Deactivating a data tag for user privacy or tamper-evident packaging

• US 7,098,794 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindsay, Jeffrey Dean, Velazquez, Heriberto Flores, Chen, Fung-Jou, Wagner, Eric Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/835,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.3, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/5.92, 343/893, 343/878, 343/879, 174/35.R, 235/385, 235/492, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies

Abstract

Deactivating a data tag attached to packaging for user privacy or tamper-evident reasons. A data circuit stores identification information. A plurality of antennas is coupled to the data circuit. At least one antenna of the plurality of antennas is a removable antenna capable of wireless signal transmission at a first range such that removal of the antenna substantially prevents communication of the identification information via the removed antenna and permits communication of the identification information via another antenna of the plurality of antennas at a second range relatively smaller than the first range.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data circuit storing identification information; and

a plurality of antennas coupled to the data circuit, wherein the data circuit communicates the identification information via the plurality of antennas, wherein at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas is a removable antenna capable of wireless signal transmission at a first range such that removal of the at least one antenna substantially prevents communication of the identification information via the removed antenna and permits communication of the identification information via another antenna of the plurality of antennas, said another antenna being capable of wireless signal transmission at a second range, wherein the second range is relatively shorter than the first range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data circuit storing the identification information comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip storing an RFID code, and wherein the plurality of antennas coupled to the data circuit comprises a plurality of antennas coupled to the RFID chip, wherein the RFID chip communicates the RFID code via the plurality of antennas, wherein at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas is a removable antenna capable of radio frequency (RF) transmission at a first range such that removal of the at least one antenna prevents communication of the RFID code via the removed antenna and enables communication of the RFID code via another antenna of the plurality of antennas, said another antenna being capable of RF transmission at a second range, wherein the second range is relatively smaller than the first range.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of antennas is coupled to the RFID chip via printed conductive ink.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID chip comprises a passive RFID chip.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the RFID chip comprises a read-only RFID chip.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one removable antenna is in direct electrical contact with the RFID chip prior to removal.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one removable antenna prior to removal is coupled to the RFID chip and is capable of transferring energy to the RFID chip via the coupling.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the removable antenna capable of RF transmission at the first range is adjacent to said another antenna and not in direct electrical contact via conductive leads with said another antenna, the removable antenna capable of RF transmission at the first range being separated from said another antenna by a dielectric material, such that radio frequency energy is exchanged between said another antenna and the removable antenna capable of RF transmission at the first range prior to removal of the removable antenna capable of RF transmission at the first range, said another antenna being in direct electrical contact with the RFID chip.

9. A system having a container and a closure, said system comprising:

a first data circuit attached to the container;

a first antenna attached to the closure and connected to the first data circuit;

a second data circuit attached to the container; and

a second antenna attached to the container and connected to the second data circuit, wherein the first data circuit communicates a first wireless signal via the first antenna, and wherein disconnecting the first antenna from the first data circuit enables the second data circuit to communicate a second wireless signal via the second antenna.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the container and the closure represent a pill bottle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein opening the closure disconnects the first antenna from the first data circuit to enable the second data circuit to communicate the second wireless signal via the second antenna.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the closure is removable, and wherein removing the closure disconnects the first antenna from the first data circuit to enable the second data circuit to communicate the second wireless signal via the second antenna.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein moving the closure relative to the container disconnects the first antenna from the first data circuit to enable the second data circuit to communicate the second wireless signal via the second antenna.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the container is a bottle and the closure is a cap.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the container comprises one or more of the following:

a box, a carton, a tank, and a product package.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the product package comprises one or more of the following:

plastic, paper, and metal.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the first data circuit attached to the container comprises a first radio frequency identification (RFID) chip attached to the container, wherein the second data circuit attached to the container comprises a second RFID chip attached to the container, wherein the first RFID chip communicates a first radio frequency (RF) signal via the first antenna, and wherein disconnecting the first antenna from the first RFID chip enables the second RFID chip to communicate a second RF signal via the second antenna.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first RF signal comprises a first RFID code, and wherein the second RF signal comprises a second RFID code.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first RFID chip and the second REID chip comprise passive RFID chips.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first RFID chip and the second RFID chip comprise read-only REID chips.

21. A system comprising:

a container;

a radio frequency (RF) shield covering a portion of the container; and

a data tag within the container, said data tag communicating an RF signal, said RF shield preventing communication of the RF signal by the data tag as a function of the relative positions of the data tag and the RF shield, wherein the RF signal indicates orientation of the container.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the data tag is capable of movement relative to the container.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the RF shield is capable of movement relative to the container.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the container comprises a fluid-filled container.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the data tag comprises a passive radio frequency identification tag.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the data tag comprises a read-only radio frequency identification tag.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the data tag and the RF shield are independently capable of movement relative to the container.