RFID tags with modifiable operating parameters

• US 7,170,415 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian James
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/001,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.6, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 343/787, 343/895, 156/264, 156/299, 156/302, 428/40.1, 428/41.3
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0025 the arrangement consisting of a wireless interrogation device in combination with a device for optically marking the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0739 the incapacitated circuit being part of an antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• 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: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base

Abstract

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a facestock and a liner. The facestock includes an RFID circuit with an operating parameter, and the liner is releasably attached to the facestock such that when the liner is detached from the facestock, the operating parameter of the RFID circuit is desirably modified. The RFID tag may be configured so that the operating parameter that is modified is, for example, a read range or a propagation direction. The RFID circuit may include an RFID chip and an antenna, and the liner may include an electrical element that modifies a read range of the RFID circuit when the liner is attached to the facestock. More specifically, the electrical element may electrically couple with the antenna when the liner is attached to the facestock, thereby reducing the read range of the circuit. When the liner is removed, the antenna is decoupled from the electrical element and thereby enabled to operate at another read range, i.e., a specified operating range. Alternatively, the electrical element may couple with the antenna of the RFID circuit so that energy is propagated from the element in a direction that is orthogonal to a normal direction of propagation of the antenna.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a facestock including an RFID circuit with an operating parameter; and

a liner releasably attached to the facestock such that when the liner is detached from the facestock, the operating parameter of the RFID circuit is changed.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the liner includes an electrical element that modifies the operating parameter of the RFID circuit when the liner is attached to the facestock.

3. The RFID tag of claim 2 wherein the RFID circuit includes an antenna, the electrical element electrically coupling with the antenna when the liner is attached to the facestock.

4. The RFID tag of claim 3 wherein the electrical element couples with the antenna to modify a read range of the RFID circuit, such that the read range is decreased when the liner is attached to the facestock and the read range is increased when the liner is detached from the facestock.

5. The RFID tag of claim 3 wherein the electrical element couples with the antenna to modify a direction of signal propagation of or receipt by the RFID circuit.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the facestock includes a plurality of the RFID circuits.

7. The RFID tag of claim 6 wherein the liner includes a plurality of electrical elements operably juxtaposed with the RFID circuits such that the electrical elements modify the operating parameter of the RFID circuits when in the liner is attached to the facestock.

8. The RFID tag of claim 6 wherein the liner includes an elongate electrical element that is operably juxtaposed with each of the RFID circuits such that the electrical element modifies the operating parameter of the RFID circuits when the liner is attached to the facestock.

9. The RFID tag of claim 6 wherein the liner includes a transmission line that is operably juxtaposed with each of the RFID circuits such that the transmission line electrically couples with each of the RFID circuits to modify the operating parameter thereof.

10. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a facestock including an RFID circuit; and

a liner releasably attached to the facestock and including an electrical element for modifying an electrical characteristic of the RFID circuit such that the RFID circuit has;

a first read range when the liner is attached to the facestock; and

a second read range when the liner is detached from the facestock.

11. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the first read range is less than about 1 meter, and the second read range is at least about 2 meters.

12. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the first read range is less than about 10 centimeters, and the second read range is at least about 4 meters.

13. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the RFID circuit includes an antenna;

the electrical element inhibiting energy radiated by the antenna when the liner is attached to the facestock.

14. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element electrically couples with the antenna when the liner is attached to the facestock.

15. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element detunes the antenna when the liner is attached to the facestock.

16. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element includes a conductive material.

17. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element includes a dielectric material.

18. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element includes a material having a high magnetic permeability.

19. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element is a conductive ink.

20. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element is spatially juxtaposed over a portion of the antenna.

21. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the electrical element is spatially juxtaposed over the entire antenna.

22. The RFID tag of claim 10 wherein the facestock includes a plurality of the RFID circuits.

23. The RFID tag of claim 22 wherein the liner includes a plurality of electrical elements operably juxtaposed with the RFID circuits such that the electrical elements modify the electrical characteristic of the RFID circuits.

24. The RFID tag of claim 22 wherein the liner includes an elongate electrical element that is operably juxtaposed with each of the RFID circuits such that the electrical element modifies the electrical characteristic of the RFID circuits.

25. The RFID tag of claim 22 wherein the liner includes a transmission line that is operably juxtaposed with each of the RFID circuits such that the transmission line electrically couples with each of the RFID circuits to modify the electrical characteristic thereof.

26. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a facestock including an RFID circuit with an antenna for receiving energy along a first axis; and

a liner releasably attached to the facestock and including an electrical element for modifying an electrical characteristic of the RFID circuit such that the RFID circuit is able to receive and transmit energy along;

the first axis and a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis when the liner is attached to the facestock; and

the first axis when the liner is detached from the facestock.

27. The RFID tag of claim 26 wherein:

the RFID circuit includes an RFID chip connected to the antenna with a transmission line;

the electrical element includes an antenna element for receiving and radiating RF energy along the second axis and a coupling element spatially juxtaposed with the transmission line of the RFID circuit; and

the coupling element couples RF energy between the antenna element and the RFID circuit through the transmission line.

28. The RFID tag of claim 26 wherein the electrical element includes a conductive material.

29. A method of fabricating an RFID tag, the method comprising:

providing a facestock web including a facestock substrate and an adhesive layer;

providing an inlay web including an inlay substrate with an RFID inlay including a plurality of RFID circuits;

providing a liner web including a liner substrate with an electrical inlay including a plurality of electrical elements, and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer; and

sandwiching the inlay web between the adhesive layers of the facestock and liner webs such that the electrical elements are respectively spatially juxtaposed with at least a portion of the RFID circuits, the liner web being releasably attached to the facestock.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the facestock web and the liner web each includes a temporary liner, further comprising:

separating the temporary liners from the webs prior to the sandwiching step.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

cutting the facestock substrate to form a plurality of RFID tags each including one of the RFID circuits and at least one of the electrical elements, a given electrical element for a given RFID circuit modifying an operating parameter of the RFID circuit, such that the RFID circuit has a first read range when the liner is attached to the facestock and a second read range when the liner is detached from the facestock, the second read range being greater than the first read range.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

printing the electrical inlay onto the liner substrate.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the electrical inlay is printed with conductive ink.