Organic semiconductor product state monitor

• US 6,868,352 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adewole, Hakeem, Brazis, Paul, Gamota, Daniel, Zhang, Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn, Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US10/420,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.92, 340/825.29, 340/825.36, 700/108, 700/109, 700/110, 700/225, 700/236, 702/81, 702/82, 702/83, 702/84, 702/182, 705/22
• US Class Current: 702/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual

Abstract

An organic semiconductor product state monitor attached to a product receives a product usefulness input, which, along with the product predetermined usefulness limit, is used to determine an indicator command to indicate a state of usefulness of the product. An organic circuit is formed and placed on a product with a power supply to control the circuit operation.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a state of usefulness of a product using an organic circuit, the method comprising:

attaching the organic circuit to a product having a predetermined usefulness limit;

receiving at least one product usefulness input;

determining an indicator command based on the received product usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit; and

indicating the state of usefulness of the product responsive to the determined indicator command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic circuit is comprised at least partially of organic semiconductor material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic circuit comprises a sensor circuit, operable to sense the product usefulness input, a comparator circuit, operable to compare the sensed product usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit of the product, an indicator circuit operable to switch at least one indicator upon input from the comparator circuit and a power source.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined usefulness input is a time limit, and wherein the sensor circuit includes a timing circuit, operable to measure passage of time.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined usefulness limit of a product is a time limit, wherein the power source attached to the organic circuit is preset to be depleted of power in a time equal to the time limit.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, a pH sensor, pressure sensor, sensor for particular chemical and biological species, an ultra-violet light sensor, a vibration sensor, and a time passage sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a product usefulness input comprises:

receiving input from a sensor in contact with the product.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, a pH sensor, pressure sensor, sensor for particular chemical and biological species, an ultra-violet light sensor, a vibration sensor, and a time passage sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an indicator command based on the received product usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit comprises:

comparing the received usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit to provide a comparative value;

determining an indicator command based on the comparative value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating the state of usefulness of the product responsive to the determined indicator command comprises:

maintaining the state of a visual indicator when the product is determined to be useful.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating the state of usefulness of the product responsive to the determined indicator command comprises:

changing the state of a visual indicator when the product is determined to be not useful.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating the state of usefulness of the product responsive to the determined indicator command comprises:

changing the state of a first visual indicator having a first state when the product is determined to be not useful; and

changing the state of a second visual indicator having a second state when the product is determined to be not useful.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating the state of usefulness of the product responsive to the determined indicator command comprises:

changing a state of an audio indicator when the product is determined to be not useful.

14. A device to identify a state of usefulness of a product using an organic circuit, comprising:

means for attaching the organic circuit to a product having a predetermined usefulness limit;

means for receiving a product usefulness input;

means for determining an indicator command based on the received product usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit; and

means for indicating the state of usefulness of the product responsive to the determined indicator command.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for obtaining the product at the start of life of the product;

means for forming the organic circuit;

means for placing the product in contact with the organic circuit at the start of life of the product; and

means for attaching a power source to the organic circuit to initiate the organic circuit operation.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for receiving a product usefulness input from a sensor on the organic circuit in contact with the product.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for comparing the received usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit to provide a comparative value;

means for determining an indicator command based on the comparative value;

means for controlling an indicator of the state of usefulness with an indicator command.

18. The means of claim 14, further comprising:

means for turning off a first indicator to indicate a change of state of usefulness; and

means for turning on a second indicator to indicate the change of state of usefulness.

19. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer readable code for receiving a predetermined usefulness limit for a product;

computer readable code for receiving at least one measured product usefulness input from an organic circuit;

computer readable code for comparing the measured product usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit for a product;

computer readable code for calculating a comparative value based on the comparison of the measured product usefulness input and the predetermined usefulness limit for a product;

computer readable code for determining an indicator command having a first value for a first range of comparative values and having a second value for a second range of comparative values.

20. The medium of claim 19 wherein the computer readable code maintains an indicator state when the indicator command is the first value.

21. The medium of claim 19 further comprising computer readable code for changing an indicator state by modifying the organic circuit when the indicator command is the second value.