first encapsulant layer is provided over a predominate portion of the substrate;

second encapsulating the first encapsulant layer with a second encapsulant layer having increased flexibility with respect to the first encapsulant layer and having a second flexural modulus within an approximate range of 20 MPa to 3,500 MPa, the second encapsulating forms a substantially solid device including the substrate, the first encapsulant layer and the second encapsulant layer, and the second encapsulating providing the second encapsulant layer over the substrate laterally adjacent the first encapsulant layer, and

removing at least some of the second encapsulant layer providing a second encapsulant layer having a predetermined thickness.